| Historical Annual Crop Production and Livestock Numbers in Whatcom County and Average Annual Water Demands by Crop and Livestock |
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The following table lists the total annual crop harvest (in acres) and the number of livestock for Whatcom County from 1989 through 1998. All crop acreages and livestock heads are taken from the Washington Agricultural Statistics Service annual reports (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999). Beginning with the 1994 mink pelt total, the total head of mink for Pierce and Whatcom Counties were combined for reporting purposes so Whatcom County mink numbers are estimated as noted below. The percentage of acres irrigated and the average annual irrigation water demands for individual crops are from the Whatcom County Agriculture Preservation Committee (1994) who used the method outlined by James and others (1988) to calculate the water demand. The livestock average water demands were estimated from information gathered by the Subcommittee on Water Use Information (written commun., 1992). Irrigation water demand is defined as the consumptive water need of the crop minus water naturally available in the soil.
Provisional, subject to revision, last modified January 31, 2000.
Annual crop harvest (in acres) in Whatcom County, 1989-1998
| Crop type | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | Estimated average percentage of acres irrigated annually | Estimated average annual irrigation water demand (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silage corn | 9,000 | 8,500 | 9,400 | 9,300 | 8,000 | 10,000 | 12,000 | 13,500 | 15,500 | 17,600 | 50 | 2.71 |
| Potatoes | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,300 | 1,300 | 1,600 | 1,600 | 1,500 | 1,600 | 1,600 | 2,400 | 90 | 7.87 |
| Alfalfa hay | 2,600 | 1,600 | 1,700 | 1,200 | 3,200 | 3,000 | 3,500 | 3,600 | 700 | 800 | 25 | 2.77 |
| Other hay | 30,600 | 25,100 | 28,000 | 26,000 | 25,000 | 22,300 | 19,000 | 21,800 | 18,100 | 16,000 | 60 | 12.92 |
| Blueberries | 320 | 300 | 350 | 480 | 490 | 520 | 520 | 480 | 470 | 450 | 100 | 14.27 |
| Red raspberries | 2,210 | 2,500 | 3,400 | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,800 | 3,900 | 4,200 | 5,700 | 6,000 | 100 | 15.33 |
| Strawberries | 400 | 450 | 250 | 350 | 480 | 450 | 420 | 420 | 400 | 390 | 100 | 0.57 |
| Carrots | 600 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 250 | 250 | 200 | 200 | 100 | 4.43 |
| Green peas | 5,000 | 4,900 | 2,600 | 2,900 | 1,500 | 2,400 | 2,600 | 1,800 | 0 | 700 | 25 | 4.29 |
| Winter wheat | 800 | 800 | 1,000 | 500 | 1,600 | 1,900 | 1,000 | 1,900 | 600 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Annual number of livestock in Whatcom County, 1989-1998
| Livestock type | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | Average water demand (gallons per day per head) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle & calves (total) | 110,000 | 121,000 | 123,000 | 124,000 | 121,000 | 124,000 | 117,000 | 114,500 | 115,000 | 115,000 | see subtotals |
| Beef cows (subtotal) | 6,400 | 6,700 | 6,900 | 7,000 | 6,800 | 6,500 | 6,000 | 5,500 | 5,000 | not reported | 28.5 |
| Milk cows (subtotal) | 54,400 | 56,400 | 59,300 | 60,000 | 63,600 | 65,100 | 65,700 | 67,600 | 67,700 | 64,900 | 63.5 |
| Hogs & pigs | 1,800 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 600 | 300 | 100 | 200 | 100 | 300 | 300 | 2.7 |
| Sheep & lambs | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 400 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 700 | not reported | 1.3 |
| Chickens | 2,798,000 | 1,805,000 | 1,870,000 | 2,580,000 | 2,600,000 | 3,100,000 | 2,500,000 | 2,700,000 | 2,600,000 | not reported | 0.04 |
| Mink (breeding) | 6,300 | 5,500 | 5,700 | 5,000 | 5,500 | 5,600 | 3,500* | 3,750* | 4,600* | 4,700* | 0.01 |
| Mink (pelts) | 22,500 | 20,300 | 20,500 | 21,100 | 17,800 | 17,650* | 13,500* | 17,050* | 18,700* | 20,900* | 0.01 |
*Value estimated as half the total for Pierce and Whatcom Counties
References cited:
James, L.G., Erpenbeck, J.M., Bassett, D.L., and Middleton, J.E., 1988, Irrigation requirements for Washington-estimates and methodology: Washington State University Extension Bulletin 1513, 37 p.
Washington Agricultural Statistics Service, 1991, Washington Agricultural Statistics 1990-1991 annual report: Washington Agricultural Statistics Service, Olympia, WA, 140 p.
_____, 1993, Washington Agricultural Statistics 1992-1993 annual report: Washington Agricultural Statistics Service, Olympia, WA, 122 p.
_____, 1995, Washington Agricultural Statistics 1994-1995 annual report: Washington Agricultural Statistics Service, Olympia, WA, 123 p.
_____, 1997, Washington Agricultural Statistics 1996-1997 annual report: Washington Agricultural Statistics Service, Olympia, WA, 135 p.
_____, 1999, Washington Agricultural Statistics 1998-1999 annual report: Washington Agricultural Statistics Service webpage www.nass.usda.gov/wa/homepage.htm
Whatcom County Agriculture Preservation Committee and Whatcom Farm Bureau, 1994, Whatcom Farm Report, v. 1, no. 3, 8 p.