GC023-0007
Developing a Decision Support Engine to Enable Irrigation Modernization

Tuesday, 8 December 2020
Poster
Shiloh Elliott1, John Koudelka2, Bhaskar Mitra3, Cleve Davis2, Thomas M Mosier1, Shawn Hampton4, James Bradford4, James Kershaw4, David Anderson4, Cole Woodford4, Jim Becker4, James Saulsbury4, John McDonald4, David McKay5 and Margi Hoffmann5, (1)Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, United States, (2)Idaho National Lab, Idaho Falls, United States, (3)Texas A&M University, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas, TX, United States, (4)Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, United States, (5)Farmers Conservation Alliance, Hood River, United States
Abstract:
Irrigation systems in the United States are some of the oldest continually utilized infrastructure in existence today, with some systems exceeding 100 years in age. They are operated to meet farming demands but are managed through a balance of varying influence: policies limiting water usage, stakeholder interests, and environmental impacts.

Irrigation modernization is defined as a set of activities that update and improve existing irrigation systems, including, but not limited to improving water quantity, development of distributed energy resources for surrounding communities, ecosystem services, and improved agricultural yields. Modernizing an existing irrigation system can enable stakeholders to combat changing environmental and population demands but is difficult because the complexity involved in determining the potential benefits and consequences of irrigation modernization is high.

We are combining a large amount of various geospatial, tabular, and temporal data with subject matter expertise into a decision support engine that will enable stakeholders to determine the benefits and consequences of irrigation modernization in their irrigation systems. A web-based GIS will allow the user to construct the modifications out of a palette of modernization options, which will be sent to the analytics engine for computations, and back to the web client for a graphical display and comparison of relevant metrics.

Our development process involves four phases: 1) identify mechanisms of modernization, 2) identify data requirements, data streams, first principles and applicable algorithms necessary to quantify modernization mechanisms, 3) create ‘modules’ for each modernization mechanism, these modules will form the decision support engine, each capable of performing independently but can also inform other modules when needed, 4) Merge the decision support engine with a user interface, capable of ingesting user inputs and returning insights into the impacts of a modernization project as they relate to economic, environmental, monetary, and energy generation.

Once complete, it is our intention that this tool will be fundamental in irrigation modernization projects, providing a strong analytical basis from which stakeholders can quickly make informed decisions regarding project development.

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