Page 51 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

COST ANALYSIS AND WATER CONSERVATION POTENTIAL OF IRRIGATION
TECHNOLOGIES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE WATER PLANNING AREA

Introduction

In Texas the Panhandle Water Planning Area, Region A, is one of
the 16 distinct regions established by the Texas Water Development

Board. The Panhandle area is one of the largest water consuming
regions in the state with agricultural use accounting for over 90 percent

of water use. Region A consists of a 21-county area of the Panhandle

that includes: Armstrong, Carson, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam,
Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson,

Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Potter, Randall, Roberts,
Sherman, and Wheeler Counties.

Irrigated agriculture utilizes more than ten million acre-feet of

water in Texas every year. Farmers of the Texas High Plains produce 60
percent of the state’s irrigated crops with water pumped from the

Ogallala Aquifer. Irrigated crop producers account for 89 percent of the
water use in the Texas High Plains. Increasing pressure from population

growth, rising pumping costs due to high energy prices, and declining
water tables coupled with low commodity prices have forced farmers to

consider more advanced and efficient irrigation technologies.

Six irrigation systems are identified and analyzed with respect to
cost and potential water savings. Irrigation systems are selected on the

basis of use in the Texas High Plains or having the potential to improve
water use efficiency. The alternative irrigation systems analyzed include

conventional furrow (CF), surge flow (SF), mid-elevation sprinkler
application (MESA), low elevation spray application (LESA), low

energy precision application (LEPA) and subsurface drip irrigation

(DRIP). It is assumed that each irrigation system is installed on a
“square” quarter section of land (160 acres).

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