The Impact of Groundwater Withdrawal for Irrigation on Its Reserves and Resources (South-Eastern Balkhash region)

Abstract

Currently, groundwater from the northern foothills of the Dzungarian Alatau is widely used for water supply of cities, rural settlements, and pasture irrigation. However, the largest potential consumer of groundwater will be irrigated lands. The objective of the research: predictive assessment of changes in the conditions of groundwater formation in areas of the foothill plains of Zhetysu Alatau prepared for irrigation, their reserves and resources under the influence of anthropogenic processes - exploitation of groundwater for land irrigation; development of irrigation systems and typical process flow charts for the layout and placement of irrigation equipment and methods of water supply from production wells to sprinkler machines; recommendations and assessment of the prospects for using groundwater for irrigation of lands on the alluvial-proluvial plain of the northern foothills of Zhetysu Alatau. The main hypothesis of this study is the assumption of the possibility of artificial irrigation using an improved technology of a wide-capture sprinkler system using groundwater. In this case, first of all, the main source of water supply is considered and analyzed - the exploited aquifer, the formation of groundwater, and operational reserves; secondly - methods of irrigation of land. Research methods: methodology and analysis of calculating the elements of the general water balance of the territory under consideration; methodology for assessing the explored operational reserves of groundwater in the Quaternary deposits of the foothill apron of the northern slopes of Zhetysu Alatau and annually renewable resources of groundwater in alluvial fans (recharge value); methodology for conducting and analyzing regime observations (monitoring), a method of sprinkling irrigation with groundwater with a detailed description of the design of the equipment used. The resource potential of groundwater deposits explored for land irrigation is estimated, and a technology for their use is proposed. The main results of the study are about improving the conditions of water supply for irrigated agriculture with a deficit of surface water sources using sprinkler systems that use groundwater.