Use of the aquifer for agricultural purposes started shortly after World War II. Ninety-four percent of the total groundwater usage from the Ogallala is for irrigation. Coexisting with this conflict, is the lack of scientific solutions to reduce pressures on the aquifer and achieve sustainability or long term conservation. However, most would be relatively simpler to resolve if the degrees of conflict between stakeholders were resolved, and governance practices were improved and if there were other sources of water made available to the region. Because of widespread irrigation, farming accounts for 94 percent of the groundwater use. Second, there will be a loss of biodiversity. These dangerous compounds are turning up in tap water across the country. Business. Examples of point sources include leaky tanks or pipelines containing petroleum products, septic systems and industrial waste (Environment Canada, 2008). In Texas, the Ogallala aquifer spreads over 90,000 km 2 across the High Plains and underlies 49 counties (Fig. Bathtub rings paint the red rock walls surrounding Lake Powell as it shrinks, sounding alarm bells loud and clear. The term "aquifer" actually refers to earth materials, often formations of solid rock, that can store and transmit water. Listed below are summaries of the programs currently being implemented. Wilson said 80-90% of the water used in the Ogallala aquifer region goes to irrigation. Shrinkage cracks in the clay floor of these lakes and solution channels in the caliche, which is a layering that normally prevents recharge, provide a pathway for water to seep deeper into the ground and ultimately reach the Ogallala aquifer (Nativ, 1992, 27). The Ogallala Aquifer covers approximately 174,000 square miles (about 450,000 km2) (U.S. Geological Survey, 2008) and lies under Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. Ogallala Aquifer. As landowners strive to conserve. INAs have more regulation than non INAs, and IMAs have the most regulation. A fee often accompanies the application process for these permits, and information on the type of water use, and the place of use must be given. This amount is adjusted yearly when each license holder must check in with the OWRB and report how much water they pumped and set limits for the amount of water allowed for the next year. The Ogallala aquifer is one of the world's largest fresh water resources. This over pumping of groundwater has led to a drastic drop in groundwater levels in the aquifers, hurting fragile ecosystems. The table below classifies the watersheds in the United States by current water quality and susceptibility to further contamination. During times of drought and dry seasons, when there is hardly any surface water available for plants, groundwater is an invaluable resource. Wises article describes a farmers point of view of overcoming the issues surrounding the Ogallala Aquifer, and what measures Kansas farmers have been taking to reduce use for irrigation. In this peer reviewed article, the authors attempted to define a wicked problem by outlining parameters of a wicked problem. The Environment Quality Incentives Program is similar to the Conservation Reserve Program in that it provides economic incentives and technical support to owners, with regards to environmental concerns. However, after nearly sixty years of intense use of the Ogallala Aquifer, it is now a source of great apprehension as the aquifer shrinks, and the main source of water in the Great Plains area disappears. N.p., 01 Jan. 2008. The Ogallala Aquifer is recharged mainly through precipitation in the spring and summer months (Fryar, Mullican, and Macko, 2001, 534). When it runs dry, the agriculture industry in Texas and the nation is in jeopardy. Ground subsidence can be problematic for infrastructure. complete answer on theconversation.com, View Eric Simpson, a farm manager in Lubbock, to the northwest of Texas, told The Texas Tribune that the Ogallala is "propping" up all the farmers. At current rates, the aquifer will soon be depleted, endangering the current Western United States agricultural economy. It focuses on endangered species and their habitat ("National Wildlife Refuge System"). It has recently been shown that aquifer ecosystems host a wide variety of un-discovered species. South Dakota law says that all water is a public resource. Annual recharge of the Ogallala Aquifer varies widely from region to region; however, the average annual recharge rate is .85 in/year, or 21.59 mm/year (U.S. Geological Survey, 1966). In Chase County, the water levels have dropped by 100 feet since the 1950s, a report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found. What is the main problem that has developed in the Ogallala aquifer? The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program develops and restores wildlife habitats, in addition to prioritizing the habitats for endangered wildlife. Why wouldn't it work elsewhere? The state Engineer is in charge of overseeing the well drilling process (Water Rights Fact Sheet, 2001). Basso, B., Hyndman, D., & Kendall, A. Because it is difficult to make decisions regarding one resource when the decision makers are spread across different states, a national level organization takes charge and helps the different states implement policies and practices that best suit their situation with the Ogallala Aquifer. It's easy to see when drought, farm irrigation and city taps drain the great reservoirs of the Southwest. In general, the State Engineer approves most permits for domestic use. Little, Jane Braxton. , United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Groundwater aquifers, from the Ogallala and Central Valley in the US to India's Upper Ganges and Pakistan's Lower Indus, are being depleted faster than they can refill. These states are Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. All states that have a part of the Ogallala Aquifer have adopted legislation and policies to protect the aquifer. This won't delete the articles you've saved, just the list. These programs offer economic incentives and aid for both private and public properties. Because the Ogallala Aquifer is such an important resource