PROJECTED EFFECTS OF ENERGY POLICIES ON AGRICULTURAL WATER USE AND IRRIGATION1

ABSTRACT: A national and interregional programming model was used in projecting the impacts of alternative energy policies and prices on agricultural production, land use, and irrigation. The alternatives analyzed include (a) natural gas deregulation, (b) natural gas curtailment, (c) doubled energy prices, and (d) tripled energy prices. These alternatives are compared with a base alternative where prices and conditions are at normal levels. Restraints in the model control availability of water, land, nitrogen fertilizers, and energy. Water production functions were used to adjust water use to conform with projected energy prices and policies. Natural gas curtailment would have the largest effect on nitrogen use on irrigated land. Values or shadow prices for lands that remains in irrigation would increase under all of the alternatives because of reduced supply. Increased energy prices generally would increase use of surface water for irrigation and reduce use of ground water due to higher pumping costs. Reductions of 50 percent or more in ground water use would occur in the South Central and Western regions of the United States. Water supply prices increase under all of the alternatives; with the amount varying by regions and the policy or price situation.     

WATER PROBLEMS IN THE INDUS FOOD MACHINE1

ABSTRACT: Examples are drawn from the Indus Basin to explain why on-farm water management problems restrict the output of agricultural products in many LDC's. Data is presented to illustrate the low level of water management knowledge of both the farmers and the current extension agents. Examples of the level of corruption and its effect on the operating system are illustrated. Several requirements that must be met before a large-scale irrigation scheme will actually increase the welfare of LDC's farmers are presented.     

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF IRRIGATION ON WATER RESOURCES IN THE LITTLE WABASH BASIN OF ILLINOIS1

The level of water demand for supplemental irrigation and the impact of such demand on water supplies were estimated, as a function of the price of corn (Zea Mays L.). The method of estimation was based on an economic analysis of irrigation practice which assumed constant irrigation costs, profit maximizing behavior on the part of irrigators, and which was deliberately structured to underestimate the level of irrigation water use. The analysis was applied to and used data from the Little Wabash basin in Illinois. No irrigation was predicted at a corn price below $3.50 per bushel. Between $3.50 and about $6.50 per bushel, irrigation was estimated to be profitable for a small region of the basin where acceptable groundwater was available. Above about $6.50 to $7.50, irrigation was found to be profitable in the remainder of the basin, where impoundment storage was required. The potential impact on the water resources of the basin is significant. For a corn price between $3.50 and about $6.50, the probability of a shortfall, defined as the event where the potential demand exceeds the supply, was estimated to be between 2 percent and 20 percent during the growing season. Above about $7.50, this probability was found to be about one-third. The development of policies to control withdrawals for irrigation and other uses is endorsed.     

Water Appropriation Systems for Adapting to Water Shortages in Iraq

Climate variability and population growth have intensified the search internationally for measures to adapt to fluctuations in water supplies. An example can be found in the lower part of the transboundary Tigris‐Euphrates Basin where water shortages in 2008‐2009 resulted in high economic costs to irrigation farmers. Losses to irrigators in the lower basin have made a compelling case to identify flexible methods to adapt to water shortage. Few published studies have systematically examined ways to enhance the flexibility of water appropriation systems to adapt to water shortage. This article addresses an ongoing challenge in water governance by examining how profitability at both the farm and basin levels is affected by various water appropriation systems. Four water appropriation systems are compared for impacts on farm income under each of three water supply scenarios. Results show that a (1) proportional sharing of water shortages among provinces and (2) unrestricted water trading rank as the top two appropriation systems. The shadow price of water for irrigation rises from zero at a full water supply level to US$93/1,000 m³ when supply falls to 20% of full levels. Similar methods could be used to analyze challenges facing the design or implementation of water appropriation systems in the world's irrigated regions.     

都江堰市生态市建设

将都江堰市建设成我国西部第一个国家级生态市,该市地处我国大地形中第一阶梯向第二阶梯过渡地带,具有物种、生态系统和景观多样性优势;是古代著名水利工程都江堰的所在地,对于成都市和成都平原起着水资源调控和生态屏障作用。该市是著名风光名胜区和旅游城市,具有城市、农村、高中山、丘陵、平原、水域等广泛的功能示范意义。都江堰市具有建成生态市的良好自然条件和社会经济基础,但也面临着严峻的挑战。生态市建设的重点是要保护和发挥该市亚热带的自然生态系统的服务功能,开发与生态良性循环相协调、与环境友好的产业,构建起循环经济的体系和经营机制,建成风光秀美、经济发达、社会文明、人居环境舒适的城市。     

中心商业区环境安全管理与控制

城市中心商业区环境安全的管理与控制是城市诸多问题中的热点.通过分析中心商业区的环境空气质量和环境噪声、防火防爆设施及应急装备、人流车流秩序、公共卫生系统,提出了在城市中心商业区环境安全的管理与控制中应执行的相关标准,设立了相关部门和管理措施.对中心商业区环境安全控制的规制化具有一定积极意义.     

生态示范区建设的模式及其实践的几点思考

就生态示范区建设的重要性、生态示范区建设模式进行探讨,分析了生态示范区建设模式的成功范例,最后提出创建生态示范区的建议。     

碱性矿化水灌溉对土壤溶质运移的影响

经过连续几年的灌溉试验可知,应用2.5 g稬-1以下的低矿化水灌溉是安全的,超过此值土壤积盐和碱化明显。灌溉后,土壤中溶质运移受多因素影响。在阳离子分布中,水平方向Na+随灌溉水矿化度增大而增多,Ca2+、Mg2+变化不大;土壤剖面上,从表层至60 cm土层,先以Ca2+、Mg2+为主,过渡到Na+、Ca2+、Mg2+共同占优,再发展为以Na+占优。阴离子的分布中,水平方向,随灌溉水矿化度增大HCO3-增多;土壤剖面上,从表向里,先以Cl-或SO42-为主,过渡到C1-、SO42-、HCO3-均分局面,再发展以HCO3-占优。灌溉后土壤pH值在0~20 cm变化不明显,大于20 cm土层有一定增加。土壤中的SAR和ESP均以大于1.5 g稬-1的碱性低矿化水灌溉后增加明显,碱化层由下向上抬升,小麦田碱化速度快于玉米田。     

湖泊水环境保护功能区划分

在浓度场基础上，利用总磷、总氮和ＣＯＤ三项指标的综合指数法，结合管理部门提供的资料，划分了滇不不环境保护功能区，给出了划分指标值及功能区划分图。     

The Impact of the Hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake. Part I: Concentrations of Elements in Crops and Soil

In Asembagus (East Java, Indonesia) irrigation water is contaminated with effluent from the hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake resulting in a low pH and high levels of various elements. As a first step towards a risk assessment, locally produced food items (rice, maize, cassava leaf, cassava root, peanuts) were collected and concentrations of As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn were compared to samples from a reference area and with literature values. Further, concentrations in rice were compared to total soil concentrations in paddy fields. Compared to the reference area, food items produced in the contaminated area had increased levels of Cd, Co, Ni and Mn in particular, while levels of Mo were lower. In contrast, total soil concentrations of Cd and Mn in particular have decreased whereas especially Mo was increased. In combination with the observed soil acidification, it is likely that the bioavailable concentration of most elements in the contaminated soil is higher (except for Mo) due to an increased weathering rate and/or input via the contaminated irrigation water. In terms of human health, concentrations in foods were generally within normal literature values. However, it was observed that essential elements (in particular Fe) known for their inhibitory effects on e.g. Cd and Mn toxicity did not accumulate in crops whereas Cd and Mn did.