Page 61 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

COST ANALYSIS AND WATER CONSERVATION POTENTIAL OF IRRIGATION
TECHNOLOGIES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE WATER PLANNING AREA

Impact of Lift on Pumping Cost

The fuel costs for effective water applied equivalent to an acre-inch
under LESA with pumping lift levels ranging from 250 feet to 550 feet at

incremental changes of 100 feet are calculated to determine the impact of
pumping lift levels on the fuel costs under six alternative irrigation

systems. The relative efficiency of each system is incorporated into these
calculations. These costs at four lift levels are presented for each

irrigation method in Table 6. The fuel cost for LEPA at 250 feet is $5.56

and at 550 feet this cost rises to $7.99, an increase of $2.43 per equivalent
acre-inch. The fuel cost increases by 44 percent as the lift increases from

250 feet to 550 feet in case of LEPA. The pumping cost for furrow is

$8.43 at 250 feet and $12.38 at 550 feet. This is an increase of $3.95 that
is $1.52 more than LEPA. The fuel cost increase is 47 percent in the case

of furrow as the lift increases from 250 feet to 550 feet. The less efficient
the irrigation system, the greater the impact of a change in pumping lift to

the cost of production of an irrigated crop.
The fuel cost at 350 feet of lift under furrow and LEPA are

$207.40 and $135.20, respectively, for each irrigated acre of corn. At

350 feet lift level, producers will be able to save $72.20 in fuel costs for
each irrigated acre by switching to more efficient irrigation technologies.

The fuel cost saving from shifting furrow to LEPA increases to $87.80
for every irrigated acre of corn at the 550 feet pumping lift.

The comparison indicates that an increase in lift favors adoption of
improved and efficient irrigation methods. With the latest irrigation

technologies, the producers will not only save on production costs for

themselves but also conserve water for future generations.

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