Browsing by Author "Al-Hmoud, Rashid B."
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Labor market in Palestine(2009-12) Razia, Alaa; Rahnama, Masha; Al-Hmoud, Rashid B.In this article I analyze the labor market in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the period following the Al-Aqsa Intifada 2000 - 2008, and estimate the influence of changes in the rate of unemployment and daily wages on the labor force participation rate in both territories. This study estimated labor force participation rate functions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by using regression analysis. It was found that the discouraged workers’ effect dominated the added workers’ effect in both the West Bank and Gaza labor force. Also, it was found that the daily wage had no statistical influence on the participation rate in West Bank. That can be explained by the political situation in that territory represented by the frequent curfews and numerous Israeli check points, which restrict labor mobility and hence, participation. However, the daily wages had the expected sign but only that for the Gaza Strip was statistically significant. So to combat the phenomenon of widespread unemployment in the Palestinian territories should create economic policies by implementing measures to improve the investment environment, and encourage the private sector to play a more active role in the region.Item The impact of irrigated cotton acreage on the lift of the Ogallala Aquifer(2009-05) Seshadri, Santosh; Al-Hmoud, Rashid B.; Mulligan, KevinThe objective of this thesis is to analyze the effect of rates of change in the irrigated acreage of cotton in West Texas on lift of the Ogallala Aquifer. The study area consists of 15 counties that lie on the Ogallala Aquifer and below the Canadian River. These counties include, Bailey, Castro, Cochran, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Gaines, Hale, Hockley, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Parmer, Swisher, Terry and Yoakum. First, all the wells on the Ogallala were mapped from 1990 to 2004. From this an average lift on each county for each year will be gathered. ‘Lift’ refers to the depth to groundwater. Then irrigated acreage for each of the above mentioned counties will be collected from USDA. Subsequently, fuel cost and precipitation data will be gathered. This data will be used to build an ordinary least square time series model, in order to explain the effects of change in irrigated acreage of cotton on the lift. The hypothesis is that since irrigation is a major source for drawing groundwater, as more and more land gets irrigated, more and more water is being pumped out. With this model we can analyze the relationship between increasing irrigated acreage and increasing lift of the groundwater. Also, “The Geography of the Ogallala Aquifer†map series constructed by The Center for Geospatial Technology will be used in conjunction with this model to explain the impact of this phenomenon.Item The virtual water metaphor: Measurement concerns and associated externalities(Texas Tech University, 2009-08) Williams, Ryan B.; Al-Hmoud, Rashid B.; Vargas, Andres; Segarra, EduardoThis research addresses the virtual water metaphor as it relates to a semi-arid, agricultural production intensive region. It is motivated by previous calculations of the water content of agricultural commodities which may be misleading in the way in which they inform water policy. The dissertation addresses this concern in two ways. First, I show that the use of a representative measure of crop water requirements can be inaccurate across relatively homogenous producing regions as well as through time. The sensitivity of these measurements suggest that continued use of the virtual water metaphor to inform water policy should only be undertaken when significant attention has been given to the methodology employed in its calculation. Second, the use of the virtual water concept to promote increased production of high water content/low value crops in relatively water rich locations ignores the potential transfer of externalities to the production region. I evaluate four potential externalities associated with the production of irrigated agriculture in the area of Texas overlying the Southern Ogallala aquifer, with particular attention paid to the optimal rate of extraction for the non-renewable water resource.Item Underground water management in arid and semiarid regions: alternative strategies and measurement issues(Texas Tech University, 1994-12) Al-Hmoud, Rashid B.The objective of this study is to develop three essays related to underground water management in the arid and semiarid region of the United States (southwestem states). One essay discusses the socially optimal management policies of underground water resources as suggested by the economics theory. The second essay examines actual policies and management regimes in the southwestern states. DiflFerent management regimes are evaluated and their pros and cons are examined to arrive to the second-best solution. The second-best solution for the managerial problem is the one that comes very close to that suggested by the theory, and is the most successfiil in maximizing social welfare. A key variable for underground water policy-makers is the value of the resource in its natural place. Sufificient knowledge of underground water values is essential for underground water authorities, who direct their eflForts to manage the use of the resource and ensure that underground water is being used efficiently. A scarce resource, such as underground water, should be used efficiently, and the provision of the resource should be based on the values that it generates when utilized. A scarce resource should be used at its highest valued uses. Underground water is used in its highest valued uses when water users are confronted with its tme value. The last essay introduces techniques to estimate the value of underground water, and it estimates values for underground water in the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. I, which is located in the State of Texas.