Identifying key influencers of energy use in irrigation in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer region

Abstract:

_{In Idaho, irrigation is the single largest use of water withdrawn in the state (second in the U.S. behind California), responsible for 86% of the total daily water withdrawn. The largest water withdrawals are in southern Idaho along the Snake River Plain region where water resources are fed primarily by the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer (ESRPA). The growth of Idaho irrigation in conjunction with the state’s prior appropriation policy on water rights have led irrigators to rely heavily on a combination of groundwater and surface water sources. The movement and distribution of these water resources for use in irrigation uses a significant amount of energy and requires large scale accommodation by various power companies to handle increased loads during the growing season. The economic reliance on irrigated agriculture in Idaho creates a tightly coupled energy-water nexus within the state. The goal of the research is to identify key factors which influence energy use in irrigation such as the type of irrigation, the source of water resources, groundwater depths, the efficiencies of various systems, etc. Through this work, we aim to explore and quantify how strongly these factors are coupled with water use and ultimately affect the water-energy nexus. Through the use of in-situ power records, water use data, and some earth observation data, this research ultimately aims to model the interactions of the water energy nexus in southern Idaho through the use of systems dynamics.}