TITLE:
Cultivation Features Using Meteorological and Satellite Data from 2001 to 2010 in Dakhla Oasis, Egypt
AUTHORS:
Reiji Kimura, Hiroshi Kato, Erina Iwasaki
KEYWORDS:
Ground Water, Evapotranspiration, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Water Index, Nubian Aquifer
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.7 No.3,
February
16,
2015
ABSTRACT: The
differences between the oasis region and the regions of the Nile delta and Nile
valley in Egypt are due mainly to the regions’ access to water. The oasis
region depends on underground water, while the other regions rely on the Nile River.
Numerous studies on cultivation in the Nile delta have been accumulated.
However, few studies have addressed cultivation in the oasis region. This study
examines cultivation throughout the government and local well districts using meteorological
and satellite data from 2001 to 2010, and the interview in Rashda Village,
Dakhla Oasis. Since the reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is lower in winter than in summer, cultivation in
winter makes sense from the viewpoint of saving irrigation water. Evapotranspiration
is highest in the order of date palm, rice paddy, winter wheat, and clover hay
under sufficient wet conditions in Rashda Village. Cultivation features and
water requirements were examined using the Normalized Difference Vegetation
Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). Results indicated a
distinct difference in cultivation systems between the summer and winter seasons
in the government well district. Water requirements for date palm in the local
well district were 2.6 times those for winter plants in the government well
district, using the accumulated NDWI value.