Center Pivot Irrigation (CPI) and Agroecological Resilience among Agriculturalists in a Transboundary Area: Rethinking Jevons’ Paradox in the Southern Great Plains (SPG)
Topics:
Keywords: Ogallala Aquifer, Souther Great Plains (SPG), Agroecological resilience, Jevons' Paradox
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract
Authors:
Jacqueline Vadjunec, Oklahoma State University
Todd Fagin, University of Oklahoma
Adam Straub, Rowan
Belem Carrasco, Oklahoma State University
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Abstract
The Southern Great Plains (SGP) is a region with an historical record of extreme cyclical drought. Complex factors drive land-use and land-cover changes (LULCC) in the region, including aquifer depletion, subsidies, crop prices etc., further impacting land-use and livelihood decisions. The compounding effects of cyclical drought, along with the growing dependence on irrigation, threaten resilience, rural communities, and traditional livelihoods. Here, we argue that Land System Science (LSS) and geohydrological studies benefit from a closer engagement with the hydro-social components of aquifer drawdown. Using Jevons’ Paradox and the case of center pivot irrigation (CPI) growth in the SGP, we argue that CPI creates an illusion of water sustainability and socioecological resilience, while at the same time increasing the demand for agricultural water consumption which only furthers the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. To explore the importance of incorporating hydro-social experiences, we draw on 10 years of participatory, ethnographic fieldwork, to complement remote sensing analysis, historical agricultural, and producer level USDA subsidy data from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Results show that although CPI was originally encouraged by government agencies to make land managers less vulnerable to drought, the standard technology package and policies for the region illustrates a Jevons' Paradox. As a result, residents express increasing concerns related to current and future CPI use, changing crop trends such as cannabis and corn, and subsequent groundwater drawdown, as well as the vulnerability that comes with reliance on irrigation, especially given the way that drought and climate change exacerbates regional water issues.
Center Pivot Irrigation (CPI) and Agroecological Resilience among Agriculturalists in a Transboundary Area: Rethinking Jevons’ Paradox in the Southern Great Plains (SPG)
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Paper Abstract
