Chart Gallery

Reset
  • Change in U.S. acres of irrigated agricultural land by county, 1997-2017
    8/27/2021
    Change in U.S. acres of irrigated agricultural land by county, 1997-2017
  • Change in U.S. acres of irrigated agricultural land by county, 2002-07
    8/27/2021
    Change in U.S. acres of irrigated agricultural land by county, 2002-07
  • State shares of U.S. irrigated agricultural land, 2017
    8/27/2021
    State shares of U.S. irrigated agricultural land, 2017
  • U.S. harvested acres irrigated for selected major irrigated crops, 1964-2017
    8/27/2021
    U.S. harvested acres irrigated for selected major irrigated crops, 1964-2017
  • U.S. irrigated acreage and water use per acre irrigated, 1890-2018
    8/27/2021
    U.S. irrigated acreage and water use per acre irrigated, 1890-2018
  • Crop production is the largest user of freshwater in the U.S. food system, 1997-2012
    8/9/2021
    Crop production is the largest user of freshwater in the U.S. food system, 1997-2012
  • The U.S. food system relies more heavily on surface water than groundwater, 1997-2012
    8/9/2021
    The U.S. food system relies more heavily on surface water than groundwater, 1997-2012
  • Fresh vegetables and other foods each use about 20 percent of freshwater, 2012
    8/9/2021
    Fresh vegetables and other foods each use about 20 percent of freshwater, 2012
  • Water use tradeoffs exist between different dietary patterns, 2007
    8/9/2021
    Water use tradeoffs exist between different dietary patterns, 2007
  • Irrigation delivery organizations released water from systems for a variety of users, purposes
    2/18/2021
    Irrigation delivery organizations released water from systems for a variety of users, purposes
  • Irrigation delivery organizations acquired most water from Federal water projects and natural water bodies
    2/8/2021
    Irrigation delivery organizations acquired most water from Federal water projects and natural water bodies
  • U.S. irrigation organizations performed a variety of water management functions
    1/15/2021
    U.S. irrigation organizations performed a variety of water management functions
  • USDA’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program in Kansas largely attracts participants with higher rates of groundwater depletion
    10/21/2020
    USDA’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program in Kansas largely attracts participants with higher rates of groundwater depletion
  • Households are the largest users of fossil fuels in the U.S. food system
    8/12/2020
    Households are the largest users of fossil fuels in the U.S. food system
  • U.S. food system accounted for between 7 to 28 percent of the Nation’s 2007 use of five natural resources
    5/28/2020
    U.S. food system accounted for between 7 to 28 percent of the Nation’s 2007 use of five natural resources
  • ICYMI... U.S. farmers adopting drought-tolerant corn about as quickly as they first adopted herbicide-tolerant and insect-tolerant varieties
    8/27/2019
    ICYMI... U.S. farmers adopting drought-tolerant corn about as quickly as they first adopted herbicide-tolerant and insect-tolerant varieties
  • Drought-tolerant corn varieties often planted on non-irrigated fields
    7/29/2019
    Drought-tolerant corn varieties often planted on non-irrigated fields
  • No-till and conservation tillage practices are more common on fields planted with drought-tolerant corn
    6/10/2019
    No-till and conservation tillage practices are more common on fields planted with drought-tolerant corn
  • U.S. farmers adopting drought-tolerant corn about as quickly as they first adopted herbicide-tolerant and insect-tolerant varieties
    3/21/2019
    U.S. farmers adopting drought-tolerant corn about as quickly as they first adopted herbicide-tolerant and insect-tolerant varieties
  • Drought-tolerant corn accounted for about 40 percent of corn acreage in drought-prone Nebraska and Kansas in 2016
    2/4/2019
    Drought-tolerant corn accounted for about 40 percent of corn acreage in drought-prone Nebraska and Kansas in 2016
  • California farmers shifted to groundwater when drought reduced surface water availability
    1/2/2018
    California farmers shifted to groundwater when drought reduced surface water availability
  • Large-scale farms had the biggest share of irrigated acres and water use in 2013
    12/5/2017
    Large-scale farms had the biggest share of irrigated acres and water use in 2013
  • Drought is typically the largest single driver of crop disaster assistance and indemnity payments
    10/17/2017
    Drought is typically the largest single driver of crop disaster assistance and indemnity payments
  • Use of pressure-sprinkler systems for irrigation has increased in the Western United States
    8/11/2017
    Use of pressure-sprinkler systems for irrigation has increased in the Western United States
  • Large-scale farms had the biggest share of irrigated acres and water use in 2013
    6/12/2017
    Large-scale farms had the biggest share of irrigated acres and water use in 2013
  • Western irrigation has become more efficient over time
    5/5/2017
    Western irrigation has become more efficient over time
  • Extent of irrigated fieldcrop acreage under reference weather and under climate change projections
    5/4/2017
    Extent of irrigated fieldcrop acreage under reference weather and under climate change projections
  • California's surface water deliveries dip well below longrun averages
    3/22/2016
    California's surface water deliveries dip well below longrun averages
  • More efficient irrigation methods are being adopted on farmland in the Western United States
    1/6/2016
    More efficient irrigation methods are being adopted on farmland in the Western United States
  • Editor's Pick 2015, #10:<br> California's irrigation varies by crop
    12/17/2015
    Editor's Pick 2015, #10:<br> California's irrigation varies by crop
  • Not all California's crops have seen declines in acreage during drought
    12/14/2015
    Not all California's crops have seen declines in acreage during drought
  • The share of irrigation water applied by microirrigation is growing in California
    10/30/2015
    The share of irrigation water applied by microirrigation is growing in California
  • Orchard acreage is trending upward in California while other crops are declining
    10/30/2015
    Orchard acreage is trending upward in California while other crops are declining
  • California irrigators can shift between off-farm surface water and groundwater
    10/29/2015
    California irrigators can shift between off-farm surface water and groundwater
  • Nationally, irrigation is growing in some regions while declining in others
    10/29/2015
    Nationally, irrigation is growing in some regions while declining in others
  • Irrigation is expanding in the Southeast, but irrigated yields are considerably lower for most crops
    10/29/2015
    Irrigation is expanding in the Southeast, but irrigated yields are considerably lower for most crops