Numerical assessment of water-saving irrigation on the water cycle at the oasis of the Manas River Basin

 As the birthplace of water-saving technology under mulch drip irrigation in China, the Manas River Basin (MRB) has developed into the largest oasis farming area in Xinjiang and the fourth largest irrigated agricultural area in China. This study presents systematic evaluation the effect of water-saving technologies on precipitation, runoff, infiltration and evapotranspiration in this basin. A model of the regional water cycle was developed for quantitatively assessing groundwater balance and groundwater depth changes in response to different irrigation schemes including traditional irrigation, conventional water-saving irrigation and efficient water-saving irrigation.