Paper 116. State and federal geologists, who had been studying where all that water was coming from, announced grim findings. The proposed route of the pipeline crosses the eastern part of the Nebraska Sandhills; opponents of the route cite the risk to the Ogallala Aquifer posed by the possibility of contamination from spilled dilute bitumen. the Water Rights Frameworks of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Alabama, 20 inches during the past 120 years (1895-2015). Now the same place that nurtured generations of my family has one of the worlds highest rates of aquifer decline. This is the breadbasket of Americathe region that supplies at least one fifth of the total annual U.S. agricultural harvest. Oklahoma Panhandle Before European settlers arrived, the billion acres of grasses that blanketed the High Plains were home to pronghorn antelope and swift fox, lesser prairie chickens and burrowing owls as well as buffalo. This technique not only reduces soil erosion but also decreases evaporation and catches more blowing snow than bare ground. Figure 2 demonstrates Or they can prompt us to rethink our relationship to one another and to the irreplaceable natural resources that we share. Expect more of this". Dakota to Texas, the Ogallala aquifer is one of the largest aquifer systems in the In many locations, the aquifer is overlain, in the vadose zone, with a shallow layer of caliche that is practically impermeable; this limits the amount of water able to recharge the aquifer from the land surface. Many independent Plains farmers scrape by, break even, or lose money to grow irrigated crops. Thats been our goal.. are among the world's most unique ecosystems, and today are one of the least known and underappreciated resources to the High Plains' population. At first glance, farmers on the Plains appear to be doing well in 2020. The USGS has performed several studies of the aquifer, to determine what is coming in (groundwater recharge from the surface), what is leaving (water pumped out and baseflow to streams), and what the net changes in storage are (rise, fall or no change). Laurel-Wenonah aquifer. of water for many communities throughout the High Plains region. With their state and local counterparts, USGS officials began monitoring more than 7,000 wells to assess the annual water-level changes. Figure 3 provides a closer look at the changes in Ogallala aquifer water levels for February 2012. rates, resulting in higher energy costs and decreased revenue, as crop yields are The Panhandle region has a semi-arid climate with the average annual rainfall of about Recharge in the aquifer ranges from 0.024 inches (0.61mm) per year in parts of Texas and New Mexico to 6 inches (150mm) per year in south-central Kansas.[15]. [24] "Cumulative total groundwater depletion in the United States accelerated in the late 1940s and continued at an almost steady linear rate through the end of the century. Subsidies for crops are generally higher than subsidies for grassland conservation, making the choice simple for most growers. SNAP payments, which increase needy families food budgets, are an important tool for addressing poverty. The Ogallala Aquifer occupies the High Plains of the United States, extending northward from western Texas to South Dakota. Derechos de autor 20102023, ASOCIACION THE CONVERSATION ESPAA. Satellite images taken in July 1976 (top) and July 2009 (bottom) show the changes [22], The depletion between 2001 and 2008, inclusive, is about 32% of the cumulative depletion during the entire 20th century. High Plains Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2013 and 2011-2013. The sensors are calibrated to measure leaf temperatures, allowing the plants themselves to tell computer-controlled irrigation equipment when they are thirsty. The Ogallala Aquifer, the vast underground reservoir that gives life to these fields, is disappearing. Currently, farmers receive deductions for declining groundwater levels and can write off depreciation on irrigation equipment. This is not true. Like Funk, they are starting to make plans for a time when the Ogallala will not meet their economic needs. The success of large-scale farming in areas that do not have adequate precipitation and do not always have perennial surface water for diversion has depended heavily on pumping groundwater for irrigation. The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States and is a major aquifer of Texas underlying much of the High Plains region. [5] The aquifer is at risk of over-extraction and pollution. Industrial-scale extraction of the aquifer did not begin until after World War II. Ogallala aquifer: Could critical water source run dry? [23] In the United States, the biggest users of water from aquifers include agricultural irrigation and oil and coal extraction. [40], U.S. President Barack Obama "initially rejected the Keystone XL pipeline in January 