Water Use Efficiency and Productivity of the Irrigation Districts in Southern Alberta

The data envelopment analysis (DEA) model was used to estimate the technical efficiency (TE) scores, the Malmquist total factor productivity (TFP) indices, and their implicit input shadow shares for 12 irrigation districts in Southern Alberta using data for the period 2008–12. The main purpose was to establish benchmarks so that future increases in conservation, efficiency and total factor productivity of water use (major goals of Alberta’s Water for Life strategy) can be assessed. Results of an input-oriented DEA model indicated that the irrigation districts were, on average, 84.3 % technically efficient in their input use, primarily the net water diverted. The output-oriented model indicated that the irrigation districts, alternatively, could expand their total irrigated areas by 58.3 % with the current level of input use. Over the period 2008–12, the year-to-year mean Malmquist TFP for the irrigation districts of Southern Alberta was estimated to be 0.98 %. Net water diverted was identified as the most important contributing input (76 %) to the TFP change. The second and third contributing factors were pivot irrigation technology (6 %) and precipitation (5 %).