Irrigation Efficiency in Chihuahua,

Mexico

Parr Rosson, Flynn Adcock, Michelle Niemeyer,

Emmy Williams, and John Robinson

Center for North American Studies

Department of Agriculture Economics

Texas A&M University, College Station

Based on work done by Aaron Hobbs, unpublished paper “The U.S./Mexico Water Dispute: Impacts of

Increased Irrigation in Chihuahua, Mexico” May 2003

U.S./Mexico WaterU.S./Mexico Water

• Allocations of Rio Bravo/Rio Grande Under 1944 Treaty

• Mexico Water Deficit

– 726,153 acre-feet

– Lost LRGV Business Activity from Withheld Minimum Annual Inflows: $135 Million (John Robinson)

• Issues/Problems

– Drought Conditions and Greater Water Demand

– Low Irrigation Efficiency (40%)

– Population & Trade Growth Along Border

– Ground Water Depletion

ObjectivesObjectives

• Overview of Water Treaty Provisions

• Review Cropping Patterns in Chihuahua, MX

• Estimation of Irrigation Water Use in Chihuahua & Savings from Improved Irrigation Efficiency

• Discuss Potential Policy Options to Mitigate Impacts of Water Debt with Mexico

1944 Water Treaty1944 Water TreatyAdministered by International Boundary & Water

Commission (IBWC-El Paso)

Delimits Rights to International Waters of Tijuana, Colorado, and Rio Grande (Rio Bravo)Rivers from Fort Quitman, Texas to the Gulf of Mexico

U.S. Receives 1/3 of Total Flows or Minimum of 350,000 Acre Feet (af)/Year from Rio Grande River Below Fort Quitman

Mexico Receives 1.5 million af/Year from the Colorado

Mexico Receives 2/3 of Rio Grande, ALL of Waters from San Juan & Alamo Rivers & Half of the Flow from Rio Grande Below Falcon Dam

1944 Water Treaty1944 Water Treaty

Contingencies for DroughtContingencies for Drought• Extraordinary Drought-What is it?

– When Mexico has Difficulty Delivering Run-off of 350,000 af/Year

• Any Deficiencies at the End of 5 Year Cycle SHALL Be Made Up in Following Cycle

• Whenever Conservation Capacities of U.S. in Two International Reservoirs Are Filled, a Cycle SHALL Be Terminated & All Debits Fully Paid

Tributaries & ReservoirsTributaries & Reservoirs

Chihuahua

Nuevo

Leon

Tamaulipas

LRGV

Rio Conchos

Coahuila

•Amistad Reservoir

•Falcon Reservoir

Presidio

Chihuahua

Delicias

Rio San Juan Basin

Pecos River

Rio Grande

•Ft. Quitman

65% of Inflows65% of Inflows

80% Capacity43% Capacity

100%Capacity

Rio Bravo del Norte

Study AreaStudy Area

Francisco I. Madero Reservoir, Delicias

282,000 acre-feet capacity, 134,000 acre-feet

on July 20, 2004

Present level: 1,002,464 acre-feet (1//12/05)

Francisco I. Madero Reservoir, Delicias

282,000 acre-feet capacity, 134,000 acre-feet on

July 20, 2004

Present level: 1,002,480 acre-feet (2/14/05)

Irrigated Crop Production,

Chihuahua, Mexico, 1980-2003

SAGARPA

1.04

1.63

2.21

2.72

3.12

4.26

3.06 3.02

3.32 3.49

3.61 3.54

0.55 0.65 0.75 0.73 0.73

1.11 0.83 0.75 0.79 0.80 0.78 0.80

'80 '85 '90 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Area (Million H. Acres) and Production (Million Metric Tons)

1

2

3

4

5

6 Yield (MT/HA)

Yield Area Production

Irrigation Crop Acreage in

Chihuahua, MX 2003

Estimates: CNAS; Total of 27 crops included in study.

Corn

19.6%

Alfalfa

18.6% Dry Beans

6.8%

Pecans

8.1%

Apples

7.2%

Cotton

10.9% Cut Oats

4.0% Veg/Melons

9.5%

Others

15.3%

Total Acreage: 797,289 Top 5 Crops, 66.7%

PenmanPenman--Monteith Irrigation Monteith Irrigation

Water Use ExampleWater Use Example

• Alfalfa ETo: 56.45 inches

• Crop Coefficient: 0.8833

• Seasonal ETo: 56.45 * 0.8833 = 49.86

• Annual Rainfall: 13.78 inches

• Estimated Irrigation Water Use:

49.86 – 13.78 = 36.08 acre-inches

• Estimated Irrigation Water Use in Acre-

Feet for Year: 36.08 / 12 = 3.01 acre-feet

Irrigation Water Use in Chihuahua, MX

2 2.2

3.2 3.1 3.1

4.5

3.6 3.3

3.5 3.5 3.5 3.6

1980 1985 1990 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Million Acre-Feet

Author's Estimates, CNAS

Estimated Irrigated Water Use in

Chihuahua, MX 2003 (1,000 acre foot)

Estimates: CNAS; Total of 27 crops included in study.

Alfalfa 1116

Corn 612

Apples 404 Pecans 360

Veg/Melons 337

Cotton 333

Wheat 83

Others 386

Apparent Irrigation EfficiencyApparent Irrigation Efficiency

--Delicias Irrigation DistrictDelicias Irrigation District--

Crop Percent

Alfalfa 38

Pecans 36

Peanuts 14

Corn 32

Wheat 58

Furrow & Flood Irrigation Dominant, Some

Center Pivot, Sprinkler Systems in Use

What is Value of Chihuahua What is Value of Chihuahua

Irrigation Water?Irrigation Water?

• $424/acre-foot ($652/ac in LRGV)

– Total Value of Irrigated Production/Total Water

Used Net of Rainfall

• Improving Irrigation Efficiency from 40 to

60% in Chihuahua

– Saves 1.1 million acre-feet/year

– Valued at $472 million/year

Policy OptionsPolicy Options

• Retaliatory Duties on Mexican Agricultural

Products

• Direct Compensation for Texas Producers

• Divert Flows from Colorado River

• Construct New Water Delivery System

• Improve Existing Water Delivery Systems &

Adopt More Efficient Irrigation Technology

in U.S. and Mexico

ConclusionsConclusions

• Irrigation Water Use Has Increased

• Switch from Surface Water to Aquifer

• Switch to More Water Intensive Crops &

Higher Yields

• Antiquated Institutional Framework?

• Extraordinary Drought Needs Rigorous

Definition

• Stakeholder Input Crucial to Future

• Environmental Consequences of Population

& Trade Growth Are Important