**2.2. Traditional water meadows along the river Queich**

However, to sustain future ecosystem services, stability, and high quality living environments, biodiversity is a crucial good and has to be protected and promoted according to the Convention on Biological Diversity treaties setup by the UN [6]. To conserve large scale meadow landscapes in a modern world, innovative ideas are needed to combine nature con-

Since the medieval ages, but especially around 1900, a widespread technique throughout Europe to improve hay yields was traditional meadow irrigation [8]. Short-term flooding of the meadows via irrigation and drainage ditches twice to three times a year was done to use the fertilization effect of the stream water and to achieve an elongation of the vegetation period [9]. With World War II followed by the need for massive food production and the development of mineral fertilizers in 1950, most irrigation systems were abandoned, and meadows were transformed to crop land [10]. Today, only a few actively traditionally irrigated water meadows exist [9]. A landscape with active traditional meadow irrigation is the Queich River Plain East of the city of Landau in Palatinate, Germany. In the research project "WasserWiesenWerte", we studied the economic and ecological values of 18 water meadows in contrast to 18 nonirrigated meadows along the Queich river (Palatinate, Germany) as well as the socio-economic value of the landscape. We asked the following questions: is it possible to reduce the amount of fertilizers applied under irrigation keeping hay yields high and hay quality good? Which is the effect of irrigation on biodiversity of plants and animals living on meadows? How do species of conservation concern react to traditional irrigation? Does landscape attractiveness increase to combine the economic and ecological values with high recreational and touristic value? Could this traditional technique of intensification be a way out of the dilemma that farmers need to either heavily fertilize or abandon extensive mead-

In many parts of Europe remains of former traditional meadow irrigation systems can still be

Traditional irrigation techniques in grasslands were widely used until about the middle of the twentieth century [8], this is, when the techniques were replaced with modern systems using electric power supply and sprinkler irrigation and liquid manure or mineral fertilization to improve economic output of grasslands. Traditional methods of intensification, like traditional meadow irrigation techniques, are based on gravity and the natural movement of water from a river or stream [8, 9]. Meadows are either deliberately inundated by the damming of adjacent streams or ditches or the water slowly trickles over the surface of a slope. The time of inundation is usually kept short ("flash inundation"). The relief of the irrigated area is crucial

The widespread use of traditional meadow irrigation throughout Europe was by far not focused to dry areas only [8]. The positive effects found are not only restricted to the water

found. However, the potential of the technique might be overlooked in many places.

to allow fast drainage, to avoid adverse effects of stagnant water [8, 11].

servation and economic aspects [7].

160 Irrigation in Agroecosystems

ows to find economically viable management solutions?

**2. Traditional water meadows**

**2.1. Traditional water meadows in Europe**

While traditional water meadows in the region of Palatinate still covered one-third of the whole meadow area in 1936, hardly any traditionally irrigated meadows remained by 1960 [14]. This was not due to the low effectiveness of the systems, but it was the result of a large change in agriculture with abandonment on the one hand and intensification and transformation to arable land on the other hand. Many small farms were given up, food production on arable fields became extremely important during and after World War II, and the maintenance of irrigation systems was labor intensive. Since the introduction of mineral fertilizers after 1950, there seemed to be no need to keep on using meadow irrigation techniques as an alternative method to improve yields seemed to have been found.

The study region is part of the Upper Rhine Rift Valley located between the cities of Landau (49°19′N, 8°12′E) and Germersheim (49°22′N, 8°36′E) in the lower Queich valley. It belongs to the FFH habitat directive area "Queichniederung" [15]. The area under flush irrigation today has a size of more than 400 ha and is the largest actively traditional irrigated meadow landscape in Germany and one of the largest in Europe [9]. In parts (about 90 ha), meadow irrigation in the area continued since the medieval age. The larger parts were reactivated since 1996. The streams responsible for the large scale irrigation system are the river Queich and its side streams Fuchsbach and Spiegelbach. They originate from the Palatinate Forest region, a mountain range built from acidic sandstone from the Buntsandstein period.

Altogether, there are nine active sluices along the river Queich, one along Fuchsbach and two along the Spiegelbach. In the area, a large system of sluices, irrigation ditches, and drainage ditches was constructed (**Figure 1**). Two to three times a year, the irrigation follows the meadows downstream. Starting with the first sluice, the water is dammed slowly and flows into a main ditch (**Figure 2**). From here, there are several secondary ditches and even smaller distribution ditches to cover the area. Side sluices remain closed at the beginning of the irrigation but are opened successively as the water slowly covers the adjacent meadow areas (**Figure 3**). Water soaks slowly into the soil. When a section is well irrigated, the side sluices are opened and the water continues to flows to meadows further down the ditch. The first irrigation usually transports organic material from the river and the ditch to the sluices. The material is removed to guarantee the permeability of the ditch (**Figure 3**). With the successive opening of the side sluices, the water proceeds to wander over the meadows. Every main sluice is closed for 2–4 days, depending on the size of the irrigation area. The remaining water slowly flows into drainage ditches that drain back into the river. Simultaneously to the reopening of the first main sluice, the next main sluice further downstream is closed to use the increased water volume to irrigate the next sections. The irrigation follows an exact plan and is organized by the adjacent communities and farmer associations. They are based on the land owners' irrigation water rights that origin from ancient times. The sluices are never closed completely but allow a steady water flow to not affect the ecology of the stream ecosystem. A minimal water level is to be guaranteed. This avoids conflicts with other water users. In very dry periods, this may lead to a reduced size of the irrigation as the areas located at the far ends of the distribution ditches may not be reached by the water during the irrigation days of the respective section [9].

