Comparison and Validation of AquaCrop and WaPOR Derived Water Productivity of Irrigated Wheat Using Ground Data for Selected Sites in Awash River Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract

Population Growth And Socioeconomic Flux Have Forced People To Compete For Land And Water Resources. The Increasing Competition For Limited Land And Water Resources And The Basic Need To Feed A Growing Population Necessitate The Development Of Innovative Approaches For Improving Land And Water Productivity. The Open-Source Remotely Sensed Wapor Database And Aquacrop Model Are Frequently Used As Affordable Tools To Monitor Irrigation Water Productivity. The Main Objective Of The Study Was To Compare And Validate Of Aquacrop Mode And Wapor Derived Land And Water Productivity Of Irrigated Wheat Using Ground Data For Selected Sites In The Awash River Basin (Alge Metehara, Kuruftu Wonji, And Kataba Gumbichu Irrigation Fields). Based On Wapor Remotely Sensed Data, The Spatial Resolutions Used To Estimate Crop Water Consumption (AETI), Crop Yield, And Irrigation Performance Indicators For Alge Metehara And Kuruftu Wonji Were 30 M And 100m For Kataba Gumbichu Irrigation Fields. Additionally, Aquacrop Simulations For The Chosen Irrigation Fields Have Been Carried Out Using Weather Data From Nearby Climate Stations, Field Soil Data, Field Crop Data, Field Management Data, And Crop Canopy Cover Was For Calibration And Validation. Wapor Estimated AETI (162 Mm, 138.2 Mm, And 96.9 Mm), Seasonal Yield (3.2 Tons/Ha, 3.3 Tons/Ha, And 3.6 Tons/Ha), Crop Water Productivity ( 1.6 Kg/M3 , 2.1 Kg/M3 And 2.7 Kg/M3) For Alge Metehara, Kuruftu Wonji, And Kataba Gumbichu Irrigation Fields, Respectively. The Aquacrop Model Simulates AETI (577.5mm, 250.6 Mm, And 440.3mm), Yield (5.3 Tons/Ha, 4.9 Tons/Ha, And 4.5tons/Ha), And Crop Water Productivity (0.92 Kg/M3, 1.98 Kg/M3, And 1.03 Kg/M3) For Alge Metehara, Kuruftu Wonji, And Kataba Gumbichu Irrigation Fields, Respectively. Wapor Yield Values Were Lower Compared To Aquacrop Yield Values And Actual Yield Data (3.5 Ton/Ha, 3.8ton/Ha, And 4.5ton/Ha) For Alge Metehara, Kuruftu Wonji, And Kataba Gumbichu Irrigation Fields Respectively. Generally, We Conclude That Wapor-Based Results And Aquacrop Model Based Simulations Were Consistent With Expectations For All Irrigation Fields. Therefore, The Wapor Portal And The Aquacrop Model Were Useful Tools For Managing Water Productivity In Agriculture Sector. While This Study Is Done For Wheat In One Crop Season, But It Doesn?�?T Considered Temporal Variation And Different Crop Season, So For The Future Research Work, It Is Recommended To Evaluate The Temporal Variation Of The Wheat Water Productivity In Different Crop Season.