Farmer Management of Groundwater Irrigation in Asia: Development of Groundwater Resources and Farmer-Managed Irrigation Wells in Shandong Province, China

THIS PAPER DISCUSSES the status of the development of the groundwater resources and the organizational structure of the farmer-managed irrigation wells in Shandong Province, China. In order to develop and utilize groundwater resources scientifically and effectively, an overall investigation should be made first, to understand the distribution of the aquifer and law of movement of groundwater so as to assess the availability of resources. On the basis of such an investigation, unified planning and a reasonable layout of wells can be effected. The following model is applied to control the groundwater table, pumping-recharging by diverting Yellow River pumping (drawdown-recharging-drawdown). With this model groundwater recharging capacity can be enlarged; the recharging ability can be raised so that more surface water goes to the aquifer and becomes resources that can be reclaimed. Thus a stable aquifer will be sustained. With the widening of the agricultural reforms associated with the household, contract responsibility system changes have been noticed in the agricultural economy, production group, distribution method and the requirements of the irrigation projects at large. Simultaneously much attention has been paid to the development of the groundwater resources. Farmers hold the opinion that groundwater utilization through wells has many advantages such as less investment, short construction period, instant effect, less influence from outside, reliability as a water source, flexible application and convenient management. Farmers call it "self-responsible water" or "self-managed water." Management systems of irrigation wells are mainly as follows: (i) village committee management; (ii) production group management; (iii) special household management; and (iv) special selectee management. All these systems permit the direct participation of the farmers in the management system ensuring timely irrigation and the increase of crop yields.