Ag Water Resource Economics
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Browsing Ag Water Resource Economics by Author "Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisher"
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Item Open Access Agricultural to urban water transfers in Colorado: an assessment of the issues and options(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1993-12) Rice, Teresa A., author; MacDonnell, Lawrence J., author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisherWith constrains on the additional development of water supplies and in the face of growing urban demands for water cites have increasingly been turning to the water transfer process as a means of expanding their supplies. Urban encroachment onto formerly irrigated croplands long has caused the use of irrigation water to change to urban use. To make the transfers economically warranted the size of the transfers tends to be large. This transfer of large quantities of water from often rural areas with little alternative economic opportunity is prompting many western states to revisit their water transfer laws. This report examines approaches taken in the western states to both better facilitate the water transfer process and better address so-called third party effects. The report focuses initially on water transfer law and procedure in Colorado and notes that Colorado emphasizes a single kind of transaction--one in which there is a permanent purchase of a water right and a consequent total cessation of the associated activity. The report then provides a detailed evaluation of a variety of approaches used in other western states involving (1) conditioning water transfers, (2) requiring reduced water use, (3) providing incentives to conserve, and (4) facilitating short-term transfers. Finally recommendations are made for changes in Colorado law and procedure providing incentives to save water, establishing water banks, and addressing third party effects.Item Open Access Economic impact analysis of reduced irrigated acreage in four river basins in Colorado(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2006-12) Thorvaldson, Jennifer, author; Pritchett, James, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisherIn this project, a rigorous economic accounting establishes the agricultural and economic demographics for four river basins in Colorado: the East Arkansas, East South Platte, Republican, and Rio Grande Basins. The IMPLAN software is utilized to develop an input-output model for each basin. Impact analysis is then performed on each model in order to approximate the economic effects of a reduction in irrigated acreage on each regional economy. Substantial differences between the regions exist, both in terms of impacts and multipliers, leading to the conclusion that any policy or program intending to mitigate the negative impacts of lost irrigated acreage should not be a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather would be most effective if tailored specifically to the affected region.Item Open Access Economic impacts of a rural-to-urban water transfer: a case study of Crowley County, Colorado(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1993-11) Taylor, R. Garth, author; Young, Robert A. (Robert Alton), 1931-, author; McKean, John R., 1939-, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisherUrban water supply agencies seeking to meet growing municipal water demands in the arid southwest are finding that the purchase of water from existing agricultural uses is, from their perspective, often more cost-effective than construction of additional storage. Colorado municipalities have been among the most active purchasers of irrigation water rights. Agriculture-to-urban water transfers have economic impacts at the local, regional and state levels. Although the transfers represent "willing buyer-willing seller" exchanges, and represent a gain for both parties to the transactions, concerns have been voiced over whether the economic values of the transacting entities fully take into account the values to the region and the state. Starting in the 1970s, water for urban use has been purchased in Crowley County, a small rural county in southeastern Colorado. Crowley County lands are irrigated from the Lower Arkansas River via the Colorado Canal. Some 85% of the water rights formerly serving 47,000 irrigated acres in Crowley County have been purchased by municipalities. This study had two main purposes. The first was to employ a nonmarket valuation technique to estimate the foregone direct economic benefits (opportunity costs) of irrigation water used in Crowley County. The second purpose was to estimate regional (direct plus secondary) employment impacts of the reduced irrigated agriculture.Item Open Access Economic issues in resolving conflicts in water use(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1983-02) Gray, S. Lee (Sanford Lee), author; Young, Robert A. (Robert Alton), 1931-, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisherItem Open Access Planning for uncertainty: proceedings of the 14th annual South Platte forum(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2003-10) Brown, Jennifer, editor; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisherAbstracts only of papers presented at Planning for uncertainty: proceedings of the 14th annual South Platte forum held on October 22-23, 2003 in Longmont, Colorado.Item Open Access Some economic effects of changing augmentation rules in Colorado's lower South Platte Basin: producer survey and regional economic impact analysis(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-07) Thorvaldson, Jennifer, author; Pritchett, James, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisherThe purposes of this study are three-fold: first, to describe the economic benefits of affirming the property rights which occurred as a result of the change in augmentation rules; second, to examine how affected farmers responded to the change in augmentation rules; and third, to quantify some of the economic impacts to the LSP as a result of the augmentation rule changes. As water continues to be transferred from agricultural to M&I2, recreational, and environmental uses, and with drought remaining a constant threat, further reductions in irrigated agriculture are sure to occur in the future. By estimating the size and scope of the economic impact of such acreage reductions, it is hoped that this study will help affected communities mitigate, prepare for, and adjust to such impacts.