Understanding human adaptation to drought: agent-based agricultural water demand modeling in the Bow River Basin, Canada

The farmers in the Bow River Basin (BRB), Canada, have adopted water conservation strategies to reduce needs. This reduction, however, encouraged expansion of irrigation, which may rebound agricultural demands. paradox requires an understanding human adaptation drought by mapping individual farmers’ decisions dynamics basin-wide demand. We develop agent-based demand (ABAD) model, simulating behavior adopting new on-farm irrigation systems and/or changing crop patterns response conditions BRB. ABAD demonstrates (1) how attitude toward profits, risk aversion, environmental protection, social interaction, and explains (2) program paradoxically lead phenomenon. ABAD, subject its conceptualization limitations, can be used for exploration scenario analysis future programs