Water Management Water Management Planning for Agricultural Planning for Agricultural

IrrigationIrrigation Water Laws and PolicyWater Laws and Policy

Geospatial ApplicationsGeospatial Applications

Donn RodekohrDonn Rodekohr

James HairstonJames Hairston

Auburn UniversityAuburn University

Facets of Irrigation in AlabamaFacets of Irrigation in Alabama

Alabama has “abundant water resources”Alabama has “abundant water resources” More navigable river miles than any other stateMore navigable river miles than any other state Averages 22” of runoff each yearAverages 22” of runoff each year Tallapoosa River has richest biodiversity of any Tallapoosa River has richest biodiversity of any

stream in the USstream in the US Alabama has a long agricultural traditionAlabama has a long agricultural tradition But…But…

Alabama ranks near the bottom in terms of Alabama ranks near the bottom in terms of irrigable acres that are irrigatedirrigable acres that are irrigated

Mississippi is ranked higher Mississippi is ranked higher

Aspects of Irrigation in AlabamaAspects of Irrigation in Alabama

Why hasn’t Why hasn’t irrigation irrigation development development occurred?occurred? No perceived needNo perceived need

55-60” average 55-60” average annual rainfallannual rainfall

But… But… The rain doesn’t The rain doesn’t

always fall always fall whenwhen or or wherewhere it is needed it is needed

Aspects of Irrigation in AlabamaAspects of Irrigation in Alabama

Why hasn’t irrigation development Why hasn’t irrigation development occurred?occurred? No perceived needNo perceived need No perceived ROINo perceived ROI

Curtis and Tyson both showed profitabilityCurtis and Tyson both showed profitability But …But …

Infrastructure and initiation dues are highInfrastructure and initiation dues are high But …But …

Georgia irrigation developed contradicting UGA Georgia irrigation developed contradicting UGA economic analysiseconomic analysis

Aspects of Irrigation in AlabamaAspects of Irrigation in Alabama

Why hasn’t irrigation development Why hasn’t irrigation development occurred?occurred? No perceived needNo perceived need No perceived ROINo perceived ROI Limited or No access to waterLimited or No access to water

Physical constraintsPhysical constraints Economic constraintsEconomic constraints Political constraintsPolitical constraints

Constraints on Access to WaterConstraints on Access to Water

PhysicalPhysical Most, nearly all, small scale irrigation Most, nearly all, small scale irrigation

development in the West used Groundwater development in the West used Groundwater as the source – Land owner projects.as the source – Land owner projects.

Alabama abundance is surface water suppliesAlabama abundance is surface water supplies Most, nearly all, large scale irrigation Most, nearly all, large scale irrigation

development in the West used Surface water development in the West used Surface water as the source – Government projects.as the source – Government projects.

Much of Alabama’s prime farm land is not riparianMuch of Alabama’s prime farm land is not riparian

Constraints on Access to WaterConstraints on Access to Water

PhysicalPhysical EconomicEconomic

Groundwater in Alabama is usually deepGroundwater in Alabama is usually deep Groundwater in Alabama is sometimes Groundwater in Alabama is sometimes

poor qualitypoor quality Drilling costs are highDrilling costs are high Pumping costs are highPumping costs are high

Constraints on Access to WaterConstraints on Access to Water

PhysicalPhysical EconomicEconomic PoliticalPolitical

Alabama is a Riparian Doctrine stateAlabama is a Riparian Doctrine state

Surface Water Management PolicySurface Water Management Policy

Overview of Two DoctrinesOverview of Two Doctrines RiparianRiparian

Prior AppropriationPrior Appropriation

100th Meridian

Riparian DoctrineRiparian Doctrine

Eastern or English DoctrineEastern or English Doctrine Based upon Land ownershipBased upon Land ownership Predicated upon water abundancePredicated upon water abundance

Regulation initiated by complaintRegulation initiated by complaint Monitoring and measurement of water is Monitoring and measurement of water is

post-adjudicationpost-adjudication

Riparian DoctrineRiparian Doctrine

No harm No harm No Foul No Foul

Harm Harm Foul!Foul!

Western DoctrineWestern Doctrine

Colorado or Prior Appropriation Colorado or Prior Appropriation DoctrineDoctrine

Based upon the State owning the Based upon the State owning the water regardless of who owns the landwater regardless of who owns the land

Predicated upon water scarcityPredicated upon water scarcity Regulation initiated by administrationRegulation initiated by administration ““First in time is first in right”First in time is first in right” Monitoring and measurement is aprioriMonitoring and measurement is apriori

Western DoctrineWestern Doctrine

No harm No harm No FoulNo Foul

No harmNo harm Foul!Foul!

Harm Harm No FoulNo Foul

HarmHarm Foul!Foul!

