Irrigation efficiency and water withdrawal in US agriculture

Water Policy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 768-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haoying Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Irrigation Efficiency ◽  
Water Withdrawal ◽  
Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Water Application ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

Abstract To meet future food demand and sustainability requirements of society, the agriculture sector faces challenges in both the institutional dimension and the technological dimension. One of the main concerns regarding the current agricultural production pattern is the tremendous amount of water it requires to maintain and boost output. With a changing climate and increasing demand from civil uses, promoting both water allocation efficiency and water application efficiency becomes the focus of policy design. The unintended consequences of water policies, however, have led to extensive debates. This study addresses the key question of whether irrigation efficiency improvement leads to reduced per-area water use. The study assembles a national county-level panel data set on water withdrawal, irrigation technology, and farm operation and demographics. The empirical results show that a higher irrigation efficiency is associated with a lower per-area water application in US crop production. Two alternative efficiency measures are proposed. Depending on how the efficiency is measured, a one standard-deviation efficiency improvement (6–30%) in irrigation can reduce 6–11% of water withdrawal in US crop production. The water saving is about 0.06–0.12 mm/day given a county average irrigation water use of 1.07 mm/day.

scholarly journals Multi-Crop Production Decisions and Economic Irrigation Water Use Efficiency: The Effects of Water Costs, Pressure Irrigation Adoption, and Climatic Determinants

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubing Fan ◽  
Raymond Massey ◽  
Seong Park
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
State Level ◽  
Water Application ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Irrigation Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Use Efficiency

In an irrigated multi-crop production system, farmers make decisions on the land allocated to each crop, and the subsequent irrigation water application, which determines the crop yield and irrigation water use efficiency. This study analyzes the effects of the multiple factors on farmers’ decision making and economic irrigation water use efficiency (EIWUE) using a national dataset from the USDA Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey. To better deal with the farm-level data embedded in each state of the U.S., multilevel models are employed, which permit the incorporation of state-level variables in addition to the farm-level factors. The results show higher costs of surface water are not effective in reducing water use, while groundwater costs show a positive association with water use on both corn and soybean farms. The adoption of pressure irrigation systems reduces the soybean water use and increases the soybean yield. A higher EIWUE can be achieved with the adoption of enhanced irrigation systems on both corn and soybean farms. A high temperature promotes more the efficient water use and higher yield, and a high precipitation is associated with lower water application and higher crop yield. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) suggest a moderate variability in water application and EIWUE is accounted by the state-level factors with ICC values greater than 0.10.

scholarly journals An Evaluation of Irrigation Water Use Efficiency in Crop Production Using a Data Envelopment Analysis Approach: A Case of Louisiana, USA

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3193
Author(s):  
Tej K. Gautam ◽  
Krishna P. Paudel ◽  
Kurt M. Guidry
Keyword(s):  
Data Envelopment Analysis ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Irrigation Efficiency ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

The primary objective of this study is to estimate and evaluate the technical efficiency of irrigation water use in soybean (Glycine max L.) production in Louisiana, USA. We conducted a farm-level survey to assess information regarding irrigation cost, the volume of water application, and crop yield per acre during the crop year 2016. We use smoothed heterogeneous bootstrapping procedures in conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) and supplement it with a nonradial measure of efficiency known as the Russell measure. The irrigation efficiency scores obtained from both an input- and an output-based DEA approach indicate that producers are over-applying irrigation water by approximately 37 percent. The results provide evidence that an improvement in water management practices can optimize irrigation efficiency, leading to higher profits for the farmers by lowering the other input prices in the production process. The findings should provide a benchmarking tool to formulate an appropriate irrigation policy that enhances water conservation in crop production in regions with similar environmental conditions and soil characteristics.

ОЦЕНКА ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО СОСТОЯНИЯ ОРОСИТЕЛЬНЫХ СИСТЕМ НА СОВРЕМЕННОМ УРОВНЕ И СИТУАЦИОННЫЙ ПРОГНОЗ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ ВОДОПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ В ДОЛГОСРОЧНОЙ ПЕРСПЕКТИВЕ (2021 - 2030 гг.)

