Casirati et al. (2026) Differential impacts of irrigation on precipitation across the United States

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Environmental Research Letters
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-30
• Authors: Stefano Casirati, Paolo D’Odorico, INEZ Y. FUNG, Andrea M. Molod, Manuela Girotto
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ae929d

Research Groups

• NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GES)
• University [research group/department name]

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of irrigation on regional precipitation patterns using a physically based irrigation module in the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Earth system model. The results show that irrigation redistributes precipitation across regions and seasons.

Objective

• Investigate the effects of irrigation on regional precipitation patterns

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Continental (contiguous United States)
• Temporal Scale: Seasonal (summer, spring)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Earth system model (ESM) with a physically based irrigation module
• Data sources: Not specified

Main Results

• Irrigation-induced changes in precipitation vary across regions and seasons: negligible response in the Western United States, average increases of ∼ 7 mm month − 1 in the Great Plains, and negligible or negative changes in irrigated areas of the Southeastern United States.
• In spring, lower irrigation rates promote local precipitation increases through enhanced evapotranspiration and moisture availability.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the impact of irrigation on regional precipitation patterns, highlighting the importance of representing irrigation practices in Earth system models.

Funding

• Not specified

Citation

@article{Casirati2026Differential,
  author = {Casirati, Stefano and D’Odorico, Paolo and FUNG, INEZ Y. and Molod, Andrea M. and Girotto, Manuela},
  title = {Differential impacts of irrigation on precipitation across the United States},
  journal = {Environmental Research Letters},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/ae929d},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae929d}
}