Evaluation of water use management performances for irrigation cooperatives in Aydın province

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the performance indicators for 2006-2017 years. Hence for a better Management-Operation-Maintenance organization, irrigation management efficiencies of 23 groundwater irrigation cooperatives located in Aydın was used. . Materials and Methods: The indicators chosen from comparative performance evaluation set by FAO and IPTRID were used in this study for the evaluation of the efficiency of irrigation cooperatives. Results: Main findings of this study indicated that the values of the indicators varied as follows; irrigation ratio 7-94%, cost recovery ratio 53-146%, irrigation water fee collection efficiency 70-91%, maintenance costs to total revenue ratio 4-104%, total MOM costs per unit area 102.2-1103.7/ha, number of staff employed per irrigation area 26.5-316.9 ha/person, total costs per staff employed in irrigation area varied between 2013-11996 $/ person. Conclusion: In order to bring solutions to the main problems of irrigation cooperatives which creates benefits to the irrigated agriculture in the region; operation management and maintenance organizations should be better fulfilled, participatory management should be encouraged, support and credit systems should be re-arranged. Also, supporting irrigation services by irrigation credits with lower interest rates or providing costless would be a solution.