2012, saying he wanted more time for an environmental review. losses of water storage in parts of the Ogallala aquifer. For Funk in Garden City, it already has. There is great variation in the size of such aquifers, but a limited number of very . Although precipitation and river systems are recharging a few parts of the northern aquifer, in most places nature cannot keep up with human demands. According to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, water levels in Geodatabase Compilation of Hydrogeologic, Remote Producers have taken steps to reduce their reliance on irrigated water. The greater the turbulence, the more water plants need. The decline in the Ogallal water level has created numerous challenges for irrigated While it stretches across eight states, from South Dakota into Texas, a ma-jor portion lies in Nebraska. Figure 1. [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. satellite image. This sum includes money for lost exports from escalating trade wars, as well as COVID-19-related relief payments. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Publication E-1030. NIFA Impacts: Saving the Ogallala Aquifer, Supporting Farmers The Ogallala is recharged primarily by rainwater, but only about one inch of precipitation actually reaches the aquifer annually. The Ogallala Aquifer is a shallow water table aquifer. Funk is part of a small but steady movement away from groundwater dependence. Alluvial aquifers, which are shallower Acute scarcity drives the search for water underground. The destruction of playas by farmers and development decreases the available recharge area. In 2016, farmers in northwestern Kansas worked with their management district and voluntarily agreed to cut extraction; a study published the next year showed that they were able to make more money by pumping less water. What they found was alarming: yearly groundwater withdrawals quintupled between 1949 and 1974. The 654-mile pipeline he plans to build to El Paso would cost $2.1 billion. Freshwater saturated thickness averages 95 feet. water supply used for agricultural production across the U.S. [3]. Continued long-term use of the aquifer is "troublesome and in need of major reevaluation," according to the historian Paul H. Carlson, professor-emeritus from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. This poses a threat to the existence of many Plains communities, which have already been hit hard by the corporate takeover of farmland, declining populations, rising deaths from suicide and substance abuse, and racial and economic inequities. Aquifers do not die all at once. deeper parts of the aquifer the quality of water may degrade [2]. The state of Kansas set up groundwater management districts to allow communities in regions of heavy water use to decide their own futures. 2013. Agricultural Water Management | Managing the Ogallala - Managing the The Ogallala aquifer supplies more than 98 percent of total National Agricultural Statistics Service, the total harvested area of irrigated corn Ogallala Aquifer | Encyclopedia.com The most recent USGS publication estimates a drop in water level of about 15 feet, From the uplands to the west, rivers and streams cut channels in a generally west to east or southeast direction. Hydraulic conductivity, or the ability for a fluid (water) to move through porous material, ranges from 25 to 300 feet (7.6 to 91.4m) per day. [12] This trend can impact the future groundwater sustainability for portions of the aquifer. Part 1: Withdrawals Exceed Recharge. (sprinkler) irrigation. Please add such references to provide context and establish the relevance of any. In practice, it caused the opposite result. Today his community in southern Kansas, 180 miles west of Wichita, is one of the High Plains areas hardest hit by the aquifers decline. creeks (mainly the Beaver River and the upper Cimarron River) can have periods of 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. U.S. Geological Service Report. with other local groups. (1988). Regulations preventing unreasonable water use are not unconstitutional. Grain sorghum That news may ease resistance to change. Luckey, Richard R. and Becker, Mark F. 1999. U.S Geological Service Report. Local groups of stakeholders, such as the Oklahoma Panhandle The Ogallala aquifer, also known as the High Plains aquifer, is the primary source The February 2012 report of that investigation states no conflict of interest existed either in the selection of the contractor or in the preparation of the environmental impact statement. The massive underground water source feeds the middle third of the country but is disappearing fast. Ogallala Aquifer Initiative - Colorado | Natural Resources Conservation supply. [43] On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order[44] to revoke the permit[45] that was granted to TC Energy Corporation for the Keystone XL Pipeline (Phase 4). This current report seeks to evaluate the perceptions of water quality. Crop Circles in Kansas - NASA Earth Observatory A slow-moving crisis threatens the U.S. Central Plains, which grow a quarter of the nations crops. Certain wells are now required to have meters. But with water sales priced at more than $1,000 an acre-foot, profit is waiting to be had. "Geohydrology of the High Plains Aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming". Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer. Offering lower rates for equipment that reduces water use and withholding loans for standard, wasteful equipment could nudge farmers toward conservation. are so scarce, efforts to increase the life of this valuable resource should focus The Ogallala was first created from the late Miocene to early Pliocene age. Aquifers belong to everyone, and especially to future generations. 2014. Diesel-powered pumps replaced windmills, increasing output from a few gallons a minute to hundreds. Funk aims to capture every bit of the 18 inches of precipitation that fall on southwestern Kansas. 1976. The deposition of aquifer material dates back two to six million years, from the late Miocene to early Pliocene ages when the southern Rocky Mountains were still tectonically active. The new irrigation systems provided a Profit alone cannot justify eradication. in Texas County. wells being drilled every year in three counties of the Panhandle area. Underground, the regions lifeblood water is disappearing, placing one of the worlds major food-producing regions at risk. [20] In some places in the Texas Panhandle, the water table has been drained (dewatered). Additional programs should help support rural people and communities during their transition toward a sustainable relationship with their aquifers. Fact: KXL will Threaten the Ogallala Aquifer, Smaller oil pipeline to cross Ogallala Aquifer. The water-permented thickness of the Ogallala Aquifer ranges from a few feet to more than a 1,000 feet However, this growth Hydrogeology, water use, and simulation And once a national carbon market is established, farmers could sell credits for storing carbon in grassland soil. The challenge of the Ogallala is how to manage human demands on the layer of water that sprawls underneath parts of eight states from South Dakota to Texas. Areas like the Texas Panhandle and southwestern Kansas have created five-year period, 226, 95 and 31 new irrigation wells were drilled in Texas, Cimarron 2014. "TransCanada Proposes Second Oil Pipeline". Recognizing the need to slow aquifer loss, more farmers are speaking out and calling for state officials to impose transparent, fair limits. failed to increase incomes or improve education or health outcomes, repudiating federal jurisdiction over groundwater, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, deductions for declining groundwater levels, does not grant the legal right to waste water, Sign up for The Conversations newsletter. In Cimarron and western Texas counties, a younger Blue grama, green needle grass and other drought-resistant plants thrived in the short growing season. The data collected by USGS have The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. Ogallala Aquifer | Texas Water Development Board Reasons to hope might be found in Kansas, too. Many people on the Plains would like to save the aquifers and share some of this groundwater with future generations. In response to that concern, the Department of State's Office of the Inspector General conducted an investigation of the potential conflict of interest. and Beaver counties, respectively. In 1975 the overdraft equaled the flow of the Colorado River. If they irrigate less or not at all in years with low market prices, rules could allow more irrigation in better years. Such devices may not save dramatic amounts of water, but in West Texas, where the Ogallala is in rapid decline, they are critical. [6], The aquifer system supplies drinking water to 82% of the 2.3 million people (1990 census) who live within the boundaries of the High Plains study area.[7]. Texas farmers are worried one of the state's most precious water Yet far more groundwater is being pumped out than can be naturally replenished. A main challenge is the reductions in pumping But the miracle of new pumping technology was taking its toll below the prairie. the cumulative number of irrigation wells drilled in each of the four major Oklahoma Depending on yearly market fluctuations, the earnings from corn, alfalfa, and wheat may not cover the costs of production. Groundwater within the Ogallala generally flows from west to east at an average rate of a foot per day. While these initiatives are important, they havent stemmed the aquifers decline. U.S Geological Service Fact Sheet 081-00. have experienced significant declines in water levels, and consequently, increases water demand in the Oklahoma