The Ogallala Aquifer underlies approximately 225,000 square miles in the Great Plains region, particularly in the High Plains of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska. Federal subsidies increased by a remarkable 65% this year, totaling $37.2 billion. Many people on the Plains would like to save the aquifers and share some of this groundwater with future generations. Aquifers are not underground lakes or oceans, but complex mosaics of sediment, fluid, and movement. rates, resulting in higher energy costs and decreased revenue, as crop yields are We have optimistic locations. And they may help us begin to value aquifers for what they are: precious national treasures that deserve our protection, stewardship, and care. It underlies 175,000 square miles in eight states. In the 21st century, recognition of the significance of the aquifer has led to increased coverage from regional and international journalists.[16][17][18][19]. The sensors are calibrated to measure leaf temperatures, allowing the plants themselves to tell computer-controlled irrigation equipment when they are thirsty. The aquifer is part of the High Plains Aquifer System, and resides in the Ogallala Formation, which is the principal geologic unit underlying 80% of the High Plains. The Ogallala aquifer, also known as the High Plains aquifer, is the primary source The North Plains district first established limits on pumping in 2005 and tightened the regulations four years later. Evapotranspiration is another way plants can communicate with high-tech irrigation systems. of their efforts is the development of the Panhandle Regional Water Plan in collaboration Currently, farmers receive deductions for declining groundwater levels and can write off depreciation on irrigation equipment. However, by 2013, as the water consumption efficiency of the center-pivot irrigator improved over the years, farmers chose to plant more intensively, irrigate more land, and grow thirstier crops rather than reduce water consumption--an example of the Jevons Paradox in practice. These losses are papered over by federal farm subsidies, crop insurance programs, and bank loans, aid that compels farmers to double down on wasteful practices. The community of water users needs to figure this out, he adds. Ogallala Water CAP Project The Ogallala Aquifer, one of the largest freshwater aquifers in the world, supports 30% of U.S. crop and animal production, increases agricultural production by more than $12 billion annually, and impacts global food supplies. [25], During the 1990s, the aquifer held some three billion acre-feet of groundwater used for crop irrigation as well as drinking water in urban areas. Corporate profiteering is a major driver of depletion. [12] Human and natural processes over the past 60 to 70 years, including irrigation density, climate, and nitrogen applications, have caused higher concentrations of contaminants including nitrates. and July of 2009 over the city of Guymon and its surrounding area. Blue grama, green needle grass and other drought-resistant plants thrived in the short growing season. from 2010 to 2015 was characterized by a major drought in the region. In extreme cases, the deepening of wells was required to reach the steadily falling water table. U.S Geological Service Report. The sediments of the Ogallala formation date largely to . Diesel-powered pumps replaced windmills, increasing output from a few gallons a minute to hundreds. Both mechanisms reduce the amount of recharge water that reaches the water table. Still, losses to the aquifer between 2001 and 2011 equated to a third of its cumulative depletion during the entire 20th century. They said its geologic water. decreased due to not meeting the full crop water requirement or planting a smaller As a result, Congress directed Everyoneincluding small farmers, growing cities, and giant agribusinessesshould be held to the same standards of sustainability and pay for what they use. when averaged over the entire Ogallala area [6]. Environment The Ogallala Aquifer: Saving a Vital U.S. Water Source The massive underground water source feeds the middle third of the country but is disappearing fast. United States Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors Office of Inspector General Office of Audits. Some consequences of aquifer loss are already visible in western Kansas, where I grew up and where my family has farmed for generations. "Water quality in the High Plains Aquifer, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming". Irrigating wheat in western Kansas with mobile drip saves 30-60% compared to conventional sprinkler irrigation. [48] The local non-profit organization Ogallala Commons, named for the aquifer itself, which not only collaborates and supports the local communicates, also works to conserve the Ogallala Aquifer and the surrounding area. Hydrogeology, water use, and simulation Leaving crop residue in the field can reduce moisture loss by the equivalent of an inch or more of rainfall annually, scientists say. geographic areas where groundwater has declined. In the eastern part of the Oklahoma Panhandle, Logan Layden, "If you Want to Build a New Lake in Oklahoma, Forget History", March 28, 2013, StateImpact Oklahoma. Haunting Photos Show Life During the 1930s Dust Bowl - Business Insider Ogallala aquifer: Could critical water source run dry? But farmers are pulling water out of the Ogallala faster than rain and snow can recharge it. [37], As the lead agency in the transboundary pipeline project, the U.S. State Department commissioned an environmental-impact assessment as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Texas farmers are worried one of the state's most precious water Geology, 16(3), 203206. GARDEN CITY, Kan.A century after the Dust Bowl, another environmental catastrophe is coming to the High Plains of western Kansas. [11] Water quality within the Ogallala varies with the highest quality for drinking and irrigation in the northern region while the southern region had the poorest. More than 30% of freshwater is held in underground aquifers. Growing populations throughout the Great Plains region are also demanding more municipal water from the only available source: the aquifer. Other [48], .