Determination and analysis of the demand for water diverted from the Truckee River for agricultural use
Authors:   , Little Henry Clay 
Published: June 2024

Water has become a scarce resource in some areas of the United States in the past decade. Allocation of scarce water between competing uses is a relatively new problem in these areas, but, the problem is not new to residents of Nevada. However, as conditions continue to change, the need arises to examine previous allocations and make adjustments so that society can be assured that the water resource is put to its highest and best use. Society, functioning as the manager of the water resource, must know the value of water in each competing use in order to make wise decisions of allocation. Agriculture's use of water is both competitive with other uses and consumptive in nature and decisions of allocation of water have a profound effect on the agricultural industry. This research was undertaken to provide a portion of the information society will need in the near future in order to reallocate water from the Truckee River on a sound basis and to provide those engaged in agriculture with information so that they can make profitable adjustments to changes in amounts of water available to them. Data were collected from various sources and analysed by several research techniques so that conclusions could be reached. Estimates were made using recognised statistical procedures when individual datum was missing from records. Economic analysis of results allowed the writer to reach the following conclusions. The agricultural industry is disappearing from the area known as The Truckee Meadows because land is shifting from agricultural to urban use. If the present trend continues, agriculture will be completely displaced from this area by 1978 and water presently allocated to agriculture can be reallocated to alternative uses without cost to society. Reallocation of water between competing uses will come from political action and agriculture only stands to lose a portion of use water presently diverted from the Truckee River for its use. However, it is possible that the agricultural industry in the Newlands Project Area can be maintained at its present or higher level of net income if certain adjustments are made. Adjustments include, adopting crop production technology so that yields specified in a linear programing model can be attained by all ranchers in the area, shifting from alfalfa to grain crops as a major source of income, adopting irrigation technology to make more efficient use of water actually received, and taking steps to increase the efficiency of delivery of water from its point of diversion from the Truckee River to the many points of delivery to ranches. Results of this research effort may be useful to society in the process of reallocating water from the Truckee River to various competing uses, to ranchers affected by the reallocation, and to those in a position to advise families as to the profitability of taking up desert land entry claims. With proper adjustments to reflect local, conditions, results may also prove useful to ranchers in other areas of Nevada who depend on surface water for irrigation of crops.