Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog
RECORD NUMBER: 231 OF 1067Main Title | Economic benefits of controlling water pollution in an irrigated river basin : Methodology and application / | |||||||||||
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Author | Gutema, Yoseph. ; Whittlesey, Norman K. | |||||||||||
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CORP Author | Washington State Univ., Pullman. Dept. of Agricultural Economics.;Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Lab., Ada, OK. | |||||||||||
Publisher | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory, | |||||||||||
Year Published | 1983 | |||||||||||
Report Number | EPA/600/2-83/008; EPA-R-805896 | |||||||||||
Stock Number | PB83-164756 | |||||||||||
Subjects | Agriculture--Economic aspects ; Irrigation ; Water--Pollution | |||||||||||
Additional Subjects | Benefit cost analysis ; Irrigation ; Water pollution control ; Salinity ; Mathematical models ; River basins ; Esthetics ; Social effect ; Stream flow ; Inorganic nitrates ; Sediments ; Yakima River ; Standards ; Computer programming ; Return flow ; Nonpoint sources ; Flow augmentation | |||||||||||
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Collation | 182 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm | |||||||||||
Abstract | An analytical model consisting of a water quality submodel and an economic submodel was developed. The water quality submodel consisted of three elements: parameters, water quality index functions, and an aggregation rule. The parameters defined water quality as a multidimensional vector, with each component representing some aspect of the physical, chemical, biological, and aesthetic characteristics of water affecting water uses. The water quality index functions translated the measured levels of parameters into numerical values of quality levels which water users could interpret. Basically, this submodel provided estimates of aggregate net social benefits to be derived from water quality changes. The model was tested and demonstrated by application to three typical water quality improvement policies: stream flow augmentation, reduced sediment levels, and reduced nitrate levels. These findings imply that water quality standards may be too high, and achieving these standards may not be economically efficient. |
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Notes | Microfiche. |