Assessment of water resources to support the development of irrigation in northwest Cambodia: a water budget approach |
| |
| Authors: | Rémi Valois Jean-Michel Vouillamoz Sambo Lun Ludovic Arnout |
| |
| Institution: | 1. French Red-Cross, EHASA, Paris, France;2. IRD/UJF-Grenoble-1/CNRS/G-INP – UMR LTHE, Grenoble, France;3. Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan;4. Department of Rural Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
| |
| Abstract: | Water availability is the primary constraint on the improvement of food security in rural areas in northwestern Cambodia. A 4-year study was carried out in the upper Stung Sreng watershed to assess water resources. Four sub-watersheds with different land cover types, ranging in size from 1.5 to 185 km2, were monitored using dedicated weather stations and rain- and streamgauges. Geophysics and observation boreholes were used to characterize aquifers. Rainwater is mostly split into evapotranspiration (annual mean of 54% rainfall) and streamflow components (49%), because groundwater recharge is low (1%). Thus, rainwater and streamflow are the main sources for irrigation development. Groundwater can be used only in specific locations for low water-demand crops. A total of 186 household ponds and three village-scale dams were built and 31 wells were installed. The household pond was determined to be the best solution for irrigation development because of its simple management. EDITOR A. Castellarin ASSOCIATE EDITOR M. Piniewski |
| |
| Keywords: | water balance hydrology irrigation evapotranspiration Cambodia |
|
|
