Since 1970 the Georgia Extension Service has surveyed its agents to determine changes in crops being irrigated so that it could better serve the needs of its clients. Changes in irrigated acres are the result of several factors:

   1. Addition of new irrigation systems to existing fields;
   2. Changes in specific crop acreage each year (resulting from market forces); and
   3. The value of the crop.

Vegetables and tobacco, the most valuable crops, are usually produced with irrigation to assure that market quality requirements are met and that yields are high enough to cover the relatively high input costs per acre, particularly harvest costs.

ChartObject Area by Crop


YEAR

 1970 1975 1977 1980 1982 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2000 2004 2008
                                 acres
Row Crops
    Cotton 2,630 1,120 9,270 17,700 35,300 69,600 109,900 178,800 543,000 569,000 645,700 641,600 451,200
    Peanuts 38,200 91,300 195,400 271,000 290,000 375,000 374,000 365,000 313,000 313,000 289,000 347,000 335,000
    Corn 30,400 77,000 250,200 410,200 319,700 341,300 281,100 290,500 143,600 216,500 191,600 185,900 242,300
    Soybeans 795 4,730 21,730 133,700 219,600 94,300 105,200 63,500 20,600 26,600 21,700 32,000 99,600
    Tobacco 42,400 54,500 46,100 46,500 48,000 31,600 33,700 36,900 37,900 33,800 30,300 22,700 11,900
    Small Grain           12,800 36,000 21,900 7,280 7,000 32,700 13,900 79,600
Hay & Pastures
    Pastures 5,440 4,610 10,670 13,990 22,200 24,200 18,440 29,600 26,200 34,800 25,500 24,900 33,300
Vegetables
    Sprinkler* 20,100 26,200 39,700 49,000 92,800 97,900 124,700 123,000 106,600 107,500 106,500 98,400 95,600
    Drip*               9,600 12,500 13,130 22,500 27,700 28,940
Fruit & Nut Crops
    Pecan - Spray* 485 1,356 4,660 16,270 34,400 48,500 69,300 22,300 22,800 19,800 23,100 18,250 19,450
    Pecan - Drip*               45,700 48,200 44,700 57,000 52,800 63,300
    Peaches 1,540 721 2,000 4,600 5,730 5,340 5,080 3,810 5,350 4,190 3,440 4,270 6,900
    Apples   152 1,100 1,378 1,243 677 514 365 54 225 178 114 218
    Blueberries           1,130 1,94 2,200 2,670 3,230 4,640 5,900 11,000
    Vineyards   145 240 1,581 522 517 604 561 665 752 953 1,200 1,310
Specialty Irrigation
    All Other Crops 1,180 2,100 7,400 7,670 20,200 10,160 5,000 9,500 1,730 3,970 192 835 0
Crops for Landscape
    Sod Production   1,560 1,760 2,250 2,600 5,410 9,200 11,410 15,390 34,000 32,400 38,500 43,000
    Plant Nurseries 1,450 424 602 1,120 2,410 3,000 4,570 4,300 4,480 5,290 5,370 6,490 7,370
Non-Agricultural Areas
    Athletic Fields**       614 1,160 7,000 15,100 18,800 21,000 24,700 22,900 23,700 18,200
    Golf Courses**     6,070 7,600 8,700                

Note:
This information was compiled from estimates supplied by County Extension Agents of the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service for educational purposes only.

Sources:
Harrison, K. A. 2009. Geroria Irrigation Survey - 2008. CES Misc. Pub. January 22, 2009. Athens, GA. download a copy

Harrison, K. A. 2005. Geroria Irrigation Survey - 2004. CES Misc. Pub. January 22, 2005. Athens, GA. download a copy

Harrison, K. A. 2005. Irrigation Survey for Georgia. p. In. K. J. Hatcher (ed.) Proceedings of the 2005 Georgia Water Resources Conference. Univ. of Georgia Institute of Ecology, Athens, Ga.

Harrison, K. A. and A. W. Tyson. 2001. Irrigation survey for Georgia. p.421-424. In. K. J. Hatcher (ed.) Proceedings of the 2001 Georgia Water Resources Conference. Univ. of Georgia Institute of Ecology, Athens, Ga.

For more information on the survey and its interpretation contact:
Kerry A. Harrison
Senior Public Service Associate
Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department
The University of Georgia - Tifton Campus
P.O. Box 748
Tifton, GA 31793-0748
Voice: (229) 386-3442, Fax: (229) 386-3958
e-mail: kharriso@uga.edu


Page developed by James E. Hook, Jeffrey A. Hook, and Linsey Forlow.
Last Modified on January 22, 2009.