Title: Determination of rice water consumption in Guilan and Mazanderan Provinces

Author: Mohammad Reza Yazdani

Abstract: Determination of the water consumption of the rice plant at the field condition is one of the important parameters in irrigation planning and calculating the water productivity. The aim of this study was to measure the field water consumption of rice in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces under the farmer’s management. Therefore, the water consumption of paddy fields in these provinces,  in plains, and various water resources in traditional and renovated farms during a crop season (2016-2017) was measured. The results showed that the average water consumption at the entrances of farms in the two provinces was 9142, in Gilan province 9385, and in Mazandaran province 8899 cubic meters per hectare. In Gilan water consumption at the farm in the west, east and center were 9104, 9455, and 9422 cubic meters per hectare, respectively, which shows that there is not much difference between the amounts of water consumed in the three regions. Water consumption in the east of the province in Rudsar (outside the network) and in Rudbaneh in Lahijan (inside the network) was 9522, 9388, respectively, and in the west of the province in Fooman (Gasht-outside the network) and in Roodpish (Inside the network) was 8903 and 9350 cubic meters per hectare, respectively. The water consumption from the good source and surface water was 8345 and 9664 cubic meters per hectare, respectively, which shows that the water consumption of the farm that is irrigated from the good source is 1319 cubic meters (16%) less than the farm covered by the irrigation network. The water consumption in the upstream and downstream lands was 10745 and 8727 cubic meters per hectare, respectively, which indicates a difference of 19% (2018 cubic meters per hectare) in these two regions. In Mazandaran province, the amount of water consumed at the entrance of the farm in the west, east, and center of the province was 14800, 8346, and 8438 cubic meters per hectare, respectively, which did not show much difference between the center and the east. The water consumption of the surface resources was 8918 and of the well water was 8152 cubic meters per hectare, which showed that the water consumption of the well was 9% less than the surface water. The water consumption of upstream, downstream, and downstream farms was measured at 7394, 8483, and 9072 cubic meters per hectare, respectively, which indicates that, unlike Gilan province, the water consumption upstream is about 18% less than downstream. The water consumption of the local cultivar 7938 (Tarom Hashemi) and the improved cultivar (Shiroodi) was measured at 8833 cubic meters per hectare, which indicates 10% more consumption in the improved cultivar. Water consumption was measured 7661  at equipped farms and 7846 cubic meters per hectare on the traditional farm, which was not much different.

Keywords: Irrigation, Water Consumption, Rice

Contact: smryazdany@yahoo.ca