With new groundwater regulations rolling out in parts of Nebraska, many are asking: how will these policies affect the value of farmland? Ag economists from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute looked to the past for answers — analyzing 15-plus years of land sales across Nebraska. Their key finding: groundwater allocations had no measurable impact on land values, and even well moratoria didn’t affect prices for land already equipped for irrigation. However, moratoria did reduce the value of nearby dryland acres by about 9%. The study offers important insight into which water policies may protect both the aquifer and farm equity.
June 10, 2025
This map depicts the evolution of groundwater allocations/quotas in Nebraska. Did you know Nebraska's groundwater regulations can reduce the value of nearby dryland — but not irrigated land? A new study explains why — and what it means for future water policy.
Graphic courtesy Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute
