Water Resources Management of Qom Province by Using the Concept of Water Footprint

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 M.Sc.Student, Department of Water Engineering and Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Water Engineering and Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Water Engineering and Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran

4 Associate Professor, Department of Water Engineering and Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin

Abstract

Lack of adequate rainfall, lack of management and demand for water in arid and semi-arid regions such as Qom, and also management of water resourcesin the agricultural sector have all been difficult. According to the water balance received from the Qom regional water company, agriculture is challenged as the largest consumer of water. The purpose of this study was to use the concept of water footprint and virtual water trading in (2004-2014) to reduce pressure on water resources and better management. Due to the low irrigation systems, the white-water footprint was very high. Also, the blue water footprint calculated more than the green and gray water footprint. The white-water footprint in cotton estimated to be 5267 m3/ton, that includes 48% of the total water footprint and the amount of blue water footprint in cotton calculated to be 46% of the total water footprint. After cotton, watermelon has the highest amount of white water footprint that is 64% of the total water footprint, and the amount of blue water footprint in this product was 32%. The amount of white-water footprint in barely, wheat, hay, onion, tomato, melon and corn, is respectively 55%, 49%, 48%, 51%, 46%, 54% and 37/5% of the total water footprint. Rainfall decreases the amount of green water footprint in Qom. The green water footprint in barelyand wheat was more than other products that represents the symmetry of the rainy season and cultivation, the green water footprint in barely 12% and in wheat was 11% of the total water footprint. The exports of Qom are from cotton and barely. The virtual water of cotton and barely which goes out from the Qom was 250.41 MCM and economic income of cotton and barely was 429 billion Rials. Wheat, onion, tomato, melon and watermelon imported to the Province and the Qom Province virtual water imports, amount to 683 MCM. Finally, to better understand the status of water resources, ability indicators were calculated. The low index of Qom is 33% and the intake intensity index was 30%.

Keywords

References

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Iranian journal of Ecohydrology
Volume 6, Issue 4
January 2020
Pages 1109-1119

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History

  • Receive Date: 23 September 2019
  • Revise Date: 15 December 2019
  • Accept Date: 15 December 2019

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