Browsing by Author "Pritchett, James, committee member"

Now showing 1 - 12 of 12

Open Access
Can DNA marker technology improve feedlot growth promotion management decisions to ultimately improve the consumer's beef eating experience?
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Thompson, Katelyn M., author; Wagner, John J., advisor; Engle, Terry E., advisor; Pritchett, James, committee member
Three hundred and sixty crossbred yearling steers that were sorted from an initial group of 1,100 steers were used to evaluate the effectiveness of sorting feedlot cattle into tenderness and marbling outcome groups based on DNA marker technology and to determine if interactions related to end-product quality and palatability existed between predicted outcome group and growth promotion management strategy. Treatment factors included in the study were tenderness genotype (low versus high), marbling genotype (low versus high), and growth promotion strategy {moderate (Revalor-IS d 1 and d 70) versus aggressive (Revalor-XS d 1 and Zilpaterol supplementation)}. Interactions between tenderness and marbling genotypes and between tenderness genotype and growth promotion treatment were not significant (P > 0.10) for all feedlot performance variables. Steers sorted into the high tenderness (HT) genotype were 5.9 kg heavier at the start of the study (P < 0.05), 11.8 kg heavier at harvest (P < 0.01), and achieved greater DMI (P < 0.05) from d 1 - harvest (9.80 versus 9.38 kg•hd-1•d-1) as compared with the low tenderness (LT) steers. Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was 0.33 kg lower (more tender) for the HT longissimus steaks as compared with the LT steaks. Steers sorted into the high marbling (HM) genotype were 9.1 kg heavier at the start of the study (P < 0.001), 20.9 kg heavier at harvest (P < 0.0001), and ADG (P < 0.01, 1.56 versus 1.47 kg•hd-1•d-1) and DMI were greater (P < 0.05, 9.80 versus 9.39 kg•hd-1•d-1) as compared with the low marbling (LM) genotype from d 1 - harvest. High marbling genotype carcasses were 12.7 lb heavier (P < 0.05); had greater fat depth (P < 0.06); adjusted fat depth (P < 0.08); higher measured (P < 0.06), adjusted (P < 0.08), and camera adjusted (P < 0.10) PYG; and greater average yield grade (P < 0.09), marbling score (P < 0.05), and camera marbling score (P < 0.05) as compared with the LM genotype. There were no differences (P > 0.60) in WBSF associated with predicted marbling genotype. From d 107 - harvest, steers subjected to the aggressive growth promotion program (AGP) had greater ADG (P < 0.01) and superior (P < 0.001) FG, GF, and NE recovery as compared with steers subjected to the moderate program (MGP). Steers subjected to AGP were 8.2 kg heavier (P < 0.06) at harvest and had 12.2 kg heavier (P < 0.05) HCW and greater (P < 0.01) dressing percentages than steers subjected to MGP. From d 1 - harvest, ADG (P < 0.05), FG (P < 0.01), GF (P < 0.01, and recovered NEm and NEg (P < 0.05) were improved for AGP as compared with MGP steers. Camera adjusted PYG (P < 0.07), calculated yield grade (P < 0.05), and camera yield grade (P < 0.05) were lower and grader LM area (P < 0.01) and camera LM area (P < 01) were greater for AGP as compared with MGP carcasses. Marbling score and the distribution of USDA quality grades were not affected by growth promotion strategy. Aggressive strategy steaks had increased (P < 0.01) WBSF as compared with MGP steaks. Interactions between marbling genotype and growth promotion strategy suggest that steers categorized as HM genotypes did not respond to Zilpaterol to the same degree as LM genotypes. Three-way interactions for USDA yield grade distribution indicated that for HT - LM and the LT - HM steers, AGP had limited impact on the percentage USDA yield grade 3 carcasses but reduced the percentage USDA yield grade 4 carcasses as compared with MGP. Yearling steers can successfully be sorted into marbling or tenderness outcome groups based on DNA marker technology. Tenderness can be improved by using MGP as compared with AGP; however, growth promotion strategy did not impact marbling or USDA quality grade distribution and few interactions related to end-product quality and no interactions for WBSF existed between predicted outcome group and growth promotion management strategy indicating that the degree that end product quality is impacted by growth promotion strategy is largely independent of marbling and tenderness genotype.
