The average annual runoff varies from about 0.2 inches in the west to 1.1 inches in the east. The economy of the basin is very dependent on agriculture. Crops grown include wheat, corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, forage sorghum and alfalfa. Livestock production is an important phase of the area agriculture. Beef cattle are the predominant livestock production in the basin.
Irrigation is widespread and extremely important to the area's economics.
About 20 percent of the cropland area is irrigated. All or parts of six of the county in the basin are covered by Northwest Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 4. This is a highly important water management force in the basin. Oil has been produced in the basin in commercial quantities since 1951, and oil fields of economic importance are present in Decatur, Norton, Phillips, Rawlins and Sherman counties.