The middle Deschutes River between Bend, Oregon and Lake Billy Chinook typically experiences critically low flows during the irrigation season. Commercial agriculture in the North Unit Irrigation District and Central Oregon Irrigation District is one major user of Deschutes River water. The overall objective of this research was to estimate the cost to transfer water from commercial agriculture operations to instream flow use assuming a water market existed. Two methods of providing water within commercial agriculture were considered; 1) lining irrigation district canals that supply water to farms and 2) changing on-farm water use. On-farm practices include adopting water conserving irrigation technologies and involvement in Oregon's water conservation program. Supply curves were generated for these alternatives assuming expected and alternative streamfiow levels. Results indicated that changing crop rotations, adopting water conserving technologies and participating in Oregon's conservation program were used, depending on the market price for water. Canal lining, however, was generally the most cost-effective means of providing water to enhance flows in the middle Deschutes River.

This book was first published in 1983. It provides a comprehensive overview of irrigation technologies, techniques and economics, tailored to a multitude of different crops.

or impeded the successful outcomes." --Book Jacket.

Abstract: Many countries are reforming their economies and setting macroeconomic policies that have direct and indirect impact on the performance of the irrigation sector. One reason for the movement toward reform in the water sector across countries is that water resources are increasingly becoming a limiting factor for many human activities. Another reason for increased pressures to address water policy issues is that many countries are in the process of removing barriers to trade, particularly in agricultural commodities. Therefore, knowledge of the value of water when crafting domestic and macroeconomic policies is important to compare the variable impacts of reform across sectors of the economy and populations within the country. Researchers have used many methods for assessing the value of irrigation water. This survey reviews a broad literature to ascertain how two basic questions have been addressed by research over the past few decades. First, what is the value of water across different sectors and levels? Second, how will this value change under different macroeconomic and domestic policies? This survey details a number of methods for approaching these two questions. The literature has been organized according to a progression from theoretical underpinnings to empirical approaches to how the value of irrigation services are relevant to the link between globalization and poverty.

This book includes a set of papers from distinguished scholars who critically examine economic issues relating to the relationship between water and agriculture, with a special focus on irrigation. Employing state of the art methodologies, they address the most relevant issues in water policy. The volume offers a wide spectrum of innovative approac