Research Interests & Background
Dr. Kristiana Hansen is an Associate Professor and Extension Water Resource Economist in the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics at the University of Wyoming. She received a B.A. in Economics from Reed College and her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from University of California, Davis, and completed her post-doctorate at Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium. Prior to obtaining her Ph.D., Dr. Hansen worked in the electricity industry in the Pacific Northwest, for a trade organization representing publicly-owned electric utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and municipalities.
Dr. Hansen’s research is in water resource economics, “payment for ecosystem services” conservation program design, and wildlife habitat conservation policy. Her Extension program seeks to inform and improve regional decision-making in water management and allocation and habitat conservation. Current research projects include water markets in the western U.S. and analysis of the risks and impacts of different ways that Wyoming and other upper Colorado River Basin states could meet their obligations to downstream states under the Colorado River Compact. Other recent projects investigate alternative groundwater management strategies and collective decision-making over the Wyoming portion of the Ogallala Aquifer; adoption of soil moisture monitoring technologies; and market design for a terrestrial habitat conservation program in Wyoming.
Selected Colorado River Publications & Presentations
Publications
Hansen, K., R. Coupal, E. Yeatman, and D. Bennett. 2021. “Economic Assessment of a Water Demand Management Program in Wyoming’s Portion of the Colorado River Basin.” Final Report to The Nature Conservancy. March 15, 2021. 112 pages
Hansen, K., R. Coupal, E. Yeatman, and D. Bennett. 2021. “Economic Assessment of a Water Demand Management Program in Wyoming’s Portion of the Colorado River Basin: Summary” Bulletin B-1373. Laramie, WY: University of Wyoming Extension.
Hansen, K., E. Duke, C. Bond, M. Purcell and G. Paige. 2018. “Landowner Preferences for a Payment-for-Ecosystem Services Program in Southwestern Wyoming.” Ecological Economics 146: 240-9.
Hansen, K. 2016. “Meeting the Challenge of Water Scarcity in the Western U.S.” In Competition for Water Resources: Experiences and Management Approaches in the US and Europe (J. Ziolkowska. and J. Peterson, editors). Elsevier: Cambridge, MA.
Hansen, K., R. Howitt, and J. Williams. 2015. “An Econometric Test of Water Market Institutions.” Natural Resources Journal 55(1): 127-152.
Hansen, K. 2015. “Water Markets from Theory to Practice (with Focus on the USA).” In Handbook of Water Economics, eds. A. Dinar and K. Schwabe. Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 355-371.
Hansen, K., M. Purcell, G. Paige, A. MacKinnon, J. Lamb and R. Coupal. 2015. “Development of a Market-Based Conservation Program in the Upper Green River Basin of Wyoming: Feasibility Study.” Bulletin B-1267. Laramie, WY: University of Wyoming Extension.
Hansen, K., J. Kaplan, and S. Kroll. 2014. “Valuing Options in Water Markets: A Laboratory Investigation.” Environmental and Resource Economics 57(1):59-80.
Hansen, K., R. Howitt, and J. Williams. 2013. “Water Trades in the Western United States: Risk, Speculation, and Property Rights.” In Water Trading and Global Water Scarcity: International Perspectives, ed. J. Maestu. New York: RFF Press Water Policy Series, pp. 55-67.
Presentations
Paige, G., Hansen, K., and A. MacKinnon. 2021. “Wyoming Demand Management Feasibility Investigation: Stakeholder Engagement.” Universities Council on Water Resources Annual Meeting, virtual (June 8-10, 2021).
Hansen, K. 2021. ”Examples of Economic Impacts of Water Reductions to Agriculture in the Wyoming Colorado River Basin.” Ag in Uncertain Times Webinar Series sponsored by the Western Extension Committee (February 3, 2021).
Hansen, K. “Economic Assessment of a Potential Water Demand Management Program in the Wyoming Colorado River Basin.” Wyoming Governor’s Colorado River Basin Working Group, Farson, WY (December 8, 2021); Wyoming Water Association Annual Meeting, Lander, WY (October 20, 2021); Universities Council on Water Resources, virtual (June 8-10, 2021); University of Wyoming Extension 2021 Agriculture & Horticulture Online Convention, virtual (January 2021); Upper Colorado River Basin Water Forum, Grand Junction, CO (virtual conference, November 4-5, 2020); Wyoming Stock Growers Association Summer Meeting, Rock Springs, WY (August 25, 2020); Wyoming State Engineer’s Office Stakeholder Engagement focus groups (September 2020 virtual); and Wyoming State Engineer’s Office State Water Forum, Cheyenne, WY (January 15, 2020).
Yeatman, E., K. Hansen, G. Paige, A. MacKinnon, and J. Albers. “Economic and Ecological Tradeoffs of Water Conservation in the Upper Green River Basin.” Western Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, virtual (June 29-July 1, 2020). American Water Resources Association Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT (November 3-6, 2019); and the Upper Colorado River Basin Water Forum, Grand Junction, CO (November 13-14, 2019). Presentations by Yeatman.
MacKinnon, A., G. Paige, and K. Hansen. 2020. “Demand Management Program Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement in the Wyoming Colorado River Basin.” Universities Council on Water Resources, virtual (June 8-10, 2021); Wyoming State Engineer’s Office State Water Forum, Cheyenne, WY (January 15, 2020).
Hansen, K. “Wyoming Conservation Exchange: A Grassroots Conservation Program.” Invited presentation to the Alberta Grasslands Conservation Markets Symposium. Calgary, Alberta, Canada (November 19-20, 2019).
Hansen, K. 2018. “Who Gets to Drink?” University of Wyoming Saturday University Seminar. Pinedale, WY (March 1, 2018) and Jackson, WY (March 3, 2018).
Hansen, K. “Obstacles to Moving Water Around in the Colorado River Basin: A Headwaters Perspective.” Invited presentation at the 2017 Water for Food Global Conference. Lincoln, NE (April 11, 2017).
Blevins, K. Hansen, G. Paige, and A. MacKinnon. “Valuing the Non-Agricultural Benefits of Flood Irrigation Return Flows in the Upper Green River Basin. American Water Resources Association Annual Meeting. Denver, CO (November 2015).