Impact of Water Management Options on Groundwater Draft, Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission in Different Districts of Bihar

The impact of different efficient water management options like sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, laser land levelling and raised bed planting for rice-wheat cropping system on ground water draft, energy consumption and carbon emission was studied for different districts of Bihar.The reduction in the total energy requirement under sprinkler irrigation system water management options in case-1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) (10 % , 20 % and 30 % of tube wellcomm and is converted from surface to sprinkler irrigation) were 5, 10 and 14%, respectively. The reduction in the total energy requirement under drip irrigation system water management options in case-2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) (10% 20 and 30 % of total tube well command is converted from surface to drip irrigation) were 8, 14.6 and 23.1% , respectively. The total carbon emission reduction under drip irrigation system water management options in case-2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) were 7.5, 15 and 22.5%, respectively. The reduction in the total energy requirement and carbon emission under laser land levelling water management options in case-3(a), 3(b) and 3(c) (If 10%, 20 % and 30 % of total irrigated area is levelled with laser land leveller) were 1.25, 2.5 and 3% respectively. The reduction in the total energy requirement under bed planting system water management options in case-4(a), 4(b) and 4(c) were 3.6, 8.5 and 12%, respectively. Among the different water management options, drip irrigation was most efficient for reduction in energy requirement and carbon emission for ground water pumping. The different water management options which included sprinkler, drip, laser land levelling and raised bed planting for rice-wheat cropping system can also be used as an alternative for a reduction in energy requirement and carbon emission for groundwater pumping.