Optimal Management of Irrigation Water from Aquifer and Surface sources

Abstract

We explore the economic merits of on-farm water storage with tailwater recovery systems to reduce aquifer depletion in a region with expanding irrigated acreage and substantial off-season precipitation. Gains are substantial on a broad scale and long planning horizon, including more than $4 billion in producer surplus, 5 million acre-feet of conserved groundwater, and land capitalization of $24 per acre. Sensitivity analyses provide insights with respect to the impact of discount rates, rainfed returns, return flows, and aquifer recharge rates. Results can inform stakeholders about the optimal allocation of funds directed at agricultural practice adoption and agricultural water investments.

重新审视地下水的经济价值

“…where 𝑎 𝑖 and 𝑏 are positive constants. This represents diminishing returns to production, which accords with most production practices as reported in many groundwater literature (e.g., Gisser & Sánchez, 1980;Provencher & Burt, 1994;Gardner et al, 1997;Msangi & Hejazi, 2022;Quintana-Ashwell & Gholson, 2022). Based on this, we introduce user heterogeneity by differentiating parameter 𝑎 𝑖 s. Although we do not differentiate parameter 𝑏 to obtain analytical solutions for the dynamic game, this differentiation allows us to cover a broad range of heterogeneity in terms of production scale and technology.…”

“…The major methodological limitations of this paper are as follows. First, similar to almost all existing groundwater studies (e.g., Gisser & Sánchez, 1980;Provencher & Burt, 1994;Gardner et al, 1997;Msangi & Hejazi, 2022;Quintana-Ashwell & Gholson, 2022), we used a quadratic form for the benefit function (production function), which enabled us to derive simple analytical and even reduced-form solutions. Although we believe that our conclusions are not affected by function types, as long as they allow for diminishing marginal benefits, an assumption that accords with most production practices, we can numerically examine other types of benefit functions in future studies.…”

“…Over the past few decades, a considerable number of studies have attempted to quantify the economic value of groundwater in various locations worldwide and have explored improved groundwater management systems (e.g., Burt, 1964;Kim et al, 1989;Tsur, 1990;Tsur & Graham-Tomasi, 1991;Ramasamy, 1996;Amigues et al, 1997;National Research Council, 1997;Hernández-Mora et al, 2003;Pulido-Velázquez et al, 2004;Ranganathan & Palanisami, 2004;Syaukat & Fox, 2004;Kakumanu & Bauer, 2008;Diao et al, 2008;Palanisami et al, 2008;Marques et al, 2010;Ananthini & Palanisami 2010;Reichard et al, 2010;Nanthakumaran & Palanisami, 2011;Gomez & Rola, 2011;Palanisami et al, 2012;Kovacs et al, 2015;Rouhi Rad et al, 2017;Foster et al, 2017;MacEwan et al, 2017;Ashwell et al, 2018;Quintana-Ashwell & Gholson, 2022;Msangi & Hejazi, 2022). Most of these attempts are grounded in theoretical frameworks traced back to Tsur's seminal papers on the buffering role of groundwater (Tsur et al, 1989;Tsur, 1990;Tsur & Graham-Tomas, 1991;Gemma & Tsur, 2007).…”

Robust Planning of Irrigation Considering Water Consumption and Revenue

“…Rainwater harvesting takes attention by individual builgings from the roof top or gardens for individual use. A recent study by Quintana-Ashwell et al [2022] showed how much can be gained by efficient irrigation through on-farm storage systems from the techno economical perspective. In addition, "road rain water harvesting" appears as an alternative as another possible way of harvesting rain water [Steenbergen et al 2018].…”