Browsing by Author "Ellis, John R."
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Item Economic and Conservation Evaluation of Capital Renovation Projects: Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2 (San Benito) – Interconnect Between Canals 39 and 13-A1 and Replacement of Rio Grande Diversion Pumping Plant(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2003) Ellis, John R.; Popp, Michael C.; Robinson, John R.C.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Rister, M. EdwardInitial construction costs and net annual changes in operating and maintenance expenses are identified for the capital renovation project proposed by the Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2 (a.k.a. San Benito) to the North American Development Bank (NADBank) and Bureau of Reclamation. Both nominal and real, expected economic and financial costs of water and energy savings are identified throughout the anticipated useful lives for both components of the proposed project (i.e., a lined interconnect between Canals 39 and 13-A1 and replacement of the Rio Grande diversion pumping plant). Sensitivity results for both the cost of water savings and cost of energy savings are presented for several important parameters. Expected cost of water savings and cost of energy savings for both components are aggregated into a composite set of cost measures for the total proposed project. Aggregate cost of water savings is estimated to be $41.26 per ac-ft and energy savings are measured at an aggregate value of $0.0001586 per BTU (i.e., $0.541 per kwh). In addition, expected values are indicated for the Bureau of Reclamation’s three principal evaluation measures specified in the United States Public Law 106-576 legislation. The aggregate initial construction cost per ac-ft of water savings measure is $157.07 per ac-ft of water savings. The aggregate initial construction cost per BTU (kwh) of energy savings measure is $0.0001777 per BTU ($0.606 per kwh). The ratio of initial construction costs per dollar of total annual economic savings is estimated to be -3.80.Item Economic and Conservation Evaluation of Capital Renovation Projects: Edinburg Irrigation District Hidalgo County No. 1 - 72" Pipeline Replacing Delivery Canal and Multi-Size Pipeline Replacing Delivery Canal(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2002-11) Ellis, John R.; Popp, Michael C.; Robinson, John R.C.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Rister, M. EdwardInitial construction costs and net annual changes in operating and maintenance expenses are identified for the capital renovation project proposed by Edinburg Irrigation District Hidalgo County No. 1 to the North American Development Bank (NADBank). Both nominal and real, expected economic and financial costs of water and energy savings are identified throughout the anticipated useful lives for both components of the proposed project (i.e., 72" pipeline replacing a segment of delivery canal along the "Curry Main" and multi-size pipeline replacing a segment of delivery canal along the "North Branch / East Main"). Sensitivity results for both the cost of water savings and cost of energy savings are presented for several important parameters. Expected cost of water savings and cost of energy savings for both components are aggregated into a composite set of cost measures for the total proposed project. Aggregate cost of water savings is estimated to be $29.87 per ac-ft and energy savings are measured at an aggregate value of $0.0000595 per BTU (i.e., $0.203 per kwh). In addition, expected values are indicated for the Bureau of Reclamation's three principal evaluation measures specified in the United States Public Law 106-576 legislation. The aggregate initial construction cost per ac-ft of water savings measure is $50.90 per ac-ft of water savings. The aggregate initial construction cost per BTU (kwh) of energy savings measure is $0.0000777 per BTU ($0.265 per kwh). The ratio of initial construction costs per dollar of total annual economic savings is estimated to be -2.01.Item Economic and Conservation Evaluation of Capital Renovation Projects: Harlingen Irrigation District Cameron County No. 1 � Canal Meters and Telemetry Equipment, Impervious-Lining of Delivery Canals, Pipelines Replacing Delivery Canals, and On-Farm Delivery-Site Meters(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2002-10) Ellis, John R.; Popp, Michael C.; Robinson, John R.C.