water management planning for agricultural irrigation water laws and policy water laws and policy...
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Water Management Water Management Planning for Agricultural Planning for Agricultural
IrrigationIrrigation Water Laws and PolicyWater Laws and Policy
Geospatial ApplicationsGeospatial Applications
Donn RodekohrDonn Rodekohr
James HairstonJames Hairston
Auburn UniversityAuburn University
Facets of Irrigation in AlabamaFacets of Irrigation in Alabama
Alabama has “abundant water resources”Alabama has “abundant water resources” More navigable river miles than any other stateMore navigable river miles than any other state Averages 22” of runoff each yearAverages 22” of runoff each year Tallapoosa River has richest biodiversity of any Tallapoosa River has richest biodiversity of any
stream in the USstream in the US Alabama has a long agricultural traditionAlabama has a long agricultural tradition But…But…
Alabama ranks near the bottom in terms of Alabama ranks near the bottom in terms of irrigable acres that are irrigatedirrigable acres that are irrigated
Mississippi is ranked higher Mississippi is ranked higher
Aspects of Irrigation in AlabamaAspects of Irrigation in Alabama
Why hasn’t Why hasn’t irrigation irrigation development development occurred?occurred? No perceived needNo perceived need
55-60” average 55-60” average annual rainfallannual rainfall
But… But… The rain doesn’t The rain doesn’t
always fall always fall whenwhen or or wherewhere it is needed it is needed
Aspects of Irrigation in AlabamaAspects of Irrigation in Alabama
Why hasn’t irrigation development Why hasn’t irrigation development occurred?occurred? No perceived needNo perceived need No perceived ROINo perceived ROI
Curtis and Tyson both showed profitabilityCurtis and Tyson both showed profitability But …But …
Infrastructure and initiation dues are highInfrastructure and initiation dues are high But …But …
Georgia irrigation developed contradicting UGA Georgia irrigation developed contradicting UGA economic analysiseconomic analysis
Aspects of Irrigation in AlabamaAspects of Irrigation in Alabama
Why hasn’t irrigation development Why hasn’t irrigation development occurred?occurred? No perceived needNo perceived need No perceived ROINo perceived ROI Limited or No access to waterLimited or No access to water
Physical constraintsPhysical constraints Economic constraintsEconomic constraints Political constraintsPolitical constraints
Constraints on Access to WaterConstraints on Access to Water
PhysicalPhysical Most, nearly all, small scale irrigation Most, nearly all, small scale irrigation
development in the West used Groundwater development in the West used Groundwater as the source – Land owner projects.as the source – Land owner projects.
Alabama abundance is surface water suppliesAlabama abundance is surface water supplies Most, nearly all, large scale irrigation Most, nearly all, large scale irrigation
development in the West used Surface water development in the West used Surface water as the source – Government projects.as the source – Government projects.
Much of Alabama’s prime farm land is not riparianMuch of Alabama’s prime farm land is not riparian
Constraints on Access to WaterConstraints on Access to Water
PhysicalPhysical EconomicEconomic
Groundwater in Alabama is usually deepGroundwater in Alabama is usually deep Groundwater in Alabama is sometimes Groundwater in Alabama is sometimes
poor qualitypoor quality Drilling costs are highDrilling costs are high Pumping costs are highPumping costs are high
Constraints on Access to WaterConstraints on Access to Water
PhysicalPhysical EconomicEconomic PoliticalPolitical
Alabama is a Riparian Doctrine stateAlabama is a Riparian Doctrine state
Surface Water Management PolicySurface Water Management Policy
Overview of Two DoctrinesOverview of Two Doctrines RiparianRiparian
Prior AppropriationPrior Appropriation
100th Meridian
Riparian DoctrineRiparian Doctrine
Eastern or English DoctrineEastern or English Doctrine Based upon Land ownershipBased upon Land ownership Predicated upon water abundancePredicated upon water abundance
Regulation initiated by complaintRegulation initiated by complaint Monitoring and measurement of water is Monitoring and measurement of water is
post-adjudicationpost-adjudication
Riparian DoctrineRiparian Doctrine
No harm No harm No Foul No Foul
Harm Harm Foul!Foul!
Western DoctrineWestern Doctrine
Colorado or Prior Appropriation Colorado or Prior Appropriation DoctrineDoctrine
Based upon the State owning the Based upon the State owning the water regardless of who owns the landwater regardless of who owns the land
Predicated upon water scarcityPredicated upon water scarcity Regulation initiated by administrationRegulation initiated by administration ““First in time is first in right”First in time is first in right” Monitoring and measurement is aprioriMonitoring and measurement is apriori
Western DoctrineWestern Doctrine
No harm No harm No FoulNo Foul
No harmNo harm Foul!Foul!
Harm Harm No FoulNo Foul
HarmHarm Foul!Foul!
