The paper is divided into four broad selections. The first section spells out the major reasons for public action in regard to soil conservation. The second section briefly discusses the current soil conservation investments both public and private. The third section evaluates the current...

We examine the development of irrigation management in northern China using data from village and household panels. During the past decade, reform-oriented institutions, such as water user associations and contracting, have largely replaced the traditional institution of collective management in...

Replaced with revised version of paper 09/06/11.

As we consider the potential for expanding water markets as a means to help prevent water shortages, it is clear that there is resistance to such an expansion. This resistance should not be surprising given that there are likely to be both gainers and losers from expanded water markets. This...

Because of its importance and the perceived inability of private sector sources to meet water demands, many countries have depended on the public sector to provide water services for their populations. Yet this has resulted in many inefficient public water projects and in inadequate supplies of...

In this paper we will try to address two questions. First, are farmers using the level of nitrogen that would maximize profits, and second, does the profit maximizing level of nitrogen use exceed the social optimum? In the latter case, we determine the optimal level of nitrogen use for...