Browsing by Author "Weinheimer, Justin Andrew"
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Item Economic value of soil water enhancement from brush removal on the Pedernales Watershed(Texas Tech University, 2008-12) Weinheimer, Justin Andrew; Johnson, Phillip N.; Segarra, Eduardo; Sosebee, Ronald E.The impacts of brush encroachment, specifically Ashe juniper, in Texas are not only detrimental to rangeland productivity but also have been noted to absorb large amounts of water, desperately needed by municipalities across Texas. Recently, the Texas government allocated $37 million dollars for a state cost share brush control project with the intention of increasing water yields from various watersheds. The Pedernales Watershed was allocated funds for brush control in an effort to increase water in the Pedernales River, a major tributary and source of water for Lake Travis and the surrounding Austin community. The objective of this study was to determine the economic gains and cost, through a Net Present Value analysis, incurred by the landowner as a result of investing in the cost share brush control program. Profitability analyses were determined through gains of increased herbage production using a cow-calf operation. Additionally, increases in water yield were determined through soil water content measurements allowing for conclusions to be made about increased soil moisture infiltration. Profitability results indicate that the investment is not a wise investment based on negative net present values. Monthly water content results indicate that there were minor changes in soil moisture infiltration.Item Energy Analysis of Cotton Production on the Southern High Plains of Texas(2008-01) Johnson, Phillip N.; Weinheimer, Justin AndrewThe cotton producing region of the Southern High Plains of Texas is an input intensive agricultural region. The use of irrigation, fertilizer, and other inputs makes this region a large consumer of both direct and indirect energy. Increasing energy costs have affected farm profitability and are predicted to increase in the future. Energy consumption from fossil fuels either directly through fuel consumption in mechanical operations and irrigation application or indirectly through the production of fertilizer and chemicals varies greatly at the farm level based on irrigation systems, crop selection, and management decisions. The objective of this study was to evaluate energy use in irrigated cotton production systems on the Southern High Plains of Texas. Results indicate that in terms of energy use efficiency the subsurface drip irrigation system (SDI) was the most efficient. The low energy spray application pivot system (LESA) was the most efficient with regard to profitability per unit of water appliedItem Energy and Carbon: Considerations for High Plains Cotton(2010) Johnson, Phillip N.; Weinheimer, Justin AndrewThe focus at the national level on issues related to climate change, CO2 emissions and energy independence could affect industries throughout the U.S. through proposed regulation or "Cap and Trade" legislation which aims to reduce fossil fuel consumption and atmospheric CO2 levels. The Texas agricultural industry, specifically the High Plains cotton industry, will be no exception to these potential changes. Thus it is imperative to understand the energy and carbon relationships for High Plains cotton production so that the cotton industry and commercial producers can be prepared to adapt to or benefit from changes in environmental policy. The objective of this study was to conduct an energy and carbon audit on irrigated cotton produced in the Southern High Plains of Texas. Results indicate that sub-surface drip irrigated cotton is a high consumer of energy, emitting the greatest amount of carbon, but produces the highest yield and net returns per acre. However, the Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) irrigated cotton was more efficient in dollars generated per acre inch of irrigation along with being an efficient user of energy, thus reducing carbon emissions per bale produced.Item Regional Economic Impact of Irrigated Versus Dryland and Agriculture in the Texas High Plains(2010) Johnson, J.W; Dudensing, Rebekka; Weinheimer, Justin Andrew; Pate, Jeff; Smith, Jackie; Yates, JayThe Texas High Plains has a long history of generating significant economic activity through agricultural production that is highly dependent on the water resources of the Ogallala Aquifer. Ground water supplies in the region are declining to the point where irrigated agriculture may not be present in the future of many communities in the region. This study evaluates the economic impact of irrigated agriculture in the region compared with dryland and minimally irrigated production. Data collected for crop years 2005 through 2008 from the project, “An Integrated Approach to Water Conservation for Agriculture in the Texas Southern High Plains,” were summarized and grouped into high, low and no irrigation data sets. The economic and employment impacts were then calculated using the IMPLAN input-output model. As was expected, the impacts generated by irrigated agriculture in the study area were considerable. The highly irrigated land in the study area had a gross output $240/acre more than the minimally irrigated and $482/acre more than the dryland. Expanding the results to the entire Texas High Plains yields similar results with a $479/acre reduction in gross output going from irrigated to dryland and a corresponding loss of nearly 7,300 jobs. These results indicate that as the availability of irrigation water from the Ogallala continues to decline, shifts in economic activity are possible. Additionally, any movements in economic base within the Texas South Plains will not be homogeneous as the crop mix, climate, and hydrologic characteristics vary greatly within the region.