Effects of Colorado River water quality and supply on irrigated agriculture

Abstract

A production function relating irrigated crop yield to the quality and supply of irrigation water is developed. It was found that the adverse effects of saline irrigation water can be offset by application of additional water over and above that required for plant transpiration. Results indicate that a degradation of the water supply in the Colorado River at Imperial Dam from the existing level of electroconductivity of 1.50 mmho to the projected level for the year 2000 of 2.0 mmho would cause a decline in the return to land and water of about 14% for farmers in the Imperial Valley of California. Because of the relatively elastic demand for irrigation water at the current price, any attempt to ration water through a market price mechanism would have no effect, unless water rates were about double their current levels.

A Model for Optimal Irrigation Scheduling with Saline Water

“…The short run models consider the initial salinity of the soil profile in the root zone at the beginning of the irrigation season as given and, for each initial state, analyze the optimal combination between water quantity and quality. Short run models, however, do not take into account the effects of accumulation of salt over time (e.g., Yaron and Bresler, 1970;Bresler and Yaron, 1972;Moore et al 1974). b) 'Long run' models do account for the effects of salt accumulation in the soil profile over time.…”

Saline Groundwater Management and Optimal Cropping Pattern

“…Moore et al [ 1] generated an optimum farm water demand schedule for varying quantity and quality levels of irrigation water for the farms in the Imperial Valley of California. Crop types, having different water quantity, water quality and leaching fractions in different soil types constituted the decision variables.…”

Reuse of Agricultural Drainage Waters: An Economic Analysis1

“…Previous work on the technical feasibility of reusing drainwater on agricultural crops is reported in Rhoades (1 977). Several studies have analyzed the economics of irrigation with saline water (e.g., Yaron and Olian, 1973;Moore, et al, 1974;Feinerman and Yaron, 1983); however, none has specifically addressed drain water reuse.…”