40% Of The Colorado River's Water Goes For One Thing: Growing Alfalfa For Livestock [View all]

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The large-scale production of alfalfa during a megadrought is, in large part, possible because the Imperial Valley is the single biggest controller of rights to Colorado River water. Now, with the basin on the brink of the most severe water cuts in history, the alfalfa industry has been propelled to the center of longstanding debates over sustainable water use and the future of farming in the west.

The stakes have never been higher. The Colorado River, which supplies freshwater to more than 40 million people in seven states and 29 federally recognized tribes across the south-west, as well as northern Mexico, is in rapid decline. Reduced snowpack, drought conditions and higher average temperatures have all reduced the river’s flow in recent decades. The two biggest reservoirs along the river, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, are each close to hitting levels so low that the Colorado River could stop flowing entirely, a condition ominously known as dead pool. “We’re teetering on the edge,” said Jack Schmidt, a professor and director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University.

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According to an analysis by the conservation non-profit Pacific Institute, alfalfa production in California uses around 5 feet per acre (6167.4 cubic metres) of water, making it one of the most water-intensive crops alongside the likes of almonds, pistachios and rice. Crops such as sugar beets use roughly 3 feet per acre (3,700 cubic metres), and dry beans as little as 1.5 feet per acre (1,850 cubic metres).

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In 2021, nearly 20% of alfalfa produced in the west was shipped abroad, according to analysis of United States Department of Agriculture data. Nationwide, alfalfa exports reached a record high last year, driven by strong demand from China. Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are among other top importers. But farmers in the region argue that producers in the south-west can’t simply opt out of participating in a global food system, one that also serves the US – the world’s second biggest agricultural importer after China.

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/12/colorado-drought-water-alfalfa-farmers-conservation