Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis

Global changes and society’s development necessitate the improvement of water use and irrigation water saving, which require a set of water management measures to best deal with the necessary changes. This study considers the framework of the change process for water management in the Hetao Irrigati...

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Main Authors: Zhuangzhuang Feng, Qingfeng Miao, Haibin Shi, José Manuel Gonçalves, Ruiping Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1654
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author Zhuangzhuang Feng
Qingfeng Miao
Haibin Shi
José Manuel Gonçalves
Ruiping Li
author_facet Zhuangzhuang Feng
Qingfeng Miao
Haibin Shi
José Manuel Gonçalves
Ruiping Li
author_sort Zhuangzhuang Feng
collection DOAJ
description Global changes and society’s development necessitate the improvement of water use and irrigation water saving, which require a set of water management measures to best deal with the necessary changes. This study considers the framework of the change process for water management in the Hetao Irrigation District (HID) of the Yellow River Basin. This paper presents the main measures that have been applied to ensure the sustainability and modernization of Hetao, mitigating water scarcity while maintaining land productivity and environmental value. Several components of modernization projects that have already been implemented are characterized, such as the off-farm canal distribution system, the on-farm surface irrigation, innovative crop and soil management techniques, drainage, and salinity control, including the management of autumn irrigation and advances of drip irrigation at the sector and farm levels. This characterization includes technologies, farmer training, labor needs, energy consumption, water savings, and economic aspects, based on data observed and reported in official reports. Therefore, this study integrates knowledge and analyzes the most limiting aspects in some case studies, evaluating the effectiveness of the solutions used.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2073-4395
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Agronomy
spelling doaj-art-44dc2ec8d8394a91a4c376a799b7b0b82025-08-20T03:55:49ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-07-01157165410.3390/agronomy15071654Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective AnalysisZhuangzhuang Feng0Qingfeng Miao1Haibin Shi2José Manuel Gonçalves3Ruiping Li4College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, ChinaPolytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Agriculture School, CERNAS—Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, PortugalCollege of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, ChinaGlobal changes and society’s development necessitate the improvement of water use and irrigation water saving, which require a set of water management measures to best deal with the necessary changes. This study considers the framework of the change process for water management in the Hetao Irrigation District (HID) of the Yellow River Basin. This paper presents the main measures that have been applied to ensure the sustainability and modernization of Hetao, mitigating water scarcity while maintaining land productivity and environmental value. Several components of modernization projects that have already been implemented are characterized, such as the off-farm canal distribution system, the on-farm surface irrigation, innovative crop and soil management techniques, drainage, and salinity control, including the management of autumn irrigation and advances of drip irrigation at the sector and farm levels. This characterization includes technologies, farmer training, labor needs, energy consumption, water savings, and economic aspects, based on data observed and reported in official reports. Therefore, this study integrates knowledge and analyzes the most limiting aspects in some case studies, evaluating the effectiveness of the solutions used.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1654water resource managementagroecologysoil salinizationirrigation efficiencyirrigation technology
spellingShingle Zhuangzhuang Feng
Qingfeng Miao
Haibin Shi
José Manuel Gonçalves
Ruiping Li
Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis
Agronomy
water resource management
agroecology
soil salinization
irrigation efficiency
irrigation technology
title Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis
title_full Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis
title_fullStr Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis
title_short Water Saving and Environmental Issues in the Hetao Irrigation District, the Yellow River Basin: Development Perspective Analysis
title_sort water saving and environmental issues in the hetao irrigation district the yellow river basin development perspective analysis
topic water resource management
agroecology
soil salinization
irrigation efficiency
irrigation technology
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1654
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AT qingfengmiao watersavingandenvironmentalissuesinthehetaoirrigationdistricttheyellowriverbasindevelopmentperspectiveanalysis
AT haibinshi watersavingandenvironmentalissuesinthehetaoirrigationdistricttheyellowriverbasindevelopmentperspectiveanalysis
AT josemanuelgoncalves watersavingandenvironmentalissuesinthehetaoirrigationdistricttheyellowriverbasindevelopmentperspectiveanalysis
AT ruipingli watersavingandenvironmentalissuesinthehetaoirrigationdistricttheyellowriverbasindevelopmentperspectiveanalysis