Water conservation in irrigation can increase water use

TLDR

Climate change, water supply limits, and population growth have intensified the search for water‑conserving irrigation measures, yet integrated analyses testing whether such policies free water for cities and the environment are scarce. The study conducts an integrated basin‑scale analysis of the Upper Rio Grande Basin to evaluate water‑conservation policies. The authors analyze various water‑conservation policies to assess their impact on irrigation water use and conservation outcomes. The analysis shows that water‑conservation subsidies rarely lower irrigation water use, efficient irrigation reduces return flows and aquifer recharge, and policies that cut water applications can increase depletions, indicating that real savings require institutional, technical, and accounting measures that accurately track and reward reduced depletions, while programs targeting reduced diversions or applications provide no guarantee of saving water.

Abstract

Climate change, water supply limits, and continued population growth have intensified the search for measures to conserve water in irrigated agriculture, the world's largest water user. Policy measures that encourage adoption of water-conserving irrigation technologies are widely believed to make more water available for cities and the environment. However, little integrated analysis has been conducted to test this hypothesis. This article presents results of an integrated basin-scale analysis linking biophysical, hydrologic, agronomic, economic, policy, and institutional dimensions of the Upper Rio Grande Basin of North America. It analyzes a series of water conservation policies for their effect on water used in irrigation and on water conserved. In contrast to widely-held beliefs, our results show that water conservation subsidies are unlikely to reduce water use under conditions that occur in many river basins. Adoption of more efficient irrigation technologies reduces valuable return flows and limits aquifer recharge. Policies aimed at reducing water applications can actually increase water depletions. Achieving real water savings requires designing institutional, technical, and accounting measures that accurately track and economically reward reduced water depletions. Conservation programs that target reduced water diversions or applications provide no guarantee of saving water.