Optimal allocation of brackish groundwater in arid inland area:A case study
JIA Yifan
GE Yanyan
LI Sheng
JIE Feilong
Abstract：[Objective]Groundwater is a vital resource for agricultural irrigation in arid regions,but excessive exploitation has led to over-mineralization,making water unsuitable for direct use.In the central part of Yingjisha County,the presence of an anticline has exacerbated over-extraction of confined water,resulting in elevated groundwater salinity in the north and limiting its agricultural applicability.This study evaluates the potential utilization of groundwater with varying salinity levels and proposes strategies for its sustainable use.[Method]A water flow and solute transport model in the unsaturated zone was developed to analyze the spatial distribution of groundwater.Available water was classified according to quality,and a multi-objective water allocation model was established based on mass balance,constrained by irrigation demand and water quality.The optimization was solved using an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm.[Result]Optimal allocation reduced annual irrigation water from 368.58 million m3 to 322.99 million m3 and enabled the use of 11.64 million m3 of groundwater with salinity exceeding 3.0 g/L.This approach also decreased the overall groundwater exploitation rate from 123%to 74%.[Conclusion]Optimal water allocation significantly enhances the utilization of brackish groundwater,mitigates groundwater table decline,and prevents irrigation water shortages.The findings provide a theoretical basis for sustainable management and efficient use of brackish groundwater for agricultural production in arid regions.
Keywords：water qualitybrackish undergroundoptimized configurationanticline structureirrigation water quality constraint
Publication Date：2025-11-30
Online Publishing Date：2026-09-12(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：8( 142-149 )