Influence of small water storage reservoirs on reliability of irrigation water supply

The paper analyses the consequences of climate change on the irrigation water demand and the impact of water storage reservoirs on increasing the reliability of irrigation water supply. Analyses were performed for the Vrbas River Basin in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the conditions of climate change, annual irregularity of air temperature and precipitation, as well as river flows, are becoming more pronounced. It is expected for temperatures to be higher and the amount of precipitation lower, which will increase the water demand for irrigation. On the other hand, low-water periods will be longer with lower flows, so the available quantity of water will decrease in the period when water demands are the higher. The paper analyses the reliability of irrigation water supply in the existing conditions and the reduction of the reliability that would occur in the conditions of climate change. In order to ensure reliable irrigation, the impact of new reservoirs was analysed, and the performed analyses show that reservoirs (even of relatively small operational volume) have a significant impact on increasing the reliability of water supply