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Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
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OCR for page R1
A NEW ERA FOR
IRRIGATION
Committee on the Future of Irrigation
in the Face of Competing Demands
Water Science and Technology Board
Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources
National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C. 1996
OCR for page R2
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the
National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of
Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the
board responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for
appropriate balance.
This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures
approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sci-
ences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.
Support for this project was provided by the The Ford Foundation Grant No. 930-0484, The Irrigation
Association, National Water Research Institute, the Bureau of Reclamation Grant No. 3-FG-81-
19130, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Grant No. 59-0700-2-
147.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A new era for irrigation/Committee on the Future of Irrigation in
the Face of Competing Demands, Water Science and Technology Board,
Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-309-05331-5
1. Irrigation United States. 2. Irrigation farming United
States. I. National Research Council (U.S). Committee on the
Future of Irrigation in the Face of Competing Demands.
S616.U6N47 1996
631.5'87 dc20
Original cover art by Sally Groom, Arlington, Virginia
96-25369
Copyright 1996 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
OCR for page R3
COMMITTEE ON THE FUTURE OF IRRIGATION IN THE FACE OF
COMPETING DEMANDS
WILFORD GARDNER, Chair, University of California, Berkeley
KENNETH FREDERICK, Vice Chair, Resources for the Future, Washington,
D.C.
MEDIA ADELSMAN, State of Washington, Olympia, Washington
JOHN S. BOYER, University of Delaware, Lewes
CHELSEA CONGDON, Environmental Defense Fund, Boulder, Colorado
DALE F. HEERMANN, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ft. Collins, Colorado
EDWARD KANEMASU, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
RONALD D. LACEWELL, Texas A&M University, College Station
LAWRENCE MacDONNELL, Sustainability Initiatives, Boulder, Colorado
THOMAS K. MacVICAR, MacVicar and Associates, Inc., Lake Worth, Florida
STUART T. PYLE, Consulting Engineer, Bakersfield, California
LESTER SNOW, San Diego County Water Authority, San Diego, California
(through February 16, 1995)
CATHERINE VANDEMOER, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington,
D.C.
JAMES WATSON, Toro Company, Littleton, Colorado
JAMES L. WESCOAT, JR., University of Colorado, Boulder
HOWARD A. WUERTZ, Sundance Farms, Collidge, Arizona
Liaison from the Water Science and Technology Board
CAROLYN H. OLSEN, Brown and Caldwell, Pleasant Hill, California
National Research Council Staff
CHRIS ELFRING, Study Director, Water Science and Technology Board
ANITA A. HALL, Senior Project Assistant, Water Science and Technology Board
. . .
OCR for page R4
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD
DAVID L. FREYBERG, Chair, Stanford University, Stanford, California
BRUCE E. RITTMANN, Vice Chair, Northwestern University, Evanston,
Illinois
LINDA M. ABRIOLA, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
PATRICK L. BREZONIK, Water Resources Research Center, St. Paul,
Minnesota
JOHN BRISCOE, The World Bank, Washington, D.C.
WILLIAM M. EICHBAUM, The World Wildlife Fund, Washington, D.C.
WILFORD GARDNER, University of California, Berkeley
THOMAS M. HELLMAN, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, New York,
New York
CAROL A. JOHNSTON, University of Minnesota, Duluth
WILLIAM M. LEWIS, JR., University of Colorado, Boulder
JOHN W. MORRIS, J.W. Morris Ltd., Arlington, Virginia
CAROLYN H. OLSEN, Brown and Caldwell, Pleasant Hill, California
CHARLES R. O'MELIA, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,
Maryland
REBECCA T. PARKIN, American Public Health Association, Washington,
D.C.
IGNACIO RODRIGUEZ-ITURBE, Texas A&M University, College Station
FRANK W. SCHWARTZ, Ohio State University, Columbus
HENRY J. VAUX, JR., University of California, Riverside
Staff
STEPHEN D. PARKER, Director
SHEILA D. DAVID, Senior Staff Officer
CHRIS ELFRING, Senior Staff Officer
GARY D. KRAUSS, Staff Officer
JACQUELINE A. MacDONALD, Senior Staff Officer
JEANNE AQUILINO, Administrative Associate
ETAN GUMERMAN, Research Associate
ANGELA F. BRUBAKER, Research Assistant
ANITA A. HALL, Administrative Assistant
ELLEN de GUZMAN, Project Assistant
MARY BETH MORRIS, Senior Project Assistant (through July 1996)
V
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COMMISSION ON GEOSCIENCES, ENVIRONMENT,
AND RESOURCES
M. GORDON WOLMAN, Chair, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,
Maryland
PATRICK R. ATKINS, Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
JAMES P. BRUCE, Canadian Climate Program Board, Ottawa, Canada
WILLIAM L. FISHER, University of Texas, Austin
JERRY F. FRANKLIN, University of Washington, Seattle
GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
DEBRA S. KNOPMAN, Progressive Foundation, Washington, D.C.
