Abstract:To break through the bottlenecks of traditional irrigation district management and promote modernization transformation alongside high-quality, water-efficient development, this study systematically investigated the application of digital twin technology in modern irrigation district management. It focused on application model construction, implementation pathway exploration, and comprehensive benefit evaluation, taking the Xiaokaihe Irrigation District in Binzhou City, Shandong Province—one of the first national pilot digital twin irrigation districts—as a case study. Case analysis and empirical evaluation methods were employed. By constructing a digital twin platform with a core “1 + 6 + N” architecture, establishing an integrated intelligent monitoring network covering “Space-Air-Ground-Water-Engineering”, developing a multi-model collaborative simulation platform, and building an intelligent scheduling and decision support system based on digital twins, the study achieved precise, full-process management of irrigation district water resources, engineering infrastructure, and irrigation scheduling. The application results showed that the platform significantly improved water resource management efficiency in the irrigation district. The irrigation guaranteed rate increased by approximately 15%, the effective utilization coefficient of irrigation water rose to above 0.65, and annual water savings reached about 8 million m³, indicating a clear shift from experience-based management to precision-oriented intelligent regulation. The results offer replicable and scalable theoretical and practical references for irrigation district modernization.