Amid other struggles, Arizona farmers brace for more Colorado River water cuts

Arizona farmers have been dealing with Colorado River water cuts for years and are bracing for more.

The seven basin states that use Colorado River water failed to reach a deal on how to share the precious resource as the current operating agreement expires this year. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will determine the new terms later this year.

About 70% of Arizona’s water supply goes to agriculture, but cutting water for agricultural use means less food will be produced.

Pinal County farmers first had their water cut in 2022, when the Bureau of Reclamation declared the Colorado River would enter a Tier 2 shortage.

The Tier 2 shortage meant a reduction of 592,000 acre-feet in Arizona, about 21% of the state’s annual Colorado River allocation.

“Pretty much now we’re just all on pump water,” Pinal County cotton farmer Todd Thelander told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

How Colorado River water cuts affect Pinal County farmers

Pinal County farmers were forced to stop using Colorado River water and rely on groundwater managed by the Maricopa Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District.

“With our water cuts, we’re already fallowing probably 50% of our land because we do not have enough water to farm it all,” said Thelander, who also grows crops that are fed to dairy cows, including alfalfa, wheat and corn silage.

The third-generation farmer doesn’t expect to be affected by the next round of Colorado River water cuts because Pinal County agriculture has already been stripped of that resource.

However, he does worry about the impact of future water cuts on Yuma County.

“With more significant cuts, which are coming, it could start affecting … the Yuma farmers, the guys on the river that grow a tremendous amount of produce for us. And then, that’s going to really hurt the soccer mom that goes to the grocery store to pick up a head of lettuce,” Thelander said.

Operating costs soar for Arizona farmers

Water prices for agriculture already have gone up drastically. Thelander said he pays $64 to $67 per acre-foot.

“When we used to farm years and years ago up in the SRP district, we were paying $10 an acre-foot,” Thelander said, referring to Salt River Project.

He worries about potential food shortages if Arizona’s next water cuts are significant because farmers are already struggling to get by.

“Equipment has gone up through the roof, labor has gone through the roof, diesel has gone through the roof, fertilizer, so all of that has gone through the roof and our commodity prices are staying really, really low,” Thelander said.

Farmers across the state have been adjusting to growing with less water by using microsprinklers, low-pressure rotators and drip irrigation.

“I would like to see the American farmer keep going, and I would like for America to support the American farmer,” Thelander said.

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