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Rister, M. EdwardInitial construction costs and net annual changes in operating and maintenance expenses are identified for the capital renovation project proposed by Harlingen Irrigation District Cameron County No. 1 to the North American Development Bank (NADBank). Both nominal and real, expected economic and financial costs of water and energy savings are identified throughout the anticipated useful lives for each of the four components of the proposed project (i.e., canal meters and telemetry equipment, impervious-lining of delivery canals, 24" pipelines replacing delivery canals, and on-farm delivery-site meters). Sensitivity results for both the cost of water savings and cost of energy savings are presented for several important parameters. Expected cost of water savings and cost of energy savings for each of the four components are aggregated into a composite set of cost measures for the total proposed project. Aggregate cost of water savings is estimated to be $31.37 per ac-ft and energy savings are measured at an aggregate value of $0.0002253 per BTU (i.e., $0.769 per kwh). In addition, expected values are indicated for the Bureau of Reclamation’s three principal evaluation measures specified in the Public Law 106-576 legislation. The aggregate initial construction cost per ac-ft of water savings measure is $26.87 per ac-ft of water savings. The aggregate initial construction cost per BTU (kwh) of energy savings measure is $0.0001603 per BTU ($0.547 per kwh). The amount of initial construction costs per dollar of total annual economic savings is estimated to be -1.30.Item Economic Methodology for South Texas Irrigation Projects - RGIDECON(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2002-10) Ellis, John R.; Robinson, John R.C.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Rister, M. EdwardA mathematical discourse is provided, documenting the economic and financial methods used in RGIDECON, an Excel spreadsheet capital investment evaluation model focused on irrigation district-level pumping and delivery systems. These methods and the spreadsheet are the basis to ascertaining several measures of performance for the capital improvement investments proposed by irrigation districts relying on the Rio Grande River for their supplies of agricultural irrigation, municipal and industrial water. Both the approach developed by Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural economists and the procedures used to calculate the required indicators mandated in Public Law 106-576 are presented. Attention is also directed to the process of selecting the discount rate to be used in the analyses for individual irrigation districts' proposed projects.Item Estimated Farm Level Benefits of Improved Irrigation Efficiency(Texas Water Resources Institute, 1984-06-10) Reneau, Duane R.; Ellis, John R.; Lee, John G.; Lacewell, Ronald D.There are about 15 million acres of cropland in the U.S. that are irrigated from aquifers which are incurring declining water levels (sloggett). This is primarily in the Great Plains Region where irrigation water is pumped from the Ogallala Aquifer. Mining from the aquifer is estimated at 14 million acre feet per year (Frederick and Hanson). The declining groundwater supply increases pumping lift and reduces well yields. Concurrently, there has been a dramatic increase in the cost of energy for pumping since 1973. For example, in the Trans Pecos Region of Texas, natural gas prices increased 450% from 1972 to 1975. Energy has become one of the most important factors in irrigated crop production. A 1975 study showed that 53% of the total variable costs of producing corn in the Great Plains was energy related (Skold). The sensitivity of irrigated agriculture to increased fuel costs and declining groundwater levels has provided incentives for irrigated farmers to investigate alternative crop rotations and opportunities to improve irrigation water pumping and distributional efficiencies. The emphasis of this report is to estimate the value to an irrigated farmer on the Texas High Plains of improving irrigation water distribution efficiency. One means of improving the water use efficiency is to implement water conserving techniques. The main purpose of these techniques is to maximize crop production by minimizing the amount of water lost through the production systems. The major sources of water loss in a crop production system are runoff, percolation, and evaporation. Examples of water conserving techniques include terracing, furrow dams, reduced tillage, and crop rotations. In addition, improved irrigation application techniques can enhance the efficiency of water used for irrigation in the region. On-farm irrigation efficiency statewide for Texas has been estimated between 60 and 708 (Wyatt,1981). The implementation of advanced irrigation application techniques could potentially increase this efficiency up to 98% (Lyle & Bordovsky,1980). Furrow irrigation and sprinkler irrigation are the two major irrigation systems currently in use. Techniques designed to improve furrow efficiency include alternate furrow irrigation, furrow diking, and surge flow. Alternate furrow irrigation improves the timeliness of irrigation applications and increases lateral water movement thereby reducing deep percolation losses. Alternate furrow irrigation can be used with furrow diking or row dams on non-irrigated furrows to reduce rainfall runoff and soil erosion. The surge flow technique delivers large surges of water into the furrow on an intermittent cycle to reduce percolation losses at the upper end of the field. Sprinkler irrigation is the second major distribution system used