Authors
Jose R Lopez, Jonathan M Winter, Joshua Elliott, Alex C Ruane, Cheryl Porter, Gerrit Hoogenboom, Martha Anderson, Christopher Hain
Publication date
2022/1
Journal
Earth's Future
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
e2021EF002018
Description
Groundwater extraction in the United States (US) is unsustainable, making it essential to understand the impacts of limited water use on irrigated agriculture. To improve this understanding, we integrated a gridded crop model with satellite observations, recharge estimates, and water survey data to assess the effects of sustainable groundwater withdrawals on US irrigated agricultural production. The gridded crop model agrees with satellite‐based estimates of evapotranspiration (R2 = 0.68), as well as survey data from the United States Department of Agriculture (R2 = 0.82–0.94 for county‐level production and 0.37–0.54 for county‐level yield). Using the optimistic assumption that groundwater extraction equals effective aquifer recharge rate, we find that sustainable groundwater use decreases US irrigated production of maize, soybean, and winter wheat by 20%, 6%, and 25%, respectively. Using a more …
Total citations
202220232024357