Integration of the agricultural demand function for water and the hydrologic model of the Pecos Basin

Abstract

The result of integrating the agricultural sector with the aquifer of the Pecos basin is given. In particular, steady state solutions to hydrologic and economic equations are given in which imported water is artificially recharged to the aquifer and its cost is added to the cost of pumping. A two‐cell model for the Pecos basin aquifer is developed. One cell is for the confined aquifer, and the other is for the shallow aquifer. The hydrologic solution of the model yields two linear steady state functions that relate the water table in the two cells to other hydrologic variables, such as recharge, discharge, and irrigation. The cost of pumping water is also estimated. The agricultural demand function for irrigation water is empirically estimated by applying the technique of parametric linear programing. The demand function for water is linked to the water table hydrologic equations. Solutions are found for a range of expected prices of imported water.