Geographic Division - DefinitionsGeographic Division - Definitions
WestWest Conservation:Conservation:
““Highest and best” Highest and best” useuse
Maintain or improve Maintain or improve efficiencyefficiency
EastEast Conservation:Conservation:
Preservation Preservation Maintain or improve Maintain or improve
qualityquality
100th Meridian
Geographic Division – Soil Resources Geographic Division – Soil Resources
WestWest Conversion of Conversion of
marginal land to marginal land to productionproduction
Surface ErosionSurface Erosion Groundwater Groundwater
degradation degradation
EastEast Conversion of prime Conversion of prime
farm land to other farm land to other usesuses
ForestForest UrbanUrban
100th Meridian
Geographic Division – Surface Geographic Division – Surface Water ResourcesWater Resources
100th Meridian
WestWest Designated for Designated for
economic economic developmentdevelopment
PowerPower AgricultureAgriculture
EastEast Designated as Designated as
transportation transportation vectorsvectors
Move goods upstreamMove goods upstream Move wastes Move wastes
downstreamdownstream
100th Meridian
Geographic Division – Water Legal Geographic Division – Water Legal CodeCode
WestWest Inter-basin transferInter-basin transfer
It is a way of lifeIt is a way of life Can’t live without itCan’t live without it Move the commodity Move the commodity
to where it can be to where it can be usedused
EastEast Inter-basin transferInter-basin transfer
It is illegalIt is illegal Can’t think of a good Can’t think of a good
reason to allow itreason to allow it
Feasibility of Irrigation in AlabamaFeasibility of Irrigation in Alabama
Assume the legal constraints of the Assume the legal constraints of the Riparian DoctrineRiparian Doctrine
Identify areas most suitable for Identify areas most suitable for irrigationirrigation
Mapping Physical ConstraintsMapping Physical Constraints
TopographyTopography SoilsSoils
Mapping Physical ConstraintsMapping Physical Constraints
Water availabilityWater availability Soils interfaceSoils interface Moisture holding Moisture holding
capacitycapacity ““In Alabama, we In Alabama, we
are only a week are only a week away from away from drought.” Dr. drought.” Dr. Charles MitchellCharles Mitchell
Geospatial Analysis for PlanningGeospatial Analysis for Planning
Identify prime Identify prime farm land adjacent farm land adjacent to a streamto a stream Current DoctrineCurrent Doctrine Land ownershipLand ownership Limit by Limit by
topographytopography Identify prime Identify prime
farm land and farm land and access to water.access to water. PFL isolated from PFL isolated from
waterwater
Geospatial Analysis for PlanningGeospatial Analysis for Planning
Identify prime farm Identify prime farm land and access to land and access to waterwater
Synopsis of National FeasibilitySynopsis of National Feasibility Water is THE ingredient Water is THE ingredient
constraining developmentconstraining development Soils are the wild-card for Soils are the wild-card for
agricultural productionagricultural production Water policy has enabled Water policy has enabled
economic returns for economic returns for agricultureagriculture
Scale of irrigation Scale of irrigation development is dependent development is dependent upon sourceupon source Individual scale – Individual scale –
groundwatergroundwater Regional scale – surface Regional scale – surface
waterwater Map of groundwater Map of groundwater
contamination = Map of contamination = Map of irrigation developmentirrigation development
Synopsis of Feasibility in AlabamaSynopsis of Feasibility in Alabama
Physical constraintsPhysical constraints 1998 NRI data ~ 176,000 1998 NRI data ~ 176,000
acres irrigatedacres irrigated ~ 6 million acres ~ 6 million acres
potentially suitable for potentially suitable for irrigationirrigation
Water availabilityWater availability Doctrine constrains accessDoctrine constrains access Volume of water that is Volume of water that is
“available” is unclear“available” is unclear Water wars are possibleWater wars are possible
Economic viabilityEconomic viability ROI is proven -- $200 / acROI is proven -- $200 / ac Scale of development is Scale of development is
driven by the sourcedriven by the source
Direction for Future AnalysisDirection for Future Analysis Policy AnalysisPolicy Analysis
Governor’s Comprehensive Water Plan – Policy Governor’s Comprehensive Water Plan – Policy alternativesalternatives
Riparian Doctrine – Disbenefits of small scaleRiparian Doctrine – Disbenefits of small scale Economic feasibility – Infrequently used infrastructure Economic feasibility – Infrequently used infrastructure
bothers bureaucrats bothers bureaucrats Key Questions to be answeredKey Questions to be answered
Is there water available?Is there water available? Where are the areas in Alabama where irrigation is most Where are the areas in Alabama where irrigation is most
feasible?feasible? What is the possible ROI in these areas?What is the possible ROI in these areas?
Landowner investments (small scale)Landowner investments (small scale) Governmental investments (large(r) scale)Governmental investments (large(r) scale)
Is irrigation on Black Belt soils possible?Is irrigation on Black Belt soils possible? How can we manage irrigation to avoid environmental How can we manage irrigation to avoid environmental
degradation?degradation?