Ogallal part 1 southwest kansas groundwater management district. High plains ogallala aquifer study quay county new mexico. The disappearing ogallala aquifer rapid climate change. Download full high plains ogallala aquifer study lea county new mexico book or read online anytime anywhere, available in pdf, epub and kindle. The declaration of the covid19 viral disease as a pandemic by the world health organization and the increasing number of institutional travel restrictions related to covid19 has prompted postponement of the.
The extent of the high plains aquifer covers 174,000 square miles in eight states. Groundwater pumped from the ogallala aquifer the principal formation of the high plains aquifer system has transformed the region from a dustbowl to an agricultural powerhouse. The ogallala aquifer students investigate a regional issue as they adopt the roles of shareholders and debate solutions to the depletion of north americas largest aquifer. Ogallala aquifer, ogallala formation, ogallala, nebraska, oglala lakota. The entire system underlies about 450,000 square kilometers 174,000 square miles of eight states. Each generation has the usufruct of earth during the period of its continuance. Thus far, every effort in kansas has received free information. It supplies groundwater used for the irrigation of about 30% of all the food produced in the united states and in some areas, is projected to be depleted beyond use by the year 2040. All that can be said in favor of the rule of capture is that it leaves the market free.
In 20, nrcs prepared an anlysis of reduced water withdrawals resulting from agency program contracts in the ogallala. In 1990, the ogallala aquifer in the eightstate area of the great plains contained 3. Ogallala aquifer summit in amarillo postponed amid covid19 concerns. Optimal groundwater mining in the ogallala aquifer core. The ogallala aquifer, also known as the high plains aquifer, is the primary source of water for many communities throughout the high plains region. The dynamic, interactive event will focus on encouraging exchange among participants. The aquifer averages 200 feet of saturated thickness, ranging from less than one foot to 1,300 feet depending on the location.
The ogallala aquifer in the united states is at risk of depletion. Much of the eastern boundary of new mexico is underlain by the aquifer. The ogallala, or high plains, aquifer is a porous body of complex sediments and sedimentary rock formations that conducts groundwater and yields significant quantities of water to wells and springs. Colorado, kansas, nebraska, new mexico, oklahoma, south dakota, texas, and wyoming. Water measurements hpwd field technician supervisor keith whitworth makes a water level measurement in one of the 1,345 privatelyowned. The ogallala1 aquifer also known as the high plains aquifer is now facing declining water levels and deteriorating water quality. Keys abstract four recharge tests were conducted by injecting water from playa lakes through wells into the ogallala formation.
Estimated saturated thickness of the combined quaternary unconsolidated deposit, ogallala, and arikaree aquifers, and white river aquiferconfining unit in the. The formation process began when gravel and sand from the rocky mountains was eroded by rain and washed downstream. The ogallala aquifer is being depleted at a rapid speed. Aug 26, 2020 the primary waterbearing unit in this high plains aquifer is the miocene age ogallala formation. If pumped out over the united states, the aquifer would cover all 50 states with one and onehalf feet of water. As groundwater levels continue to decline in the ogallala aquifer, stakeholders, policymakers, and producers encourage the adoption of new irrigation technology in an effort to conserve groundwater, extend the economic life of the aquifer, and enhance profitability. Water measurements hpwd field technician supervisor keith whitworth makes a water level measurement in one of the 1,345 privatelyowned wells in the districts observation well program. Feb 17, 2020 the 2020 ogallala aquifer summit will take place in amarillo, texas, from march 31 to april 1, bringing together water management leaders from all eight ogallala region states. Farmers are depleting the ogallala aquifer because the. The average saturated thickness of the ogallala edwardstrinity high plains aquifer within the district is 55 feet 20192020. Download full high plains ogallala aquifer study quay county new mexico book or read online anytime anywhere, available in pdf, epub and kindle. The high plains aquifer is a network of waterbearing rock that extends into eight states. Ogallala aquifer the kerr center for sustainable agriculture. The current community of water users will necessarily manage the transition to a lesswidespread and lessproductive aquifer in the next decade.
Ogallala aquifer initiative in the states converting from. Dissolved nickel content below and above the primary mcl of 100 microgramsliter in wells sampled in the ogallala aquifer from 1994 1997. This aquifer, a major source of water for agricultural, municipal and industrial development on the high plains, is being depleted as withdrawals exceed recharge. Now, in a semiarid climate where rainfall is minimal, the rate of recharge of the ogallala is negligible at less than an inch per year. As a whole, if the average annual decline rates in the ogallala aquifer. The ogallala aquifer crisis is uniquely american, with global consequences. The southern ogallala region is defined in this study as the 97,000 square miles of the aquifer from the northern border of kansas to just north of the midlandodessa area of texas fig.
