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Title: The Tragedy of the Ogallala Aquifer: Building a
Sustainable Future for the Plains Commons
Author: Michael Dougal
Abstract: The Ogallala Aquifer
covers an eight state region measuring roughly 175,000 square miles and
supplies 30% of the groundwater used for irrigation in the United States.
Since groundwater development began in the 1930’s the aquifer’s groundwater has
been steadily depleted. In large areas of Western Kansas, Oklahoma, and West
Texas over a 75% reduction in groundwater use is necessary to achieve a safe
and sustainable groundwater yield which balances groundwater recharge and
discharge. Current efficient farming practices could cut the amount of
groundwater used for irrigation in half, but this would still fail to achieve
a safe and sustainable yield in many areas of the aquifer. A major conclusion
of this paper is that there is little political will and no current plan
which has the potential to achieve a safe and sustainable yield for the
aquifer. Key References: McGuire, V. L. Water-Level Changes in the High Plains
Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2003 and 2002 to 2003. USGS. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from White, S. E. (1994). Ogallala oases: Water use,
population redistribution, and policy implications in the High Plains of
Western Kansas, 1980-1990. Annals of
the Association of American Geographers, 84(1), 29-45. Return to Water Resources Projects page. |
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Date:
May 2008
Student: mdougal@willamette.edu
ENVR 327: Water Resources
Instructor: Dr. Karen Arabas
http://www.willamette.edu/~karabas/courses/envr327w