2020 ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
S.D. Isaeva ◽  
A.L. Buber
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Systems Analysis ◽  
Irrigation Efficiency ◽  
Water Withdrawal ◽  
Total Water ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Irrigation Methods ◽  
Irrigated Area

В статье проведен анализ состояния оросительных, в том числе рисовых, систем Краснодарского края за 20 лет. Рассмотрены основные способы полива, динамика орошаемой площади, суммарной водоподачи, оросительные нормы, объем коллекторно-дренажного стока и др. Выявлено сокращение поливаемых земель в Краснодарском крае, снижение суммарного водозабора и оросительных норм. Выполнен аналитический прогноз рассмотренных показателей на перспективу до 2030 г. и предложены меры по развитию и повышению эффективности орошения в Краснодарском крае, прежде всего за счет строгого планирования водопользования на основе цифровых технологий и математического моделирования.Сondition of irrigation systems analysis was carried out in the Krasnodar Territory. Irrigation methods, dynamics of irrigated area, total water supply, irrigation norms are considered. Reduction of irrigated land, total water withdrawal and irrigation norms has been established in the Krasnodar Territory. An analytical forecast of the considered indicators for the future until 2030 has been completed. Measures to develop and improve irrigation efficiency are proposed. Above all, this is rigorous water use planning based on digital technology and mathematical modeling.

Effects of Cooling System Operations on Withdrawal for Thermoelectric Power

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Clement ◽  
Fletcher Fields ◽  
Diana Bauer ◽  
Vincent Tidwell ◽  
Calvin Ray Shaneyfelt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Water Withdrawal ◽  
Energy Information Administration ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Wear And Tear ◽  
Plant Configuration

A new dataset released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) — which combines water withdrawal, electricity generation, and plant configuration data into a single database — enables detailed examination of cooling system operation at thermoelectric plants at multiple scales, most importantly at the unit level. This dataset was used to explore operations across the population of U.S. thermoelectric plants, leading to the conclusion that roughly 32% of all thermoelectric water withdrawal occurs while power plants are not generating electricity. Based on interviews with industry representatives, a unit’s location on the dispatch curve will largely dictate how the cooling system is operated. Peaking plants and intermediate plants might keep their cooling system running to maintain dispatchability. Other considerations include minimizing wear and tear on the pumps and controlling water chemistry. This observation has implications for understanding water use at thermoelectric plants, policy analysis, and modeling. Previous studies have estimated water use as a function of cooling technology, fuel type, prime mover, pollution controls, and ambient climate (1) or by calculating the amount of water that is thermodynamically necessary for cooling (2). This, however, does not capture all the water a plant is withdrawing simply to maintain dispatchability. This paper uses the new data set from EIA and interviews with plant operators to illuminate the role cooling systems operations play in determining the amount of water a plant withdraws.

Crop production and water-use. II. The development and validation of a water-use model for sugarbeet

1994 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. C. Hamer ◽  
M. K. V. Carr ◽  
E. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Canopy Development ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Soil Water Extraction ◽  
Development And Validation

SummaryAs a prerequisite for developing crop-yield/water-use functions for sugarbeet using the results of historical irrigation experiments, it was necessary to develop a water-use model which could operate with a limited data set. The general form of this model has been reported by Wright et al. (1994). In this paper the development and validation of the model for the sugarbeet crop is described.The canopy was modelled in terms of the leaf area index and the relative interception of incoming solar radiation using functions based on thermal time and time. Four phases of growth were identified: emergence, slow-growth, fast-growth and full-canopy. An empirical drought factor was included to allow for the effects of water stress on canopy development during the slow- and fastgrowth expansion phases. Root development was described using a three phase model: initial (temperature dependent), linear and maximum depth (both time dependent).Independent data previously reported from Broom's Barn Experimental Station were then used to validate the model in terms of its capacity to predict crop canopy development, with and without drought stress, soil water extraction at different depths and soil water deficits during the season. The study confirmed the validity of the model for predicting the water-use of sugarbeet.