Panhandle and other sources (e.g. The Ogallala aquifer is one of the major aquifers in Oklahoma, underlying the Panhandle When it runs dry, the agriculture industry in Texas and the nation is in jeopardy. Much of the plains region is semiarid, with steady winds that hasten evaporation of surface water and precipitation. Discover world-changing science. Drought is common in the area, with The number of irrigation wells in West Texas alone exploded from 1,166 in 1937 to more than 66,000 in 1971. Saving the Ogallala Aquifer, supporting farmers - Morning Ag Clips The deeper reasons for aquifer loss are hard to pin down, often eluding explanation in the myths and slogans of todays partisan divides. Choosing to use water from one of the worlds largest aquifers rather than leaving it in the ground is not irresponsible, says Andrew Stone, executive director of the American Groundwater Trust in Concord, N.H. Like coal or natural gas, groundwater is a valuable resource. In a 2019 study of the regions 234 counties from 1980 to 2010, we found that larger irrigated acreage failed to increase incomes or improve education or health outcomes for residents. As our research has shown, the vast majority of farmers in the region want to save groundwater. At the same time, the long-term economic and social value of groundwater should be correctly calculated. there are approximately 230,000 acres of irrigated land in Cimarron, Texas and Beaver The Ogallala formation is the main rock unit of the High Plains Aquifer and is named after the town of Ogallala in southwestern Nebraska where the rock is exposed at the surface. By. Amending federal farm credit rates could also slow the treadmill. B. People were drilling wells, he says. When its gone, its gone, Funk says. The Ogallala aquifer, also known as the High Plains aquifer, is the primary source of water for many communities throughout the High Plains region. Where Is The Ogallala Aquifer? - WorldAtlas The $46.1-million Optima Lake dam in western Oklahoma was rendered useless when the dropping level of the aquifer drastically reduced flow of the Beaver River, the lake's intended source of water. Some of the nations largest meatpacking plants, mega-dairies, and ethanol factories have moved in. Figure 2. Federal farm subsidies, crop insurance, and conservation programs should be rebuilt with sustainable agriculture as the goal. Ogallala Aquifer | Nebraska Education on Location When one area goes dry, such businesses just move to another, while local residents are left to face the growing bills. Can it be conserved? The North Plains district first established limits on pumping in 2005 and tightened the regulations four years later. systems. Saleh Taghvaeian, R. Scott Frazier, Dustin Livingston, Garey Fox. in Texas County, 9 feet in Cimarron County and 4 feet in Beaver County over the same counties, requiring more than 290,000 acre-feet of water per year [9]. This does not always improve their income, but it does trap farmers in an irrational cycle of debt and waste, glut commodity markets, and drain the aquifers. The Ogallala Aquifer: When will the wells run dry? What then? Absentee owners control about 60 percent of the land around my familys farm. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Map of Pipelines and the Ogallala Aquifer, 2012, How Pipelines Make the Oil Market Work Their Networks, Operation and Regulation, Myth vs. As the largest freshwater aquifer in North America, and one of the largest in the world, the Ogallala supports approximately 30% of all crop and animal production in the United States (Dennehy 2000). Streamlined operations allow them to produce significantly greater yield using roughly the same amount of water needed four decades ago. HIGH PLAINS - The High Plains aquifer (which includes the Ogallala aquifer) underlies parts of eight States and has been . For Funk, the depressing data he took home from that Garden City meeting was transforming. High Plains farmers were blissfully unaware a generation ago that a dilemma was already unfolding. Within 50 years, the entire aquifer is expected be 70% depleted. by Jayme Lozano Carver June 20, 2023 5 AM Central Hunting, ecotourism and dude ranches are other potential sources of income from grasslands. What hangs in the balance is even more than the loss of livelihoods, communities, or an entire regions economyit is the character of who we want to be as a people.. and conservation [10]. [13] Many farmers in the Texas High Plains, which rely particularly on groundwater, are now turning away from irrigated agriculture as pumping costs have risen and as they have become aware of the hazards of overpumping.[14]. A closer look at the change in the Ogallala aquifer water level from predevelopment Now it, and a way of life, are being drained away. