Overcoming Obstacles to Deficit Irrigation: Colorado Case Study

Varzi, Manijeh Mahmoudzadeh; Grigg, Neil S.

doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0001107

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Quantification of ET reductions with deficit irrigation is difficult, because measuring ET or estimating irrigation efficiency is difficult. Thus, there are costs associated with quantification and documentation of ET reductions for water leasing with deficit irrigation (Varzi and Grigg, 2019b). There may also be costs associated with transporting the water to the lessee and storing it until needed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Colorado, water leasing agreements may be based on a long‐term contract (often 10 yr or more) that pays a fixed annual amount for the right to lease water, when needed, at a fixed lease price (Environmental Defense Fund, 2016; Lorenz and Doherty, 2018; Varzi and Grigg, 2019a, 2019b). Thus, the lease value is a combination of a fixed annual contract payment and the water lease price.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An additional risk consideration for irrigation farmers in the United States is that federal crop insurance programs do not currently insure deficit irrigated crops, due to the difficulty in estimating expected yields. Farmers should consider increased risk when making deficit irrigation decisions (Varzi and Grigg, 2019a, 2019b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

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: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

Trout

Manning

2019

Agronomy Journal

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“…ET is also important to quantify the impact of irrigation on watershed hydrology and downstream water users because ET permanently removes water from the watershed (Grafton et al, 2018;Howell, 2001;Steduto et al, 2007). Some western states, such as Colorado, quantify water rights and water transfers based on ET such that water market prices are based on ET volumes (Varzi and Grigg, 2019). However, because irrigation water costs and limitations are commonly based on the water supply volume, the irrigation requirement to achieve a desired ET must also be estimated.…”

Section: Crop Water Productivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Deficit Irrigation Strategies for the Western U.S.

Trout¹,

Howell²,

English³

et al. 2020

Transactions of the ASABE

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HighlightsDeficit irrigation may maximize net income when irrigation water supplies are limited or expensive.Water production functions are used with economic parameters to maximize net income with deficit irrigation.Net income may be insensitive to the amount of deficit irrigation if production costs are appropriate for anticipated yield.Deficit irrigation increases risk.Abstract. Competition for, regulation of, and depletion of water supplies in the western U.S. has resulted in reduced water available for irrigating crops. When the water supply is expensive or inadequate to meet full crop water requirements, deficit irrigation (DI) may maximize net income (NI) by reducing use of expensive water or irrigating more land with limited irrigation supplies. Managed DI entails rational planning and strategic water allocation to maximize NI when water supplies are constrained. Biophysical and economic relationships were used to develop NI models for DI and determine water allocation strategies that maximize NI under three types of water supply constraints. The analyses determined that potential benefits of DI are greatest when water is expensive, irrigation efficiency is low, the water supply is flexible, and rainfed production is not economically viable. When production costs are appropriate for anticipated yields, NI is less sensitive to DI planning decisions. Deficit irrigation will become more important as irrigation water supplies continue to decline in the future. Net income analysis can assist growers in making rational DI decisions. Keywords: Deficit irrigation, Economic analysis, Irrigation management, Net income, Optimization, Water productivity.

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Trends in Water-Energy Nexus and Carbon Emissions Balance in Axarquia Region, Spain, in the Period 1990–2030

Tocados-Franco,

Martínez-Dalmau,

Espinosa-Tasón

et al. 2024

Environ. Process.

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This research explores the dynamic interplay of water, energy, and carbon in Axarquia, Spain (1990–2030), focusing on the escalating water deficit and rising emissions. It seeks to comprehend the impact of subtropical crop expansion on regional resources. A comprehensive methodology integrates data on water demand, alternative sources and energy-intensive processes. Key methods include assessing the influence of subtropical crops on water requirements by calculating the FAO 56 crop coefficient (Kc), the total annual energy (GWh) as a consequence of the volume of water demanded, identifying the predominant water sources and quantifying CO2 emissions by calculating the carbon footprint balance, providing a holistic view of regional resource dynamics. The methodology developed here can be adapted to basins elsewhere and can be a useful tool to help the design of water management policies in basins where the balance of the Water, Food, Energy nexus is of particular interest. The study reveals a substantial 30% surge in water demand due to exponential growth in subtropical crops. Additionally, energy-intensive processes linked to alternative water sources contribute to a projected surge in emissions (2022–2030), indicating significant regional challenges. Axarquia faces imminent challenges with a widening water deficit and escalating emissions. However, the region emerges as a vital carbon sink, evidenced by the net carbon balance. With 176,413 tCO2eq sequestered by cultivated plant mass, the study underscores the potential for environmental improvement and climate change mitigation in the region.

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Overcoming Obstacles to Deficit Irrigation: Colorado Case Study

Cited by 5 publications

References 21 publications

An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

An Economic and Biophysical Model of Deficit Irrigation

Deficit Irrigation Strategies for the Western U.S.

Trends in Water-Energy Nexus and Carbon Emissions Balance in Axarquia Region, Spain, in the Period 1990–2030

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