EFFECTS OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE UPPER COLORADO BASIN ON IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE AND SALINITY

A mathematical programming model is formulated to determine the salinity impacts of energy development in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Using this model, the costs and benefits to Upper and Lower Basins in complying with the 1974 EPA regulations on numerical salinity standards are examined. Optimal water quality levels consistent with economic criteria are established for projected energy growth in the basin. The efficiency costs and equity implications of the salinity regulations are analyzed.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Economic Impacts of Two Proposed Power Plants on Utah\u27s Irrigated Agriculture

Introduction: The impact on agriculture of a large coal-fired stream electic plant (such as the proposed Intermountain Power Project near Lynndyl, Utah) or a large nuclear electic plant (such as proposed for the Green River Site near Emery, Utah) depends on a large number of factors. Among the most important are the technology used in power plant design, the site-characteristics of the plant location, the availability of water resources in the vicinity of the plant, the quality of the available water, and the types of agricultural uses and their water requirements. Some of these factors can be defined by obtaining information for a given site, and others are determined by decisions made during plant design. The agricultural impacts estimated here are based on the results of completed research and available site information. The results of completed research and available site information. The results are given as a range from a minimum impact based on selection of a cooling technology requireing as little water as reasonable to a maximum impact based on selection of a technology using much more water. Both the minimum and maximum impacts estimated are probably on the high side because of very conservative assumptions made with respect to farmer reaction. The influence of the selected cooling technology on the impacts suggests the desireability of considering potential impacts during design so as to choose a technology having more \u27favorable consequences.\u2

An Economic Appraisal of Reuse Concepts in Regional Water Supply Planning

Using a conceptual model of a water supply firm, the necessary conditions for production and market efficiency are derived when renovated wastewater is considered as a potential water resource. The nature and extent of the supply augmentation due to recycled reuse is demonstrated using classical optimization techniques. Three stages of short-run supply corresponding to no recycling, partial recycled reuse and complete recycling of all reclaimable water are identified through appropriate Lagrangian Multipliers as well as graphical techniques. A mathematical programming model is structured to determine the optimal water resource allocation and pricing policy for Salt Lake County. By maximizing the sum of consumer and producer surplus (the difference between total willingness-to-pay and total cost) economically efficient equilibria are derived. The feasibility of recycled reuse for municipal purposes is examined in a planning context. The impact of higher water quality discharge standards on the attractiveness of water recycling option is studied. To ensure social acceptability of renovated wastewater for culinary purposes, blending restrictions are imposed, which stipulate that the amount of water for reuse be less than a fixed percentage of the water from other sources. The effect of such a constraint on the prices and water allocation are delineated. The hydrologic uncertainty in water supply is treated using stochastic programming techniques. Application of the concepts of single and joint chance-constrained programming are illustrated. The resulting changes in pricing and allocation policies are discussed

RELATIONSHIP OF NON-BASIC SECTOR INCOME GROWTH AND THE GAMING SECTOR

Nevada disaggregated export-base multipliers were derived to determine if and to what extent non-basic sector income growth was impacted by income growth of selected basic sectors. Results indicate that growth in the Hotel and Gaming Sector is statistically significant and substantially higher than growth in the Other Basic Industries Sector.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF RURAL WATER UTILITIES

Technical efficiency of rural water utilities is determined using frontier production functions. An indirect production function is developed to model the two-step production process of a local government-controlled firm. Data from 26 rural Nevada water utilities are used to estimate inefficiency in terms of firm-specific variables. A multistep estimation procedure is used instead of single-step maximum likelihood estimation. Model selection tests are used to choose the best model. Privately owned utilities are most efficient; self-governing water districts are the least efficient. Municipal governments operate the most and least efficient utilities.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

MODELING POLLINATION FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ALFALFA SEED YIELD IN NORTH-CENTRAL NEVADA

The relative importance of both environmental and management factors on alfalfa seed yield was investigated on North–Central Nevada farms. Multiple linear regression models using 2002-2003 data revealed that cumulative tripped fl owers increased seed yield in both years. Field location does not appear to make a difference in the observed variation in tripped fl ower production. The results suggest that seed yield can be increased by (a) by placing bee shelters closer and (b) cultural practices that increase total fl ower production. Both these factors increased tripped fl owers and thus had a positive effect on yield. In addition, warmer temperatures during the growing season, particularly in the early stages of plant growth is shown to not only increase tripped fl owers but also reduce the time when the maximum tripped fl owers occur. The latter appears to have a signifi cant infl uence on cumulative tripped fl owers and thus the total seed yield