A recent nrcs study reported that conservation practices used over the past four years reduced water withdrawals from the ogallala aquifer by at least 1. When it ceases to exist, the usufruct passes on to the succeeding generation, free and unencumbered, and so on, succes sively, from one generation to another forever. Abstract the ogallala aquifer program oap was created in 2003 with support. William ashworth, an environmental historian and prolific writer, grips our attention in lyrical yet urgent terms in ogallala blue. Projected wells yields from the ogallala aquifer for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 at and adjacent to pantex projected pumping lifts from the ogallala aquifer for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 at and adjacent to pantex projected annual rate of waterlevel decline in the ogallala aquifer for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 at and. In fact, since the introduction of large scale irrigation in the 1940s, water levels in the ogallala aquifer have declined over 100 feet in many parts, according to the water encyclopedia. Up to 700 feet thick in some areas, this formation contains poorly sorted silts, sands, and gravels. Those sediments soaked up water from rain and melted snow forming a spongelike structure. Farmers in kansas and other states that sit atop the ogallala aquifer the largest freshwater aquifer in north america are pumping out water for crop irri. The ogallala aquifer ohguhlahluh is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel located beneath the great plains in the united states. Jan 25, 2021 the virtual ogallala summit will be february 2425, from 8 a. The ogallala aquifer initiative is helping farmers in colorado improve the ef. Nov 11, 2020 the ogallala high plains aquifer is one of the worlds largest groundwater sources, extending from south dakota down through the texas panhandle across portions of eight states.
More than 90% of the water pumped from the ogallala irrigates at least one fifth of all u. Perceptions of drought in the ogallala aquifer region jonathan g. High plains aquifer system and ogallala aquifer models. The aquife r is depleted in parts of northern texas and west central kansas. At one time, when rainfall was plentiful on the high plains, the excess surface water recharged the aquifer. Injection was by gravity flow and by pumping under pressure. The response to dewatering the ogallala aquifer in new mexico apparently cannot be left to future generations.
Saturation levels over the ogallala aquifer in 2050. This aquifer plays an important role in fulfilling the needs of the american people. Farmers of the ogallala aquifer region of the great plains in the western united. Click get books and find your favorite books in the online library. Effects of artificial recharge on the ogallala aquifer, texas usgs. Final conceptual model report for the high plains aquifer system. But farmers are pulling water out of the ogallala faster than rain and snow can recharge it. The impacts of the depletion of the ogallala aquifer on the economy of the southern high plains of texas were estimated by predicting future cropping patterns over a 30year time horizon as the. The ogallala aquifer is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay and gravel. The ogallala aquifer covers approximately 10,000 square miles from texas to the dakotas.
Updated waterquality evaluation of the ogallala aquifer. Ogallala aquifer summit white papers 31 pages, 9 papers. The system contains as much water as lake huron and is one of the planets largest sources of fresh water. The aquifer consists of sand, gravel, clay, and silt. The historically evolving impact of the ogallala aquifer. The ogallala aquifer is part of the high plains aquifer system which is reported to be the largest single source of irrigation water on the planet. Kansas, nebraska and texas share the high plains aquifer, the focus of this. The maps above show the saturated thickness vertical distance between the water table and the aquifer floor of the ogallala in 199697 and the water level changes between 1980 and 1997. The ogallala is the leading geologic formation in what is known as the high plains aquifer system. In 2012, the parts of the kansas region created local enhanced management areas, enforced by law, in which the goal is to reduce water use by 20% over a fiveyear period wise, 2015.
Ogallala aquifer virtual summit to engage stakeholders in. Sustainability free fulltext high plains aquiferstate of affairs of. Out of this, about 65% was located under nebraska, texas had about 12% of the water in storage or approximately 417 million acrefeet of water. The ogallala aquifer the ogallala aquifer occupies the high plains of the united states, extending northward from western texas to south dakota. The ogallala aquifer is a huge table of groundwater that covers portions of eight western states. Places we live activity 8 regional community issues. Ogallala aquifer north plains groundwater conservation district. The ogallala aquifer program began in 2004, when i was director of the ars cropping systems research laboratory in lubbock, texas, and my involvement continues, upchurch says. The ogallala aquifer initiative offers a combination of technical and. Since 2003, the ogallala aquifer program oap has provided permanent federal funding to a research consortium for numerous research projects on water conservation.
Article information, pdf download for perceptions of drought in the ogallala. Amazing facts about ogallala aquifer a knowledge archive. The southern portion of the ogallala aquifer is considered exhaustible due to the relatively low level of recharge when compared to the quantities of water pumped annually for agricultural production of cotton, corn, grain sorghum, wheat, and peanuts. The usda natural resources conservation service nrcs is committed to improving water conservation efforts through the ogallala aquifer initiative oai. The aquifer is like a bucket full of wet gravel with all. Recharging the ogallala aquifer is the goal for the texas playa conservation initiative txpci, a partnership of six organizations including texas parks and wildlife, playa lakes joint venture, u.
