Agricultural Water Conservation
and Consumptive Use
The Colorado Water Center works to find innovative ways to conserve water in agricultural applications while helping producers to continue to remain productive.
Water Conservation
Joel Schneekloth, Water Resource Specialist, leads water conservation efforts and research in the Republican River Basin and the South Platte River Basin. His work includes:
- Build acres for water conservation and dryland
- Water use in a water short environment
- Water conservation
- Irrigation efficiency
- Consumptive water use
- Limited irrigation management
- Low-water consumptive use crops
- Water conservation
“Growers are already dealing with declining [water] supplies…Years ago they had wells that could pump 600 to 700 gallons per minute. Now some are down to 200 to 300 gallons per minute.
JOel Schneekloth, Colorado Water Center
REad More at Fresh Water News Here
Republican River Basin
Schneekloth’s work in the 430-mile Republican River Basin, in Colorado’s northeastern High Plains includes:
- Declining groundwater supplies
- Long-term impacts of compact compliance
- Reduction in future retirements in irrigated acres by cutting consumptive use
South Platte River Basin
Schneekloth’s work in the South Platte River Basin, which serves the Front Range and Eastern Plains, includes:
- Alternatives to rotational fallowing
- Reduce buy and dry practices
- Salinity management
Consumptive Use Evaluation
Perry Cabot, Extension Professor, leads water conservation efforts and research in the Upper Colorado River Basin. His work includes:
- Remote sensing–based ET estimation for cost-effective analysis
- Eddy covariance monitoring under irrigation restrictions
- Forage yield reduction and recovery assessment
Featured Resources
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The Platte River Basin between Platteville and Sterling, Colorado South Platte Salinity Research
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Agricultural Scenery in the lower Arkansas River Basin in eastern Colorado Irrigation Technologies
