Irrigation Restriction and Biomass Market Interactions: The Case of the Alluvial Aquifer

The U.S. Geological Survey has determined that irrigation in Arkansas’ Delta is unsustainable. This study examines how irrigation restrictions would affect county net returns to cropproduction. It also considers the effect of planting less water-intensive bioenergycrops—switchgrass and forage sorghum—in the event biofuel markets become a reality.Results suggest that sustainable irrigation restrictions without bioenergy crops would decreaseproducer returns by 28% in the region. Introducing these alternative crops would bothreduce groundwater use and may restore state producer returns, albeit with significant spatialincome redistribution to crop production throughout the state.