Bioeconomic analysis of selected conservation practices on soil erosion and freshwater fisheries

Farmers can generate environmental benefits (improved water quality and fisheries and wildlife habitat), but they may not be able to quantify them. Furthermore, farmers may reduce their incomes from managing lands to produce these positive externalities but receive little monetary compensation in re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of the American Water Resources Association Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 309 - 322
Main Authors:	Westra, J.V, Zimmerman, J.K.H, Vondracek, B
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-2005
Subjects:	Agricultural Drainage and Pesticide Transport model (ADAPT agricultural runoff best management practices bioeconomic models conservation tillage economic analysis economics fish fisheries land use net farm income non-point source pollution nonpoint source pollution pollution load riparian buffers sediment transport sediment yield soil conservation soil erosion streams water pollution watersheds Minnesota
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Summary:	Farmers can generate environmental benefits (improved water quality and fisheries and wildlife habitat), but they may not be able to quantify them. Furthermore, farmers may reduce their incomes from managing lands to produce these positive externalities but receive little monetary compensation in return. This study simulated the relationship between agricultural practices, water quality, fish responses to suspended sediment and farm income within two small watersheds, one of a cool water stream and one of a warm water stream. Using the Agricultural Drainage and Pesticide Transport (ADAPT) model, this study related best management practices (BMPs) to calculated instream suspended sediment concentrations by estimating sediment delivery, runoff, base flow, and streambank erosion to quantify the effects of suspended sediment exposure on fish communities. By implementing selected BMPs in each watershed, annual net farm income declined $18,000 to $28,000 (1 to 3 percent) from previous levels. "Lethal" fish events from suspended sediments in the cool water watershed decreased by 60 percent as conservation tillage and riparian buffers increased. Despite reducing suspended sediments by 25 percent, BMPs in the warm water watershed did not reduce the negative response of the fisheries. Differences in responses (physical and biological) between watersheds highlight potential gains in economic efficiency by targeting BMPs or by offering performance based "green payments".
Bibliography:	http://www.awra.org/jawra/index.html ark:/67375/WNG-HLRV8TLQ-Q istex:454A52E05EA9D0943AC0B586794B88E5090B8B62 ArticleID:JAWR309 Paper No. 04026 of the Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) (Copyright © 2005). Discussions are open until October 1, 2005. ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	1093-474X 1752-1688
DOI:	10.1111/j.1752-1688.2005.tb03737.x