Description

Executive Summary: Significant progress has been made for the drip irrigation technology and SWAT modeling components of this project over the past six months. The laboratory drip experiments to determine the effect of hydraulic head and slope on water distribution uniformity of a low-cost drip irrigation technology and consequently generate optimum operating conditions have already been completed. A paper based on the results of the laboratory drip experiments has been accepted for publication in the ISI-indexed Applied Engineering for Agriculture Journal by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Recommendations to improve the performance of the drip kit have also been communicated to the International Development Enterprises. On the other hand, analysis of the results of the field drip experiments has already been started. Results indicate that the crop yield under drip irrigated condition is Generally higher than under rainfed conditions. Some of the results of the laboratory and field experiments on drip irrigation were presented at the SANREM Upscaling Conference in Bukidnon in late January 2009.

On SWAT modeling, a more refined ArcSWAT-based watershed simulation model has been made for selected subwatersheds of Manupali river. The SWAT model proved to be adequate in simulating and predicting runoff volume and sediment yield. The effect of land use change on runoff volume, sediment yield and baseflow was also analyzed using the SWAT model. Results showed that significant increase in runoff volume and sediment yield and reduction in baseflow occurs as agricultural land use is increased. Results of the SWAT modeling work were presented at the 1st International SWAT Conference in Southeast Asia in Chiang Mai, Thailand in early January 2009. The paper was also published as a chapter of the internationally published book entitled “Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Global Applications”, which was also launched during the said conference. The book was published by the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWC) with this project leader as one of the editors.

Significant networking activities were also made as a result of the SWAT and SANREM conferences. This project leader served as one of the keynote speakers in the 1st International SWAT Conference in Southeast Asia in Chiang Mai, Thailand on January 7-8, 2009 and presented a paper entitled “Potential applications of the SWAT model for sustainable soil and water resources management in Southeast Asia”. This project leader also served as moderator in the session “SWAT BMP and Other Scenario Impacts on Hydrology and Water Quality II”, one of the twelve sessions of the two-day conference. In the case of drip irrigation, significant networking was made with stakeholders interested in this low-cost and water-saving technology during the SANREM Upscaling Conference in Bukidnon on January 23, 2009.