A new study by DWFI researchers published in Agricultural Water Management offers a comprehensive national-scale assessment of irrigated agriculture in the United States in recent years. Its findings carry important implications for the future of food production, water policy and rural livelihoods across the country.
"Irrigated agriculture in the United States: Current status and future frontiers" draws on multiple datasets supported by robust geospatial analysis to paint a detailed picture of where irrigated agriculture stands today, where it is headed and what must change if the U.S. is to sustain its role as a global food security anchor. The study was a collaboration between DWFI’s Ivo Zution Gonçalves, Christopher Neale, Thais Murias Jardim, Regiane de Carvalho Bispo, Randall Ritzema and Renata Rimšaitė.
The U.S. remains a cornerstone of global food security, but irrigation is under pressure
The United States is one of the world's most productive agricultural nations and irrigation is central to that productivity. Irrigated farmland consistently increases yields, supports a wider diversity of crops and provides a buffer against drought and climate variability. Yet the infrastructure, institutions and water resources that underpin irrigated agriculture are facing mounting stress.
This study provides a timely and data-rich accounting of that reality.
Key findings
A concentrated footprint
Irrigated agriculture in the U.S. is geographically concentrated. Just five states—California, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas and Idaho—account for roughly half of all irrigated land in the country. This concentration reflects both the historical development of water infrastructure in the American West and the expansion of center-pivot irrigation across the Great Plains. It also means that water challenges in these states have outsized consequences for national food production.
Shifting crops, shifting land use
The study documents notable changes in which crops are driving irrigation demand. Corn and soybean acreage under irrigation has expanded, while historically water-intensive crops like alfalfa, cotton and rice have seen irrigated area decline. These shifts reflect changing market conditions, regional water availability and the ongoing search for more efficient use of limited water supplies.
A geographic shift is underway
One of the study's most notable findings is the emergence of a geographic shift in irrigated agriculture toward the eastern United States. While the West has long dominated irrigated production, rising water scarcity and the depletion of critical aquifers—most notably the Ogallala—are pushing agricultural expansion into regions with historically more abundant surface water and rainfall. This eastward movement has important implications for land use, water management infrastructure and agricultural policy in states not traditionally associated with large-scale irrigation.
Technology is evolving, but not fast enough
Low-flow irrigation methods are on the rise, and the adoption of advanced technologies to manage irrigation, especially soil moisture monitoring, has increased in the U.S. These advances signal a positive trend toward efficiency. Yet adoption remains uneven, and the gap between what is technologically possible and what is widely practiced remains a persistent challenge, particularly among small and medium-sized producers.
Growing pressure on water resources
The study documents increasing pressure on water resources from several converging forces: accelerating groundwater depletion, heightened climate variability and rising energy and operational costs. Across major irrigated regions, aquifer levels are declining faster than they are being replenished, a trend that cannot continue indefinitely without significant consequences for the farmers and communities that depend on groundwater.
Persistent governance and socioeconomic challenges
Technical pressures are compounded by institutional ones. The research highlights persistent challenges related to water governance, regulatory frameworks and socioeconomic constraints, particularly for small and medium-sized producers who often lack the capital and access to adopt advanced irrigation technologies. Fragmented water rights systems and inconsistent regulatory oversight make it difficult to manage water resources at the scale that modern conditions demand.
A path forward
While the study outlines the current state of irrigated agriculture in the U.S., DWFI researchers also provide an outline for future action including:
Stronger groundwater monitoring and policy frameworks. Effective management of groundwater resources requires better data and better rules. The authors call for expanded monitoring networks and more robust policy frameworks that can respond to declining aquifer levels before they reach crisis thresholds.
Improved irrigation efficiency and management practices. Significant water savings are possible through smarter irrigation scheduling, soil moisture monitoring and the adoption of precision irrigation systems. Moving from flood to drip or sprinkler irrigation, for example, can dramatically reduce water use while maintaining or improving yields.
Expanded access to advanced technologies for small and medium producers. Precision irrigation, remote sensing and decision-support tools are increasingly available but not equally accessible. Ensuring that smaller farming operations can adopt these technologies is a water security imperative.
Why it matters
DWFI’s mission is to advance knowledge and practice at the intersection of water management and food security. This research speaks directly to that mission. The United States is not insulated from the global water challenges that threaten food systems around the world and decisions made domestically about groundwater governance, irrigation investment and agricultural policy will have ripple effects far beyond American borders.
The findings of this study reinforce a central insight: the future of U.S. agriculture will depend not just on technology or investment, but on the quality of the institutions and governance frameworks we build to manage water as the shared, finite resource it is. DWFI looks forward to these findings informing policy and practice at local, state, and national levels in the future.
Read the full study » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110319
