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Irrigation Organizations: Water Measurement and Pricing

Author

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  • Hrozencik, R. Aaron
  • Potter, Nicholas A.
  • Wallander, Steven

Abstract

Irrigation delivery organizations play an important role in the agricultural sector, particularly in the Western United States where nearly half of all water applied as irrigation comes from an off-farm source. These organizations manage and operate extensive water storage and conveyance infrastructure to divert, store, and deliver water to support irrigated agricultural production. Understanding how these organizations measure water flows within their systems and price water deliveries could help achieve water conservation objectives for the irrigated sector. Accurate and timely water measurement allows organizations to track water flows and deliveries and detect sources of water loss within their systems, while differing water delivery pricing approaches can help facilitate on-farm water conservation efforts. This report uses data from the 2019 Survey of Irrigation Organizations to characterize the state of water measurement and pricing practices among organizations delivering water to farms and ranches.

Suggested Citation

  • Hrozencik, R. Aaron & Potter, Nicholas A. & Wallander, Steven, 2025. "Irrigation Organizations: Water Measurement and Pricing," Economic Brief 352145, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uerseb:352145
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.352145
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    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/352145/files/EB-40.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Potter, Nicholas A. & Hrozencik, R. Aaron & Wallander, Steven, 2023. "Irrigation Organizations: Water Inflows and Outflows," Economic Brief 338976, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Michael R. Moore & Noel R. Gollehon & Marc B. Carey, 1994. "Multicrop Production Decisions in Western Irrigated Agriculture: The Role of Water Price," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(4), pages 859-874.
    3. Hrozencik, Aaron & Gardner, Grant & Potter, Nicholas & Wallander, Steven, "undated". "Irrigation Organizations: Groundwater Management," USDA Miscellaneous 335424, United States Department of Agriculture.
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    8. Wallander, Steven & Hrozencik, Aaron & Aillery, Marcel, "undated". "Irrigation Organizations: Drought Planning and Response," USDA Miscellaneous 316790, United States Department of Agriculture.
    9. Ziv Bar-Shira & Israel Finkelshtain & Avi Simhon, 2006. "Block-Rate versus Uniform Water Pricing in Agriculture: An Empirical Analysis," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 88(4), pages 986-999.
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    1. Potter, Nicholas A. & Hrozencik, R. Aaron & Wallander, Steven, 2025. "Irrigation Organizations: Organization Types and Governance," Economic Brief 369045, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

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