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Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version. If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options. Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable PUERTO RICO–Present and 2107 A.D.Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org Citation: No Citation available.Authors: Luis R Pérez-Alegría Keywords: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable PUERTO RICO–Present and 2107 A.D Water for agriculture is under pressure as it competes off withresidential, industrial and commercial users in the LajasValley, Puerto Rico. It can reasonably be assumed that the same scenario will come up in other regions of Puerto Rico and in other countries. As the people of Puerto Rico seek feasible alternatives for green energy, a bioenergyproject based on sugarcane ethanol is being considered for over 24,281 ha (60,000 ac) of prime farmland in the LajasValley. It is therefore imminent that a conflict for water use will come up in the near future that requires a very good understanding of reasonable water use for agriculture and other water users in southwestern Puerto Rico. The LajasValley is one of the most important agricultural regions in Puerto Rico. The LajasValley is considered dry with less than 1,100 mm of precipitation per year; however the region is well suited for irrigation with a system that transports water from the wet north facing slopes to the dry south valley through a series of interconnected lakes and tunnels. Predicting sugarcane water needs now and in the future is a critical issue for the sustainability of any agricultural enterprise in the region. Sugarcane has high water requirements and it is high sensitivity to drought (FAO, 1986). The objective of this work was to study the impact on irrigationrequirements using different climate change scenarios. In this study, climate change was defined as change in precipitation and temperature only. (Download PDF) (Export to EndNotes)
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