THE ECONOMICS OF SNOW MANAGEMENT: AN APPLICATION OF GAME THEORY

The physical potentials of managing snow to obtain additional soil water for the enhancement of plant growth have been demonstrated. The benefits exceed the costs of snow management when averaged over time. The net benefits in any one year may be positive or negative, however, depending in part upon climatic variables. This paper casts the decision of whether or not to practice snow management as a farmer-against-nature game theory model. If farmers are pessimistic about precipitation prospects, snow management is not a profitable practice. When normal or above normal precipitation is expected, snow management is profitable.