Open Access
Economic impact of feral swine transmitting foot-and-mouth disease to livestock in Kansas
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Cozzens, Tyler William, author; Pendell, Dustin L., advisor; Pritchett, James, committee member; Shields, Martin, committee member
In the United States, concern has arisen regarding the potential introduction of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a foreign animal disease, and its subsequent spread by feral swine populations into domestic livestock. Feral swine are ideal candidates to potentially spread FMD, because they are free ranging with sizeable home ranges, frequently contact domestic livestock, have high fecundity and populations are expanding geographically throughout the United States. Feral swine surveillance is becoming a solution to safeguard and mitigate the potential for feral swine to transmit FMD to domestic livestock (e.g., cattle, pigs, and sheep). The potentially devastating economic impacts were evidenced by the economic impact of FMD in the UK and Taiwan (FAO, 2009; Yang et al., 1999). It has been estimated that if FMD were to enter the U.S. the economic losses would be $14 billion (Paarlberg et al., 2002). Such large potential losses are an example of the important economic contribution that livestock production makes to the larger U.S. economy. The objective of this research is to analyze the farm level impacts of alternate surveillance systems in feral swine in the event of a FMD outbreak in Kansas. Specifically, a disease spread model is used to model and evaluate the spread of FMD in Kansas. Output from the disease spread model is incorporated into a partial equilibrium model to determine the changes in prices. The change in prices for grains and livestock are then used to evaluate the farm level impacts in Kansas using whole farm budgets. Results obtained from the disease spread model indicate that under no surveillance the largest amount of animals are destroyed, 2,599,419, with a duration of 193 days. Under twice per month surveillance, 2,555,768 animals are destroyed and the outbreak lasts 189 days. Once per week surveillance shows that 2,585,666 animals are destroyed and the duration lasts 192 days. The NAADSM results for Kansas show that the states livestock industry could potentially face large livestock losses from feral swine transmitting FMD. The impacts to the average farms in Kansas show that producers with a large amount of livestock, in particular swine, see the biggest percentage changes in net income levels. This would be expected as pig and hog prices decrease once the FMD outbreak occurs and return to base levels in quarter four showing that there is a loss in swine prices from a FMD outbreak. Cattle prices initially decrease once the FMD outbreak occurs but then increase above base levels showing that average farms have the potential to regain lost revenues. The whole farm income results indicate that a producer not in the quarantine zone has the potential to capitalize on increasing livestock prices once the trade restrictions are lifted after quarter three.
