Land suitability for irrigation with treated wastewater (Briefing 2.11)

Abstract

In the Middle East available freshwater for agriculture, relying largely on irrigation, is expected to decrease alongside a growing population and decreasing natural recharge due to climate change. The use of irrigated wastewater provides an alternative option to face water shortages in agriculture. Depending on irrigation technology, effluent quality and site characteristics such as land use, irrigation with wastewater can pose adverse environmental effects, on- and off-site. With the aim of developing long-term sustainable land and water use management strategies, a Geographical Information System (GIS) database of the Jordan River basin showing various soil sensitivities to irrigation with treated wastewater was created and made available for authorities, farmers and scientists. The information provided by these maps may be applied to determine a sustainable approach to regional land and water resource management by informing wastewater allocation and investment strategies for treatment technologies.