Regional assessment of the canal performance using hydraulic Modeling: a case study of Shoeybiyeh network

Shahverdi, Kazem

doi:10.22059/ije.2026.411802.1907

Regional assessment of the canal performance using hydraulic Modeling: a case study of Shoeybiyeh network

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Kazem Shahverdi

Water Sciences and Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

10.22059/ije.2026.411802.1907

Abstract

Research Topic: Performance evaluation of irrigation canals is essential for optimal water management and improving the performance.

Objective: To hydraulically model and quantitatively evaluate the performance of the Shuaibiyah irrigation canal, with emphasis on efficiency, adequacy, and equity in water delivery and distribution.

Method: An unsteady-flow hydraulic model was developed in HEC-RAS for the main canal, incorporating nine water-level control structures and fifteen offtakes. After calibration and validation using field data, the model simulated baseline conditions and eight operational scenarios with positive and negative inflow variations. Performance indicators—efficiency, adequacy, and equity—were computed at local and regional scales and classified using standard criteria.

Results: Local assessments showed that efficiency remained within the “good” range for all offtakes across all scenarios, with a network-wide average of 0.998, indicating very high conveyance performance. However, adequacy for some downstream offtakes declined to the “fair” range under certain scenarios, reflecting supply shortfalls despite high efficiency. Equity analysis revealed marked structural imbalance: baseline equity values were 0.005 (upstream), 0.197 (middle), and 0.285 (downstream), demonstrating significant preferential allocation to upstream users.

Conclusions: Although the Shuaibiyah irrigation canal exhibits excellent technical efficiency, it faces pronounced structural inequity that disadvantages middle and especially downstream regions.

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