Open Access
Effects of beef cow milk production levels on longevity and stayability
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Culbertson, Miranda M., author; Enns, R. Mark, advisor; Thomas, Milton G., committee member; Pritchett, James, committee member
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of beef cow milk potential on their ability to remain in the herd. We hypothesized that in areas with more arid climates and associated forage quantity and quality challenges, cows with higher genetic potential for milk production, measured as milk EPD, may not remain in the herd as long as in more favorable environments. Two sources of data were used to examine this effect. The Red Angus Association of America provided breeder and herd records for stayability on 120,871 cows from 229 breeders with each herd subsequently classified into 8 different environments (biomes). In order to measure length of productive life, a score for longevity was assigned to each cow as the age at which she calved her last calf. Data were analyzed in ASREML3.0 using a mixed model with milk EPD, metabolic weight EPD and biome class as fixed effects to predict cow longevity (length of productive life). The quadratic term of milk EPD2 was included in the model as well as an interaction between milk EPD2 and biome. The interaction term was significant (P<0.001) with regression coefficients of 0.01414, 0.01693, 0.01096, 0.010504, 0.002240, 0.017331, 0.019607 and 0.014834 for the eight biomes of California Division, Subtropical Division, Prairie Division, Eastern Great Plains Division, Western Great Plains Division, Dry Domain, Rocky Mountain Province, and Hot Continental Division, respectively. The positive coefficients indicated that as levels of milk EPD increased so would longevity; however, rates were different depending upon biome. A logistic regression was also performed using SAS 9.3 with stayability to 6 years of age (a binary outcome) as the dependent variable for milk EPD, milk EPD2, metabolic weight EPD and biome as fixed effects. An interaction term for biome with milk EPD, and biome with milk EPD2 was also included and was significant (P<0.0001). As milk EPD increased the probability of a cow remaining in the herd increased for all biomes quantified by odds ratios. The second source of data was provided by the Colorado State University John E. Rouse Beef Improvement Center (BIC). Using SAS 9.3, the regression of longevity on the linear and quadratic effect of cow's milk EPD as a main effect was conducted resulting in a regression coefficient of 0.1002. This positive regression coefficient suggested that for higher levels of milk EPD, the positive relationship between milk EPD and longevity increased. Logistic regressions were also conducted with the BIC data for the binary outcomes of stayability to 3 years of age and 6 years of age with those regressed on milk EPD and milk EPD2. The resulting regression coefficient for stayability of 3 years was -0.0537 with an odds ratio of 0.948. For stayability to 6 years, the resulting regression coefficient was -0.0354 with an odds ratio of 0.965. These results suggested very little change in odds for receiving a stayability score of 1 as milk increases. Based on our results from the data from RAAA, we would reject our hypothesis that in areas of forage restriction that cows with higher milk EPD would not remain in the herd as long as those in environments with more abundant forage. According to the results from the BIC herd, we would also reject our hypothesis that cows with high milk EPD would have an increased probability of being culled from the herd.
Open Access
Identifying values among stakeholders in Colorado school-based agricultural education
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2025) Cable, Jonathan David, author; Enns, Kellie, advisor; Pritchett, James, committee member; Thilmany, Dawn, committee member; Baxter, Aryn, committee member; Knobloch, Katie, committee member
To better understand the relationships between shared community values and experiences in School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE), a mixed-methods study was conducted on the core values of SBAE in Colorado identified by three stakeholder groups. To inform programmatic decisions from the state's Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Program and Colorado Team Ag Ed, this study highlights both the philosophical and practical applications of core values respective to SBAE stakeholder engagement in Colorado. Qualitative survey instruments were used across three sample groups to question community stakeholders, high school agriculture instructors, and state agricultural education leadership. Findings represent the values that stakeholders hold as most important in SBAE and the aligned activities that demonstrate these values. Arranged in three parts, this paper identifies values in relation to 1) stakeholder identification, 2) cooperative decision-making, and 3) educational motivation and autonomy. A pragmatic approach to implications throughout each part seeks to deliver an easily applicable strategy for stakeholder engagement—both for readers and the author. A discussion on the relationships between values, motivation, and other educational and organizational theories is included. While results and suggestions from this study are specific to Colorado's SBAE programs, they could serve as frameworks for informing further agricultural education research and SBAE methods in other states.
Open Access
Modeling the impact of transaction costs and alternative supply sources on water market activity in the western U.S.
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Bauman, Allison, author; Goemans, Christopher, advisor; Thilmany, Dawn, advisor; Pritchett, James, committee member; Arabi, Mazdak, committee member; Warziniack, Travis, committee member
To view the abstract, please see the full text of the document.
