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LOW‐INPUT AGRICULTURE AS A GROUND WATER PROTECTION STRATEGY 1
Author(s) -
Diebel Penelope L.,
Taylor Daniel B.,
Batie Sandra S.,
Heatwole Conrad D.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-1688.1992.tb01497.x
Subject(s) - agriculture , water quality , groundwater , environmental science , profit (economics) , land use , leaching (pedology) , common agricultural policy , business , natural resource economics , water resource management , soil water , economics , engineering , geography , ecology , civil engineering , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , soil science , biology , microeconomics
Protection of ground water quality is of considerable importance to local, state, and federal governments. This study uses a 15‐year mathematical programming model to evaluate the effectiveness of low‐input agriculture, under alternative policy scenarios, as a strategy to protect ground water quality in Richmond County, Virginia. The analysis considers eight policy alternatives: cost‐sharing for green manures, two restrictions on atrazine applications levels, chemical taxation, a restriction on potential chemical and nitrogen levels in ground water only and in surface and ground water, and two types of land retirement programs. The CREAMS and GLEAMS models were used to estimate nitrate and chemical leaching from the crop root zone. The economic model evaluates production practices, policy constraints, and water quality given a long‐term profit maximizing objective. The results indicate that low‐input agriculture alone may not be an effective ground water protection strategy. The policy impacts include partial adoption of low‐input practices, land retirement, and the substitution of chemicals. Only mandatory land retirement policies reduced all chemical and nutrient loadings of ground water; however, they did not promote the use of low‐input agricultural practices.