Water consumption in Dutch agriculture and horticulture, 1991-1999
| Unit | 1991 | 1992 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | ||
| Irrigation1) | |||||||||
| Irrigated area | 1,000 ha | . | 271 | 322 | 309 | 185 | 123 | 161 | |
| Water consumption per hectare | m3/ha | . | 680 | 810 | 745 | 485 | 430 | 470 | |
| Total water consumption | million m3 | . | 184 | 260 | 230 | 90 | 53 | 76 | |
| of which | groundwater | million m3 | . | 131 | 174 | 140 | 72 | 40 | 54 |
| surface water | million m3 | . | 53 | 50 | 67 | 11 | 9 | 15 | |
| groundwater and surface water | million m3 | . | . | 37 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 7 | |
| Drinking water | |||||||||
| Total water consumption | million m3 | 96 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 67 | 60 | 57 | |
| Water consumption per farm | |||||||||
| of which | agriculture | m3/farm | 1 130 | 1 140 | 1 030 | 1 010 | 880 | 845 | 830 |
| horticulture | m3/farm | 1 840 | 1 800 | 1 060 | 890 | 710 | 505 | 685 | |
| Source: Bedrijven informatienet van LEI. | RIVM/EDC/Oct02 | ||||||||
| 1) Excluding horticulture. | |||||||||
Developments in water consumption for irrigation
Irrigation is used when the water in the soil is not sufficiently supplemented by precipitation or from deeper groundwater. The fall in water consumption in 1997 and subsequent years can be attributed to the wet growing season.
Irrigation is used for grassland, arable farming (potatoes, sugar beet and green maize), open-land horticulture and horticulture under glass. Water is also used for cleaning purposes and as drinking water for farm animals.