Agricultural and resource economics agricultural economics economics. Unlike actual lakes, the water lies just beneath the surface, visible in a. The ogallala aquifer, also known as the high plains aquifer, is one of americas greatest agricultural resources. It fits the mission of the lubbock and bushland labs perfectly, and it brings in university expertise in groundwater hydrology and economic analyses. The ogallala aquifer system is the largest known underground freshwater reservoir in the world. Updated waterquality evaluation of the ogallala aquifer including selected metallic and nonmetallic inorganic constituents november, 1998 by steven schriver and janie hopkins more than 700 wells completed in the ogallala aquifer were sampled from 1994 through 1997 as part of the twdbs systematic sampling of major and minor aquifers in texas. The ogallala is the largest freshwater aquifer in the world. The ogallala aquifer, sustaining life by william house. The ogallala aquifer lies beneath the great plains region of the united states, extending northward from western texas and new mexico to oklahoma, kansas, colorado, nebraska, and parts of wyoming and south dakota. Lying under parts of eight states in the arid, high plains region, this reservoir has supplied water to one of. Effects of artificial recharge on the ogallala aquifer, texas. The ogallala was formed by ancient runoff from the rocky mountains, trapped below the modern great plains, and it maintains distinct irregular boundaries that cut across modern soil groups and natural vegetation regions.
The great plains region produces approximately 45% of the national production of wheat, 25% of. This digital data set represents the extent of the high plains aquifer in the central united states. The neartotal dependence of the regional economy on the hpa makes it imperative. In kansas, the aquifer comprises three componentsthe ogallala aquifer, the great bend prairie aquifer. Groundwater depletion is a serious issue in the southern and central parts of the high plains aquifer hpa, usa. Fish and wildlife service, ducks unlimited and texan by nature txn. Unfortunately its water is being used faster than it is being replenished, and the result is predicted by many to be serious ecocentric pressure on the area in the not so distant future. Aquifer is a unique missiondriven nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering the best health care education through collaborative development and research into innovative, highimpact virtual teaching and learning methods. Ogallala aquifer initiative natural resources conservation service. Through panels and facilitated workshops, participants will discuss and identify actionable activities and priorities that could benefit producers, communities, and this critical groundwater resource. The ogallala aquifer ohguhlahlah is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt.
Producers in kansas are using the ogallala aquifer initiative to replace. High plains ogallala aquifer study lea county new mexico. The ogallala aquifer was formed over twenty million years ago. Artificial aquifer recharge in the colorado portion of the ogallala. Study two evaluates the economic feasibility of one such technology. Create free account to access unlimited books, fast download and ads free. Stretching from south da kota to texas, the ogallala aquifer is one of the largest aquifer systems in the u. One of the worlds largest aquifers, it underlies an area of approximately 174,000 sq mi 450,000 km 2 in portions of eight states south dakota, nebraska, wyoming, colorado, kansas, oklahoma, new mexico, and texas. The underground ogallala aquifer, also known as the high plains aquifer, once held as much water as lake huron three billion acrefeet. Pdf high plains ogallala aquifer study lea county new. The ogallala was first discovered in the 1890s, but it remained mainly inaccessible. Another pressing issue that makes the ogallala aquifer a wicked problem is the conflicting laws seen in governance of the ogallala aquifer. The value of ogallala aquifer water in southwest kansas. Resources for places we live activity 8 regional community issues.
Initially, farmers mistakenly thought the supply was free and infinite. The southern portion of the ogallala aquifer is considered exhaustible due to the relatively low level of recharge when compared to the quantities of water pumped annually for. Jan 04, 2003 the ogallala is the largest freshwater aquifer in the world. Using less water can help save the ogallala aquifer. Clay minerals are less resistive than quartz or calcite because of free electric. High plains states groundwater demonstration program. Department of agriculture natural resources conservation service, u. William ashworth, an environmental historian and prolific writer, grips our attention in lyrical yet urgent terms in ogallala. Colorado, kansas, new mexico, nebraska, oklahoma, texas, south dakota and wyoming. With 15 million virtual patient cases completed since our founding in 2006, aquifer is the leader in developing clinical learning tools for medical and. Pdf high plains ogallala aquifer study quay county new. Lying under parts of eight states in the arid, high plains region, this reservoir has supplied water to one of the most important agricultural areas in he united states and has been a significant factor in the high. New mexico supports about 300,000 acres, and texas about 2,500,000 acres of irrigation.
Pdf policy alternatives for the southern ogallala aquifer. Abstract the ogallala aquifer covers approximately 10,000 square miles from texas to the dakotas, and is a major source of water for the high plains. This 174,000 sq mile aquifer provides so much water to the great plains region, but is bei. Now, in a semiarid climate where rainfall is minimal, the rate of recharge of the ogallala. Groundwater levels fall in central and western kansas ag.
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