Open Access
Rebuilding local food systems: marketing and economic implications for communities
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Gunter, Allison Lynn, author; Thilmany, Dawn, advisor; Bunning, Marisa, committee member; Pritchett, James, committee member
The research community has identified value chains as one of the most successful ways for small and mid-scale distributors, focused on providing locally sources foods to structure their businesses. The concept of value chains is still relatively new, so by conducting case studies of successful value chains this thesis provides insight into the best practices for new value chains, organized based on the value chain's main customer. After conducting case studies, the next step was to address one of the claims made by local food proponents: that increased local food consumption has a positive impact on the economy of a community. The local school food procurement program studied in this paper provides evidence that yes, the direct impact on the local economy is positive when there is an increase in local food purchasing. But that impact is quite small and may or may not cover the cost of investment necessary to build the necessary infrastructure. Moreover, that positive impact is dependent on some important linkages between the new food distribution enterprise and other economic actors (workers, owners) in the community.
Open Access
The intersection of agriculture, Latinas/os, and higher education in the land grant system: a mixed methods study
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Archibeque-Engle, Shannon L., author; Aragon, Antonette, advisor; Gloeckner, Gene, advisor; Jennings, Louise, committee member; Pritchett, James, committee member
From government reports and academic journals to popular media there is a call for more educated agriculturalists. Latinas/os have long been instrumental in United States' agriculture and yet similar numbers of Latinas/os are not studying agricultural sciences at land grant universities. The mission of land grant universities is to provide access to education, especially agricultural education. Given the changing demographics of the United States, if land grant universities are to address our nation's need for educated agriculturalists, Latinas/os must be included as part of the solution. This study provides universities, particularly land grant institutions, a portion of the data and analyses necessary to identity how to both recruit and successfully graduate people prepared to lead as professional agriculturalists. This study deconstructs the intersection of agriculture, Latinas/os, and higher education. This transformative convergent parallel mixed methods study examines the learning environment of agricultural higher education from a Critical perspective. This examination is conducted through three distinct studies and is organized in a manner similar to the chronological order an undergraduate student would encounter a College of Agricultural Sciences. That is, what do students first encounter in terms of physical artifacts, what are the lived experiences for students, and finally what are the student success outcomes in the College of Agricultural Sciences. The first segment of this dissertation focuses on what a student first encounters upon entering a College of Agricultural Sciences. Physical artifacts present in educational settings make visible the values of the institution. Such messages signal the institution's desire for a culturally inclusive and supportive environment. Given the land grant mission of inclusive education, the labor heritage of agriculture, and the saliency of stereotype threat in creating an inclusive learning environment, critically assessing the equity climate of departments of animal sciences in land grant universities is overdue. This study utilizes Banning et al.'s 2008 taxonomy based on visual ethnography methodology to interpret the equity climate of three departments of animal sciences at land grant institutions to answer the critical question: who is welcome? The systematic coding and thematic analysis reveal exclusive learning environments clearly communicated by the physical artifacts present. The second portion of this dissertation addresses the lived experiences of students. While there has been a focus on recruiting Latinas/os and others to study agricultural sciences, there has not been an examination of the lived experience of Latinas/os currently studying agricultural sciences in college. The purpose of this narrative study was to describe the lived experience of six Latina undergraduate students studying in a College of Agricultural Sciences at a Predominantly White Land Grant Institution. The thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews yielded three distinct themes, namely, Overt Exclusion, Nepantlera, and Intersectionality through the saliency of agricultural identity. Recommendations for inclusive agricultural education environments were voiced by the participants, providing us a path forward to fully include and support Latina students in the agricultural academy. The third segment of this dissertation study focused on undergraduate student success. Given the financial constraints of most institutions, it is important that we are strategic in our programming to support an ever more diverse undergraduate population. This study offers a rigorous and systematic approach to quantitatively assess programmatic needs in three segments: an analysis of the demographic representation of the state, an analysis of historic opportunity gaps (1990 through 2014), and an analysis of recent undergraduate student success utilizing predictive logistic regression models. Using Colorado State University (CSU) as a case study for this systematic assessment, CSU was found to not represent the state it serves, Colorado. Further, statistically significant opportunity gaps were found for gender, Pell eligibility, first generation status, residency, and minority students. Finally, the first year retention, four year graduation rate, and six year graduation rate predictive models provided evidence for program investment to support first generation, minority, and resident students. Of note, non-minority students were found to be 1.78 times more likely to graduate in four years than were minority students. Minority students were 53 percent less likely to graduate then majority students in six years. First generation students were less likely than non-first generation students to graduate in six years and non-residents were more likely to graduate than residents of the state within the six year time frame.
