1 COLORADO BASIN ROUNDTABLE Questions on Agricultural Water Use Monday March 23 rd, 2009 DENIS REICH & ROD SHARP – Regional Specialists, CSU Extension

Consumptive Use Fruit Salad USBR 1993 Irrigated Acres CWCB Uses and Losses SWSI I & II 2001, 2004 CDSS Ag CU?

Total: 951,600 AF Agricultural CU = 88% of in-basin CU 491 kAF403* kAF 55 kAF Colorado River Basin Consumptive Use by Use (1990*) Colorado River Basin Consumptive Use by Use (1990*) CWCB, 1990 *no High Altitude coefficients Irrigated Acres* = 270,850

Grand Junction Glenwood Springs Total: 403,336 AF Total CU by Water District (1990) CWCB, 1990

Grand Junction Glenwood Springs Colorado River Basin Areas affected by “high altitude” 6500 ft contour

Grand Junction Glenwood Springs Total CU by Water District (1990) With 6500 ft contour CWCB, 1990

Total: 932,900* AF Agricultural CU = 83% of in-basin CU 491 kAF367* kAF 74 kAF Colorado River Basin Consumptive Use (CU) by Use (2004*) Colorado River Basin Consumptive Use (CU) by Use (2004*) CWCB, 2004 *with 10% for High Altitude coefficients Irrigated Acres= 237,700 High Altitude Pasture* = 91,000

Summary Item * Agricultural CU403 kAF377 kAF Irrigated Acres270,850237,700 Other CU55 kAF74 kAF % of Total Basin CU Agricultural 88%83% *Includes High Altitude Pasture correction

Agricultural Facts Number of Farms Harvested Cropland Irrigated Acres Total Agricultural Sales –Crop Sales –Livestock Sales Total Economic Impact of Agricultural Agricultural Employment

Agriculture by County PALISADE GRAND JUNCTION GLENWOOD SPRINGS BASALT VAIL GRANBY DILLON ASPEN EAGLE GRAND GARFIELD MESA PITKIN SUMMIT ROUTT EAGLE KREMMLING RIFLE

Farms 2007, Census of Agriculture CountyNumber of Farms Harvested Cropland Irrigated Acres Eagle1526,45111,128 Garfield62330,99443,720 Grand22927,86843,130 Gunnison21725,31340,729 Mesa176747,43864,272 Pitkin823,566 Routt61056,63643,527 Summit414,31510,509

Agricultural Sales 2007, Census of Agriculture CountyTotal Ag Sales Crop Sales Livestock Sales Economic Impact Eagle4,836,0001,443,0003,393,00011,174,000 Garfield22,203,0006,838,00015,365,00051,236,000 Grand9,365,0001,470,0007,895,00022,035,000 Gunnison10,731,0001,804,0008,927,00025,213,000 Mesa61,230,00030,262,00030,969,000137,876,000 Pitkin2,027,000447,0001,580,0004,731,000 Routt34,115,0004,655,00029,460,00080,480,000 Summit1,097,000461,000636,00024,595,000 Total$145,604,000$47,380,000$98,225,000$357,340,000

Employment 2006, State Demography Office CountyTotal Basic Employment Ag Production Total Agribusiness Percent of Total Eagle24, Garfield20, , Grand6, Gunnison7, Mesa36,7861,6572, Pitkin13, Routt11, Summit15, Total136,2893,8806,

Summary Per Irrigated Acre CountySalesEmploymentValue per AF Consumed* Eagle$ $281 Garfield$ $328 Grand$ $140 Gunnison$ $170 Mesa$ $616 Pitkin$ $367 Routt$ $507 Summit$ $67 *Average of 1.55 AF per irrigated acre per year Average (weighted by acres) = $361

Questions? Rod Sharp: , Denis Reich: ,

Preserving Agriculture? $361 per AF versus….