Date of Graduation
12-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
Advisor/Mentor
Huang, Qiuqiong
Committee Member
Kovacs, Kent
Second Committee Member
Popp, Jennie S.
Third Committee Member
Dixon, Bruce L.
Fourth Committee Member
Nayga, Rodolfo M. Jr.
Fifth Committee Member
Speelman, Stijn
Keywords
Social sciences; Health and environmental sciences; Earth sciences; Contingent valuation; Groundwater; Irrigation; Water; Willingness to pay
Abstract
Reliance of Arkansas agricultural producers on groundwater for irrigation has led to depletion of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer. Without intervention, consequences include insufficient groundwater to meet irrigation demand as well as drawdown of the deeper Sparta Aquifer, upon which communities in eastern Arkansas rely for non-agricultural use. Among proposed solutions to combat groundwater decline is the construction of off-farm surface water infrastructure to meet the irrigation needs of producers. Despite the importance of irrigated agriculture to Arkansas, there is little know about the economic value of irrigation water to producers. Thus, we implement a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation survey to estimate producer willingness to pay (WTP) for irrigation water from irrigation districts when access to groundwater is restricted. While WTP clearly varies between water-scarce and water-abundant areas of the Delta, we find that, on average, producers are WTP $32.87 per acre-foot of irrigation water. Nonetheless, high levels of uncertainty among producers regarding the extent of groundwater shortage in the region persist, highlighting the need for continued, targeted education efforts by extension professionals.
Citation
Knapp, T. R. (2016). Willingness to Pay for Irrigation Water under Scarcity Conditions. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1809
Included in
Agricultural Economics Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Water Resource Management Commons