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Abstract
Because of the decline of the Ogallala Aquifer, water districts, regional water managers, and
state water officers are becoming increasingly interested in conservation policies. This study
evaluates both short-term and long-term water rights buyout policies. This research
develops dynamic production functions for the major crops in the Texas Panhandle. The
production functions are incorporated into optimal temporal allocation models that project
annual producer behavior, crop choices, water use, and aquifer declines over 60 years.
Results suggest that long-term buyouts may be more economically efficient than short-term
buyouts.