U.S. irrigated farmland acres in gravity and pressurized systems, 17 Western States, 1984-2018

Irrigated acres in the open (million)

Bar chart with 8 groups (years) and 2 items per group.

Group 1, 1984.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 24.084967.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 14.6578.
Group 2, 1988.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 22.731136.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 14.991394.
Group 3, 1994.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 20.344444.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 18.500862.
Group 4, 1998.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 19.164703.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 19.664875.
Group 5, 2003.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 16.983063.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 24.210083.
Group 6, 2008.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 15.023307.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 27.603048.
Group 7, 2013.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 13.530246.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 30.302828.
Group 8, 2018.
Item 1, Acres in gravity systems 12.536481.
Item 2, Acres in pressurized systems 28.964588.

Note: Data are for acres irrigated in the open (i.e., area in greenhouses and other enclosed structures is not included). Gravity irrigation systems use on-field furrows or basins to advance water across the field surface through gravity-means only. Pressurized systems (e.g., center pivots) apply water under pressure through pipes or other tubing directly to crops. Pressurized irrigation includes acres irrigated by sprinkler and micro/drip irrigation systems. The 17 Western States are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Source: USDA, Economic Research Service using data from USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (1984-2013) and Irrigation and Water Management Survey (2018).