Resource Utilization Efficiency
ABSTRACT IRRIGATION engineers are naturally concerned with efficient water use and financial economy. Yet, irriga-tion affects the use of many other important resources. Broadly applicable efficiency concepts that treat all the resources related to irrigation must be developed. This essay explores Resource Utilization Efficiency as a general notion and raises questions that will have to be answered by forthcoming research. Specific questions discussed include: What can we learn from the water use efficiency and economic indicators already developed? Why analyze resource use quantitatively at all? In what ways may efficiency measures be better evaluation tools than financial measures (e.g. profit)? What are the significant resources involved in the irrigation process? Should we treat renewable and nonrenewable resources differently? How can this effort help us to make trade-offs of conflicting goals or resource uses?