Combining estimates of applied irrigation water, determined for selected sample sites, with information on irrigated acreage provides one alternative for developing areal estimates of groundwater pumpage for irrigation. The reliability of this approach was evaluated by comparing estimated pumpage with metered pumpage for two years for a three-county area in southwestern Nebraska. Meters on all irrigation wells in the three counties provided a complete data set for evaluation of equipment and comparison with pumpage estimates. Regression analyses were conducted on discharge, time-of-operation, and pumpage data collected at 52 irrigation sites in 1983 and at 57 irrigation sites in 1984 using data from inline flowmeters as the independent variable. The standard error of the estimate for regression analysis of discharge measurements made using a portable flowmeter was 6.8% of the mean discharge metered by inline flowmeters. The standard error of the estimate for regression analysis of time of operation determined from electric meters was 8.1% of the mean time of operation determined from in-line and 15.1% for engine-hour meters. Sampled pumpage, calculated by multiplying the average discharge obtained from the portable flowmeter by the time of operation obtained from energy or hour meters, was compared with metered pumpage from in-line flowmeters at sample sites. The standard error of the estimate for the regression analysis of sampled pumpage was 10.3% of the mean of the metered pumpage for 1983 and 1984 combined. The difference in the mean of the sampled pumpage and the mean of the metered pumpage was only 1.8% for 1983 and 2.3% for 1984. Estimated pumpage, for each county and for the study area, was calculated by multiplying application (sampled pumpage divided by irrigated acreages at sample sites) by irrigated acreage compiled from Landsat (Land satellite) imagery. Estimated pumpage was compared with total metered pumpage for each county and the study area. Estimated pumpage by county varied from 9% less, to 20% more, than metered pumpage in 1983 and from 0 to 15% more than metered pumpage in 1984. Estimated pumpage for the study area was 11 % more than metered pumpage in 1983 and 5% more than metered pumpage in 1984. (Author 's abstract)