Characterization of water use and water balance for the croplands of Kansas using satellite, climate, and irrigation data

Lei Ji; Gabriel B. Senay; MacKenzie Friedrichs; Matthew Schauer; Olena Boiko

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107106

Characterization of water use and water balance for the croplands of Kansas using satellite, climate, and irrigation data

Lei Ji, Gabriel B. Senay, MacKenzie Friedrichs, Matthew Schauer, Olena Boiko

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states in the United States, where agricultural irrigation is a primary user of underground and surface water. Because of low precipitation and declining groundwater levels in western and central Kansas, sustainable management of irrigation water resources is a critical issue in the agricultural productivity of the state. The objective of this study is to analyze and characterize the water use and water balance in the croplands of Kansas using satellite observations, meteorological data, and in situ irrigation water use records. We used actual evapotranspiration (ETa), precipitation, soil moisture, and irrigation water use to calculate water balance for Kansas in 2015 at scales of counties, climatic divisions, and groundwater management districts (GMD). The Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance model was implemented to estimate 30-m resolution ETa. Results showed that the seasonal (May – September) precipitation, soil water storage change, and ETa are 528 mm, 80 mm, and 555 mm, respectively, on average of all croplands in the state. The annual net irrigation water consumption was 293 mm for irrigated croplands, indicating that irrigation water constitutes an substantial portion of the water supply in the state. The total volumetric irrigation water use was 3.24 km³ for all croplands within five GMDs in western and south-central Kansas, while only 0.38 km³ was outside of GMDs. The multiple regression models of ETa against precipitation and irrigation water use were statistically significant with R² values of 0.71 and 0.87, respectively, at county and climate division scales. Regression models also indicated a higher rate of ETa response to irrigation water use than that to precipitation. Our study demonstrated the spatial patterns of crop water use and water balance in Kansas, which could provide useful information for management of irrigation agriculture and water resources for the state.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	107106
Journal	Agricultural Water Management
Volume	256
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107106
State	Published - Oct 1 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow (WaterSMART) Program. The work by L. Ji was performed under USGS Contract 140G0119C0001. We are grateful to Ginger Pugh and Dani Wilson (Kansas Department of Agriculture) for providing the WIMAS geodatabase data. We thank Kul Khand (ASRC Federal Data Solutions) and three anonymous reviewers for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable comments. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow (WaterSMART) Program . The work by L. Ji was performed under USGS Contract 140G0119C0001 . We are grateful to Ginger Pugh and Dani Wilson (Kansas Department of Agriculture) for providing the WIMAS geodatabase data. We thank Kul Khand (ASRC Federal Data Solutions) and three anonymous reviewers for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable comments. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors

Keywords

Evapotranspiration
Irrigation water use
Landsat data
Soil water storage
SSEBop model
Water use efficiency

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107106

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Cite this

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title = "Characterization of water use and water balance for the croplands of Kansas using satellite, climate, and irrigation data",

abstract = "Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states in the United States, where agricultural irrigation is a primary user of underground and surface water. Because of low precipitation and declining groundwater levels in western and central Kansas, sustainable management of irrigation water resources is a critical issue in the agricultural productivity of the state. The objective of this study is to analyze and characterize the water use and water balance in the croplands of Kansas using satellite observations, meteorological data, and in situ irrigation water use records. We used actual evapotranspiration (ETa), precipitation, soil moisture, and irrigation water use to calculate water balance for Kansas in 2015 at scales of counties, climatic divisions, and groundwater management districts (GMD). The Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance model was implemented to estimate 30-m resolution ETa. Results showed that the seasonal (May – September) precipitation, soil water storage change, and ETa are 528 mm, 80 mm, and 555 mm, respectively, on average of all croplands in the state. The annual net irrigation water consumption was 293 mm for irrigated croplands, indicating that irrigation water constitutes an substantial portion of the water supply in the state. The total volumetric irrigation water use was 3.24 km3 for all croplands within five GMDs in western and south-central Kansas, while only 0.38 km3 was outside of GMDs. The multiple regression models of ETa against precipitation and irrigation water use were statistically significant with R2 values of 0.71 and 0.87, respectively, at county and climate division scales. Regression models also indicated a higher rate of ETa response to irrigation water use than that to precipitation. Our study demonstrated the spatial patterns of crop water use and water balance in Kansas, which could provide useful information for management of irrigation agriculture and water resources for the state.",

keywords = "Evapotranspiration, Irrigation water use, Landsat data, Soil water storage, SSEBop model, Water use efficiency",

author = "Lei Ji and Senay, {Gabriel B.} and MacKenzie Friedrichs and Matthew Schauer and Olena Boiko",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow (WaterSMART) Program. The work by L. Ji was performed under USGS Contract 140G0119C0001. We are grateful to Ginger Pugh and Dani Wilson (Kansas Department of Agriculture) for providing the WIMAS geodatabase data. We thank Kul Khand (ASRC Federal Data Solutions) and three anonymous reviewers for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable comments. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Funding Information: This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sustain and Manage America{\textquoteright}s Resources for Tomorrow (WaterSMART) Program . The work by L. Ji was performed under USGS Contract 140G0119C0001 . We are grateful to Ginger Pugh and Dani Wilson (Kansas Department of Agriculture) for providing the WIMAS geodatabase data. We thank Kul Khand (ASRC Federal Data Solutions) and three anonymous reviewers for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable comments. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

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T1 - Characterization of water use and water balance for the croplands of Kansas using satellite, climate, and irrigation data

AU - Ji, Lei

AU - Senay, Gabriel B.

