Water Optimizer
A Decision Support System for Agriculture Producers with Limited Irrigation Water.
And
A Policy Analysis Tool for Water Policy Decision Makers
The Water Optimizer tool was developed to assist in addressing water shortages created by drought and interstate water rights litigation. The current model released on December 5, 2008, supports all 93 Nebraska counties.
This tool evaluates single fields for several crop options. Irrigated crops include: corn, soybeans, sorghum, wheat, alfalfa, edible beans, sunflowers, and sugar beets. Dryland crops include: corn, soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, alfalfa and wheat in continuous, summer fallow and eco-fallow rotations.
The tool is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that allows users to describe a field in terms of soil type, irrigation system options, well and pump characteristics and water supply. Irrigation options include center pivot or gravity irrigation systems, well or canal delivery, and systems powered by electricity, diesel or natural gas. After entering this basic information, producers can either use the default values in the model or enter their own production costs, irrigation costs, crop prices and crop choices. After these parameters have been set, the program calculates what crops and irrigation application levels will be most profitable with the amount of land and water available.
Initial Developers
• Derrel Martin, Professor, UNL Biological Systems Engineering
• Ray Supalla, Professor, UNL Department of Agricultural Economics
• Scott Nedved
• Brian McMullen, Research Associate, UNL Department of Agricultural Economics
Other Contributors
• Chris Thompson, Research Associate – UNL Department of Agricultural Economics
• Gary Hergert, Agronomist, UNL Panhandle Research Center
• Paul Burgener, Market Analyst, UNL Panhandle Research Cenenter
Limitation of Liability
The University of Nebraska and Nebraska Cooperative Extension shall have no liability of responsibility to the user or any other person or entity with respect to any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by this computer program. All computer programs distributed by the University of Nebraska are on an "as is" basis without warranty.
