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Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities
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Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 23962

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Eirini Aivazidou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, International Hellenic University (IHU), 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: freshwater resources; water management; sustainable supply chains; industrial engineering; system dynamics; operations research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Freshwater is a fundamental resource for agricultural and industrial operations, which are responsible for more than 92% of freshwater appropriation worldwide. As freshwater is depleting at an alarming rate due to growing food demand, climate change, and intensive industrialization, more than 40% of the world’s population is expected to live in severely arid regions by 2050. In this respect, as the preservation of freshwater resources emerges as a critical challenge for both agriculture and industry, the integration of water management into corporate strategy becomes even more imperative.

In recent years, an increasing number of leading companies have already launched water stewardship initiatives to reduce the water footprint of their products. Drip irrigation and organic fertilizer use during farming operations, as well as water-efficient equipment and wastewater treatment in manufacturing processes, constitute diffused freshwater mitigation practices. In line with the circular economy trend that supports waste elimination through resource recycling, the utilization of cleaned industrial wastewater in agricultural operations has been gaining momentum in regions that face high risk of water shortages.

As conventional practices have an undoubtedly positive impact on freshwater resources, the implementation of innovative technological interventions could be promising. In particular, the evolution of Agriculture and Industry 4.0 can offer revolutionary opportunities towards the digitalization of water resource management. Smart sensors for soil moisture measurement and precision agriculture techniques effectively support the control and reduction of freshwater use in farming activities. In addition, wireless sensor networks and data platforms allow for transparent water monitoring across the manufacturing chain, improving the efficiency of industrial water management.

Now more than ever, we need novel and robust solutions for effective water stewardship that act towards: (i) reducing freshwater consumption and pollution, (ii) eliminating water scarcity risks for both society and industry, and (iii) supporting corporations in obtaining a water-friendly competitive profile. Toward that end, this Special Issue aims at exploring current challenges and trends, as well as opportunities for sustainability and innovation, in the fields of agricultural and industrial water management. In this context, comprehensive reviews, case studies, as well as original research articles presenting analytical or simulation models that address the related topics are invited for submission. Contributions that focus on freshwater resources management in the context of circular economy and/or digital transformation are highly appreciated.

Dr. Eirini Aivazidou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Freshwater consumption and pollution
  • Water scarcity risks
  • Freshwater resources management
  • Water stewardship
  • Water mitigation practices
  • Sustainable water use in agriculture
  • Sustainable water use in industry
  • Water reuse in circular economy
  • Digital water management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 461 KiB  
Editorial
Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends, and Opportunities
by Eirini Aivazidou
Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010066 - 22 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4368
Abstract
This Special Issue aims to explore current challenges and trends, as well as opportunities for sustainability and innovation, in the fields of agricultural and industrial water management [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities)
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Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

