Virtual Water on the Southern High Plains of Texas: The Case of a Nonrenewable Blue Water Resource

Abstract

This paper utilizes the virtual water concept to evaluate water usage of agricultural production in West Texas. This work evaluates the measure of virtual water, as it relates to informing water policy in a semi-arid, agriculture-intensive region, which relies upon a minimally renewable groundwater resource. The results suggest that production in the region reflects a collective effort to capture the highest value from the water resource, consistent with the virtual water philosophy, even in the absence of specific water policy toward that goal. Additionally, this work takes advantage of high resolution data to reinforce the need to calibrate virtual water calculations to account for regional differences.