Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-388
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-388
07 Sep 2021
 | 07 Sep 2021
Status: this discussion paper is a preprint. It has been under review for the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS). The manuscript was not accepted for further review after discussion.

A conceptual framework for including irrigation supply chains in the water footprint concept: gross and net blue and green water footprints in agriculture in Pakistan

Abdul Wahab Siyal, Winnie Gerbens-Leenes, Maite Aldaya, and Rozina Naz

Abstract. The water footprint (WF) concept is a generally accepted tool introduced in 2002. Many studies applied water footprinting, indicating impacts of human consumption on freshwater, especially from agriculture. Although the WF includes supply chains, presently it excludes irrigation supply chains and non-beneficial evapotranspiration, and calculations for agriculture start from crop water requirements. We present a conceptual framework distinguishing between traditional (net) WFs and proposed gross WFs, defined as the sum of net WFs and irrigation supply chain related blue WFs and as the sum of green WFs and green WFs of weeds. Many water management studies focused on blue water supply efficiency, assessing water losses in supply chain links. The WF concept, however, excludes water flows to stocks where water remains available and recoverable, e.g. to usable groundwater, in contrast to many water management approaches. Also, many studies focused on irrigation technology improvement to save water. We argue that not only irrigation technology should be considered, but whole water supply chains, also distinguishing between surface and groundwater, to improve efficient blue water use in agriculture. This framework is applied to the Pakistani part of the Indus basin that includes the largest man-made irrigation network in the world. The gross blue WF is 1.6 times the net blue WF leading to a K value (ratio of gross and net blue WF) of 0.6. Surface water losses vary between 45 and 49 %, groundwater losses between 18 and 21 %. Presently, efficient irrigation receives much attention. However, it is important to take irrigation supply chains into account to improve irrigation efficiency. Earlier WF studies showing water scarcity in many regions underestimate agricultural water consumption if supply chains are neglected. More water efficient agriculture should take supply chain losses into account probably requiring water management adaptations, which is more a policy than an agriculture task.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Abdul Wahab Siyal, Winnie Gerbens-Leenes, Maite Aldaya, and Rozina Naz

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on hess-2021-388', Anonymous Referee #1, 21 Oct 2021
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Abdul Wahab Siyal, 07 Nov 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on hess-2021-388', Anonymous Referee #2, 10 Nov 2021
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Abdul Wahab Siyal, 17 Nov 2021

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on hess-2021-388', Anonymous Referee #1, 21 Oct 2021
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Abdul Wahab Siyal, 07 Nov 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on hess-2021-388', Anonymous Referee #2, 10 Nov 2021
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Abdul Wahab Siyal, 17 Nov 2021
Abdul Wahab Siyal, Winnie Gerbens-Leenes, Maite Aldaya, and Rozina Naz
Abdul Wahab Siyal, Winnie Gerbens-Leenes, Maite Aldaya, and Rozina Naz

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Short summary
The water footprint (WF) is an accepted tool, but it excludes irrigation supply chains. We present a conceptual framework distinguishing between traditional net WFs and proposed gross WFs (with irrigation supply chain related blue WFs and green WFs of weeds). In the Pakistani part of the Indus basin the gross blue WF is 1.6 times the net blue WF showing that WFs are underestimated if supply chains are neglected. More water efficient agriculture should take these supply chain losses into account.