Transcript ACF Stakeholders Governing Board Albany, GA – December 8, 2011 Mark H.
ACF Stakeholders Governing Board Albany, GA – December 8, 2011
Mark H. Masters
Albany State University
Growth in Irrigation
A Snapshot Value of Irrigation
$400.00
$300.00
$200.00
$100.00
$0.00
-$100.00
-$200.00
-$300.00
Irrigated Non-Irrigated Corn $257.03
-$209.18
Cotton $246.29
-$128.10
Peanut $350.31
-$251.40
$31.18/inch $33.58/inch $57.31/inch
Caution: This is an average and irrigation is NOT a linear function
Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Planning Council
14 Counties All or part of 13 HUC 8 Watersheds Ag irrigation is predominant use of water 658,561 acres Endangered species and critical habitat GA – FLA – AL
Farm Gate Value Lower Flint = $1.820 billion GA = $11.5 billion
Ag Tourism & Other 11% Poultry & Eggs 23% Livestock & Aquaculture 9% Forestry & Products 3% Ornamental Hort.
6% Row & Forage Crops 31% Vegetables Fruits and Nuts 14% 3%
Baker Calhoun Colquitt Decatur Dougherty Early Grady Lee Miller Mitchell Seminole Terrell Thomas Worth Farm Gate Value
$86,979,602 $75,711,348 $389,231,209 $206,547,141 $52,715,118 $88,973,708 $143,369,003 $59,348,004 $78,691,597 $266,507,069 $79,961,262 $61,448,617 $105,775,140 $122,447,414
Row - Forage
$38,298,500 $31,795,329 $50,013,893 $50,814,251 $9,856,438 $55,507,969 $16,910,334 $28,627,451 $48,734,639 $57,949,822 $48,351,178 $35,020,050 $31,006,949 $56,327,671
Vegetables
$103,630 $0 $108,046,592 $79,234,866 $159 $0 $4,565,779 $629,970 $5,193,565 $35,137,437 $7,709,923 $343,080 $4,435,986 $20,215,765
% Irrig Rel
53.3% 61.2% 63.5% 70.7% 57.8% 58.6% 18.1% 50.7% 68.2% 54.2% 64.8% 51.9% 38.3% 63.0%
% Ag Tax
68.0% 43.5% 15.6% 20.2% 20.0% 21.4% 28.7% 19.1% 42.1% 36.0% 28.7% 43.8% 25.6% 38.4%
Challenges/Opportunities
Tri-State Water Conflict
Litigation Negotiation
US Fish and Wildlife Critical Habitat
Low flow criteria?
Regional Water Planning
Consumptive Use Assessments Gap Analysis Management Options
Milestones in Management
Began issuing withdrawal permits for agricultural uses of more than 100K gpd in 1988
EPD Issues & Manages Agricultural Water Withdrawal Permits • • • • •
Required since 1988 Specifies location of withdrawal Types GW – Wells SW – Streams, ponds, reservoirs Well to Pond Irrigated field location NOT specified Change location and area each year Maximum irrigated area listed Withdrawal quantity NOT specified Change days of irrigation each year Maximum pumping rate listed
15,600 wells (blue) - Floridan and other aquifers 16,700 pumps (green) - farm ponds and streams * fall, 2008; includes current applications
Milestones in Management
Began issuing withdrawal permits for agricultural uses of more than 100K gpd in 1988 Moratorium placed on new permits in SWGA (1999) Passed Flint River Drought Protection Act in 2000 –
in response to projected low flows
Flint River Drought Protection Act
An auction based program designed to temporarily remove irrigated acreage form production in order to protect streamflow Predicated on drought declaration from EPD Director in consultation with State Climatologist (March 1) Inaugural auction held March 15, 2001 33,101 acres retired from irrigated production Average bid: $136/acre $4.5 million paid to growers Auction held again in 2002 40,894 acres retired Average bid: $128/acre $5.2 million paid to growers Major changes for Act after Flint River Water Dev. and Conservation Plan passed March 2006
Milestones in Management
Began issuing withdrawal permits for agricultural uses of more than 100K gpd in 1988 Moratorium placed on new permits in SWGA (1999) Passed Flint River Drought Protection Act in 2000 –
in response to projected low flows
Passed Agricultural Water Use Program 2003 (metering) – establish individual reasonable use and
increase knowledge for planning
SWCC Installs & Manages Agricultural Water Use Meters
Required effective July, 2009 Started installation 2004 SWCC manages installation Grandfather permits – SWCC installs > 2003 permits – owner responsible Field Locations Mapped Specific area and meter location Wetted area
Records water applied to field, not necessarily water withdrawn from source GW – Wells SW – Streams, ponds, reservoirs Well to Pond Georgia Forestry Commission Visits fields annually Records amount applied (acre-in)
Milestones in Management
Began issuing withdrawal permits for agricultural uses of more than 100K gpd in 1988 Moratorium placed on new permits in SWGA (1999) Passed Flint River Drought Protection Act in 2000 –
in response to projected low flows
Passed Agricultural Water Use Program 2003 (metering) – establish individual reasonable use and
increase knowledge for planning
Passed Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Planning Act 2004 Lower Flint River Regional Water Development and Conservation Plan – 2006 – permit moratorium
Milestones in Management
Water Stewardship Act – 2010
Milestones in Management
Water Stewardship Act – 2010 Regional Water Planning Councils – current
Priority Management Practices
MCH UFL
• • • • • •
Support Tier 1 and 2 conservation activities Encourage point source discharges for major facilities Study new and/or enhancement of existing storage reservoirs Implement new and/or enhance existing surface water storage Utilize and improve upon
• • •
reservoir release operations Improve agricultural water use metering program Suspend irrigation only through Flint River Drought Protection Act Evaluate storage options in Upper Flint for supply and flow augmentation Advocate for changes to the Corps Water Control Manual
•
Improve water quality monitoring LFO
•
Continue improving ag water use efficiency through innovation
• • •
Evaluate reservoir storage options in Flint River Basin for flow augmentation Replace surface water withdrawals with groundwater withdrawals Continue enforcement of existing permits, regulations and implementation of existing plans and practices
Ag Management Options – Current and Future?
Conservation
Irrigation scheduling, precision application strategies, conservation tillage, etc….
Flint River Drought Protection Act Emergency Powers Permit Modification and/or Revocation Augmentation Statute Changes Demand Management = Exposure to Individuals…To What End?
Mark H. Masters Albany State University Georgia Water Planning & Policy Center [email protected]
229-430-2900 x36
Drought Declaration Deadline Mid-Season Management?
Ich – 20% Ich – 30% Ich – 40%
IMPLAN Results
Direct
Output (1.25)
Total -$20,942,298 -$40,106,216 -$56,503,004 -$26,248,678 -$50,309,324 -$70,879,641 Multiplier
Employment (1.23)
Direct Total -282 -509 -710 -348 -632 -886 Spr – 20% Spr – 30% Spr – 40% Direct
Output (1.43)
Total -$22,745,048 -$55,756,953 -$78,573,824 -$32,536,097 -$78,949,839 -$111,457,973
Employment (1.49)
Direct Total -236 -738 -1,032 -351 -1,001 -1,408