Geographic Division - DefinitionsGeographic Division - Definitions

WestWest Conservation:Conservation:

““Highest and best” Highest and best” useuse

Maintain or improve Maintain or improve efficiencyefficiency

EastEast Conservation:Conservation:

Preservation Preservation Maintain or improve Maintain or improve

qualityquality

100th Meridian

Geographic Division – Soil Resources Geographic Division – Soil Resources

WestWest Conversion of Conversion of

marginal land to marginal land to productionproduction

Surface ErosionSurface Erosion Groundwater Groundwater

degradation degradation

EastEast Conversion of prime Conversion of prime

farm land to other farm land to other usesuses

ForestForest UrbanUrban

100th Meridian

Geographic Division – Surface Geographic Division – Surface Water ResourcesWater Resources

100th Meridian

WestWest Designated for Designated for

economic economic developmentdevelopment

PowerPower AgricultureAgriculture

EastEast Designated as Designated as

transportation transportation vectorsvectors

Move goods upstreamMove goods upstream Move wastes Move wastes

downstreamdownstream

100th Meridian

Geographic Division – Water Legal Geographic Division – Water Legal CodeCode

WestWest Inter-basin transferInter-basin transfer

It is a way of lifeIt is a way of life Can’t live without itCan’t live without it Move the commodity Move the commodity

to where it can be to where it can be usedused

EastEast Inter-basin transferInter-basin transfer

It is illegalIt is illegal Can’t think of a good Can’t think of a good

reason to allow itreason to allow it

Feasibility of Irrigation in AlabamaFeasibility of Irrigation in Alabama

Assume the legal constraints of the Assume the legal constraints of the Riparian DoctrineRiparian Doctrine

Identify areas most suitable for Identify areas most suitable for irrigationirrigation

Mapping Physical ConstraintsMapping Physical Constraints

TopographyTopography SoilsSoils

Mapping Physical ConstraintsMapping Physical Constraints

Water availabilityWater availability Soils interfaceSoils interface Moisture holding Moisture holding

capacitycapacity ““In Alabama, we In Alabama, we

are only a week are only a week away from away from drought.” Dr. drought.” Dr. Charles MitchellCharles Mitchell

Geospatial Analysis for PlanningGeospatial Analysis for Planning

Identify prime Identify prime farm land adjacent farm land adjacent to a streamto a stream Current DoctrineCurrent Doctrine Land ownershipLand ownership Limit by Limit by

topographytopography Identify prime Identify prime

farm land and farm land and access to water.access to water. PFL isolated from PFL isolated from

waterwater

Geospatial Analysis for PlanningGeospatial Analysis for Planning

Identify prime farm Identify prime farm land and access to land and access to waterwater

Synopsis of National FeasibilitySynopsis of National Feasibility Water is THE ingredient Water is THE ingredient

constraining developmentconstraining development Soils are the wild-card for Soils are the wild-card for

agricultural productionagricultural production Water policy has enabled Water policy has enabled

economic returns for economic returns for agricultureagriculture

Scale of irrigation Scale of irrigation development is dependent development is dependent upon sourceupon source Individual scale – Individual scale –

groundwatergroundwater Regional scale – surface Regional scale – surface

waterwater Map of groundwater Map of groundwater

contamination = Map of contamination = Map of irrigation developmentirrigation development

Synopsis of Feasibility in AlabamaSynopsis of Feasibility in Alabama

Physical constraintsPhysical constraints 1998 NRI data ~ 176,000 1998 NRI data ~ 176,000

acres irrigatedacres irrigated ~ 6 million acres ~ 6 million acres

potentially suitable for potentially suitable for irrigationirrigation

Water availabilityWater availability Doctrine constrains accessDoctrine constrains access Volume of water that is Volume of water that is

“available” is unclear“available” is unclear Water wars are possibleWater wars are possible

Economic viabilityEconomic viability ROI is proven -- $200 / acROI is proven -- $200 / ac Scale of development is Scale of development is

driven by the sourcedriven by the source

Direction for Future AnalysisDirection for Future Analysis Policy AnalysisPolicy Analysis

Governor’s Comprehensive Water Plan – Policy Governor’s Comprehensive Water Plan – Policy alternativesalternatives

Riparian Doctrine – Disbenefits of small scaleRiparian Doctrine – Disbenefits of small scale Economic feasibility – Infrequently used infrastructure Economic feasibility – Infrequently used infrastructure

bothers bureaucrats bothers bureaucrats Key Questions to be answeredKey Questions to be answered

Is there water available?Is there water available? Where are the areas in Alabama where irrigation is most Where are the areas in Alabama where irrigation is most

feasible?feasible? What is the possible ROI in these areas?What is the possible ROI in these areas?

Landowner investments (small scale)Landowner investments (small scale) Governmental investments (large(r) scale)Governmental investments (large(r) scale)

Is irrigation on Black Belt soils possible?Is irrigation on Black Belt soils possible? How can we manage irrigation to avoid environmental How can we manage irrigation to avoid environmental

degradation?degradation?