Engineering economic optimization model for groundwater allocation and quality protection from non-point source pollution

The vulnerability of the groundwater aquifer to contamination by agrochemicals is a major concern for water resource management authorities.;The research for this dissertation developed a general engineering economic optimization model, which integrates several disciplines, including water resource engineering, agronomy, and economics to maximize farm profits while preventing or minimizing the pesticide loading below the crop root zone.;The economic optimization model integrates pesticide and aquifer sustained yield to derive a farm management strategy that assures optimal management of resources (groundwater, pesticide use, and farm resource inputs to production). A methodology was also developed to link a physical groundwater production model (USUGWM) and a pesticide transport model (GLEAMS) with the economic optimization model of farm planning.;The findings of this research indicate that for the Salt Lake County study site, with little cost to the farmer, an optimal farm strategy can be achieved to effectively control chemical leaching below the root zone and to reduce aquifer contamination. The approach that was followed to determine the potential risk of pesticide leaching for a given soil-crop-pesticide combination can be applied to other sites. The findings of this research can help policymakers to formulate regulatory guidelines for reducing pesticide leachate from high risk soils and, accordingly, to formulate policies for groundwater allocation to agricultural activities.