A new computer model called “MOD$$AT” has been developed that can be used to study the costs of aquifer depletion and the net benefits of specific aquifer management policies. The model has three components: 1) economic, 2) hydrologic (MODFLOW), and 3) agronomic (DSSAT). To demonstrate the model’s capabilities, the model is applied to a scenario of a pumping tax in Finney County, Kansas. The results show that a pumping tax results in an increase in average well capacities in the county over time relative to the status quo, which increases the average profitability of agricultural production. However, the increase in profitability is not uniform across producers and some producers gain more than others under the tax.
Publication: Rouhi Rad, M., E.M.K. Haacker, V. Sharda, S. Nozari, Z. Xiang, A. Araya, V. Uddameri, J.F. Suter, P. Gowda (2020) MOD$$AT: A hydro-economic modeling framework for aquifer management in irrigated agricultural regions. Volume 238: Agricultural Water Management