Watering in the Desert?

I started coming to the desert to help my father age in place about 15 years ago. I have noticed that both commercial agriculture and home gardeners use overhead irrigation. Lots of plants do not enjoy being watered that way. In addition it's hard water and it doesn't take long to coat the leaves and leave unsightly stains. By the end of summer they look awful and perform badly. Is there a reason why people don't use soaker hoses? It's also concerning, at a time when water is more precious, to see hundreds and hundreds of acres being watered overhead with big equipment. I drive past farm after farm watching the spray mist going straight up into the air. Not to mention that, they do this on windy 100° degree days so most of that water evaporates before it ever hits the ground. Am I missing something? They can put a man on the moon but we are still watering as if water was an infinite resource?

PS I 'm in Eastern Washington near the Snake River. Zones 7a/7b.