Changes in Agricultural Irrigation in the South Platte River Basin, Colorado 1956 - 2005 Irrigated agriculture is in decline in Colorado’s South Platte River Basin (SPRB). Land use is transitioning from farms to urban, suburban and industrial areas. Irrigation water rights are being transferred from agricultural to municipal and industrial uses to support growing urban water demand. The SPRB has been the epicenter of Colorado’s urban growth and agricultural to urban water right transfers, which has reduced the amount of irrigated agricultural land in the river basin. Colorado’s Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) estimated that the current population in the SPRB is prior to any significant change of use (i.e. “dry-up”) of irrigation water rights, the SPRB contained ~984,000 acres of irrigated agricultural lands. Irrigated acreage increased to ~1,018,000 acres from 1950 to 1976 as many new agricultural wells were drilled. By 1987, substantial agricultural to municipal water transfers reduced irrigated area to ~989,000 acres with a concentration of dry-up in Park County. Agricultural to municipal transfers continued to reduce irrigated area through 2001. Between 2001 and 2005, ~80,000 acres of agricultural land were removed from irrigation, in part due to wide-spread administration of junior References: Colorado’s Decision Support Systems. 2013. Geographic Information System Data. Retrieved July 2013 from http://cdss.state.co.us Colorado Water Conservation Board. 2011. Colorado’s Statewide Water Supply Initiative 2010. CDM, Denver, Colorado. likely to increase from 3.5 million to 6.6 million by 2050. To meet increased municipal and industrial water demands, SWSI projects that an additional 510,000 acre-feet per year may be needed in the over-appropriated SPRB where water demand currently exceeds supply. As a result, SWSI projects that up to 267,000 acres of agricultural lands may be removed from production by 2050 to meet the needs of the growing population. Using irrigated lands data from Colorado’s Division of Water Resources we examined how irrigated acreage has changed from 1956 to 2005. In 1956, well water rights, particularly in Weld County. By 2005, total irrigated area had dropped to ~833,000 acres, a reduction of over 150,000 acres (~15%) since 1956, and mainly the result of agricultural to urban water rights transfers and changes in land use. The projected conversion of agricultural land over the next 40 years will more than double the amount of land that has already been taken out of irrigation during the past 55 years. Joel G. Murray, GISP & Dan O. Niemela, P.G. 333 W. Hampden Ave. Suite 1050 Englewood, CO 80110 303.806.8952 | www.bbawater.com
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Changes in Agricultural Irrigation in the South Platte River Basin, Colorado 1956 - 2005
Irrigated agriculture is in decline in Colorado’s South Platte River Basin (SPRB). Land use is transitioning from farms to urban, suburban and industrial areas. Irrigation water rights are being transferred from agricultural to municipal and industrial uses to support growing urban water demand. The SPRB has been the epicenter of Colorado’s urban growth and agricultural to urban water right transfers, which has reduced the amount of irrigated agricultural land in the river basin. Colorado’s Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) estimated that the current population in the SPRB is
prior to any significant change of use (i.e. “dry-up”) of irrigation water rights, the SPRB contained ~984,000 acres of irrigated agricultural lands. Irrigated acreage increased to ~1,018,000 acres from 1950 to 1976 as many new agricultural wells were drilled. By 1987, substantial agricultural to municipal water transfers reduced irrigated area to ~989,000 acres with a concentration of dry-up in Park County. Agricultural to municipal transfers continued to reduce irrigated area through 2001. Between 2001 and 2005, ~80,000 acres of agricultural land were removed from irrigation, in part due to wide-spread administration of junior
References: Colorado’s Decision Support Systems. 2013. Geographic Information System Data. Retrieved July 2013 from http://cdss.state.co.us Colorado Water Conservation Board. 2011. Colorado’s Statewide Water Supply Initiative 2010. CDM, Denver, Colorado.
likely to increase from 3.5 million to 6.6 million by 2050. To meet increased municipal and industrial water demands, SWSI projects that an additional 510,000 acre-feet per year may be needed in the over-appropriated SPRB where water demand currently exceeds supply. As a result, SWSI projects that up to 267,000 acres of agricultural lands may be removed from production by 2050 to meet the needs of the growing population. Using irrigated lands data from Colorado’s Division of Water Resources we examined how irrigated acreage has changed from 1956 to 2005. In 1956,
well water rights, particularly in Weld County. By 2005, total irrigated area had dropped to ~833,000 acres, a reduction of over 150,000 acres (~15%) since 1956, and mainly the result of agricultural to urban water rights transfers and changes in land use. The projected conversion of agricultural land over the next 40 years will more than double the amount of land that has already been taken out of irrigation during the past 55 years.
Joel G. Murray, GISP &
Dan O. Niemela, P.G.
333 W. Hampden Ave. Suite 1050
Englewood, CO 80110 303.806.8952 | www.bbawater.com
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