Abstract
This paper describes the application of an economic incentive program to achieve water quality objectives by motivating improvements in farm-level water management practices. The program includes farm-specific water allotments, tiered water pricing, and low-interest loans for purchasing irrigation equipment. The implementation of this program in a California water district has resulted in significant reductions in irrigation deliveries and drain water volume. Since the program was implemented, average irrigation depths have declined by 25% on cotton fields, 9% on tomatoes, 10% on cantaloupes, 30% on seed alfalfa, and 29% on grain fields. The average volume of drain water collected each year in subsurface drainage systems has declined from 4.8 million m3 during 1986 through 1989 to 2.6 million m3 during 1990 through 1993. These results confirm that economic incentives can be effective in generating improvements in water quality.
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Wichelns, D., Houston, L. & Cone, D. Economic incentives reduce irrigation deliveries and drain water volume. Irrig Drainage Syst 10, 131–141 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01103697
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01103697