in the U.S., the government and organizations creating policies and bills have been quite active in making the decision process as transparent as possible. Where Is The Ogallala Aquifer? - WorldAtlas It also strives to improve watershed conditions and help sustain biological communities. This article is important for our research because it provides an estimated timeline about how long we have to solve the issues around the Ogallala and how much current conservation is helping in terms of extending the Ogallalas lifetime. As much as 15% of irrigation water can permeate into the Ogallala Aquifer (Kansas Department of Agriculture, 2006). The Ogallala Aquifer is a vital source of water since it supplies 81% of the water used in the High Plains area. It only encourages owners to use more environmentally friendly and conscious methods to manage its land, while keeping it in productivity. Although the aqueduct would not have provided a permanent solution to halting the depletion of the aquifer, it would have slowed depletion by relieving some of its current pressures. For example, the increased use of biofuels requires more corn crops and therefore more irrigation. If water levels decrease by 2.5 feet in one year then the well does not receive a permit. N.p. There are riparian rights, appropriative rights, pueblo rights. In Kansas, irrigation accounts for 84% of water usage, while municipal usage is at 11% and industrial usage is only at 3% (Durban, 2011). Web. South Dakota's water resources are managed by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (SDDENR). Based on this definition, the Ogallala Aquifer's rapid depletion is considered a wicked problem due to the vast number of stakeholders involved, resulting in numerous opinions and therefore conflicts regarding how to resolve the issues surrounding the Ogallala depletion. In areas where there is not NDNR governance, residents follow the Nebraska correlative rights doctrine that states that residents must share when groundwater supplies are limiting (McGuire et al, 2000, 40). Another ecosystem that heavily depends on the condition of the aquifer, is the aquifer ecosystem. Each NRD must have a ground-water-management-plan, approved by the NDNR, which outlines what they will do to manage depletion and quality concerns in their area. The initiative taken by the NRCS is called the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI) in which the goal is to [improve] irrigation efficiency by a minimum of 20 percent on 3.7 million acres; [Apply] nutrient management and conservation cropping system practices to a minimum of 3.4 million acres; [Establish] an equilibrium level of water recharge and water removal from the aquifer over time; [Maintain] water quality to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards; [Help] agricultural producers save billions of gallons of water from the Ogallala Aquifer; [Assist] agricultural producers in developing conservation plans and prescribed voluntary conservation alternatives specific to water quality and quantity resource concerns (USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service). For the most part, the Ogallala is a finite water source that is being steadily and rapidly depleted (see colored areas on the map below). This is a website run by the U.S. government to provide those interested with information on the Ogallala Aquifer. For example, in Arizona 60-75% of all species depend on the riparian environment in some point in their life ("A Vision for Riparian Protection"). However, evapotranspiration is at its peak in the spring and summer months when most precipitation occurs, so only a small percentage of this rainfall actually reaches the aquifer (Nativ, 1992, 26). In addition to the existing pressures on the Ogallala, new pressures continue to be added to the Aquifer with the potential to further increase the rate of depletion. complete answer on texasstandard.org. N.p., 19 Jan. 2014. One key group of stakeholders, farmers, can be broken into two groups. This means conservation efforts are ongoing to better protect the integral water source. In addition, these 14 different federal programs have overlaps and have limitations. In addition, as groundwater levels decrease and native species begin to die, new exotic, non-native species will begin to invade into the ecosystem. On a microscopic level in these aquifer ecosystems, microbes and bacteria are able to disintegrate contaminants into nutrient and energy for the ecosystem. There are several ecosystems that depend on groundwater, such as estuaries, wetlands, and riparian ecosystems. Although in some cases, separating the aquifer into separate regions helps to downsize the management of the aquifer into a more manageable area, it leaves gaps in the governance framework and practices that may potentially have a large effect on the protection of the aquifer. Farmers Deplete Fossil Water in World's Breadbaskets This will lead to ultimate depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. Ogallala Commons. What do different colors of lightning mean? Groundwater may directly provide water to the system, or it might indirectly be the source of the water through its natural discharge into streams and creeks (Bergkamp et al.). Most of this groundwater is used in irrigation since 54% of the land within the Ogallala Aquifer region is used for agriculture. In addition, with the boom of the agriculture industry and urban growth, there are increased amounts of agricultural run-off that is high in nutrient content. Groundwater in Nevada is treated as public property and must be used for beneficial purposes. Wise, Lindsay. . Most of the species in these ecosystems are unique to the ecosystems. Farming methods that aid in water conservation include dryland farming (by using crops that do not require irrigation and no-till farming (which involves not tilling the land and leaving crop residue, to prevent evaporation and improve the biological fertility of the soil). And once the Ogallala is emptied, it could take 6,000 years to recharge naturally. That's not even considering the huge water requirements of most agricultural crops and livestock. Since there are also many programs that are not mandatory for landowners to partake in, the NRCS creates a reason for landowners to participate by offering aid and subsidies to mainly farmers to try and reduce the amount of water used for irrigation. Farmers and citizens in some parts of Texas are already experiencing life without this precious water. It also monitors how water uses in both the agriculture industry and domestic municipals affect the environment ("Central Valley Project"). The drawdown, caused in large part by agricultural irrigation, is especially troubling in the Texas . 