Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring released the final study looking at the economic contribution of irrigation and drainage for North Dakota. This study shows that North Dakota has cumulatively lost almost $40 billion in economic activity due to lack of federally promised irrigation development. That number was almost $422 million in 2024 alone.
On the drainage side, legal drains in just twelve North Dakota counties contribute almost $90 million per year to the economy of the state. That number is almost $17 million per year in Cass County alone.
Thank you to the Legislature, Agriculture Commissioner, and many industry partners for their contribution to the completion of this important study. The full study and highlight pamphlet can be found on the North Dakota Irrigation Association’s website.