OAP research teams are working to improve the understanding of hydrological and climatic factors that affect water use and economic profitability, and provide estimates of the climatic, hydrologic, cropping, and profitability conditions that are likely to occur on the southern High Plains over the next 50 years. Projects include:
Title:
Assessing the impacts of broader adoption of deficit irrigation practices on groundwater conservation in an agricultural watershed
Abstract:
Declining groundwater levels in the Southern Ogallala Aquifer, recurring droughts, and projected warmer and drier future climatic conditions pose challenges for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production in the Texas High Plains (THP). Field experiments and modeling studies in the THP demonstrated/reported substantial savings in irrigation water with minimal yield loss when adopting deficit irrigation strategies. However, the effects of farm level irrigation water savings on regional groundwater conservation are largely unknown.
APEXMOD, a new integrated model developed by coupling MODFLOW groundwater flow model with the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) agroecosystem model, will be used to assess the impacts of wide-scale adoption of deficit irrigation practices on groundwater conservation and economic viability of agriculture in the Upper Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos River watershed. Changes in crop yield, crop water productivity (CWP) and groundwater levels under simulated scenarios will be compared with those under the baseline scenario (adoption of full irrigation in all growth stages). Model outputs on crop yields, irrigation water savings, and groundwater levels will then be used in the economic and risk analyses. Finally, the effects of projected climate change on ground water levels in the study watershed will be investigated under the full and deficit irrigation practices.
Investigators:
Srinivasulu Ale sriniale@ag.tamu.edu
Donna McCallister donna.mccallister@ttu.edu
Jourdan Bell Jourdan.bell@ag.tamu.edu
Dennis Gitz dennis.gitz@usda.gov
Research Areas:
Hydrological/Climatic Conditions
Irrigation Efficiency
Policy/Economic Viability
