NE Has The Most Irrigated Farmland In The Country

Recent census numbers show Nebraska had 8.5 million acres under irrigation at the end of 2007; this is more than any other state. Nebraska is now ahead of California, which dropped from 8.7 million acres in 2002 to 8.2 million in 2007.

Irrigated acres are dropping in many parts of the country, but continue to rise in Nebraska. Nebraska added 560,000 acres of irrigation from 1997 to 2002 and another 930,000 acres between 2002 and 2007. Custer and Lincoln counties experienced the largest increases in the 10-year time period, 61% and 56%, respectively.

However, University of Nebraska ag economist Bruce Johnson said some areas of the state may be over-developed on irrigation. He said significant limitations on future irrigation are looming and predicts up to 30,000 irrigated acres may have to be changed back to dryland acres as a result. And, the Nebraska legislature this year passed a law putting significant restrictions on further groundwater development for irrigation purposes.