Much of the recent mainstream coverage of Colorado River agriculture focuses on Arizona’s desert farms or the lettuce fields of California’s Imperial Valley. But upstream—in places like the snow-fed headwaters of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming—the river’s lifeblood sustains another equally critical resource: irrigated agriculture in the Upper Basin.

Colorado River water grows wheat, corn, vegetables, and orchards. This region not only produces crops—it anchors rural economies, supports wildlife habitat, and supplies the feed that sustains America’s dairy and beef industries.

As the Basin faces drought and shrinking reservoirs, some propose a “simple” fix: take water from agriculture and send it to cities. It sounds easy but is dangerously shortsighted. Once water leaves a farm permanently, the land changes forever. The ripple effects go far beyond the fence line—lost jobs, shuttered main streets, reduced food security, and degraded ecosystems.

Upper Basin agriculture is already efficient and resilient. There, alfalfa and other forage crops are essential to a domestic food system that minimizes imports and transportation emissions. Yields here often exceed the national average by 10% thanks to high-elevation conditions and generations of know-how. Critics focus on water use without noting that much of this water seeps back into the river or recharges aquifers.

Irrigation also provides environmental benefits. Fields and ditches create wetlands for migratory birds, maintain open space, and preserve riparian corridors. Without them, habitat disappears and rural communities lose both identity and resilience.

The Upper Basin has been proactive in meeting the moment. Producers have invested in modern irrigation systems, soil moisture sensors, and strategic crop rotations. Beyond the farm gate, Basin stakeholders are advancing strategically placed surface storage projects—both large and small—to capture high flows when they occur, improve operational flexibility, and bolster drought resilience. They are also partnering with land managers on active forest restoration, recognizing that healthier headwater forests yield cleaner water, reduce sedimentation of reservoirs, and improve long-term river flows.

Despite these efforts, agriculture remains a political target. The “80% of water goes to farming” line gets repeated without context, ignoring the difference between diversions and actual consumption—and the fact that urban growth is outpacing available water supplies.

The path forward isn’t about pitting cities against farms—it’s about shared responsibility. Thoughtful land use planning must be coupled with ways that tie urban growth to new, sustainable water supplies, including recycling, desalination, and storage. In parallel, Basin-wide collaboration should reward voluntary conservation and protect the flexibility to use agricultural water in emergencies, without permanently drying up farmland.

Balanced, science-based decisions must recognize the full value of Colorado River irrigation. And urban, environmental, and ag sectors should be collaborating, not competing.

As new post-2026 operating rules are developed, producers all along the river must be heard. Their stewardship doesn’t just sustain rural Rocky Mountain states - it underpins America’s food independence and national security.

Protecting Upper Basin irrigation is not an obstacle to solving the Colorado River crisis. It’s a cornerstone of the solution.


This article was first published on August 20, 2025, by Western Farm Press. Republished with permission.