Adopting water-conserving irrigation technology: The case of surge irrigation in Arizona

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 w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural water management 1990, Vol.18 (1), p.15-28
Main Authors: Coupal, Roger H., Wilson, Paul N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
ANALISIS ECONOMICO
ANALYSE ECONOMIQUE
ARIZONA
Biological and medical sciences
CONSERVACION DE AGUAS
CONSERVATION DE L'EAU
DESERT
DESERTS
DESIERTOS
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
EFFICACITE
EFFICIENCY
EFICACIA
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
IRRIGATION METHODS
Irrigation. Drainage
METHODE D'IRRIGATION
METODOS DE RIEGO
WATER CONSERVATION
Water resources
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Summary: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/m 3 (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.
ISSN:0378-3774
1873-2283
DOI:10.1016/0378-3774(90)90032-T