Irrigation Planning Using Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing of the Baranti Plain in Northern Iraq

Abstract

Water is crucially important as the basic source of life on Earth in arid and semi-arid regions. These areas face the direct impacts of climate change, requiring careful attention to groundwater resources. This study focuses on the Baranti plain,The Baranti Plain is located approximately 25 km north of Erbil in Iraq and spans an area of 445 km2. The Great Zap River flows through its northern region, with an average discharge of about 400 m3 per second. In response to the challenges faced in this area, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources collaborated with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to gather essential data. This comprehensive dataset included monthly records from 2000 to 2021, with a particular focus on groundwater level monitoring in September. On average, groundwater levels in the area have fallen by 23 meters overall, although there are variations in different locations. Notably, private wells within the region showed varying degrees of depletion. For example, Ganj Gowra well saw a drop of 19.65 metres, Garda Chal well decreased 10.4 metres, Jadida Zab well decreased 35.39 metres, Sebirani Gowra well saw a decrease of 15.87 meters, Qafar village well decreased 11.74 metres, and Jjnikan Ababakr village well decreased 18.2 metres 5 meters, the well at Kawar Goski village suffered a sharp decline of 53.15 metres. Additionally, urban sprawl in the region increased by 7.8%, while the number of wells rose from 257 in 2006 to 627 in 2021. To meet the challenges of groundwater depletion and irrigation facilitation for farmers’ fields, three possibilities were tested. The first was the construction of ponds, the second was the distribution of water through pipes, and the third was the construction of concrete channels. while the second and third relied on the Great Zap River as a means of transporting water to the plain. The first way was to build 15 ponds with a storage capacity of 5.7 million cubic meters. This is a very low rate of irrigation that is only good for improving the groundwater in the area. The second way was to distribute water through pipes. It had the capacity to irrigate 65% of the region's agricultural land, but it was expensive and difficult to manage. The third way is that concrete canals have the capacity to irrigate 68% of the agricultural land area and are easier to manage at a lower cost. Finally, the construction of artificial concrete canals emerged as the most effective solution to rejuvenate the area and solve the challenges faced by farmers.The project has the capacity to irrigate more than 30,000 hectares of land, benefiting more than 1200 farmers. It is expected to stop the use of over 600 wells for irrigation and potentially raise groundwater levels by about 2.5 m annually. Our work revealed that addressing groundwater depletion requires installing canals, rainwater harvesting, farmer education, modern irrigation, drilling restrictions, and supporting water. This paper provides valuable insights about sustainable water management practices and the importance of integrating GIS technology in the planning and implementation of water resource projects in semi-arid regions.