Hydrology, irrigation demand and supply: An integrated modelling approach using Matlab
Annual Conference
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The environmental effects and performance of proposed large scale irrigation schemes are traditionally assessed using several different software programs. This method of evaluating the effects of irrigation storage schemes often requires data to be transferred between several software programs which can be time consuming and inefficient. This paper describes the methodology of a model developed in Matlab which integrates hydrology with irrigation demand and supply, and allows the interaction between these different components to occur within the model simulation.
The hypothetical case study presented in this paper describes a project which involves delivering water to the supply area from a run-of-river scheme when water is available in the river, with the shortfall in demand being made up with water from storage. Water can also be released from storage to enhance the environmental condition of the downstream river environment. The availability of water affects the irrigation requirements and this interaction between supply and demand is a significant advantage of having all the scheme processes modelled within a single program. During periods when the river flow exceeds environmental needs of the river and the irrigation requirements, water will be harvested into the storage reservoir to replenish if required.