An Evaluation of Water Conservation Techniques in the Upper Colorado River Basin

The Upper Colorado River Basin states contain large deposits of oil shale, tar sands, crude oil, coal, and natural gas, which are or could be used to produce refined petroleum products, natural and synthetic gas, and eletrical power. Agriculture is the predominant water consuming industry of the basin, accounting for 90 percent of the total depletions. Future energy development in the Upper Colorado River Basin will compete with agriculture for the limited supply of water by bidding up the price of water. The study attempts to identify the need for government-sponsored water conservation measures in conjunction with other water saving techniques employed by the private sectors of the economy in response to increased water prices. The objectives of this study are: 1) To determine the total cost to the economy of the public sector investments in water conservation measures induced by salinity regulations, 2) to select the technological process which optimally allocates water from a social point of view, and 3) to determine which water conservation measures in the agricultural and energy sectors are economically efficient. A mixed-integer programming model is used to maximize the returns to land, water, and mineral resources of the Upper Colorado River Basin for the agriculture and energy sectors of the economy. The feasibilities of various water saving techniques by indistires and of government-sponsored water conservation measures (primarily under salinity regulations) are examined within a benefit-cost analysis framework. The model is solved for the base year 1974, and two future years 1985 and 2000 under increased water demand conditions. Solutions for each of the two future years 1985 and 2000 are obtained for five alternative scenarios. The results of the model indicate that public investments in water conservation measures are not economically efficient since the marginal value of water is less than the cost of conservation. However, where externalities due to changes in salinity levels are taken into consideration, the value of water is greater than the cost of various conservation programs. This is because the water saved is used for decreasing the salinity levels downstream through greater dilution. Quantitative welfare measure of alternative salinity control policies and the cost-benefit implications toward government-sponsored water conservation programs are derived.

Economic Impacts of Irrigation Technologies in the Sevier River Basin

The economic well-being of the semiarid intermountain area requires efficent use of available water supplies. Agriculture, the major water-consuming industry, depends on irrigation water. The adoption of sprinkler systems that increase on-farm irrigation efficiencies and the area which can be irrigated from upstream diversions may interfere with the tenure of downstream water rights. These downstream effects need to be evaluated before allowing farmers to use the water saved to irrigate additional acreages or crops to obtain greater profits. The problem in letting farms expand their irrigated acreage is that the individual farmer increases his profits through increased consumptive use. The consequent reduction in return flows reduces the water available to the downstream irrigators and violates the downstream user\u27s proper rights. Water rights administrators have a responsibility to both users. They need to protect downstream water rights. In doing so, the policies should not deny those who install new sprinkler systems the right to any water they really save from wasteful consumptive use (e.g., by weeds or evaporation). A linear programming model was developed to evaluate the effect of changes in irrigation technology on basinwide cropping patterns and hence consumptive use and return flows for downstream users within the Sevier River Basin. Cropping choices were made from inforamtion on field slopes and soil types as represented by land classifications, consumptive use for nine crops, and the characteristics of four on-farm irrigation systems (flood and sprinkler irrigation systems with lined and unlined ditches). In addition, water diversions any available irrigated acreages were constrained to the limits imposed by the State Engineer\u27s Office as a means of protecting property rights. Modern irrigation systems were estimated to be profitable and hence would be adopted with the present acreage and diversion restrictions. Basin output would increase; however, downstream water rights would not be met. With relations of these restrictions, the farm economy would gain even more from the adoption of new irrigation systems. Again, present water rights would not be met. Federal and state cost sharing programs could also aggravate the water rights problem and possibly cause environmental problems by reducing instream flows. The empiracle linear programming model developed to represent the agricultural economy of the Sevier River Basin was able to provide reasonable replication of cropping patterns, wate ruse, and instream flows in the basin. This success generates some confidence in the model\u27s ability to estimate the effects of adaptations of new irrigation technology and various basin water management policies on the bropping decisions made by basin farmers. The estiamtes made by the model provide a valuable tool for equitable water rights administration, but the results would be much improved if refined to incorporate hydrologic routing, hydrosalinity effects, optimal irrigation levels, and year-to-year variation in water availability

An Economic Evaluation of the Salinity Impacts from Energy Development: The Case of the Upper Colorado River Basin

To analyze the effect of potential energy development on water allocation and water quality in the Upper Colorado River Basin, a linear programming model is formulated. Using the model, changes in salinity are predicted. Further, least-cost strategies to maintain the established numeric salinity criteria through both structural and nonstructural alternatives are developed. The effectiveness of alternative control measures are examined within given institutional constraints. Based on cost-benefit analysis, optimal salinity levels over time are proposed. The economic feasibility of presently planned strucutral measures to reduce salinity is investigated and contrasted with nonstructural alternatives

Water Use Tradeoffs Between Energy and Agriculture

water availability and use has a history of conflict in the arid West, and the large-scale development of the energy resources in the Upper Colorado River Basin and the Great Basin can be expected to add to the competition for water. In addition, air and water quality have also become major parameters in the allocation decisions. It is not clear whether energy development will have a detrimental or beneficial effect on water quality in the region, at least with respect to salinity which is the currently acknowledged major qu al ity problem in the Colorado River System. The institutions and circumstances under which energy development takes place are critical with respect to water quality. Several recent research projects at Utah State Universi ty have been focused on both the quantity and quality constraints on water use in Utah. The results are the bases for this paper