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FARM AND RANCH
IRRIGATION SURVEY

PURPOSE

To provide estimates of the sources and uses of irrigation water in the 48 contiguous states. The United States Code, Title 13, authorizes this survey and provides for mandatory responses.

COVERAGE

Farm and ranch operations that are located in the contiguous 48 states and reported irrigation use in the most recent census of agriculture. Farms and ranches are establishments classified in SIC Major Group 01 or 02. In 1992, the nearly 280,000 farms and ranches with irrigated land, accounted for over 50 percent of all U.S. sales of agricultural crops.

CONTENT

Data from operators include source and amount of water used, acres irrigated, type of water distribution systems, number and characteristics of wells, water use by crop type, average yields by crop type, irrigation practices, capital expenditures, maintenance costs, type of energy used, and use of new technologies.

FREQUENCY

Periodically since 1979 for the first or second year following a census of agriculture, which is currently conducted for years ending in "2" and "7." Comparable surveys were published for the 1994, 1988, 1984 and 1979 calender years. Irrigation questions have been included in agriculture censuses since 1890. Data collection begins after the census year, and data are reported for activities taking place during the previous calendar year.

METHODS

A mail-out/mail-back survey of some 20,000 operators that indicated use of irrigation activities during the previous census of agriculture. Operators are selected by stratified random sample to minimize reporting burden while assuring adequate coverage of each of the 27 leading irrigation states, each of 18 designated Water Resource Areas, and the remaining 21 contiguous states (combined). Strata are based on Water Resource Area, state, and number of irrigated acres. Probability of operator selection increases as the number of acres irrigated increases. For 1992, about 2,000 of the largest irrigated farms (acreage cut-offs varied by state) were selected with certainty.

Operators located in Alaska and Hawaii, and horticultural specialty, institutional, and research operations, were excluded from the survey. Operators that did not irrigate in 1992 were not included in the sample.

PRODUCTS

The Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey report, released about 11 months after the survey year, contains data at the state level for each of 27 leading irrigation states, the remaining 21 states combined and the 18 Water Resource Areas for the 48contiguous states. Tabulations include water source and amount used, acres irrigated by type of system, irrigation and yield by type of crop, and system investments and energy costs

USES

Local agriculture agencies and universities use the estimates as a guide in making recommendations to farmers and ranchers on ways to be more competitive and increase production; as a primary resource to create local and regional water use models; and for environmental analysis. Market researchers and industrial planners use estimates for comparative studies and market analysis.

The Department of Agriculture used the estimates to assist in the creation of water-use models and to determine effects of irrigation on water yields. The Environmental Protection Agency utilizes the data for analysis and rulemaking on protecting groundwater from contamination and estimates of chemical use to measure both environmental and occupational exposure and risk.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Provides the only source of nationally consistent data on water-management practices and water uses in American agriculture.