The Great Plains and Prairies

Irrigation and Water

Irrigation makes agriculture possible in areas that were previously not suitable for crop production.  Less than 15% of U.S. cropland is irrigated, although irrigation is essential for crop production in some of the most productive areas of the country such as Illinois. In Illinois, home to some of the highest corn yields in the country (152 bushel per acre average for the state), much of the crops are under constant irrigation from the time they are planted until they are harvested.

The Department of Water Management is responsible for delivering almost 1 billion gallons of water to Chicago and 125 suburban communities each day through a network of purification plants, tunnels, pumping stations, water mains and many other structures. Raw water enters the crib about 2-miles out in the lake and is sent to one of two purification plants where the water is treated and impurities are removed. The water then flows to 12 pumping stations located throughout the city of Chicago and ultimately delivered to homes and business.

References

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/water.html

http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/cropirrigation.html

The Chicago Water Tower is the second-oldest water tower in the United States. Built in 1869 by architect William Boyington from limestone and is 154 feet tall.