Open Access
The steps of kings: terraced landscapes in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, Michoacán, México
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Pezzutti, Florencia Lorena, author; Pendell, Dustin L., advisor; Pritchett, James, committee member; Shields, Martin, committee member
This thesis uses a landscape approach incorporating landesque capital as statecraft to relate agricultural intensification and state formation theories using data collected from the former island of Apúpato, in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, Michoacán, México. Apúpato is located in the geo-political core of the Purépecha Empire, south of Tzintzuntzan, the empire's capital. Apúpato was an important Purépecha island belonging to the Canzonci [Purépecha emperor] and was used as a ritual center, an imperial treasury, and for feasts and expeditions (RM 2008: page) This thesis incorporates recent archaeological investigation, including full coverage settlement pattern survey, geoarchaeology, and remote sensing/ARCGIS, which documented patterns of settlements, confirmed the presence of terraces, and the general landscape development of the former island. This thesis documents and analyzes, for the first time, agricultural terraces in the former island of Apúpato. The most common form of agricultural intensification is terrace agriculture (Donkin 1979) which is linked to the development of social complexity in middle range societies, and states and empires (Fisher et al. 2003). For Mesoamerica, terraces are a fundamental characteristic of ancient social complexity, and continued to be used post-Conquest (A.D. 1520). In the Lake Pátzcuaro basin, agricultural intensification was an important component of state formation in the lake Pátzcuaro basin (Pollard 1993) exemplified by raised field systems and by the construction of terraces to repair Classic period land degradation (A.D 300-800) and to improve productivity of seed crops (Fisher et al 2003; Fisher 2005). This thesis examines the implications of agricultural intensification and state formation in Mesoamerica, using terrace data collected from the former island of Apúpato. The terrace system documented on Apúpato represents a refugia for the Purépecha built environment in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, since the Apúpato island setting remained an island for hundreds of years, helping keep Apúpato protected and isolated from the consequences of the European conquest. The terraces documented in the former island of Apúpato are analyzed in terms of their form, function, and construction development for the first time in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin.
Open Access
Three essays on food security and dietary diversity
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Alnafissa, Mohamad, author; Kroll, Stephan, advisor; Pritchett, James, committee member; Costanigro, Marco, committee member; Kling, Robert, committee member
The concern for food security is a cornerstone in the development process for every country. This dissertation is examining food security from three perspectives. First, chapter one explores the most important economic and developmental factors leading to food security and combines these factors in an index to measure the change in food security levels over time for different countries. The next chapter then uses this index to determine whether food security is related to dietary diversity. Finally, the third chapter is a descriptive study of food security in Saudi Arabia. The first part of this research employs principal component analysis (PCA) in order to build a food security index. The objective of the analysis is to provide the variables that build a food security index and the method to weigh them, which allows a national-level comparison of countries from different parts of the world. These data will be used in subsequent parts of this research to study the association between the overall food security index and the four pillars of food security with dietary diversity at the national level in different countries. To build the index, PCA was used to evaluate the contribution of all 31 indicators of the four dimensions of food security (food availability, food accessibility, food utilization, and stability) represented in the FAO data set between 1990 and 2011. Standardized measures of different variables were used to make it easy and reasonable to form one index. The results indicate significant effects for 18 of the 31 variables as indicators of food security. Finally, all of these indicators were combined into a single measure to reflect a multidimensional index of food security for the 59 countries represented in the study. The second chapter of this research addresses one important aspect of food security: