Economic and environmental impacts of interstate water transfers in the Colorado River Basin

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5579058

Oamek, G E

Mathematical programming models of agricultural production in the Colorado River Upper Basin were integrated with a hydrology model of the Colorado River to assess the impacts of transferring water from irrigation uses in the Upper Basin to urban users in the Lower Basin. One strategy involved a long-term lease of irrigation water on an annual basis. The other assessed a lease-option strategy by the Lower Basin to take Upper Basin water only when needed. The economic impacts measured were changes in regional income, agriculturally generated income, crop production, land use, and input expenditures. Environmental impacts considered were changes in river salinity levels and increased hydropower production resulting from increased intervening flows. Results indicated that, for an annual lease strategy, up to 400,000 acre feet (AF) of water transferred from agriculture had minimal impacts on Upper Basin land and input usage, and could potentially raise total basin income dramatically. Results of the lease-option strategy indicated that, in the near term, it may be a less-expensive alternative for urban users to acquire agricultural water.

• Research Organization: Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology, Ames, IA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5579058
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
290400* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
CHEMISTRY
COLORADO RIVER BASIN
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
IRRIGATION
MANAGEMENT
POWER
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
URBAN AREAS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER RESOURCES