Water Management Research Institute

Overview

The Water Management Research Institute (WMRI), officially established in 1975 under Egypt’s National Water Research Center (NWRC), builds on early initiatives from the 1940s and 1950s, when water investigation units laid the groundwork for structured irrigation research. These foundational efforts evolved into a national framework focused on water distribution, irrigation efficiency, and sustainable agricultural water use.

In the 1980s, WMRI’s empirical studies directly informed the launch of the National Irrigation Improvement Project (IIP), a milestone that continues to shape Irrigation Policy (IP) today. The institute was instrumental in shifting Egypt’s irrigation system from rigid, rotational schedules to flexible, demand-based models—introducing continuous flow irrigation, revised water allocation rules, and farmer participation in water governance.

This transformation set the stage for WMRI’s current role as a bridge between scientific research and practical application. Working with farmers, engineers, and policymakers, the WMRI enhances water use efficiency, boosts crop productivity, and informs national water policy, addressing key challenges such as water scarcity, land reclamation, and climate variability.

A cornerstone of WMRI’s work is its network of 12 experimental research stations across the Nile Valley. These stations serve as field laboratories representing Egypt’s diverse agro-ecological zones, where applied research on crop water requirements, irrigation techniques, and soil-water dynamics generates data for scalable, science-based solutions.

Today, WMRI remains a national leader in modernizing water and agricultural management. Through applied research, technical consultancy, and policy innovation, the institute continues to drive integrated water resource management, translating research into practice to ensure long, term water security and agricultural sustainability.

Vision

To be a national and regional leader in developing integrated water management policies and innovative water distribution programs that ensure the sustainable, efficient, and equitable use of water resources. WMRI strives to pioneer cutting-edge research and technologies that support resilient agricultural systems, delivering the right amount of water at the right time while preserving water quality and quantity for current and future generations.

Mission

  • Conduct applied, field-based research to enhance irrigation efficiency and optimize agricultural water use across diverse cropping systems.
  • Design and implement modern, demand-responsive irrigation technologies, including continuous flow systems and smart scheduling, to address emerging and future water challenges.
  • Operate and maintain a nationwide network of specialized experimental research stations, representing Egypt’s major agro-climatic zones, to generate region-specific data for water planning.
  • Generate data-driven, science-based recommendations for irrigation scheduling, crop water requirements, and resource optimization under varying environmental conditions.
  • Support evidence-based water and agricultural policy formulation by providing technical consultancy and modeling tools to government and institutional stakeholders.
  • Promote participatory water governance by engaging farmers and local communities in water distribution planning, system operation, and decision-making processes.
  • Address the impacts of climate variability and water scarcity by developing adaptive, resilient irrigation practices using remote sensing, forecasting tools, and deficit irrigation strategies.
  • Advance water-energy integration by incorporating renewable energy sources—particularly solar power—into irrigation infrastructure for improved sustainability and energy efficiency.
  • Strengthen institutional and professional capacity through targeted training, technical workshops, and knowledge transfer to engineers, extension workers, and practitioners.
  • Facilitate international cooperation and knowledge exchange to adapt and apply global best practices in water management and agricultural resilience within Egypt’s national context.
  • Ensure equitable, sustainable, and efficient allocation of water resources, with a focus on maximizing water productivity, protecting water quality, and safeguarding national food and water security.

Departments

1.Monitoring & Evaluating Improved Irrigation System Department

  • Study water distribution systems in main and branch canals.
  • Compare the performance of improved and unimproved canals.
  • Study water use efficiency on canal, and the supply-demand relationship.
  • Develop Mathematical models to operate and manage water distribution in the irrigation network

2.Water Requirement Department

  • Determination of water consumption and crop coefficient for different crops to cope with the current climate changes and plantation periods.
  • Study the effect of deficit irrigation and saline water on crop productivity.
  • Studies for best practices to cultivate crops with intensive use of waters.
  • Developing Mathematical models for calculation of evapotranspiration.

3.Field Water Management Department

  • Apply integrated management of irrigation water at the farm level.
  • Develop irrigation systems to increase the field irrigation efficiency.
  • Evaluate improved Meskas and modern irrigation performances.
  • Study the potential use of renewable energy in managing irrigation systems.

4.Water Use Optimization Department

  • Evaluate the use of non-Conventional water in irrigation.
  • Soil classification of new lands to determine its suitability for agriculture to produce (map-bases). Also evaluate the sustainability of SMART Irrigation
  • Conduct Socio-Economic Studies for Irrigation Improvement Projects.
  • Apply Economic Studies Concerning crop returns, water allocation and water distribution.

 

Area of Expertise

  • WMRI’s multidisciplinary expertise spans a wide range of water resource, agricultural, and environmental challenges. Its core focus is on developing sustainable, data-driven solutions through applied research, innovation, and capacity building. Key areas include:

    • Designing and implementing policies and frameworks that optimize water use efficiency and ensure equitable distribution across agricultural landscapes.
    • Development and field implementation of advanced irrigation technologies—including SMART systems, drip, and sprinkler irrigation—to improve water productivity and reduce losses.
    • Studying the impact of climate variability on water demand and crop productivity, while developing adaptive strategies using climate models and forecasting tools.
    • Leveraging satellite imagery, GIS, and digital tools for crop monitoring, water requirement estimation, and water resource planning.
    • Conducting applied studies across diverse environments to assess soil-water-plant interactions, optimize irrigation schedules, and evaluate new agricultural practices.
    • Quantifying the green, blue, and grey water footprints of different crops and irrigation systems to guide sustainable farming and reduce water stress.
    • Investigating the indirect water embedded in agricultural trade to support strategic national planning, food security, and water resource allocation.
    • Evaluating and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions associated with irrigation practices, energy use, and agricultural water management infrastructure.
    • Exploring the integration of green hydrogen production with water resource management as part of Egypt’s transition to renewable energy and low-carbon agriculture.
    • Promoting the use of solar-powered pumps and energy-efficient irrigation solutions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, lower operational costs, and support off-grid agricultural development.
    • Providing expert training, knowledge transfer, and technical assistance to government bodies, NGOs, and agricultural stakeholders in the field of water and environmental management.