Abstract |
A computerized water use model is developed and tested which determines the total water requirements for a given level of agricultural activity. A separable component of the model calculates both the aggregate water demands and the net economic return for alternative irrigation policies and crop-soil combinations. Input data include soils types and characteristics taken from soil surveys; crop acreage, timing, rooting depths, water requirements, and responses (yield) to irrigation; daily rainfall records; selling prices of crops; and irrigation costs. Output includes per acre and aggregate irrigation water requirements for each crop-soil combination for each time period; production levels, value of the production, cost of irrigation, and the net return to irrigation; and output data for alternative irrigation policies. |