Competition for Water Resources

In the West, the economic sustainability of farms is tightly woven with water availability. For these farms, irrigation is an important risk reducing input that shelters farm income from drought and boosts crop yields. In addition, irrigation permits farms to produce crops (e.g., corn, alfalfa, onions, sugar beets) that otherwise could not be grown competitively in our semi-arid environment. As irrigation was developed in the West, farms generated important economic activity for rural communities and regional economies.

Irrigated agriculture is a primary water user in the West, but rapid population growth is driving a reallocation of water use. Colorado’s population is projected to increase by roughly 2.8 million residents between the years 2000 and 2030--an increase of about 65 percent. The Arkansas and South Platte Basins, which are already the most highly-populated basins, are projected to receive the most new residents. By the year 2030, the Arkansas and South Platte basins will be home to a combined total of almost 2.4 million additional residents, bringing the total population in these two basins to over 6 million people, making up more than 86 percent of Colorado’s total projected population.

Where will new population find municipal water? Many policymakers agree that voluntary sales of water from farms to cities will be an important source. The Colorado Water Conservation Board's Statewide Water Supply Initiative (2004) predicts the following dry-up of irrigated acres as a result of voluntary water transfers. What impact do you think this will have on irrigated agriculture? What policies might be considered, if any, to help rural and urban water users share resources?