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Abstract
Playas are small wetlands, averaging 14 acres in area, which periodically fill with rainwater and evaporate, and are not connected to any other body of surface water. On the Texas High Plains, the roughly 17,000 existing playas are a source of recharge for the Ogallala aquifer and the greatest concentration of biodiversity. However, when land surrounding playas is farmed intensively, sediment carried by rainfall and irrigation fills the playa floor and inhibits the ability of a playa to recharge the aquifer and to provide habitat for native plants and animals. Playas that are surrounded by grassland seep water towards the aquifer four times faster than playas surrounded by cropland. Currently, only 5% of playas in the region function naturally. Playas can be restored, however, by removing sediment and converting a 50-yard buffer around each playa to grassland. Restoring a playa therefore requires: 1) funding the sediment removal; and, 2) compensating landowners for converting surrounding cropland to grasses. We estimate the value of playa improvement by evaluating data acquired through a double-bounded, referendum format, contingent valuation survey. We find that the mean willingness to pay (WTP) is positive and represents a sufficient social valuation to support playa restoration efforts.