Assessing the Direct Economic Effects of Reallocating Irrigation Water
to Alternative Uses : Concepts and an Application

Scheierling, Susanne M.

dc.creator	Scheierling, Susanne M.
dc.date	2012-03-19T18:04:38Z
dc.date	2012-03-19T18:04:38Z
dc.date	2011-09-01
dc.date.accessioned	2023-02-17T20:59:22Z
dc.date.available	2023-02-17T20:59:22Z
dc.identifier	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20110914142718
dc.identifier	http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3561
dc.identifier.uri	http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/244525
dc.description	Irrigation water reallocations are playing an increasingly important role in both developed and developing countries. With growing urban and environmental water demands, rising costs for the development of new water supplies, and irrigated agriculture usually including the least economically valuable use of water, transfers of irrigation water to alternative uses are increasing. However, such reallocations are often controversial, and it is often questioned whether the benefits resulting from these transactions are large enough to outweigh the associated costs. This paper reviews the experience with irrigation water transfers, including the involvement of the World Bank. It discusses the problems of assessing the direct economic effects of reallocations, with a focus on the foregone direct benefits in irrigated agriculture. Because foregone direct benefits cannot easily be directly observed, they need to be estimated. However, assessments have shown widely differing estimates -- even when the same methodology was used. The paper reviews the methodologies and model specifications used for estimating foregone direct benefits; illustrates the impact of different model specifications on the magnitude of estimates of foregone direct benefits based on an application in an example case; and draws conclusions with regard to future efforts in assessing reallocation effects, including calculating adequate compensation for farmers. Because estimating the direct benefits of irrigation expansion is methodologically equivalent to estimating foregone direct benefits from reduced irrigation water supplies, the findings have implications for a broader range of water allocation decisions.
dc.language	English
dc.relation	Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5797
dc.rights	CC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.rights	World Bank
dc.subject	ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS
dc.subject	AGRICULTURAL USERS
dc.subject	AGRICULTURAL USES
dc.subject	AGRICULTURAL WATER
dc.subject	ALLOCATION OF WATER
dc.subject	ANNUAL PRECIPITATION
dc.subject	AQUIFER
dc.subject	AVAILABLE WATER
dc.subject	BASINS
dc.subject	CANALS
dc.subject	CATCHMENTS
dc.subject	CHANGING WATER DEMANDS
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	CONSUMPTIVE USE
dc.subject	COST OF WATER
dc.subject	CROP CULTIVATION
dc.subject	CROP PRODUCTION
dc.subject	CROP YIELDS
dc.subject	DAMS
dc.subject	DECISION MAKERS
dc.subject	DEEP PERCOLATION
dc.subject	DELIVERY COSTS
dc.subject	DEMAND FOR WATER
dc.subject	DITCHES
dc.subject	DRAINAGE
dc.subject	DROUGHT
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
dc.subject	EVAPORATION
dc.subject	FARM MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	FARMERS
dc.subject	FIXED CHARGE
dc.subject	GROUND WATER
dc.subject	GROUNDWATER
dc.subject	GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES
dc.subject	GROUNDWATER WITHDRAWALS
dc.subject	HYDROLOGICAL MODEL
dc.subject	INDUSTRIAL USES
dc.subject	INTERBASIN TRANSFERS
dc.subject	INVESTMENT DECISIONS
dc.subject	IRRIGATION
dc.subject	IRRIGATION DISTRICT
dc.subject	IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
dc.subject	IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY
dc.subject	IRRIGATION WATER
dc.subject	IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLY
dc.subject	IRRIGATORS
dc.subject	MANAGEMENT OF WATER
dc.subject	MARGINAL COST
dc.subject	MEASUREMENTS
dc.subject	MUNICIPAL USE
dc.subject	NATURAL RESOURCES
dc.subject	NITROGEN
dc.subject	OPERATION & MAINTENANCE
dc.subject	PERCOLATION
dc.subject	PH
dc.subject	PIPE
dc.subject	PIPES
dc.subject	PRESSURE
dc.subject	PRIOR APPROPRIATION
dc.subject	PRODUCTION PROCESS
dc.subject	PROGRAMS
dc.subject	PUMPING
dc.subject	RAINFALL
dc.subject	RAW WATER
dc.subject	REMOTE SENSING
dc.subject	RESERVOIRS
dc.subject	RIVER BASIN
dc.subject	RIVER BASINS
dc.subject	RIVERS
dc.subject	ROOT ZONE
dc.subject	RURAL WATER
dc.subject	RURAL WATER SUPPLY
dc.subject	SANITATION
dc.subject	SERVICE AREA
dc.subject	SIPHONS
dc.subject	SOILS
dc.subject	STREAMFLOW
dc.subject	TRANSPIRATION
dc.subject	URBAN WATER
dc.subject	URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	URBAN WATER SUPPLY
dc.subject	USE OF WATER
dc.subject	UTILITIES
dc.subject	WATER ALLOCATION
dc.subject	WATER ALLOCATIONS
dc.subject	WATER APPLICATION
dc.subject	WATER BANKING
dc.subject	WATER CONSERVATION
dc.subject	WATER CONSUMPTION
dc.subject	WATER DEMAND
dc.subject	WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	WATER DISTRIBUTION
dc.subject	WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
dc.subject	WATER INDUSTRY
dc.subject	WATER INFILTRATION
dc.subject	WATER LAW
dc.subject	WATER MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	WATER MARKET
dc.subject	WATER MARKETING
dc.subject	WATER MARKETS
dc.subject	WATER POLICIES
dc.subject	WATER QUALITY
dc.subject	WATER QUANTITY
dc.subject	WATER RESOURCE
dc.subject	WATER RESOURCES
dc.subject	WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	WATER RESOURCES PLANNING
dc.subject	WATER RIGHTS
dc.subject	WATER SECTOR
dc.subject	WATER SHORTAGES
dc.subject	WATER SOURCE
dc.subject	WATER SUPPLY
dc.subject	WATER SUPPLY COSTS
dc.subject	WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES
dc.subject	WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS
dc.subject	WATER TRANSFER
dc.subject	WATER TRANSFERS
dc.subject	WATER USE
dc.subject	WATER USER
dc.subject	WATER USERS
dc.subject	WATER WITHDRAWALS
dc.subject	WATERSHEDS
dc.subject	WELLS
dc.title	Assessing the Direct Economic Effects of Reallocating Irrigation Water to Alternative Uses : Concepts and an Application
dc.type	Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
dc.coverage	The World Region
dc.coverage	The World Region