Determination of rainwater harvesting potential and storage capacities in greenhouses in the Marmara region

Year 2025, Volume: 26 Issue: 3, 286 - 300, 30.09.2025

Murat Özocak

https://doi.org/10.18182/tjf.1745693

Abstract

Greenhouses are agricultural structures that allow plant production regardless of seasonal conditions. In field crop production, irrigation is used to meet plant water needs that cannot be met by natural rainfall, whereas greenhouses can only meet these needs through irrigation. This study aims to determine the rainwater harvesting potential of plastic-covered greenhouse roof systems in the Marmara Region, encompassing both developed and developing provinces in Türkiye where greenhouse cultivation is widespread. This potential was used to determine whether this potential could meet the greenhouse irrigation needs and to calculate the optimal storage capacity. Tomatoes, commonly cultivated in greenhouses, were used as a reference for plant production, and plant water requirements were determined. Considering that greenhouse production takes place in months other than July and August, it has been determined that, although the period varies across all provinces in the region, rainwater harvesting can meet greenhouse irrigation needs. In the study, appropriate storage capacities were determined for design based on plant water consumption and rainfall. Storage tank volumes were 0.1 m3 in Balıkesir, 0.1 m3.m-2 in Bilecik, 0.2 m3.m-2 in Bursa, 0.15 m3.m-2 in Edirne, 0.26 m3.m-2 in Kocaeli, 0.10 m3.m-2 in Kırklareli, 0.25 m3.m-2 in Sakarya, 0.10 m3.m-2 in Tekirdağ, 0.12 m3.m-2 in Yalova, 0.15 m3.m-2 in Çanakkale, and 0.16 m3.m-2 in Istanbul. In this context, the study provides detailed information for greenhouse designers, public institutions, and organizations regarding new projects on water harvesting and agricultural production planning, and new studies that will contribute to future water management policies.

Keywords

Agricultural buildings , Greenhouse , Roof systems , Rainwater harvesting , Storage capacity

Marmara bölgesindeki seralarda yağmur suyu hasat potansiyeli ve depolama kapasitelerinin belirlenmesi

Abstract

Seralar mevsim koşullarına bağlı kalınmadan bitkisel üretim yapılabilen tarımsal yapılardır. Tarla koşullarında yapılan bitkisel üretimde doğal yağışlarla karşılanamayan bitki su isteği sulama ile sağlanırken, seralarda sadece sulama imkanları ile bitki su isteği sağlanabilmektedir. Bu bağlamda araştırma kapsamında Türkiye'de seracılığın geliştiği ve gelişmekte olan illerini kapsayan Marmara Bölgesinde plastik örtü malzemesine sahip seraların çatı sistemlerinden yağmur suyu hasadı potansiyelinin belirlenmesi, elde edilecek bu potansiyelin seralardaki sulama isteğinin karşılanabilirliği ve en uygun depolama kapasitesinin hesaplanması gerçekleştirilmiştir. Seralardaki bitkisel üretim açısından yaygın olarak yetiştirilen domates referans olarak alınmış olup, bitki su isteği belirlenmiştir. Seralarda Temmuz ve Ağustos dönemleri dışındaki aylarda üretimin yapılması dikkate alınmış olup, bölgede bulunan illerin tümünde değişen periyotlarda olmakla birlikte seraların sulama ihtiyacının yağmur suyu hasadı ile karşılanabileceği belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada bitki su tüketimi ve yağış miktarına göre tasarım açısından uygun depolama kapasiteleri belirlenmiş olup, depolama tank hacimleri Balıkesir'de 0,1 m3.m-2, Bilecik'te 0,1 m3.m-2, Bursa'da 0,2 m3.m-2, Edirne'de 0,15 m3.m-2, Kocaeli'de 0,26 m3.m-2, Kırklareli'de 0,10 m3.m-2, Sakarya'da 0,25 m3.m-2, Tekirdağ'da 0,10 m3.m-2, Yalova'da 0,12 m3.m-2, Çanakkale'de 0,15 m3.m-2, İstanbul'da ise 0,16 m3.m-2'tür. Bu bağlamda araştırma sera tasarımcılarına, kamu kurum ve kuruluşlarının su hasadı, tarımsal üretim planlaması konusunda yürütebilecekleri yeni projelere ve gelecekteki su yönetimi politikalarına katkı sağlayacak yeni çalışmalara yönelik detaylı bilgiler sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Tarımsal yapılar , Sera , Çatı sistemleri , Yağmur suyu hasadı , Depolama kapasitesi

