Farming in the El Paso Valley depends entirely on irrigation from the Rio Grande. Average rainfall is about 8 inches a year against a 248 day growing season, so the Rio Grande Project sets the entire calendar. That project supplies 69,010 acres of water right lands in Texas, all inside El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, which moves water through more than 350 miles of canals and laterals to over 2,205 turnouts.
Pecan orchards cover more than 17,000 acres in the county, making it one of the leading pecan counties in Texas, and sales of fruits, tree nuts, and berries ranked third in the state in 2022. Cotton, alfalfa, chiles, wheat, milo, and vegetables round out the mix across 581 farms. Storage sits 140 miles upstream at Elephant Butte, and short years bite hard: for 2026, releases began May 29 and growers faced roughly 15 to 18 inches of water against a normal full season of 36.
Agnomy connects El Paso-area growers with verified local service providers who understand Rio Grande Project allocations, laser leveling and flood irrigation, and pecan orchard work, making it easier to find, book, and manage the services your operation depends on.