19 pages, 10841 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Seasonal Dynamics of Inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorous Compounds in an Orchard-Dominated Catchment with Anthropogenic Impacts
by Krzysztof Stępniewski and Maksym Łaszewski
Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11337; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011337 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2429
Abstract
The influence of various types of agricultural activities on the dynamics of biogenic compounds of flowing water was broadly recognized in many spatial and temporal scales. However, relatively minor attention was paid to the hydrochemical functioning of horticultural catchments despite their importance and [...] Read more.
The influence of various types of agricultural activities on the dynamics of biogenic compounds of flowing water was broadly recognized in many spatial and temporal scales. However, relatively minor attention was paid to the hydrochemical functioning of horticultural catchments despite their importance and dominance in some regions of Europe. Thus, the current study investigated spatial and seasonal variations in inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in stream water in the Mogielanka River catchment, with 72% covered by apple orchards. Water samples were collected from fifteen sites distributed across the catchment in the monthly timescale from March 2020 to February 2021. Concentrations of NO3−, NO2−, NH4+, and PO43− were determined photometrically, while in situ water temperature, oxygen saturation, electrical conductivity, and pH, were measured with the use of portable devices. The impact of horticulture was mainly documented in the higher concentration of NO3− during the winter months; however, maximum values did not exceed 15 mg·dm−3 and were relatively low in comparison to catchments dominated by arable lands. The authors also found a clear impact of unstratified reservoirs and inflows from wastewater treatment plants on the dynamics of biogenic compounds. The correlations of PO43− with the sums of precipitation suggested, in turn, that increased PO43− concentration mainly results from poor sewage management. The results provided preliminary but unique and spatially extensive insight into the functioning of an orchard-dominated lowland catchment and allowed the researchers to point out the main recommendations for improving water quality in similar regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities)
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18 pages, 3158 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Operational Changes of Tarbela Reservoir to Improve the Water Supply, Hydropower Generation, and Flood Control Objectives
by Ahmed Rafique, Steven Burian, Daniyal Hassan and Rakhshinda Bano
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7822; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187822 - 22 Sep 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4723
Abstract
In this study, a model was created with the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) System and used to explore the benefits of altering the operations of Tarbela Dam in terms of reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (RRV) for the three objectives of irrigation supply, [...] Read more.
In this study, a model was created with the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) System and used to explore the benefits of altering the operations of Tarbela Dam in terms of reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (RRV) for the three objectives of irrigation supply, hydropower generation, and flood control. Sensitivity analysis and logical reasoning with operators identified a feasible operational rule curve for testing using the integrated performance analysis. The reservoir performance for the altered operations was compared to the baseline performance following current operations for both historical and projected future climate and water demand conditions. Key simulation results show that the altered operations strategy tested under historical climate and water demand conditions would increase RRV by 17%, 67%, and 7%, respectively, for the water supply objective and 34%, 346%, and 22%, respectively, for hydropower generation. For projected future conditions, the proposed operations strategy would increase RRV by 7%, 219%, and 11%, respectively, for water supply and 19%, 136%, and 13% for hydropower generation. Synthesis of the results suggests significant benefits for reliability and resilience of water supply and hydropower are possible with slight operational adjustments. Overall, the integrated performance analysis supports the need to develop an optimized operations rule for Tarbela to adapt to projected climate and demand scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities)
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19 pages, 3651 KiB  
Article
Tree Water Status in Apple Orchards Measured by Means of Land Surface Temperature and Vegetation Index (LST–NDVI) Trapezoidal Space Derived from Landsat 8 Satellite Images
by Mohammad Zare, Katrin Drastig and Manuela Zude-Sasse
Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010070 - 20 Dec 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4983
Abstract
In this study, the split window (SW) method was applied for land surface temperature (LST) retrieval using Landsat 8 in two apple orchards (Glindow, Altlandsberg). Four images were acquired during high demand of irrigation water from July to August 2018. After pre-processing images, [...] Read more.
In this study, the split window (SW) method was applied for land surface temperature (LST) retrieval using Landsat 8 in two apple orchards (Glindow, Altlandsberg). Four images were acquired during high demand of irrigation water from July to August 2018. After pre-processing images, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and LST were calculated by red, NIR, and thermal bands. The results were validated by interpolated infrared thermometer (IRT) measurements using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) method. In the next step, the temperature vegetation index (TVDI) was calculated based on the trapezoidal NDVI/LST space to determine the water status of apple trees in the case studies. Results show good agreement between interpolated LST using IRT measurements and remotely sensed LST calculation using SW in all satellite overpasses, where the absolute mean error was between 0.08 to 4.00 K and root mean square error (RMSE) values ranged between 0.71 and 4.23 K. The TVDI spatial distribution indicated that the trees suffered from water stress on 7 and 23 July and 8 August 2018 in Glindow apple orchard with the mean value of 0.69, 0.57, and 0.73, whereas in the Altlandsberg orchard on 17 August, the irrigation system compensated the water deficit as indicated by the TVDI value of 0.34. Moreover, a negative correlation between TVDI and vegetation water content (VWC) with correlation coefficient (r) of −0.81 was observed. The corresponding r for LST and VWC was equal to −0.89, which shows the inverse relation between water status and temperature-based indices. The results indicate that the LST and/or TVDI calculation using the proposed methods can be effectively applied for monitoring tree water status and support irrigation management in orchards using Landsat 8 satellite images without requiring ground measurements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities)
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Review

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14 pages, 2938 KiB  
Review
Smart Technologies for Sustainable Water Management: An Urban Analysis
by Eirini Aivazidou, Georgios Banias, Maria Lampridi, Giorgos Vasileiadis, Athanasios Anagnostis, Elpiniki Papageorgiou and Dionysis Bochtis
Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13940; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413940 - 16 Dec 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6597
Abstract
As projections highlight that half of the global population will be living in regions facing severe water scarcity by 2050, sustainable water management policies and practices are more imperative than ever. Following the Sustainable Development Goals for equitable water access and prudent use [...] Read more.
As projections highlight that half of the global population will be living in regions facing severe water scarcity by 2050, sustainable water management policies and practices are more imperative than ever. Following the Sustainable Development Goals for equitable water access and prudent use of natural resources, emerging digital technologies may foster efficient monitoring, control, optimization, and forecasting of freshwater consumption and pollution. Indicatively, the use of sensors, Internet of Things, machine learning, and big data analytics has been catalyzing smart water management. With two-thirds of the global population to be living in urban areas by 2050, this research focuses on the impact of digitization on sustainable urban water management. More specifically, existing scientific literature studies were explored for providing meaningful insights on smart water technologies implemented in urban contexts, emphasizing supply and distribution networks. The review analysis outcomes were classified according to three main pillars identified: (i) level of analysis (i.e., municipal or residential/industrial); (ii) technology used (e.g., sensors, algorithms); and (iii) research scope/focus (e.g., monitoring, optimization), with the use of a systematic approach. Overall, this study is expected to act as a methodological tool and guiding map of the most pertinent state-of-the-art research efforts to integrate digitalization in the field of water stewardship and improve urban sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Management in Agriculture and Industry: Challenges, Trends and Opportunities)
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