References

• Achtnich, W., 1979. Bewässerungslandbau. Verlag Eugen Ulmer Germany.
• Adalı, S., Kılıç, M. Y., 2024. Technical and economic analysis of rainwater harvesting in a factory building. Journal of Osmaniye Korkut Ata University Institute of Science and Technology, 7(3): 1177–1185.
• Aldawahid, K., 2022. Investigation of the applicability of rainwater harvesting in Bursa bus terminal. MSc Dissertation, Uludağ University, Bursa, Türkiye.
• Allen, G., Pereira, L.S., Raes, D., Smith, M., 1998. Crop Evapotranspiration. Guidelines for computing crop water requirements. FAO irrigation and drainage paper , Rome.
• Atılgan, A., Güzey, S., 2015. Determination of pollutant factors in greenhouse cultivation: A case study of Denizli province. Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Agriculture Journal, 10(2), 22-33.
• Balasubramanya, S., Stifel, D., 2020. Water, agriculture & poverty in an era of climate change: Why do we know so little? Food Policy, 93: 101905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2020.101905
• Baytorun, N.A., Abak, K., Tokgöz, H., Güler, Y., Üstün, S., 1995. Research on Winter Air Conditioning and Control of Greenhouses, The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, Agriculture and Forestry Research Grant Commitee, Project Final Report, Project Number: TOAG-993, Adana.
• Baytorun, A. N., Zaimoğlu, Z., Ünlü, M., 2019. Determination of harvesting and storage capacity of rain water in greenhouse establishments. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 7(1): 22-29.
• Börü, S., Toprak, Z. F., 2022. A review on rainwater harvesting literature. Turkish Journal of Hydraulics, 6(1): 42–50.
• Buçak, G., 2015. A proposal for domestic water use and conservation in Kırklareli.MSc Dissertation. Maltepe University, İstanbul, Türkiye.
• Coşkun, C., Oktay, Z., 2010. An energy audit study of a campus building from the perspective of energy conservation. Journal of Installation Engineering, 115(6): 49–55.
• Çağlayan, A. Y., Er, B., 2023. Examination of urban infrastructure design principles from the perspective of rainwater harvesting: The case of Istanbul. JENAS Journal of Environmental and Natural Studies, 5(2): 165–176.
• Çakmak, B., Gökalp, Z., 2013. Drought and agricultural water management. Gaziosmanpaşa Journal of Scientific Research, 4: 1–11.
• De Pascale ST, Maggio A., 2005. Sustainable protected cultivation at a Mediterranean climate –perspectives and challenges. Acta Horticulturae, 691:29–42.
• Dereli, C. K., Çay, R. D., 2023. A review on sustainable rainwater management: The case of Edirne. Düzce University Faculty of Forestry Journal, 19(2): 97–117.
• DSİ, 2024., 2024 Activity Report, General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, Ankara
• https://cdniys.tarimorman.gov.tr/api/File/GetGaleriFile/425/DosyaGaleri/594/dsi_2024_yili_faaliyet_raporu.pdf, Accessed: 15.04.2025
• Eren, B., Aygün, A., Likos, S., Damar, A. İ., 2016. Rainwater harvesting: Evaluation of the potential in Sakarya University Esentepe Campus. International Journal of Engineering and Technology Research, 1(1): 1–5.
• Filiz, M., 2001. Greenhouse construction and climate. Academy Publishing. pp.266.
• Güleç, A., 2022. Storage of rainwater falling on rooftops in Istanbul province (Master's thesis, Maltepe University).
• Günaydın, N., Cengiz, T., 2023. Determination of sustainable rainwater management practices in university campuses. Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Agriculture Journal, 11(2): 306–319.
• Hacısalihoğlu, S., 2022. Contribution of rainwater harvesting applications to the sustainability of rural areas: A case study of Karacabey, Bursa. Journal of Osmaniye Korkut Ata University Institute of Science and Technology, 5(2): 767–782.
