Sectoral Impacts of Drought and Climate Change

This project examines the impacts of drought and climate change on climate sensitive sectors in the Southwest, focusing on agriculture as well tourism. In response to frequent stakeholder requests, the project examines how water transfers would affect the local economies or rural, water-exporting communities. The project examines how drought and climate change would affect acquisition of water for environmental restoration. It also considers how combining agronomic information with seasonal weather forecasts can assist the use of option contracts to reduce water supply risks. Project activity on this grant was largely meeting and interacting with stakeholder groups to collaboratively develop three (3) grant proposals for the upcoming project year: 1) An analysis of the economic impacts to the Graham and Greenlee County economies from reduced agricultural production in the event of hypothetical reduced water supply scenarios; 2) An analysis of methods to value agricultural water and develop voluntary acquisition programs; 3) Economic Impacts on Drought on Agriculture, Recreational Tourism, and Rural Communities.