PERRY L. McCARTY, Stanford University, Stanford, California
JUDITH E. McDOWELL, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
Massachusetts
S. GEORGE PHILANDER, Princeton University, New Jersey
RAYMOND A. PRICE, Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario
THOMAS C. SCHELLING, University of Maryland, College Park
ELLEN K. SILBERGELD, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, D.C.
STEVEN M. STANLEY, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
VICTORIA J. TSCHINKEL, Landers and Parsons, Tallahassee, Florida
Staff
STEPHEN RATTIEN, Executive Director
STEPHEN D. PARKER, Associate Executive Director
MORGAN GOPNIK, Assistant Executive Director
GREGORY SYMMES, Reports Officer
JAMES MALLORY, Administrative Officer
SANDI FITZPATRICK, Administrative Associate
SUSAN SHERWIN, Project Assistant
v
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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distin-
guished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of
science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter
granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal
government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce Alberts is president of the National
Academy of Sciences.
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its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences
the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also
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The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to
secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy
matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the
National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government
and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care,research, and education. Dr. Kenneth
I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to
associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering
knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies
determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the
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jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf
are chairman and interim vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.
.
vim
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Preface
The Committee on the Future of Irrigation in the Face of Competing De-
mands was asked to explore how irrigation might best make the transition into an
era of increasing water scarcity. The charge resembles a description of the role of
what a scientist does that appeared in the House of Solomon, written four centu-
ries ago by Francis Bacon:
And we do also declare natural divinations (forecasting by natural observation)
of diseases, plagues, swarms of hurtful creatures, scarcity, tempests, earth-
quakes, great inundations, comets, temperature of the years, and diverse other
things; and we give counsel thereupon, what the people shall do for the preven-
tion and remedy of them. (
even more difficult, recommendations, to the study's sponsors and the nation,
from what is essentially a philosophical exploration.
In the end, I am proud to say that the committee' s members have created an
excellent document that explores this nation's relationship to irrigation in a
thoughtful and thought-provoking way. I want to express my thanks to each of
them for contributing so much time and energy to this project. I also would like
to thank the study's sponsors USDA's Agricultural Research Service, DOI's
Bureau of Reclamation, the Irrigation Association, the National Water Research
Institute, and the Ford Foundation for their financial support and their willing-
ness to seek outside guidance on sensitive issues. I would also like to thank the
staff of the Water Science and Technology Board Anita Hall for her diligent
support work and Chris Elfring for her behind-the-scenes leadership.
No one can predict the future, but neither can we afford to ignore it. During
periods of uncertainty, concerned citizens often look to "experts" to provide
interpretation, guidance, and counsel. This committee was asked to peer into an
uncertain future and provide advice about how best to prepare for whatever
changes that future may bring. We of course can make no claims of omniscience
or infallibility. Through listening, questioning, reading, and arguing with a broad
cross section of people especially farmers and others with hands-on experience
in irrigation and related fields the committee hoped to identify and analyze the
range of key factors influencing how irrigation will evolve. We set out to explore
the forces of change that affect the irrigation sector and to see how different
regions are responding. From there, we hoped to find clues about where irriga-
tion could and should head in the future. We hope that this report presents an
accurate portrayal of what we learned and that despite our criticisms and calls for
change we were able to convey our admiration for all that the practitioners of
irrigation have contributed to society. We hope the next generation of farmers
will respond to today's challenges with as much energy and innovation.
Wilford Gardner, Chair
Committee on the Future of Irrigation
viii
Contents
SUMMARY
THE FUTURE OF IRRIGATION
The Committee's Charge and Approach, 10
Defining or Divining the Future?, 12
The Historical Context, 14
Irrigation: Industry or Culture?, 16
The Future of Irrigation, 18
References, 19
THE CULTURE OF IRRIGATION
What Are Cultural Perspectives and Why Do They Matter?, 24
Cultural Issues, 26
Conclusion, 40
Notes, 41
References, 41
IRRIGATION TODAY
Irrigated Agriculture, 47
Water Use for Irrigation, 49
Economics of Irrigated Agriculture, 64
Irrigation and the Environment, 68
The Turfgrass Sector, 76
The Special Case of Indian Irrigation, 77
Six
8
20
46
x
5
CONTENTS
Notes, 79
References, 80
FORCES OF CHANGE AND RESPONSES
Profitability: A Key Influence, 84
Understanding the Relation Between Forces of
Change and Responses to Change, 86
Forces of Change, 87
Responses to Change, 97
Conclusion, 120
Notes, 122
References, 122
THE IRRIGATION INDUSTRY: PATTERNS OF
CHANGE AND RESPONSE
Irrigation in the Great Plains: Technological and
Economic Changes Associated with Dwindling
Ground Water, 128
Irrigated Agriculture in California: Uncertainty and
Conflict in the Face of Changing Demands, 139
Irrigation in the Pacific Northwest: Environmental
Demands, Tribal Treaty Rights, and Institutional
Change, 150
Irrigated Agriculture in Florida: Institutions and
Industry in Transition, 160
References, 166
83
125
6 FUTURE DIRECTIONS 169
APPENDIXES
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF COMMITTEE MEMBER
B ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
181
187
C GLOSSARY 190
INDEX 195