Study on Multi-Objective Optimal Allocation of Agricultural Water and Soil Resources from the Perspective of Water, Carbon and Economic Coupling in the Tailan River Irrigation District of Xinjiang

Aiming at the problems of a fragile ecological environment, water shortage and system uncertainty in inland arid irrigation districts in Xinjiang, this study takes sustainable development as the guide, selects the Tailan River Irrigation District in Xinjiang as an example, and constructs a multi-objective optimal allocation model of agricultural water and soil resources in irrigation districts driven by water–carbon–economy synergy. The model aims to minimise irrigation water shortage, maximise crop carbon absorption and maximise economic benefits. By comparing six multi-objective algorithms such as APSEA, CMEGL, DCNSGA-III, DRLOS-EMCMO, MOEA/D-CMT and θ-DEA-CPBI, the optimal is selected based on the hypervolume (HV) index. The surface water, groundwater and crop-planting structure of five decision-making units in the irrigation district from 2021 to 2024 were optimised. Further, combined with the entropy weight–TOPSIS coupling-coordination comprehensive-evaluation model, the scheme evaluation system is constructed to screen the optimal configuration scheme of each year and unit. The results show that the MOEA/D-CMT algorithm has the highest HV value in each unit model over the years, which is the best solution algorithm for the model in this paper. The comprehensive evaluation value and coupling coordination degree of the optimal scheme of each unit fluctuate between years, and the difference between units is significant. Compared with the original planting and water source allocation scheme of the irrigation district from 2021 to 2024, the overall planting area of the optimised irrigation district is moderately reduced, forming an optimised pattern of ‘cotton pressure, grain expansion, economic increase and strong forest’; after optimization, the overall water shortage in the irrigation district is reduced by 1.4~11 million m3; the total amount of crop carbon absorption increased by 90.3~128.8 million kg; the net economic benefits increased by CNY 21.5~68.2 million. The research can provide decision support for the optimisation of the water and soil resource system in arid irrigation districts and has a scientific reference value for promoting the sustainable development and modernisation of agriculture in the inland irrigation districts of Northwest China.