MULTIDISCIPLINARITY AND INNOVATIONS IN AGRO-HYDRO-METEOROLOGICAL MONITORING (AgHMM) ON IRRIGATION/ DRAINAGE OBJECTS. CONCLUSIONS FROM THE POLISH RESEARCH INOMEL PROGRAM
Bogdan Bąk
Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, Poland (b.bak@itp.edu.pl)

Abstract
One of the goals of monitoring the environment in rural areas is controlling water management processes to reduce the negative effects of drought or excess water, as well as its saving. In Poland in changeable climate conditions, where about 60% area of permanent grasslands and arable lands is significantly dependent on rainfall it is necessary to have the different monitoring systems for proper water management for crop production. Climate change, observed since the early 80 has increased the number of periods of drought, some of which last for several months. Rainfall deficiency is increasingly limiting the water available to plants and drying up potentially other water sources, e.g. drainage ditches, streams, ponds, storage reservoirs, etc. For the purposes of the Polish research INOMEL program*), at the turn of 2018/2019 in central part of Poland at six different localizations of drainage and irrigation objects were created agro-hydro-meteorological monitoring systems (AgHMM). Multidisciplinary measurements involve monitoring of meteorological, agrometeorological, hydrological and hydraulic parameters as well as remote sensing. This monitoring is not limited only to measurements for operational purposes, as it also covers other activities such collection data, their transmission with assessments and forecasts of agro-hydro-meteorological characteristics of drainage and irrigation objects to other project participants. Some data and assessments are also provided, relaying to interested entities, to farmers, water users' associations and agricultural consultants. Joint research is conducted by a consortium whose participants are: Institute of Technology and Life Sciences (leader), Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Geofabryka LtD, Agrocom Polska Jerzy Koronczok. Interdisciplinarity of monitoring means simultaneous measuring and observing in three environments: atmosphere, soil and water. Innovative elements in the AHMM give opportunity to:
- using various, technologically advanced measurement techniques of monitoring of drainage/ irrigations objects, and modern techniques of transmission data, which are available on-line;
- ability to quickly data acquisition and exchange information between consortium members and interested persons and institutions,
- enriching knowledge of the environment conditions by assessment state of plants using observations made by drones and satellite images,
- applying 7-day weather forecasts dedicated to each drainage/ irrigation object for the purposes to modelling changes of agro-hydro-meteorological conditions.
After the end of the growing season in 2020, the obtained monitoring results and experiences regarding the usage of the monitoring system were undertaken works to create a prototype of a monitoring and forecasting system for commercial purposes. It is assumed that the measuring equipment proposed for use in the prototype of the AgHMM monitoring system should provide an accurate and reliable assessment of agro-hydro-meteorological conditions in the drainage/ irrigation object. Also, the meteorological forecasts obtained from the forecasting model should apply strictly to this object. As a result, these activities will make it possible to obtain the necessary data used later in computer programs and mathematical models for the purpose of operational irrigation and drainage planning in rural areas. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work on this prototype is still ongoing and should be completed by the end of 2021.
*) The INOMEL program 'Technological innovations and system of monitoring, forecasting and planning of irrigation and drainage for precise water management on the scale of drainage/irrigation system' is financed by The National Centre for Research and Development in the third strategic competition of BIOSTRATEG project "Environment, Agriculture and Forestry" (2017)

Keywords: drainage and irrigation objects, climate change, monitoring, innovation