Articles | Volume 30, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3185-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-3185-2026
Research article
 | 
22 May 2026
Research article |  | 22 May 2026

Shifting water scarcities: irrigation alleviates agricultural green water deficits while increasing blue water scarcity

Heindriken Dahlmann, Lauren S. Andersen, Sibyll Schaphoff, Fabian Stenzel, Johanna Braun, Christoph Müller, and Dieter Gerten

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Green water stress can negatively affect agricultural production and is often mitigated through irrigation. In this global modelling study, we investigate where and to what extent the implementation of irrigation helps to compensate for green water stress but at the same time leads to an increase in blue water scarcity. Our findings highlight the need to consider both water stresses together, along with their dynamic interactions, for sustainable water management.
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