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• Board Meeting Date: 3/18/2008
• Description: IWMD Section - Presentation of Agricultural Water Conservation Paper
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Section 3
Agricultural Water Use
Irrigators who rely on groundwater already have significant incentive for water
conservation. Reducing the amount of water pumped decreases energy costs and
prolongs the economic life of aquifers. Many Colorado farmers have switched to
irrigation systems with enhancements such as drop nozzles, low-pressure delivery
systems, irrigation scheduling, minimum tillage, and other techniques to improve on-
farm efficiency and reduce pumping requirements. Widespread adoption of these
technologies in compact-limited basins such as the Arkansas, a South Platte and Rio
Grande may result in changed return flow patterns, reduced groundwater recharge
and potential for downstream injury.
Approximately one million acres of Colorado's three million irrigated crop acres have
already been converted to sprinkler and drip systems. Figure 3-1 shows the location
of agricultural irrigated and cultivated lands.
Reclassified NLCD Land Use
with Irrigation
_ Water/lce
Natural
- Urban
', Cultivated
~~ Irrigated Crops
Figure 3-1
Agricultural Irrigated and Cultivated Lands
DRAFT 3-1