GIS-based coupled cellular automaton model to allocate irrigated agriculture land use in the High Plains Aquifer Region

摘要: The Kansas High Plains region is a key global agricultural production center (U.S. G.S, 2009). physiography ideal landscape except for the semi-arid climate. Consequently, farmers mine vast groundwater resources from Ogallala Aquifer formations to augment precipitation crop production. Growing population, current policy and subsidy programs, declining aquifer levels coupled with regional climatic changes call into question both short-term long-term resilience of this agrarian food water security. This project proposes means simulate future irrigated agriculture land use cover patterns in based on modeling results ongoing research at State University. A Cellular Automata (CA) framework used potential distribution, groundwater, economic, models. CA approach considers existing infrastructure resources, industrial commercial systems, patterns, suitability distribution produced model provide necessary variable inputs next temporal iteration. For example, estimates availability saturated thickness depth water. economic projects which crops will be grown commodity prices county scale. yield under specific soil, climate growing conditions further informs providing an estimate profit, population Integrating system provides linkage spatial type results. Implementing GIS offers visualization components as well cover. outcome hopes afford decision-makers, including farmers, ability actual data developed strategically inform decisions resiliency.