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Water, dust, and environmental justice: The case of agricultural water diversions

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  • Ryan Abman
  • Eric C. Edwards
  • Danae Hernandez‐Cortes

Abstract

Water diversions for agriculture reduce ecosystem services provided by saline lakes around the world. Exposed lakebed surfaces are major sources of dust emissions that may exacerbate existing environmental inequities. This paper studies the effects of water diversions and their impacts on particulate pollution arising from reduced inflows to the Salton Sea in California via a spatially explicit particle transport model and changing lakebed exposure. We demonstrate that lakebed dust emissions increased ambient PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations and worsened environmental inequalities, with historically disadvantaged communities receiving a disproportionate increase in pollution. Water diversion decisions are often determined by political processes; our findings demonstrate the need for distributional analysis of such decisions to ensure equitable compensation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ryan Abman & Eric C. Edwards & Danae Hernandez‐Cortes, 2025. "Water, dust, and environmental justice: The case of agricultural water diversions," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 107(4), pages 1041-1058, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:ajagec:v:107:y:2025:i:4:p:1041-1058
    DOI: 10.1111/ajae.12472
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