Multi-scale fallow land dynamics in a water-scarce basin of the U.S. Southwest

Plassin, Sophie; Koch, Jennifer; Wilson, Madison; Neal, Kevin; Friedman, Jack R.; Paladino, Stephanie; Worden, J. William

doi:10.1080/1747423x.2021.1928310

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Fallowing farmland is a conservation method that may result in large volumes of water conservation within a short period of time, which either reduces water use or reallocates conserved water for other uses (Plassin et al, 2021). Studies have shown land fallow has signi cant importance in land reclamation, national food security, encouraging environmental improvements and making sure the usage of land is sustainable (Qing & Hualin, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…California water system includes the Central Valley Project (CVP), the State Water Project (SWP), the Los Angeles Aqueduct (LAA), and the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA). Water in California is Across the world, institutions such as federal governments and water providers have established programs to in uence farmer decisions and change farming practices; such programs are often started to achieve product control to increase fallen commodity prices, to improve the environment and water quality, to restore soil fertility, and/or to conserve water for future use (Ferris & Siikamäki, 2009;Plassin et al, 2021). In the Southwest region of the United States, farmers are compelled to fallow irrigated elds, permanently or temporarily, for four reasons: i) reallocating scarce water resources to reduce farmland acreage and cultivate higher value crops; ii) serving as an alternative to more expensive and less exible water-saving practices and technologies, such as irrigation system enhancements or crop shifting; iii) accommodating water rights transfers from agricultural to urban uses; and iv) receiving nancial compensation in exchange for enhancing water conservation, contributing to improved environmental ows or reservoir levels, recharging aquifers, or meeting other demands (Plassin et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Framework to Define Optimal Fallowing Programs: a Case Study of California Water System

Mirzaei,

Garcia

2024

Preprint

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The Western region of the United States has been facing a 23-year drought, which has had a detrimental impact on California's water resources, reaching unprecedented levels. In August 2021, the United States Bureau of Reclamation announced the first-ever shortage on the Colorado River, leading to water cuts for many users. As the levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell continued to decline in 2022, the water cuts were expanded. Industrial farming in Southern California depends on this water source for irrigation, and fallowing cropland can lead to significant water savings in a short period. By keeping cultivated land out of production during a typical growing season, farmers can reduce water usage quickly. This study proposes an optimization model to determine the optimal fallowing plan based on estimated crop water consumption, commodity prices, and other land, water, and budget constraints. To illustrate the application of the proposed optimization model, publicly available crop and weather data were used to estimate the water usage of crops in water agencies across California and to estimate optimum fallowing plans for Colorado River System and California State Water Project. The optimized fallow plans assist interested organizations in determining the best groups of crops to fallow and the payment per acre farmers may receive to achieve specific water conservation goals. The result of the optimization is compared with the current fallow rates proposed to famers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Framework to Define Optimal Fallowing Programs: a Case Study of California Water System

Mirzaei,

Garcia

2024

Preprint

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“…Given the persistent issue of ongoing water scarcity and the rise in water demands unrelated to irrigation, the concept of land fallowing, which involves intentionally leaving land uncultivated for one or multiple growing seasons [13], has emerged as a potential strategy for curbing agricultural water consumption in the U.S. Southwest [14]. Plassin et al [15] analyzed four primary approaches to land fallowing in the U.S. Southwest. One of them is initiatives for conservation that have been introduced to encourage farmers to willingly cease agricultural cultivation on land, whether for a temporary or permanent duration [16], which is applied in the states, including Colorado and California [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fallowing Strategy and Its Impact on Surface Water and Groundwater Withdrawal, and Agricultural Economics: A System Dynamics Approach in Southern New Mexico

Eslamifar,

Balali,

Fernald

2024

Water

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Enhancing the comprehension of alterations in land use holds paramount importance for water management in semi-arid regions due to its effects on hydrology and agricultural economics. Allowing agricultural land to lie fallow has emerged as a technique to decrease water use. This research employs the methodology of system dynamics modeling to evaluate the hydrologic and agricultural economic ramifications of employing the fallowing strategy, which aims to preserve water resources in interconnected socio-hydrologic systems. This strategy is explored across three different crops, focusing on the Mesilla–Rincon Valley (MRV) in southern New Mexico. The study’s timeline spans from 2022 to 2050 with historical background from 1969 and encompasses various dimensions, including water availability, land utilization, and agricultural economics. Three types of crops were selected for the fallowing strategy, including cotton, alfalfa/hay, and chile. For each crop, 2500 acres of it would be designated for fallowing separately in two subsequent years, allowing the land to be cultivated in the third year and recurring such pattern. Simulation findings across scenarios (GFDL, UKMO, and NCAR) indicate that water withdrawals for all crops decreased significantly, ranging from approximately 2.69% to 4.37%. Similarly, agriculture income experienced reductions, varying from around 1.53% to 2.26%. Also, surface water and groundwater withdrawals are represented as percentages. The data illustrate significant reductions in water withdrawals across all scenarios. For instance, in the GFDL scenario, surface water withdrawal decreased by approximately 1.85% for cotton, 2.56% for alfalfa/hay, and 1.58% for chile. Similarly, groundwater withdrawals saw substantial reductions, such as 14.93% for cotton, 20.44% for alfalfa/hay, and 12.62% for chile. These numbers emphasize the urgent need for sustainable water management practices to address the challenges posed by reduced water availability.

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“…A number of states in the Southwest are considering various options to encourage the fallowing of agricultural lands as a response to water scarcity [8]. This paper evaluates the economic merit of growing guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) as an alternative forage replacement crop during drought-induced water restrictions, especially in relation to the needs of the dairy industry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial Evaluation of the Merit of Guar as a Dairy Forage Replacement Crop during Drought-Induced Water Restrictions

Ramos Coronado,

Miller,

Angadi

et al. 2024

Agronomy

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Dairy is the largest sector of the agricultural industry in New Mexico, but the sector’s need for high quality forage in the face of ongoing drought and climate change causes concern. The economic merit of using guar to replace alfalfa under imposed constraints in irrigation water availability is evaluated. Nutritional quality of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) grown at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Clovis was estimated using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis. Results show that 45.6 percent of analyzed samples were comparable to Supreme or Premium alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay using Relative Feed Value index, and 23.7% met this criteria using crude protein. While alfalfa uses 4.4 acre-feet of water (approximately 5400 cubic meters) per season, the guar sampled used 5 inches (500 cubic meters) of applied irrigation. Microsoft Excel Version 2404 LP Solver was used to identify an optimum crop mix of alfalfa and guar under different levels of irrigation water constraints. With increasing levels in modeled irrigation restrictions, the use of guar increased the potential forage production by 3% under a 0.4 acre-foot restriction up to almost 59% under a 1.5 acre-feet irrigation water limit. Our results merit additional research, including forage trials to determine the impact of guar forage on milk production and further agronomic research into growing guar to maximize forage yield.

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Multi-scale fallow land dynamics in a water-scarce basin of the U.S. Southwest

Cited by 5 publications

References 59 publications

A Framework to Define Optimal Fallowing Programs: a Case Study of California Water System

A Framework to Define Optimal Fallowing Programs: a Case Study of California Water System

Fallowing Strategy and Its Impact on Surface Water and Groundwater Withdrawal, and Agricultural Economics: A System Dynamics Approach in Southern New Mexico

Initial Evaluation of the Merit of Guar as a Dairy Forage Replacement Crop during Drought-Induced Water Restrictions

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