Abstract:

Controlled drainage supports to save fresh water by providing part of the consumptive use through the capillary rise from shallow water tables. However while using groundwater, monitoring water table level (WTL) during irrigation season is required in terms of plant growth and environmental conditions. Ground water conditions can best be analysed by plotting ground water data on maps. WTL maps (WTMs) are prepared for some typical conditions e.g. the lowest or highest WTL dependent time and location. In the lowest water table map (LWTM), the areas with WTL at a depth between 0 and 1.00 m indicate that ground water is in the plant root zone in all year. In the present study, relationship between ground water level and irrigation water quantity (IWQ) tried to be determined using LWTMs and yearly amount of IWQ between 1992 and 2009 water years in Erzincan irrigation project area. The monthly data taken from 116 observation wells are used to draw LWTM to determine the interaction between WTL and IWQ, and then the long–term data were analysed using Pearson Correlation test and SPSSWIN 10.0 software. Statistical inferences indicated that shallow ground water is potentially valuable source of additional water supply to meet crop water requirements in Erzincan irrigation area.

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