Evaluating Water Transfers from Agriculture for Reducing Critical Habitat Water Shortages in the Platte Basin

Abstract

Discrete sequential stochastic programming (DSSP) is coupled with the MODSIM basin-wide hydrologic model to estimate the foregone agricultural value associated with water transfers aimed at reducing water shortages for threatened and endangered species habitat. The value of irrigation water in agriculture is estimated for five agriculturally distinct regions of the Platte River Basin. Irrigation water in the upper-most region of the basin, farthest from the critical habitat, was estimated to be of lowest value in agricultural production. Results indicate that even though water transfers originating farther upstream result in less water yielded at the habitat, they appear to be more cost effective.