By Guest Writer Phil Brink, Consulting Coordinator, Colorado Cattlemen’s Ag Water NetWORK (agwaternetwork.org)
If farmers and ranchers use more efficient irrigation methods, won’t they use less water? This is a common question which stems from confusion between the terms ‘efficiency’ and ‘conservation’.
Conservation means using less water. Efficiency refers to the amount of water applied compared with the amount of water used by plants. Greater irrigation efficiency does not mean lower total crop water use. …