The development and current challenges of irrigated agriculture in the western U.S

The development of the western U.S. relied heavily on harnessing the region’s water resources for use by the agricultural sector. A changing climate is affecting water availability in the region as diminished snowpack and higher temperatures reduce surface water flows. At the same time, the groundwater management policy landscape is shifting in response to unprecedented rates of depletion among the region’s aquifers. The related issues posit significant challenges for irrigated agriculture in the western U.S. and the rural economies it supports. This paper provides an overview of the development of irrigated agriculture in the west, identifying the trends in infrastructure, technology, water sources, and cropping patterns that define the region’s agricultural economy and its responsiveness to water scarcity. The insights gleaned from this examination of the region’s agricultural development inform an understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture in the region and how Federal and state policy can potentially mitigate these damages.