IWRA World Water Congress 2025 Marrakech Morocco
Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus - WEFE NEXUS
Author(s): Christopher J. Cobos, Joseph A. Burke, Nicholas F. Boogades, Paul B. DeLaune, J. Wayne Keeling, Katie L. Lewis
Christopher J. Cobos(1,2), Joseph A. Burke(1,2), Nicholas F. Boogades(1,2), Paul B. DeLaune(1,3), J. Wayne Keeling(1,2), Katie L. Lewis(1,2)
1. Texas A&M AgriLife Research (Lubbock, TX)
2. Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
3. University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)
Poster: PDFAbstractBackground
Groundwater depletion across the Southern High Plains of Texas threatens the
future viability of irrigated agriculture. The transition to dryland cotton production
systems will reduce farmer income, net yields, and soil health across the largest
cotton-producing region in the U.S. Adoption of conservation management practices
remains low, especially in dryland semi-arid production systems.
Objectives
- Increase cropping system resiliency to dryland agriculture and drought by improving water capture and storage across the soil profile in conservation systems compared to conventional systems
- Improve yields and producer net income with conservation systems compared to conventional systems
- Forecast system sustainability and success to changing environmental and economic situations via sUAS technology integrated with biogeochemical and economic models