Is most of Colorado’s water used for agriculture?

About 90% of the water consumed in Colorado goes to the agricultural sector, according to the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the agency that protects and manages the state water supply. 

Much of the state’s irrigated acreage supports ranching, either through grass hay production for livestock or pastures for grazing.

Sixty percent of water originating in Colorado flows across state lines, supplying 19 other states and Mexico with fresh water. Of the remaining 40%, the municipal sector uses roughly 7% and the industrial sector uses about 3%.

Though some water diverted for agriculture is returned to the water cycle, over-withdrawal of ground water for crop irrigation was flagged as an ongoing threat to the sustainability of several major Colorado aquifers in the 2023 Colorado Water Plan.

The Colorado River Basin has experienced a prolonged drought since 2000, one of its driest periods in a 1,200-year record, experts say.