Abstract

The economic impact of drought on California’s agricultural sector
Track: Water Resources
Authors: Julia Brandes, Serene Ong, Hillary Jenkins

2014 is poised to be the driest in 120 years for the US Southwest, resulting in redistribution of water and new economic water choices across industry sectors. Agriculture comprises roughly one half of California's water use. Changes in water availability have a dramatic effect on this sector, making it a leading indicator of drought-related economic impacts. We integrate water availability data with economic indicators for this sector to spatially analyze the impact of prolonged water shortage.