The majority of the meadows are irrigated twice a year. The first irrigation starts by mid-April and ends by mid-May. The second period starts from mid-July and ends by mid-August. Historically, autumn irrigation also played an important role. This was done mainly to increase the organic debris that was transported with the water on the meadows to be used as fertilizers the next spring. Further, it was used as a rodent and mole control agent. Autumn irrigation is also known in the area to be effective to reduce the poisonous autumn crocus (*Colchicum autumnale*) in the area. Today, the autumn irrigation is not practiced any more. The amount of debris and nutrients that is transported with the river water today is very low,

**Figure 3.** Irrigated meadows to the left and to the right during spring irrigation. Side sluices are closed until the adjacent meadows are irrigated. The water level is not rising high above the surface during irrigation but soaks the soils from the

**Figure 2.** Main sluice (near Mörlheim) along the river Queich (right side of the photo). The sluice is closed which allows

Traditional Water Meadows: A Sustainable Management Type for the Future?

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163

water to flow into a main ditch (upper left side of the photo; photo: Martin Alt).

thanks to the existence of treatment plants.

sides (photo: Martin Alt).

**Figure 1.** Scheme of the irrigation system found along the river Queich (redrawn and adapted from [8]). See text for explanation.

Traditional Water Meadows: A Sustainable Management Type for the Future? http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.79429 163

Altogether, there are nine active sluices along the river Queich, one along Fuchsbach and two along the Spiegelbach. In the area, a large system of sluices, irrigation ditches, and drainage ditches was constructed (**Figure 1**). Two to three times a year, the irrigation follows the meadows downstream. Starting with the first sluice, the water is dammed slowly and flows into a main ditch (**Figure 2**). From here, there are several secondary ditches and even smaller distribution ditches to cover the area. Side sluices remain closed at the beginning of the irrigation but are opened successively as the water slowly covers the adjacent meadow areas (**Figure 3**). Water soaks slowly into the soil. When a section is well irrigated, the side sluices are opened and the water continues to flows to meadows further down the ditch. The first irrigation usually transports organic material from the river and the ditch to the sluices. The material is removed to guarantee the permeability of the ditch (**Figure 3**). With the successive opening of the side sluices, the water proceeds to wander over the meadows. Every main sluice is closed for 2–4 days, depending on the size of the irrigation area. The remaining water slowly flows into drainage ditches that drain back into the river. Simultaneously to the reopening of the first main sluice, the next main sluice further downstream is closed to use the increased water volume to irrigate the next sections. The irrigation follows an exact plan and is organized by the adjacent communities and farmer associations. They are based on the land owners' irrigation water rights that origin from ancient times. The sluices are never closed completely but allow a steady water flow to not affect the ecology of the stream ecosystem. A minimal water level is to be guaranteed. This avoids conflicts with other water users. In very dry periods, this may lead to a reduced size of the irrigation as the areas located at the far ends of the distribution ditches may not be reached by the water during the irrigation days of the

**Figure 1.** Scheme of the irrigation system found along the river Queich (redrawn and adapted from [8]). See text for

respective section [9].

162 Irrigation in Agroecosystems

explanation.

**Figure 2.** Main sluice (near Mörlheim) along the river Queich (right side of the photo). The sluice is closed which allows water to flow into a main ditch (upper left side of the photo; photo: Martin Alt).

**Figure 3.** Irrigated meadows to the left and to the right during spring irrigation. Side sluices are closed until the adjacent meadows are irrigated. The water level is not rising high above the surface during irrigation but soaks the soils from the sides (photo: Martin Alt).

The majority of the meadows are irrigated twice a year. The first irrigation starts by mid-April and ends by mid-May. The second period starts from mid-July and ends by mid-August. Historically, autumn irrigation also played an important role. This was done mainly to increase the organic debris that was transported with the water on the meadows to be used as fertilizers the next spring. Further, it was used as a rodent and mole control agent. Autumn irrigation is also known in the area to be effective to reduce the poisonous autumn crocus (*Colchicum autumnale*) in the area. Today, the autumn irrigation is not practiced any more. The amount of debris and nutrients that is transported with the river water today is very low, thanks to the existence of treatment plants.
