Economic viability of deficit irrigation in the Western US

Manning, Dale T.; Lurbe, Salvador; Comas, Louise H.; Trout, Thomas J.; Flynn, Nora E.; Fonte, Steven J.

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2017.10.024

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

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“…No irrigation (all water leased) maximizes NI when the crop price is low and the irrigation water cost or lease price is high. The range of prices over which deficit irrigation is economically desirable is constrained by these upper and lower bounds (Manning et al, 2018; Varzi et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Strategically distributed seasonal deficits (i.e., deficits are applied first to the least sensitive growth stages) tend to result in curvilinear WPFs that are concave downward (negative second derivative) because deficits are initially applied at stages when the effect on yield is least, while severe deficits affect more yield‐sensitive stages. Several studies with strategic water deficits have measured concave WPFs (Comas et al, 2019; Geerts and Raes, 2009; Manning et al, 2018; Trout and DeJonge, 2017). In this paper, a univariate crop WPF is used that represents a strategic within‐season distribution of available water to the crop.…”

Section: Model Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Models have been developed for Nebraska (Martin et al, 1989; Martin et al, 2010) and Kansas (Klocke et al, 2006) to allocate a limited irrigation water supply among several crops on a farm. Recent studies in Colorado analyzed the crop and water prices under which a farmer should deficit irrigate and lease a portion of his water supply for a given water production function (Manning et al, 2018; Varzi et al, 2019). Each of these models assumes fixed biophysical relationships among irrigation water applied, water consumed, and yield.…”

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confidence: 99%

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An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

Trout

Manning

2019

Agronomy Journal

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Competition for scarce water resources may lead to high water prices. Agricultural producers can adapt to increasing water price by adjusting irrigation management strategies. When water prices are high, deficit irrigation, the purposeful reduction of irrigation to reduce water use while accepting reduced yield, may increase net income. Deficit irrigation decisions depend on economic, biological, and physical conditions. A model based on relationships among the amount and cost of irrigation water applied, water productivity, and the value of water saved and crop yield was developed to assist farmers making deficit irrigation decisions. A model application for irrigated maize (Zia mays L.) production in northeast Colorado illustrates conditions under which deficit irrigation increases net income. High water costs and low crop prices favor deficit irrigation. When water has value for leasing, the combination of deficit irrigation production to reduce water use and water leasing may increase net income. Sufficiently high lease prices and low commodity prices favor rainfed production or fallowing. Core Ideas Deficit irrigation may increase net farm income. Expensive water, low crop prices, and high elasticity of water productivity favor deficit irrigation. Combining economic with biophysical models improves applicability.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Model Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

Trout

Manning

2019

Agronomy Journal

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“…With this technique, irrigation water is only applied to make up for shortfalls in precipitation, rather than being treated as the main source of water for crops (Fereres and Soriano 2007). Moreover, the economic viability of deficit irrigation will depend on the relationship between grain price and water costs, and currently, deficit irrigation is only economically optimal within a given field season when the cost of water is already high (Manning et al 2018). Moreover, the economic viability of deficit irrigation will depend on the relationship between grain price and water costs, and currently, deficit irrigation is only economically optimal within a given field season when the cost of water is already high (Manning et al 2018).…”

Section: Challenges In Awmmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With this technique, irrigation water is only applied to make up for shortfalls in precipitation, rather than being treated as the main source of water for crops (Fereres and Soriano 2007). Many studies have quantified the impact of deficit irrigation on yields, profits, and soil quality/health (e.g., Blanco-Canqui et al 2010;Halvorson and Schlegel 2012;Kisekka et al 2016;Schlegel et al 2016;Manning et al 2018), but the site-specificity of some of these results prevents them from direct extrapolation to the entire region and large-scale application (Chai et al 2016). Moreover, the economic viability of deficit irrigation will depend on the relationship between grain price and water costs, and currently, deficit irrigation is only economically optimal within a given field season when the cost of water is already high (Manning et al 2018).…”

Section: Challenges In Awmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transition Pathways to Sustainable Agricultural Water Management: A Review of Integrated Modeling Approaches

Haacker

Sharda

Cano

et al. 2019

J American Water Resour Assoc

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Agricultural water management (AWM) is an interdisciplinary concern, cutting across traditional domains such as agronomy, climatology, geology, economics, and sociology. Each of these disciplines has developed numerous process‐based and empirical models for AWM. However, models that simulate all major hydrologic, water quality, and crop growth processes in agricultural systems are still lacking. As computers become more powerful, more researchers are choosing to integrate existing models to account for these major processes rather than building new cross‐disciplinary models. Model integration carries the hope that, as in a real system, the sum of the model will be greater than the parts. However, models based upon simplified and unrealistic assumptions of physical or empirical processes can generate misleading results which are not useful for informing policy. In this article, we use literature and case studies from the High Plains Aquifer and Southeastern United States regions to elucidate the challenges and opportunities associated with integrated modeling for AWM and recommend conditions in which to use integrated models. Additionally, we examine the potential contributions of integrated modeling to AWM — the actual practice of conserving water while maximizing productivity. Editor's note: This paper is part of the featured series on Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems. See the February 2019 issue for the introduction and background to the series.

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Conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in agriculture: Methodology and application for supplemental irrigation^*

Hessari

Oweis²

2021

Irrigation and Drainage

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Supplemental irrigation (SI) ensures an efficient conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in dryland cropping by alleviating the negative impacts of precipitation shortages and drought spells on plant growth and production. The management of SI at the field level is well documented but little is known about planning at basin scale. This work uses a geographic information system-based modelling approach together with suitability criteria to identify potential areas for expanding SI at scale. A spatial water allocation algorithm is developed to model SI water allocation using data layers consisting of climate surfaces, classified land-use maps, and a digital elevation model. Areas are prioritized stepwise, according to land suitability, until the available water is fully utilized. The analysis was applied in a watershed in western Iran. The analysis revealed that, with SI, available water resources in the winter season can supplementally irrigate a new land area of about 2,900 ha, about twice the area conventionally irrigated in the dry season. However, adopting a deficit SI strategy allows irrigation of additional 3,220 ha, more than double of the current water allocation efficiency. The approach can be applied in any rainfed area with available water without major modifications, but further analysis is needed to evaluate its economics at scale.

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Economic viability of deficit irrigation in the Western US

Cited by 26 publications

References 25 publications

An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

Transition Pathways to Sustainable Agricultural Water Management: A Review of Integrated Modeling Approaches

Conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in agriculture: Methodology and application for supplemental irrigation^*

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Economic viability of deficit irrigation in the Western US

Cited by 26 publications

References 25 publications

An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

Transition Pathways to Sustainable Agricultural Water Management: A Review of Integrated Modeling Approaches

Conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in agriculture: Methodology and application for supplemental irrigation*

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Product

Resources

About

Conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in agriculture: Methodology and application for supplemental irrigation^*