Irrigation technology has continued to advance over the decades, however, in many watersheds – including the White River – some of the irrigation infrastructure is not in fully functional condition. In fact, some of the infrastructure is a century old or more and needs repair or replacement. The Colorado Water Plan includes goals of supporting healthy watersheds, robust recreation and tourism, vibrant and sustainable cities, and viable and productive agriculture. Improving irrigation system components – especially surface water systems – can benefit other water interests.
CCA’s Ag Water NetWORK surveyed Colorado agricultural producers to better understand their irrigation infrastructure challenges and needs. Some of the key findings were:
• The greatest on-farm irrigation needs are efficiency upgrades and improved control of infrastructural delivery components to the field edge or across the field. Other needs included well or pump improvements, field leveling and more labor – or, alternatively, automation to replace labor.
• The greatest off-farm water delivery system needs were lining or piping of ditches to reduce seepage losses. Improvements to diversions structures, headgates and screens, storage structures, and measuring devices were also cited.
• Securing funding was viewed as the greatest challenge to making infrastructure improvements.
• Two-thirds of survey takers said one of the greatest threats to being able to irrigate in the future would be less water available due to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. Forty percent cited non-water related issues, such as age, family situations, regulations, or economics as threats to their long term irrigation viability. Almost a third of producers expressed concern that lower basin or interstate compact calls could curtail irrigation water availability in the future.
The full report is available at www.agwaternetwork.org
By Phil Brink, Consulting Coordinator, Colorado Cattlemen’s Ag Water NetWORK
