IRRIGATION SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE IN GREECE

1. 1 IRRIGATION SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE IN GREECE Prof. A. Karamanos Agricultural University of Athens Prof. S. Aggelides Agricultural University of Athens Hammamet, June 2004

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4. 4 1. EVOLUTION OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS 4. CONCLUSION 2. IRRIGATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENTS 3. PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS TECHNICAL ECONOMICAL SOCIAL ENVIROMENTAL

5. 5 1. EVOLUTION OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

6. 6 Total area: 13,962,000 haTotal arable land: 3,900,000 haCultivated area: 3,470,000 haIrrigated area: 1,430,000 ha Annual water potential 70x109 m3 Annual water consumption 5,5x109 m3 Water used in agriculture 4,7x109 m3

7. 7 Total cultivated area (irrigated and non irrigated) in Greece from 1929 to 2001

8. 8 Irrigated areas distribution into flat, hilly and mountainous ones

9. 9 Total irrigated area in Greece from 1974 to 2001

10. 10 Proportions of irrigated crops (40,000ha) (346,000ha) (113,500ha) (931,000ha)

11. 11 2. IRRIGATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

12. 12 3. PLANNING AND OPERATION PARAMETERSOF IRRIGATION SYSTEMSA. TECHNICAL PARAMETERS

13. 13 Irrigation networks constructed before 1959 Irrigation networks constructed during 1960-69 Irrigation networks constructed after 1970

14. 14 Irrigation methods used in public and private networks

15. 15 Conveyance of irrigation water in public and private networks

16. 16 Sources of irrigation water in public and private networks

17. 17 • In private networks • Capital intensity • It dominates the model: pumping-flow of water through pipelines-application with sprinkler or drop irrigation • High operational cost • Lacking of easy available water resources • The water sources are mostly of reduced quantity and quality • The water losses are 10-20% due to the wrong water application • Water consumption does not exceed 5,000-6,000m3/ha Water and energy consumptions:

18. 18 Water and energy consumptions: In public networks • High water and energy consumption • High water losses (up to 50%) • Water consumption about 10,000m3/ha up to 17,000m3/ha • Inefficient maintenance • Extraordinary damaging events • Unorthodox methods of water application • Ageing of of networks • Many earthen delivery canals • Wrong way of water charging based on area • Lack of personnel and efficient control techniques • Low Irrigation Intensity Factor (LIIF 30-40%)

19. 19 • The reasons of Low Irrigation Itensity Factor: • Wrong planning of networks • Abandoned fields • Field holders with other employment than farming • Wrong operational of network • Low quality of water • Low quality of service

20. 20 B. ECONOMICAL PARAMETERS

21. 21 In Greece the economical stability of the works in the planning stage is examined for the followed criteria: • The present value of the work must be positive • The ratio of present benefit value for present cost value of the work must be bigger than unity • The internal rate of return which is the most important criterion for the “efficiency” of the work

22. 22 The compulsory redistribution of land properties solved three structural problems of Greek agriculture From 1959 up to now 900,000ha has been redistributed: • The small holding • The multiparcelling • The concomitant high cost of production • 26% cultivated land • 63% irrigated land

23. 23 The cost of water In the public reclamation works the operational cost is distributed on an area-basis of irrigated land. This has the following disadvantages: • The estimation of the cost is based more on the operational expenses and less on the staff salaries • The pricing of water based on the size of parcel is sufficient for surface networks but it is problematic in irrigation networks under pressure. It does not create motives for saving water and energy

24. 24 The cost of water In the private networks: • the users seem to pay the total amount of cost of the water supply • the users do not charged for the environmental effects cost caused by over-pumping • The users strongly subsidized for buying irrigation equipment and energy (oil, electricity)

25. 25 C. SOCIAL PARAMETERS

26. 26 • The conversion of an area from arid to irrigated creates: • Increasing in local employment at least 20% • Reduction in working hours as a result of automation • Tendency to keep rural population at their home • Creation of parallel activities (agrotourism)

27. 27 D. ENVIROMENTAL PARAMETER

28. 28 • Positive effects • Drawing up of Environmental Impact Assessments as a tool negative impacts • Creation of artificial wetlands • Reduction in groundwater pumping giving the opportunity to stop salinazation • Negative effects • Degradation of land resources as a result of wrong operation of drainage systems • Pollution of surface and underground waters from the excess use of fertilizers and pesticides • The salinization of ground water from the excessive water pumping and the consequent sea-intrusion to the land

29. 29 4. CONCLUSION

30. 30 There is a strong tendency towards a sustainable irrigated agriculture: • winters runoff are stored, • distribution and application are reduced, • farmers incomes are raising and unemployment is failing down, • environmental benefits from a rational development of water works are realized

31. 31 Thank you for your attendance