scholarly journals Estimating irrigation water use over the contiguous United States by combining satellite and reanalysis soil moisture data

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Zaussinger ◽  
Wouter Dorigo ◽  
Alexander Gruber ◽  
Angelica Tarpanelli ◽  
Paolo Filippucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
United States ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Soil Moisture Data ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Practices

Abstract. Effective agricultural water management requires accurate and timely information on the availability and use of irrigation water. However, most existing information on irrigation water use (IWU) lacks the objectivity and spatio-temporal representativeness needed for operational water management and meaningful characterisation of land-climate interactions. Although optical remote sensing has been used to map the area affected by irrigation, it does not physically allow for the estimation of the actual amount of irrigation water applied. On the other hand, microwave observations of the moisture content in the top soil layer are directly influenced by agricultural irrigation practices, and thus potentially allow for the quantitative estimation of IWU. In this study, we combine surface soil moisture retrievals from the spaceborne SMAP, AMSR2, and ASCAT microwave sensors with modelled soil moisture from MERRA-2 reanalysis to derive monthly IWU dynamics over the contiguous United States (CONUS) for the period 2013–2016. The methodology is driven by the assumption that the hydrology formulation of the MERRA-2 model does not account for irrigation, while the remotely sensed soil moisture retrievals do contain an irrigation signal. For many CONUS irrigation hot spots, the estimated spatial irrigation patterns show good agreement with a reference data set on irrigated areas. Moreover, in intensively irrigated areas, the temporal dynamics of observed IWU is meaningful with respect to ancillary data on local irrigation practices. State-aggregated mean IWU volumes derived from the combination of SMAP and MERRA-2 soil moisture show a good correlation with statistically reported state-level irrigation water withdrawals but systematically underestimate them. We argue that this discrepancy can be mainly attributed to the coarse spatial resolution of the employed satellite soil moisture retrievals, which fails to resolve local irrigation practices. Consequently, higher resolution soil moisture data are needed to further enhance the accuracy of IWU mapping.

scholarly journals Estimating irrigation water use over the contiguous United States by combining satellite and reanalysis soil moisture data

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 897-923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Zaussinger ◽  
Wouter Dorigo ◽  
Alexander Gruber ◽  
Angelica Tarpanelli ◽  
Paolo Filippucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
United States ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Soil Moisture Data ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Practices

Abstract. Effective agricultural water management requires accurate and timely information on the availability and use of irrigation water. However, most existing information on irrigation water use (IWU) lacks the objectivity and spatiotemporal representativeness needed for operational water management and meaningful characterization of land–climate interactions. Although optical remote sensing has been used to map the area affected by irrigation, it does not physically allow for the estimation of the actual amount of irrigation water applied. On the other hand, microwave observations of the moisture content in the top soil layer are directly influenced by agricultural irrigation practices and thus potentially allow for the quantitative estimation of IWU. In this study, we combine surface soil moisture (SM) retrievals from the spaceborne SMAP, AMSR2 and ASCAT microwave sensors with modeled soil moisture from MERRA-2 reanalysis to derive monthly IWU dynamics over the contiguous United States (CONUS) for the period 2013–2016. The methodology is driven by the assumption that the hydrology formulation of the MERRA-2 model does not account for irrigation, while the remotely sensed soil moisture retrievals do contain an irrigation signal. For many CONUS irrigation hot spots, the estimated spatial irrigation patterns show good agreement with a reference data set on irrigated areas. Moreover, in intensively irrigated areas, the temporal dynamics of observed IWU is meaningful with respect to ancillary data on local irrigation practices. State-aggregated mean IWU volumes derived from the combination of SMAP and MERRA-2 soil moisture show a good correlation with statistically reported state-level irrigation water withdrawals (IWW) but systematically underestimate them. We argue that this discrepancy can be mainly attributed to the coarse spatial resolution of the employed satellite soil moisture retrievals, which fails to resolve local irrigation practices. Consequently, higher-resolution soil moisture data are needed to further enhance the accuracy of IWU mapping.

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