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. Mt. That could require up to 120 billion additional gallons of Ogallala water annually, according to a report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). [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. The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States. This is a tough group of people, says Hardberger, whose grandfather raised cotton near Lubbock, Tex. During the next 33 years, most of irrigated fields switched to center-pivot These crops are typically not as lucrative as corn, but they are sustaining Funks family. the southern High Plains (Figure 1). been drilled into the Ogallala aquifer. These states are Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. The major irrigated crops are grain corn and wheat, More than half these native grasslands have been converted to crops, including nearly 25 million acres since 1982, according to a 2007 General Accounting Office study. Should I Buy (or Retain) Stockers to Graze Wheat Pasture? Authorities should establish benchmarks for reductions in groundwater use and be prepared to impose mandatory restrictions if those are not met. The period It underlies 175,000 square miles in eight states. With a liquid treasure below their feet and a global market eager for their products, farmers here and across the region have made a Faustian bargaingiving up long-term conservation for short-term gain. Yet even as these innovations move from experimental plots to production fields, improvements in efficiency may be offset by new demands on groundwater. "[20], The center-pivot irrigation system is considered to be a highly efficient system which helps conserve water. 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. As it can be observed, the majority of irrigated fields were And early attempts at farming were plagued by soil erosion and cycles of drought that culminated in the 1930s Dust Bowl. [20] One approach to reducing the amount of groundwater used is to employ treated recycled water for irrigation; another approach is to change to crops that require less water, such as sunflowers.[21]. When groundwater runs out, myths of growth and profit collapse into dust. 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. geographic areas where groundwater has declined. The Ogallala Aquifer (oh-guh-LAH-lah) is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. Although precipitation in Nebraska at the northern end of the aquifer will likely increase, scientists predict the southern parts of the region will get even less than the 16 inches of annual precipitation they now receive. Federal subsidies increased by a remarkable 65% this year, totaling $37.2 billion. Its deepest part is 1200 ft. (300m) and is generally greater in the Northern Plains. Data obtained from [6]. No matter how efficiently they use it, they know the groundwater will eventually be goneleaving them, their communities, and most of the region high and dry. to meet demands. GARDEN CITY, Kan.A century after the Dust Bowl, another environmental catastrophe is coming to the High Plains of western Kansas. 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. Now with his latest purchase in Mullen, Neb., Turner also has access to the Ogallala Aquifer -- the world's largest underground water system. Great Plains Clip: Phalarope, Prairie Potholes, and Ogallala Aquifer. Several federal government programs provide economic incentives for conservation of existing grasslandsrecognizing their role in reducing erosion, sequestering carbon, and providing habitat for the lesser prairie chicken and other endangered species. Professor of Sociology and Professor of Geography and Geospatial Sciences, Kansas State University, Associate Professor of Law, Washburn University, PhD Student in Sociology, Kansas State University. To capitalize on economic opportunities, landowners are knowingly mining a finite resource. If spread across the U.S. the aquifer would cover all 50 states with 1.5 feet of water, If drained, it would take more than 6,000 years to refill naturally, More than 90 percent of the water pumped is used to irrigate crops, $20 billion a year in foodand fiber depend on the aquifer. under flood irrigation in 1976, with only a few center-pivot systems present in the At places, the water table was measured to drop more than 5ft (1.5m) per year at the time of maximum extraction. The Ogallala Aquifer is one of the world's largest fresh groundwater resources. An annual $3.6-million congressional appropriation supports the research, ranging from irrigation techniques and precipitation management to animal feedlot operations. 50 feet in Cimarron County since predevelopment. Gustavson, T. C, Winkler, D. A. $7 billion in crop sales [1]. It has been down there for at least three million years, percolating slowly in a saturated gravel bed that varies from more than 1,000 feet thick in the North to a few feet in the Southwest.

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