Agricultural Water Demand and Allocation
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
Irrigated agriculture is by far the largest consumptive use of water in the western United States, accounting for the majority of Colorado River withdrawals. That makes farming both the biggest pressure on supply and the biggest opportunity for savings.
Efficiency measures — drip irrigation, soil-moisture sensing, deficit irrigation, and shifts to less thirsty crops — can free up substantial volumes. Water markets and voluntary fallowing programs increasingly let cities pay farmers to temporarily reduce use during shortages.
Recycled water also has a role: treated effluent is widely used to irrigate crops, golf courses, and landscaping, offsetting demand on potable supplies.
Sources & further reading
States facing this
Arkansas
Colorado
Idaho
Nebraska
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