WATER MANAGEMENT POLICIES FOR STREAMFLOW AUGMENTATION IN AN IRRIGATEDRIVER BASIN

The value of maintaining a minimum streamflow objective on average is lessened when there is considerable dispersion around the average. An integrated economic and hydrology model is presented which provides wa ter policy planners with a way to accurately measure both the economic cost and hydrologic consequences of maintaining a minimum streamflow level in an irrigated river basin at alternative probabilities of main taining the target flow level. Water markets for streamflow augmentati on are shown to be the most cost-effective policy in the study area.