Description of the Salt River Project and impact of water rights on optimum farm organization and values

• Main Author: Ahmed, Muddathir Ali, 1935-
• Other Authors: Nelson, Aaron G.
• Language: en
• Published: The University of Arizona. 1965
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10150/191465

This study pertains to the Salt River Project in Central Arizona, located in an arid area where precipitation averages only eight inches annually. The Project provides water to land within its boundaries according to water rights of each parcel, and produces electric power, the revenue of which is used in part to subsidize irrigation. The objectives of the study are: 1) to outline the organization and operation of the Project and 2) to analyze the effect of water rights on farm organization and land values. The Project, comprised of Power District and Water Users' Association, is controlled by a board of governors elected by the shareholders. The administration consists of a general manager, two associate and three assistant general managers for the Power District and one associate general manager for the Association. The latter has five departments, watershed, irrigation operation, irrigation service, engineering and construction and maintenance, their function being to provide and deliver water to water right holders. Water rights are of three types: right to normal flow with priorities varying from 1869 to 1909, rights to stored and developed water and rights to pump water. Some farmers also own private wells. Using four typical water situations, a budget analysis was made of a typical 360 acre farm, using estimated current (1965) and anticipated future (1975) input-output relationships, and alternative acreage combinations of crops. Under current conditions water rights probably have no effect upon the cropping system but probably do affect land values. With cost-price relationships and adoption of technology estimated for 1975 water rights would have an effect on both the cropping system and on land values.