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Within a given area, the amount of water used by agriculture is mainly determined by three things, acres under cultivation, type of crop, and efficiency of irrigation. If none of these three variables change, the amount of water used should remain close to constant. If acreage is increased, or a crop requiring more water is introduced, the only way to keep water use constant is irrigation efficiency to improve.Just remember how much of that water is used to grow produce in California…. I can see that impacting the supply/price if fresh produce.
I still question why California doesn't invest more heavily in desalination plants, they've got the biggest reservoir right there, the Pacific Ocean…
Unless more acreage is being irrigated from the Colorado, or thirstier crops have been introduced, it is unlikely that agriculture is responsible for the large increase in water diversion from the Colorado. The likely reason is population growth. That is a known number. The Southwest has been living on borrowed time, and when they can't get enough water from their normal sources, they will look for water to take from those who have water.