AU - Friedrichs, MacKenzie

AU - Schauer, Matthew

AU - Boiko, Olena

N1 - Funding Information: This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow (WaterSMART) Program. The work by L. Ji was performed under USGS Contract 140G0119C0001. We are grateful to Ginger Pugh and Dani Wilson (Kansas Department of Agriculture) for providing the WIMAS geodatabase data. We thank Kul Khand (ASRC Federal Data Solutions) and three anonymous reviewers for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable comments. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Funding Information: This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow (WaterSMART) Program . The work by L. Ji was performed under USGS Contract 140G0119C0001 . We are grateful to Ginger Pugh and Dani Wilson (Kansas Department of Agriculture) for providing the WIMAS geodatabase data. We thank Kul Khand (ASRC Federal Data Solutions) and three anonymous reviewers for reviewing the manuscript and providing valuable comments. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

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N2 - Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states in the United States, where agricultural irrigation is a primary user of underground and surface water. Because of low precipitation and declining groundwater levels in western and central Kansas, sustainable management of irrigation water resources is a critical issue in the agricultural productivity of the state. The objective of this study is to analyze and characterize the water use and water balance in the croplands of Kansas using satellite observations, meteorological data, and in situ irrigation water use records. We used actual evapotranspiration (ETa), precipitation, soil moisture, and irrigation water use to calculate water balance for Kansas in 2015 at scales of counties, climatic divisions, and groundwater management districts (GMD). The Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance model was implemented to estimate 30-m resolution ETa. Results showed that the seasonal (May – September) precipitation, soil water storage change, and ETa are 528 mm, 80 mm, and 555 mm, respectively, on average of all croplands in the state. The annual net irrigation water consumption was 293 mm for irrigated croplands, indicating that irrigation water constitutes an substantial portion of the water supply in the state. The total volumetric irrigation water use was 3.24 km3 for all croplands within five GMDs in western and south-central Kansas, while only 0.38 km3 was outside of GMDs. The multiple regression models of ETa against precipitation and irrigation water use were statistically significant with R2 values of 0.71 and 0.87, respectively, at county and climate division scales. Regression models also indicated a higher rate of ETa response to irrigation water use than that to precipitation. Our study demonstrated the spatial patterns of crop water use and water balance in Kansas, which could provide useful information for management of irrigation agriculture and water resources for the state.

AB - Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states in the United States, where agricultural irrigation is a primary user of underground and surface water. Because of low precipitation and declining groundwater levels in western and central Kansas, sustainable management of irrigation water resources is a critical issue in the agricultural productivity of the state. The objective of this study is to analyze and characterize the water use and water balance in the croplands of Kansas using satellite observations, meteorological data, and in situ irrigation water use records. We used actual evapotranspiration (ETa), precipitation, soil moisture, and irrigation water use to calculate water balance for Kansas in 2015 at scales of counties, climatic divisions, and groundwater management districts (GMD). The Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance model was implemented to estimate 30-m resolution ETa. Results showed that the seasonal (May – September) precipitation, soil water storage change, and ETa are 528 mm, 80 mm, and 555 mm, respectively, on average of all croplands in the state. The annual net irrigation water consumption was 293 mm for irrigated croplands, indicating that irrigation water constitutes an substantial portion of the water supply in the state. The total volumetric irrigation water use was 3.24 km3 for all croplands within five GMDs in western and south-central Kansas, while only 0.38 km3 was outside of GMDs. The multiple regression models of ETa against precipitation and irrigation water use were statistically significant with R2 values of 0.71 and 0.87, respectively, at county and climate division scales. Regression models also indicated a higher rate of ETa response to irrigation water use than that to precipitation. Our study demonstrated the spatial patterns of crop water use and water balance in Kansas, which could provide useful information for management of irrigation agriculture and water resources for the state.

KW - Evapotranspiration

KW - Irrigation water use

KW - Landsat data

KW - Soil water storage

KW - SSEBop model

KW - Water use efficiency

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SN - 0378-3774

VL - 256

JO - Agricultural Water Management

JF - Agricultural Water Management

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ER -

Characterization of water use and water balance for the croplands of Kansas using satellite, climate, and irrigation data

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access

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