Impact of irrigation reduction on groundwater and associated ecological consequences in the Yinbei Plain

DU Mingyi; YU Suyue; WANG Zhongjing; ZHANG Na; WANG Tao; LI Yanbin

doi:10.13522/j.cnki.ggps.2025375

Abstract：[Objective]The Yinbei Plain in Northwest China is characterized by scarce water resources,intensive irrigation agriculture,and fragile ecological conditions.This paper develops a framework to assess the impact of regional agricultural water conservation on ecological systems,including groundwater level,vegetation,and soil salinization under reduced irrigation conditions in this region.[Method]The assessment framework was based on remote sensing inversion,groundwater depth,natural vegetation coverage,and secondary soil salinization.Using this framework,we analyzed the impact of different water-saving irrigation scenarios on groundwater depth and the associated consequences for vegetation ecology and soil salinization,and evaluated the optimal irrigation reduction and potential water rights transfer volume.[Result]The results showed that the optimal groundwater depth for non-zonal vegetation in the Yinbei Plain ranged from 2.50 to 3.25 m,and the critical groundwater depth for secondary salinization was in the range of 0.30-2.50 m.Based on these results,the Huinong Irrigation District is the only sub-irrigation district among the five districts in the Ningxia Yellow River diversion irrigation area that still has potential for agricultural water savings.[Conclusion]Under the premise of maintaining ecological stability,the transferable water right in the Huinong sub-irrigation district is approximately 169 million m3.The proposed method provides a useful tool for evaluating agricultural water-saving potential and water resource management in irrigation districts in arid regions.