The ogallala was first created from the late miocene to early pliocene age. Any splash of color is an aquifer, the color denoting the body of waters health. Central plains go dry, leading farmers to tap into groundwater to irrigate sorghum, soy, cotton, wheat and corn and maintain large. The district is proud to present a new 3d stratigraphic model of the geology beneath the entire north plains groundwater conservation district. How to build a hinged hoophouse for a raised bed garden duration. Location map showing the boundary of the high plains aquifer, major. 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. Machinereadable bibliographic record marc, ris, bibtex document object identifier doi.
Unfortunately its water is being used faster than it is being replenished, and the result is predicted. The geologic and hydrogeologic characteristics of tertiary lithostratigraphic units ogallala formation and white river group that typically compose or underlie the high plains aquifer system in southeastern wyoming were described physically and chemically, and evaluated at a location on the belvoir ranch in laramie county, wyoming. 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. Figure 21 location of scs reservoirs in the southern high plains. The ogallala is the leading geologic formation in what is known as the high plains aquifer system.
Amazing facts about ogallala aquifer a knowledge archive. Effects of artificial recharge on the ogallala aquifer, texas. Effects of artificial recharge on the ogallala aquifer, texas by r. Strategy development, including education for the proposed conservation reserve enhancement program crep. The saturated thickness of the aquifer, which is the thickness of the waterbearing formation, has declined appreciably across the region with resulting effects on pumping lifts and well yields. The ogallala aquifer occupies the high plains of the united states, extending northward from western texas to south dakota. The formation process began when gravel and sand from the rocky mountains was eroded by rain and washed downstream.
Kansas geological survey kgs wraps and crep education. Environmental case study ogalalla aquifer mcgrawhill. Agricultural adaptation to groundwater and drought, with pinar keskin, american economic journal. Now there are plans to begin restoring the aquifer. In most of the aquifer area, the ogallala formation of miocene age and overlying hydraulically connected quaternary deposits, if present, are the principal geologic units in the aquifer. The ogallala, or high plains aquifer, which covers about 30 percent of the united states irrigation needs, could be mostly depleted within the next 50 years if current waterusage trends continue. Corn producers and cattle operations in western kansas depend largely on groundwater from the high plains ogallala aquifer to maintain and increase production levels. Location map showing the boundary of the high plains aquifer, major cities and roads, and altitude of land surface. This huge aquifer, which underlies portions of eight states, contain primarily fossil water from the time of the last glaciation.
Before the aquifer formed, the land now known as the great plains looked nothing like it does now. Colby blamed the kansas weather modification program for the cloudless skies overhead. Usda provides funding for water conservation in ogallala. View this animation that dives inside an aquifer and beneath the surface. Farmers are drawing groundwater from the giant ogallala. It is the primary water source for the high plains region. Beyond the pipeline waterpumping windmills tap into the giant ogallala aquifer 50 feet below the surface in nebraska, where a leading expert. Water flow in the high plains aquifer in northwestern oklahoma. 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. The ogallala consists of unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Large portions of the aquifer show declines in the water table of more than 100 feet. Stretching from south da kota to texas, the ogallala aquifer is one of the largest aquifer systems in the u. The high plains waterlevel monitoring study hpwlms is the usgss response to a directive from congress to report on waterlevel changes in the high plains ogallala aquifer figure 1.
The ogallala aquifer is the largest aquifer in the united states and one of the largest aquifers in the world. It is a major source of irrigation water throughout the region. Home the kerr center for sustainable agriculture, 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 future of the ogallala aquifer ethanol producer magazine. Ogallala aquifer north plains groundwater conservation district.
Yellows and reds indicate areas where depletion is being seen. Steward and his colleagues collected data on past and present groundwater levels in the ogallala aquifer, and developed statistical models to project. Depletion of ogallala aquifer likely caused by irrigation. Draining the source in the 1880s, farmers in the region asserted that there was a steady movement of water beneath their feet, which they called underflow, from the rockies east. The aquifer consists of sands, gravel, silts, and clay sediments that were deposited as part of ancient river systems approximately three to six million years ago during the neogene geologic time period. Ogallala aquifer kansapedia kansas historical society. Ogallala aquifer could dry up in 50 years if current water. Minor aquifer that underlies portions of the ogallala formation.
The entire system underlies about 450,000 square kilometers 174,000 square miles of eight states. Ogallala aquifer is the low aquifer water table situated below great plains of the southern regions of the usa. 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 aquifer underlies about 174,000 square miles in parts of colorado, kansas, nebraska, new mexico, oklahoma, south dakota, texas, and wyoming. The principal sediments and rocks of the aquifer range in age from 33 million years old to sediments being deposited. At the time the rocky mountains were tectonically active, and raising up above the. It is located in wyoming, south dakota, kansas, new mexico, oklahoma, and texas. In northwestern nebraska, south central south dakota, and southeastern wyoming, the fractured part of the brule formation or the arikaree group, is the. The report, potential impact of biofuels expansion on natural resources. Ogallala formation and saturated material of quaternary age in hydraulic connection with the ogallala formation.
