MANAGEMENT OF THE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN ROMANIA BETWEEN 1990-2014. STUDIES, PROJECTS, STRATEGIES

At the end of 1989, over 3 of 5.5 million ha were fitted with irrigation systems, namely more than 1/3 of the Romanian cropland. At that date, Romania was third in Europe after Spain (3.3 million ha) and Italy (3.14 million ha), countries with larger croplands, over 2.2 times and 20% more, respectively, but with less precipitation. At international level, Romania was on twelve place in terms of irrigated surface per capita. Annually, over 100 thousand ha were upgraded for irrigation, but many systems were left unfinished, the water transport canals unlined, lacking water measurement devices or drainage and water recirculation systems. The exploitation of the irrigation systems was also deficient, both in hydrotechnical and agrophytotechnical terms. Thus, the technical and economical parameters were not accomplished. Given these conditions, studies were initiated starting with 1990 to rehabilitate and also continue such projects of land reclamation left at various stages of execution. According to the report of a governmental commission, at the end of 1989, over 750 investment works valued at approximately 25 billion lei were in progress. In the field of irrigation, the first systems studied starting with 1990 were: Carasu, Galatui and Pietroiu with a total surface of over 300 thousand ha. Between 1992 and 1994, a joint Romanian-British team studied 100 irrigation systems and reached the conclusion that 1200-1500 thousand ha can be irrigated in Romania in conditions of economical efficiency. Also in 1994, a Japanese company studied the irrigable perimeter in south Moldavia and an American company explored the market for high-productivity irrigation equipment. (The author of this article collaborated as consultant in all these studies.) In time, there were other commissions that analyzed the irrigation situation in Romania. A greater project was finalized in 2011 by a Dutch company, found economically viable irrigation systems or parts of irrigation systems summed up to a total surface of over 800 thousand ha, a surface recommended to be included in the investment plan for the next period