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}365926N 1012652W / 36.99056N 101.44778W / 36.99056; -101.44778, such as review articles, monographs, or textbooks. We hope so, he says. Map of Pipelines and the Ogallala Aquifer, 2012, How Pipelines Make the Oil Market Work Their Networks, Operation and Regulation, Myth vs. Others point to farmers, since irrigation accounts for 90% of Ogallala groundwater withdrawals. and pumping rates within their boundaries to ensure long-term groundwater protection Using these precedents, state water agencies could designate thirsty crops, such as rice, cotton or corn, as wasteful in certain regions. In addition, as the Ogallala level decline and water is being extracted from Offering lower rates for equipment that reduces water use and withholding loans for standard, wasteful equipment could nudge farmers toward conservation. [40], U.S. President Barack Obama "initially rejected the Keystone XL pipeline in January 2012, saying he wanted more time for an environmental review. As mentioned before, Texas County shows largest declines in water levels, Subsidies for crops are generally higher than subsidies for grassland conservation, making the choice simple for most growers. However, the change in water level The USGS estimated that total water storage was about 2,925,000,000 acre-feet (3,608km3) in 2005. Their profits are exported to shareholders and managers far away. They are leaving more space between plants, a technique that retains moisture for a longer period of time. Their goal is to reduce the amount of water corn crops require by at least 10 percent, says Wenwei Xu, a research scientist at Texas A&M. Topic overview - Ogallala Water The Ogallala Aquifer: Saving a Vital U.S. Water Source one out of every six years having received less than 16 inches of rainfall during Because these robotic irrigation systems apply water only when it is needed, in test fields they are saving two inches per crop per season, Clark says. [4] Today about 27% of the irrigated land in the entire United States lies over the aquifer, which yields about 30% of the ground water used for irrigation in the United States. This story appears in the August 2016 issue of National Geographic magazine . U.S. Geological Service Report. In Kansas, Day Zero the day wells run dry has arrived for about 30% of the aquifer. But with water sales priced at more than $1,000 an acre-foot, profit is waiting to be had. The Panhandle region has a semi-arid climate with the average annual rainfall of about They will need help from policymakers to do it. Between 1900 and 2008 they drained some 89 trillion gallons from the aquifer equivalent to two-thirds of Lake Erie. The deeper reasons for aquifer loss are hard to pin down, often eluding explanation in the myths and slogans of todays partisan divides. Many of the world's most important food-producing regions depend on freshwater from massive underground aquifers that have built up over thousands of years. Often referred to as tap water drinking water from public water systems is an important resource. B. Major aquifers - The World Factbook As one of the world's largest aquifers, it underlies an area of approximately 174,000sqmi (450,000km2) in portions of eight states (South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas). The center-pivot irrigator was described as the "villain"[20] in a 2013 New York Times article, "Wells Dry, Fertile Plains Turn to Dust" recounting the relentless decline of parts of the Ogallala Aquifer. The water flowing underneath is as good as gold for farmers in the region, serving as a lifeline in years when drought . 85 percent of the total water demand in the region and is expected to increase to Aquifer use must be sustainable. The Ogallala was first created from the late Miocene to early Pliocene age. This requires a close collaboration between stakeholders, state/federal However, the soil of the playa lakes is different and not lined with caliche, making these some of the few areas where the aquifer can recharge. Native American tribes who used the open plains for seasonal hunting retreated to river valleys to pitch their tents. Citizens are mobilizing for inclusion into conservation districts. It is a unique opportunity to find a better way ahead. Groundwater depletion is a policy choice made by federal, state and local officials. Ogallala Aquifer Initiative - Colorado | Natural Resources Conservation in pumping costs. The Ogallala, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is one of the largest underground freshwater sources in the world. major Panhandle reservoir, does not sustain water. Today, only those who own at least 40 acres of land or substantial water rights can vote on aquifer policy, which means the people allowed to decide the fate of the Ogallala Aquifer include the same producers and corporations that reap the most short-term benefits from draining it. The decline in the Ogallal water level has created numerous challenges for irrigated Subsidies support this cycle. The laser equipment will eventually estimate daily evapotranspiration rates on a regional scale. Reasons to hope might be found in Kansas, too. Irrigation pump in Haskell County, Kansas. Since the predevelopment period (prior to 1950), about 3,000 irrigation wells have Forty years is long enough to learn that the Ogallala Aquifers decline is not driven by weather or by individual farmers preferences. streams) contribute less than 2 percent [9]. Read: The west can end the water wars now. the Ogallala formation often sits directly on top of consolidated sediments, which Its water supports US$35 billion in crop production each year. the cumulative number of irrigation wells drilled in each of the four major Oklahoma Stretching from South Dakota to Texas, the Ogallala aquifer is one of the largest aquifer systems in the U.S. wells being drilled every year in three counties of the Panhandle area. The Declining Ogallala Aquifer and the Future Role of - ScienceDirect Groundwater use in the United States | American Geosciences Institute
