Policy analysts designing programs to improve the
efficiency and expand the use of water in the irrigation of
farm lands often enlist benefit-cost analysis as a means of
assessing impacts and feasibility. While on-site comparisons
of costs and benefits are important factors in project
assessment, other dimensions such as risk, income
distribution and offsite impacts may be overlooked.
In this research a more complete approach to project
analysis was sought. A simulation model of a river basin
was developed. Paris Creek, Idaho, an area studied recently
by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, was the
representative project location analyzed. An important
design goal was to provide an analytical data processing
template applicable to future studies.
Paris Creek farmers are directly dependent on water
available from Paris Creek. However, most years the flow is
insufficient to provide adequate irrigation with present
methods. High pumping costs, high seepage losses in
delivery systems and low on-farm irrigation efficiencies
compound the problem. A proposed improvement plan is
analyzed, involving piped gravity-fed delivery systems and
conversion from surface to sprinkler irrigation.
Installation and government consulting costs are to be
shared by the farmers and S.C.S.
The computer model simulated monthly stream flows,
irrigated crops, measured impacts, computed production
benefits, and compiled costs and benefits affecting farmers
and society. A 50-year project life was assumed, and
statistics were collected for 25 separate iterations.
It was determined that north group farmers are almost
always better off with the project when annual comparisons
were made between conditions. Only in years of very low
stream flow would farmers lose more money with the project.
However, substantially higher variability in annual income
could be expected, a condition of greater risk to farmers.
Society as a whole was also found to experience an increase
in net benefits, but not as great as for farmers and with
greater annual variability.
The model was effective in providing information about
risk and income distribution. However, difficulty remains
in assessing offsite impacts because there lacks an
effective approach and appropriate data. / Graduation date: 1986
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/26055 |
| Date | 20 December 1985 |
| Creators | Taylor, Michael L. (Michael Lester), 1960- |
| Contributors | Miller, Stanley F. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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