The ogallala aquifer, also known as the high plains aquifer, stretches between central texas and southern south dakota, and from eastern colorado almost. This article, written by the american ground water trust was originally published in the american well owner, 2002, number 3 what have we done to the ogallala aquifer. Whether it falls from the sky or is pumped from the ogallala aquifer, water is of central importance to the high plains economy and way of life. 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.
Please click on a category below to browse our collection of links kansas. It covers 174,000 square miles in nebraska, kansas, oklahoma, texas, south dakota, wyoming, colorado and new mexico. The high plains aquifer, which includes the wellknown ogallala aquifer, is the most important water source for much of western and central kansas fig. Ogallala aquifer project kcare research and extension. Ogallala aquifer water agronomy sunflower district. Covering nearly 174,000 square miles, it supports the production of nearly onefifth of the wheat, corn. High plains waterlevel monitoring study groundwater resources. Ogallala aquifer the ogallala aquifer provides water resources for the extensive agricultural assets and population of west texas and the great plains.
The ogallala aquifer was formed over twenty million years ago. Some reports have found that the water level is dropping by 3. Apr 25, 2017 the ogallala aquifer, part of the united states high plains aquifer, is one of the largest aquifers in the world. Using a comprehensive set of conservation practices, the ogallala aquifer. The ogallala aquifer, whose total water storage is about equal to that of lake huron in the midwest, is the single most important source of water in the high plains region, providing nearly all the water for residential, industrial, and agricultural use. The historically evolving impact of the ogallala aquifer. It underlies small parts of south dakota, wyoming, colorado, and new mexico, the panhandles of texas and oklahoma, about a third of kansas and most of nebraska, a total area of about. The gardening channel with james prigioni recommended for you. A primary focus of interest is the issue of declining water levels and the implications.
Comparing counties over the ogallala with nearby similar counties, groundwater access. The ogallala formation of miocene age is the principal geologic unit included in the high plains aquifer and is at the land surface throughout most of the extent of the aquifer. Groundwater pumping for agricultural irrigation is likely responsible for substantial depletions of the ogallala aquifer, which underlies 175,000 square. This website is based upon work that is supported by the national institute of food and agriculture, u. Agriculture on the american great plains has been constrained by historical water scarcity. The project is not being actively developed at this time. Where the worlds running out of water, in one map the. The aquifer underlies the states from south dakota to texas and is the primary source of water for this region.
Groundwater pumped from the ogallala aquifer the principal formation of the high plains aquifer system has transformed the region from a dustbowl to an. A race against time the texas alliance for water conservation as the drought in the texas high plains continues to intensify, a unique partnership of producers and researchers is working diligently to find economically viable alternatives to the regions irrigationdependent crop monocultures. As the ogallala aquifer slowly declines, some west texas farmers are facing a new type of regulation. The ogallala aquifer supports an astounding onesixth of the worlds. Aug 08, 2018 in it, my fellow historians john opie and kenna lang archer and i set current debates over the ogallala aquifer in the context of the regions equally conflicted past. The aquifer consists of sand, gravel, clay, and silt and has a maximum thickness of 800 feet. The ogallala aquifer is the largest aquifer in the united states. The ogallala underlies portions of eight large states 174,000 square miles of crop and range land all the way from. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the geologic age and thickness of these geologic units. This data set was based on 10,085 waterlevel measurements, 49 stream elevations, march 1997 and 10,036 waterlevel elevations from wells 1,370 from 1996 and 8,666 from 1997 and the base of aquifer. Formation of the ogallala aquifer before the aquifer formed, the land now known as the great plains looked nothing like it does now. The ogallala aquifer lies beneath the great plains region of the united states, extending northward from western texas and new mexico.
Aug 31, 2011 the high plains aquifer information network was a project of the kgs and kstate to collect information sources on the high plains ogallala aquifer systems. The ogallala aquifer is the largest aquifer in the u. Groundwater levels are being depleted, however, and this has implications for current and future economies of the. Ogallala aquifer debate keystone xl pipeline vs water issues. The ogallala aquifer of the central united states is one of the worlds great aquifers, but in places it is being rapidly depleted for growing municipal use, and continuing agricultural use. Hydrogeologic properties of the aquifer vary widely. Injection was by gravity flow and by pumping under pressure. It has long been the main water supply for the high plains population and is being used at an unsustainable rate. 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. Texas farmers battle ogallala pumping limits the texas.
Precipitation recharges the aquifer where it is exposed to land surface. That includes the crucial ogallala aquifer in the midwestern united states. Keys abstract four recharge tests were conducted by injecting water from playa lakes through wells into the ogallala formation. The wondrous resource containing all that water was the ogallala aquifer. The aquifer consists of sands, gravel, silts, and clay sediments that were deposited as part of ancient river systems approximately three to six million years ago during the neogene.
Farmers in kansas and other states that sit atop the ogallala aquifer the largest freshwater aquifer in north america are pumping out water. Opinion polluting the ogallala aquifer the new york times. Usgs high plains aquifer waterlevel monitoring study wlms. Apr 22, 2016 the ogallala aquifer crosses 8 state lines, but after years of irrigation, its been drained to record low levels. The animation should start once the slide is brought into slide show view.
