County deep-dive · snapshot 2026-05-14

Merced County

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21,509

parcels scored

1.22M

acres covered

Elevated

dominant band

52%

acres in Elevated band or higher

Water context

Merced’s water profile

Merced spans the Merced, Chowchilla, and Delta-Mendota subbasins — the latter two with plans returned to DWR. Merced ID surface water anchors the eastern county; the western edge runs on Delta-Mendota Canal deliveries and supplemental groundwater that swing year to year.

Risk distribution

Acres by band

Merced’s farmable acreage broken down across the five risk bands.

Low

22k ac · 1.8%

Moderate

561k ac · 46.1%

Elevated

562k ac · 46.1%

High

73k ac · 6.0%

Severe

276 ac · 0.0%

What is grown

Top crop classes in Merced

Sourced from California Department of Water Resources Land IQ and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cropland Data Layer.

Annuals — low water (wheat, sorghum)

371k acres

Permanent — high water (almonds, walnuts, pistachios)

289k acres

Annuals — medium water (tomatoes, melons, vegetables)

211k acres

Vineyards

21k acres

Plus 309k acres classified as fallow or non-cropped — rangeland, dry-farmed acreage, and undeveloped agricultural parcels not in active production.

View Merced on the map →