This paper applies a stochastic dynamic programming framework, incorporating links to hydrological and biophysical models, to assess the economic costs of environmental flows in an unregulated river system in the Namoi Valley of northern New South Wales, Australia. Structural adjustment...

The flexibility of farms to respond to changing economic or environmental conditions has received attention in recent years, particularly in the context of changes in the availability and pricing of irrigation water. This study uses a new unit record data set of Australian farms and a...

Potential for change in the mix of irrigated enterprises was estimated for a catchment in the Shepparton irrigation region using linear programming. The model allocated resources to maximise net income in each of the next five decades as if the catchment were one farm. Change was driven by price...

Sugarcane farmers in many districts are considering on-farm water storages (OFWS’s) as a means of countering ongoing water shortages. OFWS’s are attractive because they can be used to capture runoff and tailwater, and for the temporary storage of surplus water from other irrigation sources...

The northern Australian beef industry accounts for approximately half of the national beef herd. It is currently challenged by a range of factors including decline in beef prices, limited live export trade, large farm debt levels, and low return on assets managed. Access to irrigation has been...

Modelling complex systems such as multiple-use reservoirs can be challenging. A legitimate question for scientists and modellers is how best to model their management under uncertain rainfall. This paper studies whether it is worth using a stochastic model that requires more effort than a much...

Efficient investment in salinity mitigation requires an understanding of how different landscapes respond to alternative land and water use options at both a regional and a broader scale. A simulation modeling framework that integrates the relationships between land use, vegetation cover,...

As the greatest rainwater users among all vegetative land covers, tree plantations have been employed strategically to mitigate salinity and water-logging problems. However, large-scale commercial tree plantations in high rainfall areas reduce fresh water inflows to river systems supporting...

As water resources in arid regions decline, agricultural producers are encouraged to adopt water conserving strategies. The implementation of alternative low-water use crops is one option, but is it economically feasible? Data on current and alternative crops for this study include enterprise...

Land-use change in upper catchments impact downstream water flows. As trees use large amounts of water the expansion of upstream plantations can substantially reduce water availability to downstream users. There can also be impacts on downstream salinity due to reduced dilution flows. In some...