Therefore, the center for geospatial technology has developed a gis repository of data and map products for researchers to better understand, to help preserve, and to protect this valuable resource. Covering 174,000 miles and eight states, this aquifer has been providing water for kansas farmers for centuries. The ogallala aquifer is a shallow table aquifer that sits under eight states ranging from south dakota south to texas and new mexico. United states geological survey map representing the area under which the ogallala aquifer lies. The high plains waterlevel monitoring study hpwlms is the usgss response to a directive from congress to report on waterlevel changes in the high plains ogallala aquifer. High plains aquifer groundwater levels continue to decline. Ogallala aquifer depletion affects midwest farmers mother. The composition of the bedrock units that underlie the high plains aquifer includes siltstone, shale, loosely to moderately cemented clay and silt, chalk, limestone, dolomite. Ogallala aquifer extending the life of the high plains aquifer. In the high plains aquifer, of which the ogallala is part, theres not a freshwater resource deeper for farmers to drill down into, says dennehy. The high plains aquifer is commonly referred to as the ogallala aquifer. An aquifer is geologically a bed of rock underneath the surface of the earth, holding a substantial amount of sweet water. After world war ii, technological improvements made groundwater from the ogallala aquifer available for irrigation. The ogallala aquifer extends from the northern united states into the texas panhandle and west texas and is the primary source of water within the district.
Jul 30, 2015 for farmers who rely on the ogallala aquifer, there may be a bigger problem. Aug 26, 20 steward and his colleagues collected data on past and present groundwater levels in the ogallala aquifer, and developed statistical models to project various scenarios of water depletion over the. Department of agriculture, under award number 20166800725066, sustaining agriculture through adaptive management to preserve the ogallala aquifer under a changing climate. Usgs high plains aquifer waterlevel monitoring study. The ogallala is one of the worlds largest aquifers. Us farmers are draining one of the worlds largest aquifers. This page specifically addresses issues relevant to the western kansas ogallala portion of the high plains aquifer, including groundwater management districts 1, 3, and 4, and the adjacent portions of the aquifer. Those sediments soaked up water from rain and melted snow forming a spongelike structure. Water to the north of the canadian river is generally fresh. May 20, 20 the ogallala aquifer, also known as the high plains aquifer, stretches between central texas and southern south dakota, and from eastern colorado almost to iowa, covering an area larger than the.
Dec 17, 2014 groundwater pumping for agricultural irrigation is likely responsible for substantial depletions of the ogallala aquifer, which underlies 175,000 square miles in oklahoma and seven other states, a. For farmers who rely on the ogallala aquifer, there may be a bigger problem. The ogallala aquifer which underlies much of the high plains in the united states is one of the worlds largest aquifers and arguably one of the most important. Funding comes from the environmental quality incentives program eqip, and. The report presents waterlevel change data in the aquifer for two separate periods. Digital map of the saturated thickness of the high plains. Aug 10, 2012 the world aquifer map shows aquifers around the world. Central plains go dry, leading farmers to tap into groundwater to irrigate sorghum, soy, cotton, wheat and corn and maintain large herds of cattle and hogs. The ogallala aquifer, also referred to as the high plains aquifer, covers more than 170,000 square miles and holds 3. Current use of groundwater from the ogallala aquifer exceeds the amount of recharge through natural processes, leading to substantially decreased water levels in many areas of the aquifer. The high plains aquifer is similar to a rigid sponge, partially saturated with water. High plains aquifer groundwater levels continue to.
This aquifer, a major source of water for agricultural, municipal and industrial development on the high plains, is being depleted as. Geologic and hydrogeologic characteristics of the ogallala. The geologic units that make up the high plains aquifer and the underlying bedrock units range in age from permian to quaternary. The ogallala aquifer is the largest underground water reservoir in the united states. In it, my fellow historians john opie and kenna lang archer and i set current debates over the ogallala aquifer in the context of the regions equally conflicted past. On the basis of this characterization and evaluation, three. Ogallala aquifer north plains groundwater conservation. Waterlevel change in the high plains aquifer system. The ogallala aquifer system is the largest known underground freshwater reservoir in the world. Stops 1015, in areas closer to the sediment sources of the ogallala and some of the younger units, will be examined on may i. Geological survey has released a new report detailing changes of groundwater levels in the high plains aquifer. The surface area of each state covered by the ogallala formation varies in about the same proportion.
Evaluation of enhanced recharge potential to the ogallala. A new simulation modeling study, conducted by the ogallala water coordinated agricultural project and funded by usdas national institute of food and agriculture, may help farmers conserve ogallalas groundwater. Depletion of the ogallala aquifer and senate bill 1. Additionally, intensive agricultural and industrial practices in some areas threaten the water quality of this important resource. Ogallala aquifer initiative underlying the great plains in eight states, the ogallala supports nearly onefifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the united states. The ogallala aquifer is the main source of water in the southern high plains region of the texas panhandlethe agricultural center of texas. This isnt the case in californias central valley aquifer and the mississippi abatement area, where depletion.
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