what is the problem with the ogallala aquifer

Applications filed within a groundwater management district are reviewed by the district, and recommendations are made based on the policies, and rules and regulations of that district (National Conference of State Legislatures). This is a water shortage problem directly affecting farmers and citizens living in communities that rely on this water source to live. New demands are being put on the aquifer despite the need for conservation, making the stress even greater for the resource. N.p., 19 Jan. 2014. First, with not enough water to grow crops, there will be food shortages and increased water competition among agricultural industries, namely farmers and ranchers. Since these species have such a narrow range of tolerance for water table changes, any decrease in water table can result in a decrease in biodiversity of the ecosystem. The Water Management Board (WMB), a group of citizens, works with the SDDENR to manage groundwater. Another pressing issue that makes the Ogallala Aquifer a wicked problem is the conflicting laws seen in governance of the Ogallala Aquifer. complete answer on plainshumanities.unl.edu, View It's easy to see when drought, farm irrigation and city taps drain the great reservoirs of the Southwest. This is not the first time that humans have pushed ecosystems on the Central Plains to the breaking point. Providing further insight that in order to sustain a healthy economic state (with little alteration to irrigation practice) it is necessary to sustain the Ogallala Aquifer. Wyoming law mandates that all natural waters are property of the state. If the user would like to change any aspect of the permit, the user must first appeal to the state. complete answer on sitn.hms.harvard.edu, View These districts are in charge of regulating nondomestic water use and they can propose regulations that do not conflict with state law. Walton, B. On a microscopic level in these aquifer ecosystems, microbes and bacteria are able to disintegrate contaminants into nutrient and energy for the ecosystem. When this run-off drains into the groundwater and subsequently enters into the wetlands and estuaries, it can cause eutrophication of the ecosystem. Hence, the amount of available water for beneficial use, under pueblo rights, increases with population and urban growth. Situated under the Great Plains of North America, the water from the Ogallala Aquifer was first extracted for use after the Second World War, and has been one of the most important freshwater resources for irrigation in the United States. Domestic purposes are defined as single family homes, camps, livestock, and irrigation of up to half of an acre of land (Water Rights Fact Sheet, 2001). The High Plains aquifer system includes the Ogallala formation as well as other less extensive peripheral aquifers that may be lumped together and referred to as the Ogallala aquifer. For example, recharge rates in Nebraska can vary from 15.24 mm/year to 60.96 mm/year (McMahon, P.B., B?hlke, J.K., and Carney, C.P., 2007, 9). Little, Jane Braxton. As you can see, this isnt a meaningless issue. Only the Colorado Ground Water Commission can issue or change permits. These programs reward owners who are already implementing environmentally friendly techniques in farming ("Conservation Security Programs"). Wetlands and estuaries both depend on groundwater to control the salinity and provide nutrients to the ecosystem. The Ogallala aquifer spans across South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas states in the US, extending over 450,000 km 2. But the crucial water source is drying up. N.p., Feb. 2003. The state is already suffering from drought and as the aquifer continues to decline, crops are at risk. Web. One key group of stakeholders, farmers, can be broken into two groups. South Dakota law says that all water is a public resource. 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.). Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? . The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration is a program under the Engineering Corps that handles projects, that tries to restore neglected ecosystem back into its natural condition ("Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration"). This high evaporation rate diminishes natural recharge. These permits can be recalled when Colorado River water is obtainable (Water Rights Fact Sheet, 2001). Drought pushes the limits of irrigation. No permits are needed if the out-of-state transfer is less than 1,000 acre-feet per year (McGuire et al, 2000, 45). The Ogallala Aquifer serves farming communities in multiple states. This sums to about 15,745 millions of gallons per day of water usage for irrigation from the Ogallala alone, and 30% of all groundwater used for irrigation in the United States. This map shows changes in Ogallala water levels from the period before the aquifer was tapped to 2015. Ogallala Formation. 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. MIT. His discovery nourished the ambitions of farmers and irrigation promoters. Specifically, the Ogallala Aquifer is being recharged at a rate of approximately 22 - 25 mm/year (Kromm, 2007) (U.S. Geological Survey, 1966) and experiencing net overdraft of 54.864 mm/year (McGuire, 2007). Due to the lack of research and studies on such ecosystems, we are still unable to determine the effects of groundwater depletion and contamination on these ecosystems. 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. Rapidly dropping reservoir levels in the West are capturing national media attention, but the nation's underground aquifers are also under threat. Where Is The Ogallala Aquifer? - WorldAtlas Fine grained soil, like the soil found in the northern Texas Panhandle, is less permeable than larger grained soil. Water permits are considered property rights and can be bought and sold independently of the land upon which the well rests. A huge, hidden underground lake spreads throughout the center of the U.S., supporting farming across the Great Plains and providing drinking water for millions, but the ongoing drought is threatening to dry it up. But according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4), producers are extracting water faster than it is being replenished, which means that parts of the Ogallala Aquifer should be considered a nonrenewable resource. Still others, notably in west Texas, are converting back to non-irrigated dryland agriculture a recognition of the stark limitations of irrigation dependency. A severe water shortage prompts more stringent regulations, and encourages a range of conservation strategies. Let us know via science@newsweek.com. What do different colors of lightning mean? The amount of water withdrawn is determined by the OWRB and varies from region to region. The Ogallala Aquifer serves farming communities in multiple states . The Ogallala, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is one of the largest underground freshwater sources in the world. The main issues regarding groundwater in the Western half of the United States are that: The depletion rate is much higher than the recharge rate. The Current State of the Ogallala Aquifer - Talon/LPE This post originally appeared at The Conversation. Web. In most of the regions groundwater is governed by state water law and groundwater management districts (GMDs), generally controlled by local farmers (Peterson, Thomas, and Jeffery, 2003). It also contains information regarding its goals, and benefits that proposed conservation programs will help landowners. In order to have a unified, cohesive strategy, we suggest the below methods of management. Ground Subsidence. The Ogallala Aquifer fills naturally incredibly slowly. 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. In order to understand the problems regarding the Ogallala Aquifer and its depletion, it is necessary to understand recharge. Even though the . complete answer on lubbockonline.com, View Multistate Project Focused on Protecting One of Nation's Largest As more pumps were drilled into the aquifer to capture its flow, some started to come up dry, which led to more drilling and pumping. Most of the groundwater is found below the Rosebud Indian Reservation land. While there are many sources recharging the Ogallala Aquifer, each source only contributes a small amount of water. In many of the states, there are also policies in which landowners are required to obtain a permit before being allowed to withdraw water from the aquifer. This will lead to ultimate depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer. In my view, Plains farmers cannot afford to continue pushing land and water resources beyond their limits especially in light of climate changes cumulative impact on the Central Plains. In addition, the Colorado Ground Water Commission divided the groundwater in Colorado into two districts: the Northern High Plains Designated Basin and the Southern High Plains Designated Basin. Examples of point sources include leaky tanks or pipelines containing petroleum products, septic systems and industrial waste (Environment Canada, 2008). 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. Potential methods to reduce agricultural water consumption include changing farming methods, technological innovation, changing crops, changing land use and altering policy to limit water consumption. Presently, policies regarding groundwater are implemented on a state by state basis, and are highly variable. The Ogallala Aquifer is a vital source of water since it supplies 81% of the water used in the High Plains area. A current assessment by the U.S. Drought Monitor, published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows large swaths of the southern plains experiencing drought ranging from severe to exceptional..
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