Browsing by Author "Harris, B.L."

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Economic Implications of Biological Control of Arundo donax in the Texas Rio Grande Basin
(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2009-11) Seawright, Emily; Rister, M. Edward; Lacewell, Ronald; McCorkie, Dean; Sturdivant, Allen; Goolsby, John; Yang, Chenghai; Harris, B.L.
ABSTRACT Arundo donax, or giant reed, is a large, bamboo-like plant that is native to Spain and has invaded several thousand acres of the Rio Grande riparian zone in Texas and Mexico. The plant grows to over 26 feet tall, and consumes large quantities of water, estimated as an amount equivalent to about 11% of irrigation water diverted by Valley irrigation districts (i.e., some estimates are more than 5.5 acre-feet per acre). With concern of increased water demands in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley region, the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA)ARS) is investigating four herbivorous insects as potential biological control agents for Arundo donax to facilitate increased water supply. This study examines selected economic implications for agricultural water users in the United States of applying these biological control agents along the Rio Grande. The research includes (a) estimating the value of the water saved due to the reduction of Arundo donax, (b) a benefit -cost analyses, (c) regional economic impact analyses, and (d) an estimate of the per-unit cost of water saved over a 50-year planning horizon (2009 through 2058). The model ArundoEcon© is used to perform a baseline deterministic analyses using low- and high-value irrigated composite acre values. That is, the saved water is initially valued based on being applied to agriculture as irrigation. Since the actual crop mix irrigated with the saved water is unknown, a range is provided by assuming all irrigated crops are “low-value,” and then again by including both “lowvalue” and “high-value” irrigated crops. Results of the water amount saved are 2/9 of the amount consumed, or approximately one acrefoot of water for each acre of Arundo. For each acre-foot of water saved, 1.85 dryland acres can be converted to low-value crop acres, and 0.71 can be converted to high-value crop acres. Regional economic results indicate a present value of farm-level benefits ranging from $98 to $160 million. Benefit-cost ratios are calculated with normalized prices and indicate a range from 4.38 to 8.81. Sensitivity analyses provide a robust set of results for Arundo agricultural water use, effectiveness of control agents, replacement species’ water use, Arundo expansion rate after control, value of water, and the cost of the program. The pre-production processes and farm-gate economic impact analyses are estimated using multipliers from the IMPLAN model. Regional results reveal a range of $9 to $18 million annually in economic output and 197 to 351 jobs associated with the increase in gross revenues due to the control of Arundo donax for the year 2025. Values for other select years are also provided. Further results suggest a life-cycle cost per acre-foot of water saved of $44. This amount is comparable to other projects designed to conserve water in the region. The USDA)ARS, Weslaco, Texas Arundo donax biological control project will realize positive results as indicated by the benefit-cost ratios, economic impact analyses, and competitive results for the per-unit cost of saving water. These results indicate this project will have positive economic implications for the U.S. and the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Irrigation Training Program For Texas Agricultural Producers
(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2010-02) Harris, B.L.
The Irrigation Training Program, funded by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) through an Agricultural Water Conservation Grant, began in 2006. Administered by the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), Texas AgriLife Extension Service (Extension) and Texas AgriLife Research (Research) worked together to build a multi-disciplinary Irrigation Training Program (ITP) that included development of a core manual and training conferences that were designed to meet regional needs. The three year project was divided into four main tasks with separate objectives and deliverables. Under Task 1, the TSSWCB, SWCDs and USDA-NRCS supported the development and implementation of the Irrigation Training Program. Task 2 required TWRI, Extension and Research, in cooperation with the TSSWCB and USDA-NRCS to identify primary agency personnel to provide training and the key conference sites. To meet the objective of Task 3, TWRI, Extension and Research, in cooperation with the TSSWCB and USDA-NRCS developed the Irrigation Training Program manual and promoted irrigation training conferences. And finally, TWRI, Extension and Research, in cooperation with the TSSWCB and USDA-NRCS implemented the Irrigation Training Program through the delivery of six irrigation conferences to meet the task 4 goals.
Lake Granbury and Lake Whitney Assessment Initiative
(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2010-10) Harris, B.L.; Roelke, Daniel; Grover, James; Brooks, Bryan
A team of Texas AgriLife Research, Baylor University and University of Texas at Arlington researchers studied the biology and ecology of Prymnesium parvum (golden algae) in Texas lakes using a three-fold approach that involved system-wide monitoring, experimentation at the microcosm and mesocosm scales, and mathematical modeling. The following are conclusions, to date, regarding this organism’s ecology and potential strategies for mitigation of blooms by this organism.
Precision Irrigators Network: On-Farm Research Demonstration to Evaluate Irrigation Scheduling Tools in the Wintergarden and Texas High Plains
(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2009-06) Piccinni, Giovanni; Leskovar, Daniel; Harman, Wyatte; Marek, Thomas; Harris, B.L.