Distributing Water Between Competing Users in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a delta country where water is usually abundant. Large investments in water infrastructure aim to prevent flooding, maintain shipping transport routes, irrigate farmland and ensure the health of polder lands and nature. During the limited periods when water is scarce, agriculture is low on the priority list for water allocation: farmers may be restricted in expanding irrigation operations or be even temporarily forbidden from using the equipment already installed. This comes at a cost to agricultural production. Water in this context is a unique economic input that is not pr... Mehr ...