• Hajtar, H., Kılınç, İ., Ülker, E., 2020. Rainwater harvesting potential in public buildings: A case study in Katip Çelebi University. Turkish Nature and Science Journal, 9:161-172. https://doi.org/10.46810/ tdfd.728797
• Iglesias, A., Garrote, L., 2015. Adaptation strategies for agricultural water management under climate change in Europe. Agricultural Water Management, 155: 113–124.
• Kılıç, M. Y., Abuş, M. N., 2018. Rainwater harvesting in a garden house example. International Journal of Agricultural and Wildlife Sciences, 4(2): 209–215.
• Kılıç, M. Y., Rukıah, K., 2022. Rainwater harvesting at Istanbul Airport. Journal of Osmaniye Korkut Ata University Institute of Science and Technology, 5(2): 495–504.
• Kılıç, U., Yaylı, B., Kılıç, İ., 2024. Determination and economic analysis of rainwater harvesting potential in greenhouses at Uludağ University Faculty of Agriculture. Journal of Uludağ University Faculty of Agriculture, 38(2): 313–324.
• Kızılaslan, M. A., 2024. Investigation of the potential for implementing the sponge city concept at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Terzioğlu Campus. Journal of Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, 32(3): 1517–1525.
• Li, J. Q., Kuang, N., Liu, Y., He, J. P., 2008. Analysis and inspiration of rainwater utilization policies in Beijing urban area. China Water Wastewater, 24(12): 75–78. https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2023.041
• Liu, Z. Y., Xu, X. J., Zheng, X., Dai, W. J., 2014. Investigation on the purification efficiency of rainwater by green land. Advanced Materials Research, 881: 556–559. https://doi.org/10.4028 /www.scientific.net/amr.881-883.556
• MGM., 2025. General Directorate of Meteorology, https://www.mgm.gov.tr/veridegerlendirme/il-ve-ilceler-istatistik, Accessed: 11.04.2025
• Ogenler, O., Okuyaz, S., 2017. A brief evaluation on the state of water. Lokman Hekim Journal of the History of Medicine and Folk Medicine, 7(3): 178–186.
• Olaifa, O. P., Abegunrin, T. P., Chukwudebe, E. P., Zaccheaus, O. S., Balogun, A. C., Ande, S. A., 2015. Incorporating rainwater harvesting into greenhouse farming. Journal of Information Engineering and Applications, 5: 84–88.
• Oweis, T., Prinz, D., Hachum, A., 2001. Water Harvesting: Indigenous Knowledge for the Future of the Drier Environments. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Beirut
• Sarış, F., 2021. Evaluation of domestic water supply and consumption statistics in Turkey. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 19(1): 195–216.
• Stahn, H., 2016. On the environmental efficiency of water storage: The case of a conjunctive use of ground and rainwater. Environmental Management, 21 (6): 691–706. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-016-9509-3
• Tekeli, Y. İ., 2009. Determination of parameters affecting surface runoff in rainfall-runoff relationships of catchment areas and application of different methods in sample basins. PhD Dissertation, Ankara University, Ankarai Türkiye
• Tigen, M. G., 2024. Nature-based solutions for water: Sustainable rainwater applications and potential gains for Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University. Düzce University Faculty of Forestry Journal, 20(2): 82–102.
• TÜİK., 2025. Greenhouse agriculture area statistics, Turkish Statistical Institute Central Distribution System, Ankara. https://biruni.tuik.gov.tr/medas/?locale=tr Accessed: 25.02.2025 , [online]”, (25.04.2025), https://biruni.tuik.gov.tr/medas/?locale=tr
• von Zabeltitz, C., 2011. Integrated Greenhouse Systems for Mild Climates. Springer, Berlin.
• Yannopoulos, S., Ioanna, G., Saropoulou, M. K., 2019. Investigation of the current situation and prospects for the development of rainwater harvesting as a tool to confront water scarcity worldwide. Water, 11 (10): 2168. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11102168