Economically Driven Simulation of Regional Water Systems: Friant-Kern, California
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 132, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper develops and applies an economically driven simulation model for California’s Friant-Kern system, a region characterized by diverse water sources employed predominantly for commercial irrigated agriculture, with significant local water trading activity. The economic-engineering simulation approach highlights the importance of representing user economic decisions for water systems in a context of complex physical and infrastructure systems dominated by economic water uses. The model simulates how water users conserve, select supplies and make water exchange and market decisions in response to water costs and availability, and provides estimates of economic and operational impacts of alternative policies for the Friant-Kern system. Results show that high surface water prices cause farmers to pump more groundwater, disturbing an existing conjunctive use system and aggravating regional groundwater overdraft.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank Randi Field (USBR), Mike Tansey (USBR), Marc Baldo, Mark Jensen (HEC), and Lenore Thomas for valuable contributions during development of this work and several anonymous reviewers for their suggestions.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 132 • Issue 6 • November 2006
Pages: 468 - 479
Copyright
© 2006 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 30, 2003
Accepted: Oct 21, 2005
Published online: Nov 1, 2006
Published in print: Nov 2006
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