Crop-Water Production Functions and Economic Implications for Washington

摘要

Crop-water production functions for wheat, potatoes, sugar beets and dry beans are estimated and used in economic analyses. Results suggest that water applications per acre can be reduced from common practice levels and profits increased. Reasonable improvements in delivery and field efficiencies can substantially reduce water withdrawals or pumping. Water restrictions of 10 percent have a relatively small, 2 percent, effect on farm profits if soils are medium textured, but are reduced by 6 percent on coarse soils. Marginal increases in water prices have almost no effect on the profit-maximizing level of water to apply, given a crop and irrigation technology.