TY - JOUR
T1 - Adopting water-conserving irrigation technology
T2 - The case of surge irrigation in Arizona
AU - Coupal, Roger H.
AU - Wilson, Paul N.
N1 - Funding Information:
*The Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station and the Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, through the Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona provided financial support for this research. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the U.S. Department of Interior nor does mention of brand names or commercial products consitute their endorsement by the United States Government.
PY - 1990/5
Y1 - 1990/5
N2 - Surge-flow irrigation technology is a potential means for increasing irrigation efficiencies in desert agriculture. An economic analysis of the adoption decision for Arizona farmers reveals that an investment in surge irrigation is only economically viable when developing new agricultural lands or where gated pipe is already in use. Since the majority of the agricultural land in Arizona is furrow irrigated using ditches and syphon tubes, the potential for high adoption rates on existing farmland is rather limited. The analysis indicates that water costs, under conservative but realistic assumptions, would have to rise to US$ 0.08/m3 (US$ 100 per acre foot) before surge irrigation would be economically viable as a substitute for open ditch furrow irrigation. Further research is needed on potential labor savings and management efficiencies related to surge irrigation in order to measure potential profitability more accurately.
AB - Surge-flow irrigation technology is a potential means for increasing irrigation efficiencies in desert agriculture. An economic analysis of the adoption decision for Arizona farmers reveals that an investment in surge irrigation is only economically viable when developing new agricultural lands or where gated pipe is already in use. Since the majority of the agricultural land in Arizona is furrow irrigated using ditches and syphon tubes, the potential for high adoption rates on existing farmland is rather limited. The analysis indicates that water costs, under conservative but realistic assumptions, would have to rise to US$ 0.08/m3 (US$ 100 per acre foot) before surge irrigation would be economically viable as a substitute for open ditch furrow irrigation. Further research is needed on potential labor savings and management efficiencies related to surge irrigation in order to measure potential profitability more accurately.
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U2 - 10.1016/0378-3774(90)90032-T
DO - 10.1016/0378-3774(90)90032-T
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:38249019531
SN - 0378-3774
VL - 18
SP - 15
EP - 28
JO - Agricultural Water Management
JF - Agricultural Water Management
IS - 1
ER -