for crop production primarily on mixed and sandy soils in the region. The use of these systems have increased tremendously over the past 25 years. This growth in the use of sprinkler irrigation systems is reflected in the increase for Texas from 668 thousand acres in 1958 to 2.2 million acres in 1979 (Texas Department of Water Resources). With the rapid rise in the relative price of energy during the 1970's, the emphasis of improving sprinkler efficiency has focused on both reducing their energy requirements and decreasing the amount of water lost through evaporation. One system which has been developed to meet these needs is the LEPA system or Low Energy Precision Application system (Lyle and Bordovsky,1980). This system operates by distributing water through drop tubes and low pressure emitters directly into the furrow as opposed to high pressure systems which utilize overhead sprinklers to distribute the water. In field trials of the LEPA system, measured application and distribution efficiencies averaged 98% and 96% respectively (Lyle et al., 1981).Item Evolution of Irrigation Districts and Operating Institutions: Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2003-07) Fernandez, Linda; Robinson, John R.C.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Rister, M. Edward; Ellis, John R.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Stubbs, Megan J.The growing population in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, shortfalls in water deliveries from Mexico, and multiple years of drought have placed an increased need for efficient water management and allocation in the Rio Grande Basin. These improvements are essential regardless of the treaty compliance issues between Mexico and the U.S. for improved water deliveries to satisfy the 1944 Water Treaty. This report presents a broad overview of how the history of settlement and development shaped current water rights and laws, how the waters of the Rio Grande are divided between the two nations, and how the U.S. and the State of Texas manage their portions. Legal rules and regulations, both current and past, represent the complexity of water allocated in the region. The paper overviews characteristics of the 1944 International Water Treaty and management of Amistad and Falcon international reservoirs by the International Boundary and Water Commission. This overview provides insight on history and the basics of the current set of water allocations, rules and regulations, and some discussion of evolving institutions, i.e., water authorities. Knowledge of the background of the region facilitates ongoing water management policy deliberations, revision/development of policies, and future management of limited water resources. A review of selected Rio Grande Basin irrigation districts and associated operating principles will follow in subsequent reports.Item Pricing and Conservation of Irrigation Water in Texas and New Mexico(Texas Water Resources Institute, 1983-10) Teague, P. W.; Cornforth, G. C.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Ellis, John R.Two possible policy alternatives for management of limited water supplies in arid portions of Texas and New Mexico were analyzed for economic feasibility. Detailed studies of the potential impact of a water accumulation policy for each of two irrigation districts (El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 in Texas, and the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico) were undertaken using temporal linear programming techniques. Current cropping practices, soils, groundwater conditions, historical surface water allocations for Elephant Butte Reservoir and evaporation rates were incorporated within the analysis. Estimates of the benefits of accumulation of surplus portions of irrigation district member's annual surface water allocations, with subsequent use of the unevaporated portion in later years, were deemed insufficient to cover anticipated administrative costs of implementing the proposed policy. This suggests current allocations approximate a temporal optimum. Sensitivity analyses showed greater potential benefits, however, if current groundwater conditions worsen. Additional analysis of possible price-induced water conservation for the areas within the two states currently mining groundwater from the exhaustible Ogallala aquifer was also undertaken. The High Plains of Texas served as the representative region of study, with results assumed to be analogous for the portions of Eastern New Mexico relying on the Ogallala. Both static and temporal effects of a per unit tax on water pumpage and net returns were examined using a recursive linear programming model. Results indicated that imposition of a $20 per acre-foot tax on water pumped induced very little change in water use over a 40 year period, while reducing the present value of producer net returns from 9% to 27% depending upon initial groundwater conditions and the irrigation technology in use. These results imply that a price induced water conservation policy for the Ogallala is not economically justified.