Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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Graph 1: Average Precipitation and Temperature for Boulder County 13
Max. Temp: average of all daily maximum temperatures recorded for the day of the year
between the years 1971 and 2000.
Ave. Temp: average of all daily average temperatures recorded for the day of the year
between the years 1971 and 2000.
Min. Temp: average of all daily minimum temperatures recorded for the day of the year
between the years 1971 and 2000.
Precipitation: average of all daily total precipitation recorded for the day of the year
between the years 1971 and 2000.
Several weather stations record climatic data across Boulder County. The variation of
results amongst these stations is often minimal, with the highest potential for variation
occurring at stations directly adjacent to the Front Range, which usually receive the
highest precipitation rates. Graph 1 provides running averages of precipitation and
temperature for Boulder County over a time horizon of 30 years, using the recording
station in Longmont as an average for the County. 14
Throughout Boulder County, rainfed or “dry farming” is practiced in non-irrigated areas
with the principal crops being small grains (such as wheat and millet), sorghum, and
corn. In wet years, excellent crop yields are realized with these farming practices,
however the variation in precipitation from year to year can seriously affect production. 15
Periodic droughts, which can extend from one or two to several years, create severe
water supply and economic problems for all agricultural systems.
Irrigated agriculture helps to ensure adequate water for crops, however competition with
users from other sectors can make irrigated agriculture difficult during times of
decreased supply. Water supplies across the Colorado Front Range are becoming
increasingly scarce as the population continues to grow. 16, 17 For more information on
water constraints, see section 3.1 Supply and Demand.
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