Improvement of current performance in collective water delivery systems of Calabria (Southern Italy)

The performance of three water delivery systems in Calabria (Southern Italy) was evaluated throughout four irrigation seasons, using indicators of adequacy, efficiency, dependability and equity. Subsequently, three scenarios for improving irrigation management (replacement of sprinkler methods with micro-irrigation, an arranged-demand water delivery system together with an irrigation advisory service, and a combination of both actions) were simulated. In the current situation the water delivered to farms is not adequate for irrigation requirements, but it is used without significant waste; the water delivery service is not uniform in time and space. In this case of poor adequacy and dependability of water delivery systems, the introduction of arranged demand distribution and irrigation advisory service is more efficacious than the replacement of current sprinkler systems with micro-irrigation. The adoption of the combined scenario is advisable to assure the optimal performance of water delivery systems and to make the collective service more adequate and reliable.