dietary diversity. The study assumed that a heterogeneous level of dietary diversity across several countries would be related to their levels of food security. There are several indices that can be used to measure the diversity of food on a countrywide level. This chapter uses the Simpson Index to measure the energy intake diversity of six food groups (rice, wheat products, starchy roots, sugars and sweeteners, fruits and vegetables, and animal products) and the multidimensional food security index, constructed in the first chapter, to represent levels of food security. This case study uses the average data between 2000 and 2011 for 59 countries. In conclusion, these correlations and linear regression models have found that dietary diversity is not affected by levels of multidimensional food security, while the sizes of energy intake increase with levels of food security. It is important to realize that this result does not mean that the diversity of food consumption is less important; it means the tools that could contribute to improve food security do not necessarily contribute to change dietary diversity levels but only change the size of food consumption. The third chapter is a descriptive and qualitative study of food security in Saudi Arabia. The country could reach a good standing of food security compared with other countries according to several food security measurements. This refers to several policies of the Saudi government to invest large revenues from the oil industry to achieve development in the country, with food security representing one aspect of development. In the early stages of development planning, the government targeted to guarantee food supplies and achieve self-sufficiency from agricultural products by supporting domestic agricultural production. This led to the development of domestic production and extensive use of technology in domestic agricultural production, which contributed to more production efficiency. Also, the government supported final food prices to make food easier to access for all residents of different income levels. Unfortunately, some government policies were inefficient and contributed threats to food security such as subsidizing domestic wheat production, which consumed a lot of water. Recently, the government has adopted policies to maintain sustainability in food security such as supporting domestic production for crops that consume less water, supporting overseas investment in agricultural production, increasing the capacity of wheat storage, and reducing the wastage of resources. Even so, food security in Saudi Arabia still faces several challenges that threaten sustainability, such as political instability in the Middle East, water scarcity, reliance on food imports, fluctuations and increases in food prices, food consumption habits, and population growth.
Open Access
Towards integrated water resources management through modeling, optimization, and stakeholder engagement with a decision support game
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Dozier, André, author; Arabi, Mazdak, advisor; Grigg, Neil, committee member; Pallickara, Shrideep, committee member; Pritchett, James, committee member
Integrated water resources management (IWRM) necessitates stakeholder engagement and integrated assessment of physical, ecological, and socioeconomic systems. Water resource literature has reflected a trend toward IWRM through increased focus on model integration, evolutionary and multiobjective algorithms, and stakeholder engagement through participatory modeling and role-playing games. A model data passing interface exemplifies integrated assessment with minimally invasive and interoperable code changes. IWRM is applied within the context of a rapidly urbanizing, semi-arid region with steadily declining agricultural production and community welfare. Integrated modeling and assessment of the South Platte River Basin reveals lessons about management objectives, allocation institutions, and characterization of optimal solutions. High prices of water incentivize farmers to sell, while managing to sustain agriculture reduces price, saving money for cities. Freer trade can combat potential water supply vulnerabilities. Biased reservoir operations limit benefits from additional reservoir capacity. Optimized selection between a limited set of supply-side and demand-side solution strategies exposes the sensitivity of optimal outcomes to municipal raw water purchase requirements and the cost-effectiveness of xeriscaping and more efficient agricultural irrigation technology. A promising and novel, yet preliminary and proof-of-concept, decision support game is demonstrated to reconcile numerical simulation and optimization techniques with stakeholder engagement and preference-based alternative selection.
Open Access
Trends in snow water equivalent in Rocky Mountain National Park and the northern Front Range of Colorado, USA
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Patterson, Glenn G., author; Fassnacht, Steven R., advisor; Laituri, Melinda J., committee member; Sanford, William E., committee member; Pritchett, James, committee member
The seasonal snowpack in Rocky Mountain National Park and the northern Front Range of Colorado, USA, within 50 km of the park, is undergoing changes that will pose challenges for water providers, natural resource managers, and winter recreation enthusiasts. Assessing long-term temporal trends in measures of the seasonal snowpack, and in the climatic factors that influence its annual accumulation and ablation, helps to characterize those challenges. In particular, evaluating the patterns of variation in those trends over different parts of the snow season provides new understanding as to their causes. This also helps to determine specific ramifications of the trends. In addition, placing the current 35-year trends in the longer context of longer-term observational records, and paleoclimate tree-ring reconstructions, provides useful comparisons of current and past trends. Finally, projections of future trends provided by linked climate and hydrologic models offer a sense of how these trends are likely to affect the snowpack of the future. Some factors such as the high elevation of the study area help to preserve conditions favorable to development of the seasonal snowpack, and hence to limit trends toward greater warming-induced melt and less precipitation falling as snow. Nevertheless, traditional snowpack measures such as April 1 snow water equivalent (SWE) show consistent declining trends over the 35-year period of record for automated snow monitoring stations in the study area. The trends are not uniform throughout the snow season, but vary significantly by month. As a result, November and March have warming and drying trends that delay the beginning of the winter snow season and reduce the traditional accumulation that formerly characterized the early spring. In contrast, the core winter months of December, January, and February have cooling and wetting trends that have been enhancing SWE during the heart of the winter. Mid-April to early May is another period during which cooling and wetting trends have been enhancing SWE, although these months also show more variability. This oscillating pattern helps to explain why there has not been a pervasive shift to earlier and lower annual peak SWE in the study area. Paleo SWE reconstructions based on tree-ring chronologies show that at least some of the recent 35-year trends in observed SWE described in this study have comparable precedents during the preceding five centuries, but we do not yet know how long the recent trends will continue. Linked climate and hydrologic models project that the observed trends are likely to continue, and that by 2050 measures such as April 1 SWE in the study area are likely to decrease by 25 percent.
Open Access
Understanding beliefs and preferences of irrigators towards the use and management of agricultural water in the Colorado River Basin
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Kallenberger, Julie A., author; Bright, Alan, advisor; Knight, Rick, committee member; Pritchett, James, committee member
The agriculture sector in the American West is faced with multiple challenges including urbanization, drought, an aging producer population, and the prospects of climate change. As a result, the availability, use, and allocation of water throughout the West have become sources of both conflict and collaboration. Growing conflict emphasizes the need to identify and understand the diversity of beliefs of agricultural water users. This in turn, will help stakeholders better manage limited water resources and identify solutions for agricultural producers to deal with uncertainty and the pressures they are experiencing. This study examines the findings from a survey of farmers and ranchers who use Colorado River water for agricultural purposes, including: the pressures they are experiencing on their water supplies, options for addressing pressures, their interest and involvement in water transfer arrangements, and their preferences for meeting future water demands. In addition, their beliefs towards water availability, the role of storage, water policy and law, and working together with other stakeholders to address water challenges will be discussed. In brief, the results of this study indicate that agricultural water users face myriad number of pressures on their water supplies with drought and urban growth topping the list. The data indicates strong opposition towards agricultural water transfers, even those of temporary nature due to the concern of possibly losing their water right. A majority of participants agree that there will not be enough water for agriculture in their area or in the Colorado River Basin and that further water storage is needed to address uncertainty; however, new storage projects should be expanded before initiating new projects. Overall, agricultural water users agree that they need to partner with other non-agricultural water users (preferably at the district or basin level) in order to address the challenges they face or will face in the future. Multiple types of water stakeholders can benefit from the information found in this study by learning the differences, commonalities, viewpoints, and preferences of the agricultural sector and by using it to help gauge support for or against management decisions and policies, help predict and mitigate conflict among competing users, and to help develop approaches for working together collaboratively to address water issues in the Colorado River Basin.