Select Economic Implications for the Biological Control of Arundo donax along the Rio Grande

Arundo donax, or giant reed, is a large, bamboo-like plant native to Spain that has invaded several thousand acres of the Rio Grande riparian in Texas. The plant grows to 18-24 feet, consuming large quantities of water per acre per year. With concern of increased water demands in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley region, the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA)ARS) is investigating four herbivorous insects as potential biological control agents for Arundo donax to facilitate increased water supply. This study examines select economic implications for agricultural water users in the United States of applying these biological control agents along the Rio Grande. The research includes (a) estimating the value of the water saved due to the reduction of Arundo donax, (b) a benefit-cost analysis, (c) regional economic impact analysis, and (d) an estimate of the per-unit cost of water saved over a 50-year planning horizon (2009 through 2058). The model ArundoEcon is used to perform a deterministic analyses using low- and high-marginal-composite acre values. Regional results indicate present values of farmlevel benefits ranging from $97.80 to$159.87 million. Benefit-cost ratios are calculated with normalized prices and range from 4.38 to 8.81. Sensitivity analyses provide a robust set of results for Arundo water use, replacement species water use, Arundo expansion rate after control, value of water, and the cost of the program. The pre-production processes and farm-gate economic impact analysis is estimated using multipliers from the IMPLAN model. Regional results reveal a range of $8.90 to$17.94 million annually in economic output and 197 to 351 new jobs for the year 2025. Further results show the cost per acre-foot of water saved is $44.08. This amount is comparable to other projects designed to conserve water in the region. The USDA)ARS, Weslaco, Texas Arundo donax biological control project realizes positive results for the benefit-cost ratios, economic impact analyses, and competitive results for the per-unit cost of saving water. These positive results indicate this project will have positive economic implications for the U.S. and the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley

Biological Control of Giant Reed (Arundo donax): Economic Aspects

Arundo donax is a large, invasive weed consuming large quantities of water in the riparian area of the Texas Rio Grande Basin. With water availability a concern to the area, the USDA-ARS is investigating biological control agents to increase available water, creating a benefit to both the region’s economy and society in general.Arundo donax, Giant Reed, Water, Economics, Invasive, Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Expected Economic Benefits of the El Morillo Drain

The study of the benefits (damages averted) attributable to the El Morillo Drain encompasses U.S. municipalities, industry, and agriculture. It is conservatively estimated that the annual direct benefits to residents of South Texas ranges between $16.3 and$30.3 million. This does not include effects on landscapes, industry that is dependant on low saline water, and water treatment plants. Accounting for the costs to agriculture from crop losses of about $26.7 million, the total annual impact of the El Morillo Drain for South Texas is between$43 and $57 million. Such economic impact assessments are indicative that maintenance of the Drain is a highly-beneficial activity, leaving little doubt that it is essential that the drain be updated, maintained, and operated. Certainly as South Texas population increases and demand for high quality water increases, the value of the El Morillo Drain will increase

Economic Implications of Biological Control of Arundo donax in the Texas Rio Grande Basin

ABSTRACT Arundo donax, or giant reed, is a large, bamboo-like plant that is native to Spain and has invaded several thousand acres of the Rio Grande riparian zone in Texas and Mexico. The plant grows to over 26 feet tall, and consumes large quantities of water, estimated as an amount equivalent to about 11% of irrigation water diverted by Valley irrigation districts (i.e., some estimates are more than 5.5 acre-feet per acre). With concern of increased water demands in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley region, the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA)ARS) is investigating four herbivorous insects as potential biological control agents for Arundo donax to facilitate increased water supply. This study examines selected economic implications for agricultural water users in the United States of applying these biological control agents along the Rio Grande. The research includes (a) estimating the value of the water saved due to the reduction of Arundo donax, (b) a benefit -cost analyses, (c) regional economic impact analyses, and (d) an estimate of the per-unit cost of water saved over a 50-year planning horizon (2009 through 2058). The model ArundoEcon© is used to perform a baseline deterministic analyses using low- and high-value irrigated composite acre values. That is, the saved water is initially valued based on being applied to agriculture as irrigation. Since the actual crop mix irrigated with the saved water is unknown, a range is provided by assuming all irrigated crops are “low-value,” and then again by including both “lowvalue” and “high-value” irrigated crops. Results of the water amount saved are 2/9 of the amount consumed, or approximately one acrefoot of water for each acre of Arundo. For each acre-foot of water saved, 1.85 dryland acres can be converted to low-value crop acres, and 0.71 can be converted to high-value crop acres. Regional economic results indicate a present value of farm-level benefits ranging from $98 to$160 million. Benefit-cost ratios are calculated with normalized prices and indicate a range from 4.38 to 8.81. Sensitivity analyses provide a robust set of results for Arundo agricultural water use, effectiveness of control agents, replacement species’ water use, Arundo expansion rate after control, value of water, and the cost of the program. The pre-production processes and farm-gate economic impact analyses are estimated using multipliers from the IMPLAN model. Regional results reveal a range of $9 to$18 million annually in economic output and 197 to 351 jobs associated with the increase in gross revenues due to the control of Arundo donax for the year 2025. Values for other select years are also provided. Further results suggest a life-cycle cost per acre-foot of water saved of $44. This amount is comparable to other projects designed to conserve water in the region. The USDA)ARS, Weslaco, Texas Arundo donax biological control project will realize positive results as indicated by the benefit-cost ratios, economic impact analyses, and competitive results for the per-unit cost of saving water. These results indicate this project will have positive economic implications for the U.S. and the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley

Economies of Size in Municipal Water-Treatment Technologies: A Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Case Study

As the U.S. population continues to increase, the priority on planning for future water quantity and quality becomes more important. Historically, many municipalities have primarily relied upon surface water as their major source of drinking water. In recent years, however, technological advancements have improved the economic viability of reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination of brackish-groundwater as a potable water source. By including brackishgroundwater, there may be an alternative water source that provides municipalities an opportunity to hedge against droughts, political shortfalls, and protection from potential surfacewater contamination. In addition to selecting a water-treatment technology, municipalities and their associated water planners must determine the appropriate facility size, location, etc. To assist in these issues, this research investigates and reports on economies of size for both conventional surface-water treatment and brackish-groundwater desalination by using results from four water-treatment facilities in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). The methodology and associated results herein may have direct implications on future water planning as highlighting the most economically-efficient alternative(s) is a key objective. In this study, economic and financial life-cycle costs are calculated for a “small” conventional surface-water facility (i.e., 2.0 million gallons per day (mgd) Olmito facility) and a “small” brackish-groundwater desalination facility (i.e., 1.13 mgd La Sara facility). Thereafter, these results are merged with other, prior life-cycle cost analyses’ results for a “medium” conventional surface-water facility (i.e., 8.25 mgd McAllen Northwest facility) and a “medium” brackish-groundwater desalination facility (i.e., 7.5 mgd Southmost facility). The combined data allow for examination of any apparent economies of size amongst the conventional surface-water facilities and the brackish-groundwater desalination facilities. This research utilized the CITY H20 ECONOMICS and the DESAL ECONOMICS © © Excel® spreadsheet models developed by agricultural economists with Texas AgriLife Research and Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The life-cycle costs calculated within these spreadsheet models provide input for work which subsequently provides the estimations of economies of size. Although the economies of size results are only based on four facilities and are only applicable to the Texas LRGV, the results are nonetheless useful. In short, it is determined that economies of size are apparent in conventional surface-water treatment and constant economies of size are apparent in brackish-groundwater desalination. Further, based on modified life-cycle costs (which seek to more-precisely compare across water-treatment technologies and/or facilities), this research also concludes that reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination of brackish-groundwater is economically competitive with conventional surface-water treatment in this region

Promoting novelty, rigor, and style in energy social science: towards codes of practice for appropriate methods and research design

A series of weaknesses in creativity, research design, and quality of writing continue to handicap energy social science. Many studies ask uninteresting research questions, make only marginal contributions, and lack innovative methods or application to theory. Many studies also have no explicit research design, lack rigor, or suffer from mangled structure and poor quality of writing. To help remedy these shortcomings, this Review offers suggestions for how to construct research questions; thoughtfully engage with concepts; state objectives; and appropriately select research methods. Then, the Review offers suggestions for enhancing theoretical, methodological, and empirical novelty. In terms of rigor, codes of practice are presented across seven method categories: experiments, literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, quantitative energy modeling, qualitative analysis, and case studies. We also recommend that researchers beware of hierarchies of evidence utilized in some disciplines, and that researchers place more emphasis on balance and appropriateness in research design. In terms of style, we offer tips regarding macro and microstructure and analysis, as well as coherent writing. Our hope is that this Review will inspire more interesting, robust, multi-method, comparative, interdisciplinary and impactful research that will accelerate the contribution that energy social science can make to both theory and practice

The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs

Abstract In a questionnaire survey of dog owners, 88% of respondents' dogs had received some form of training. Training methods varied; 16% of owners said that they used only positive reinforcement, 12% used a combination of positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement, 32% used a combination of positive reinforcement and positive punishment, and the remaining 40% used a combination of all categories. Seventy-two percent of owners used some form of positive punishment. The mean number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported was 11.3 per dog. Attendance at formal training classes did not significantly affect the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported. However, dogs that had attended puppy socialization classes were less likely to show an undesirable reaction to dogs from outside the household, and owners who carried out informal training at home, but did not attend any form of formal training class, were more likely to report some form of aggression in their dog. The training method used by owners was also related to the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors shown by the dogs. When individual categories of potentially undesirable behavior were investigated, the type of training method used was also significantly associated with attention-seeking score, fear (avoidance) score, and aggression score. Other factors related to the overall number of potentially undesirable behaviors included the age and origin of the dog

Biological Control of Giant Reed (Arundo donax): Economic Aspects

Arundo donax is a large, invasive weed consuming large quantities of water in the riparian area of the Texas Rio Grande Basin. With water availability a concern to the area, the USDA-ARS is investigating biological control agents to increase available water, creating a benefit to both the region’s economy and society in general