Economic and Environmental Impacts of Limiting Nitrogen Use to Protect Water Quality: A Stochastic Regional Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Potential economic and environmental effects of broad versus targeted nitrogen use policies are evaluated in five Central High Plains subregions. Results indicate that per‐acre restrictions are more effective than total nitrogen restrictions in reducing expected nitrogen losses in runoff and percolation, and reducing percolation losses at all probability levels. Because of the distribution of soils within subregions, targeting nitrogen reductions to more permeable soils may not produce the anticipated reductions in percolation. It may be more effective to target nitrogen restrictions on production systems than on soil types. Reductions in producer income are less for targeted than for broad policies.