Robustness and Vulnerability of Community Irrigation Systems: The Case of the Taos Valley Acequias

38 Pages Posted: 15 Dec 2010 Last revised: 19 Aug 2013

See all articles by Michael Cox

Michael Cox

Indiana University Bloomington - Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis

Justin M. Ross

Indiana University - School of Public & Environmental Affairs

Date Written: December 1, 2010

Abstract

Traditional economic and policy analysis theory has emphasized the implementation of private or public property rights regimes in order to sustainably manage natural resources. More recent work has challenged this approach by examining the strengths and weakness of common property governance of such resources. This paper contributes to this literature by analyzing the acequia irrigation communities in northern New Mexico. Through statistical analysis, we find that the acequias’ ability to maintain collective-action as estimated by a critical performance function, crop production, is aided by water sharing agreements and access to groundwater, and that it is hampered by property rights fragmentation and urbanization.

Keywords: Common-pool resources, Social-ecological systems, Acequias, Irrigation, Robustness, Spatial analysis

JEL Classification: Q15, Q25

Suggested Citation

Cox, Michael and Ross, Justin M., Robustness and Vulnerability of Community Irrigation Systems: The Case of the Taos Valley Acequias (December 1, 2010). Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Vol. 61, No. 3, pp. 254-66, 2011, School of Public & Environmental Affairs Research Paper No. 2010-12-02, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1724636

Michael Cox

Indiana University Bloomington - Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis ( email )

Indiana University Bloomington
IN
United States

Justin M. Ross (Contact Author)

Indiana University - School of Public & Environmental Affairs ( email )

1315 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

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