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. However, these problems can be identified in most all groundwater in the Western half of the United States (Schlager, E. 2006). Similar to Wetlands Reserve Program, it also provides support to private land owners ("Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program"). Licenses, granted by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB), are needed to withdraw water from the aquifer. Since 1990 permits have been issued with the policy that no permit will be issued for a new well if it is projected that that well will deplete the aquifer within a 3-mile radius by 40% within 100 years. However, water can be withdrawn once a permit has been approved. Any drastic changes in the condition of the groundwater can result in the loss of these habitats. The principal aquifer of the America's High Plains is the Ogallala aquifer, which underlies eight states, extending about 174,000 sq mi (450,000 sq km) from South Dakota to North Texas. And as drought conditions continue and climate change worsens, scientists fear this could be an ongoing trend. Groundwater Depletion in the High Plains Aquifer - ArcGIS StoryMaps Exceptions may be granted for these categories. We do not see how one part of the aquifer in one state could possibly affect another part of the aquifer in another state. The water itself is considered the property of the State, however the water right entitles the user to withdraw water from the source for beneficial use. "No matter what, I'll probably have to use water from it this summer because, without that, I don't think we could grow much in West Texas unless it's a cactus or a mesquite tree," Simpson told the news outlet. The recharge rate of the Ogallala aquifer is an estimated 22-25 mm per year. Some of the policies enacted by the different states were found in their water law, and reading through these policies, it can be noted that there is heavy weight put on making landowners accountable for the proper use of water. No. Nebraska, Texas, and Kansas use the highest percentage of groundwater for their irrigation (46%, 30%, and 14% respectively) (Kromm, 2007). The Ogallala Aquifer, the largest aquifer in the Western North American Region, is hosted in sedimentary rocks that were deposited in the Pliocene and Miocene geological time period which started 24 million years ago and ended 1.8 million years ago. The complete source for building, designing, and remodeling green homes. A 2008 water crisis in Hampstead, Maryland, was solved with the restrictions built into LEED certification. Many but not all states require permits for drilling and producing from wells; generally, wells for domestic purposes do not require a permit and go primarily unregulated. These parts of Texas are in drought or going into drought, because without the Ogallala Aquifer it is hard to find a sustainable source of water. This article gives a general description of the Ogallala depletion problem, and points to some important statistics and works of research to prove its points. This did not matter until farmers started adopting better drilling technology, gas-powered water pumps, and high-tech irrigation systems after World War II. complete answer on lubbockonline.com, View The Current State of the Ogallala Aquifer - Talon/LPE . These recommendations work best if they are implemented as soon as possible, and will need to be ongoing and continued for as long as the aquifer exists, in order to prolong its use. States' groundwater regulations are too lenient and do not consider the multi-state nature of the resource. For more information about irrigation please visit the Irrigation Problem Section. However, with such a great production from the Ogallala Aquifer region comes just as great a cost in water (U.S. Geological Survey, 2008). However, the difficulty of obtaining a permit is different in each state, as different systems are used. One booster, William E. Smythe, visited Garden City, Kansas, and cheered the irrigated future. There are many of these in the Southern High Plains, especially in West Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico (EPA, 2008). Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Usually, the first species to be affected by this drop in groundwater levels are the water-sensitive plants, like some wetland and riparian plants. Overall, the governance practices have been well established in the different states that the Ogallala Aquifer covers. Permits are given out to users, given that beneficial use is demonstrated. 20 Sept. 2015. California only mandates that all owners of land above the aquifer share the right to the "reasonable use" of the aquifer (Water Rights Fact Sheet, 2001). . Analyzing federal data, The Denver Post found that the aquifer shrank twice as fast from 2011 through 2017 as it had over the previous 60 years. This depletion can drastically affect the rivers and streams. These districts are in charge of regulating nondomestic water use and they can propose regulations that do not conflict with state law. This aquifer provides around 30% of the water used to irrigate agricultural crops in the U.S. So the aquifer is not water; it's saturated sediments that have been deposited over the past 35 million years. This sudden decrease threatened the riparian ecosystem. Geologist F.N. Additional sources of recharge include industrial wastewater, treated sewage, and storm water. To put these numbers into perspective, the USGS estimates that the total amount of water in storage was 2,980 million acre-feet in 2000.
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