Investigation of irrigation water storage options in the area of Békés-Rosszerdő (Hungary)

Abstract

The adverse effects and risks of climate change also have a significant impact on our country's agriculture, and experience shows that we will encounter increasingly serious situations as the years go by. Based on meteorological statistics, it can be stated that the annual average temperature values ​​in Hungary show an increasing trend, within which the average temperature of the summer months is increasing significantly. On the other hand, the annual average amount of precipitation is ‘only’ decreasing slightly, but its spatial and temporal distribution shows a significant shift in certain areas of our country.

The Valley of Körös Rivers is in a very unique, dual situation in agricultural terms: many of the most valuable agricultural areas of our country are located in this area, but as a result of former river regulation works, most of the areas are prone to the formation of inland excess waters. In addition, our country is significantly exposed to the decisions of upstream countries regarding water management. Due to all these risks, the importance of agricultural irrigation is becoming increasingly appreciated over time, and nowadays the view that if someone wants to farm in a profitable way, they must irrigate.

In Hungary, one of the defining development directions is currently the search for water retention options: in recent decades, the number of reservoirs for various purposes has increased, the purpose of which is to store falling water volumes and use them when necessary. Accordingly, we set ourselves the goal of finding a place suitable for water retention in our environment that could be suitable for temporary storage of irrigation water.

The area we examined is located in the area of Békés-Rosszerdő. After a geodetic survey of the area, we created a 3D terrain model and then determined the main parameters of the reservoir. After that, we created a model of the reservoir flooding using the HEC-RAS 6.6 program and determined that the expected filling time, taking into account the maximum irrigation operating water level of the V. Vargahosszai main canal, is approximately 19 days. Then, we prepared a detailed cost estimate for the expected construction works, where we took into account all expected costs (preparatory works, planning, official authorization, construction, etc.).