Wyoming Producers Irrigate 1.42 Million Acres in 2003

Results from the 2003 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey indicate that 4,822 farm and ranch operators irrigated 1.42 million acres of Wyoming farmland in 2003, according to Dick Coulter, Director of the Wyoming Statistical Office of USDA NASS. Wyoming ranked 12^th in the Nation in total acres irrigated.

Cropland accounted for 94% of the acres irrigated with the remainder in pastureland. As far as method of delivery, gravity flow systems were by far the most common accounting for 81 percent of the acreage irrigated. Sprinkler systems were next with 18 percent and drip trickle systems and sub-irrigation with each less than 1 percent.

A total of 2.18 million acres-feet of water was applied in 2003 for an average of 1.5 acre-feet per acre. Most of the water, 61 percent, came from off-farm surface water sources while on-farm surface water supplied 32 percent and wells supplied the remaining 7 percent of the water.

Farm and ranch operators invested $17.6 million in equipment, facilities, and land improvements for irrigation in 2003. New expansion accounted for 56 percent of the investment, while replacement costs were 26 percent, and costs related to water conservation totaled 18 percent.For more information from the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey visit: www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/fris