The Ogallala Aquifer

250 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Quizlet ogallala aquifer

The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest known aquifer through Great Plains. If spread across the US the Ogallala would cover all 50 states with 1.5 feet of water. If drained, it would take more than 6,000 years to refill naturally. More than 90 percent of the water pumped is used to irrigate crops. $20 billion a year in food and fiber depend on the aquifer. The Ogallala is challenged with how to manage human demands on the layer of water that sprawls underneath parts of either states from South Dakota to Texas. Landowners face a tug-of-war between economic growth and declining natural resources while they strive to conserve what’s left.
65-70 percent of water is wasted throughout the world. We can reduce water loss by wasting less water, subsidizing

Show More
Related

  • The Ogallala: Preserving the Great American Desert

    1871 Words  | 4 Pages

    Long ago, the middle of the North American continent was a treeless prairie covered by tall grasses and roaming buffalo. When European settlers came, they called this area the Great American Desert. Today, this "desert" is covered with fields of wheat, corn, and alfalfa made possible by center-pivot irrigation. My grandfather used to sell center-pivot systems and when my family drove to my grandparent's home in Nebraska, we would count how many "sprinklers" were watering each section of land. At the time, I didn't know that this water was being pumped from somethng called the Ogallala Aquifer, a huge underground water supply. Throughout the years, this aquifer has made the Great American Desert one of the best farming areas in the world. Unfortunately, the Ogallala Aquifer's future as a valuable resource is in jeopardy, unless citizens of the Plains states reduce their water consumption.

    Read More

  • Wealthy Tycoons Buy Rights to Blue Gold

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wealthy individuals and large corporations are purchasing the water rights for some of the US and even the world’s biggest aquifers. Among these individuals is oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens who believes water or “blue gold” is the new oil. Located in the Texas panhandle, Roberts County sits above the biggest underground aquifer in the US. The Ogallala Aquifer stretches from the Texas all the way up into South Dakota. Pickens has been buying up land and is now the largest landowner in the county with some 68,000 acres. As well as the water rights that allow him to personally pump up to half of the Ogallala Aquifer which he plans to sell back to residents and nearby counties in need, for a profit of course. “Pickens owns more water than any other individual in the U.S. and is looking to control even more.” Water is finite and shortages are sure to come in the future. Water just like any other scarcity will make for an excellent investment opportunity. Pickens and Mesa Water are acquiring a sufficient amount water rights and political power to turn America’s heartland into a dustbowl.

    Read More

  • Water Rights in Colorado

    2247 Words  | 5 Pages

    Water has long been a controversy in countless places worldwide and Colorado is no exception. The water rights in Colorado involve different stages within the Prior Appropriation Law; the senior and junior water rights. Senior water rights are privileges that were the first to be issued on unappropriated streams in Colorado and are to be filled before the junior water right holders. Junior water rights are similar to senior water rights, but are filled after the senior water holders take their allotted amount (Wolfe Prior Appropriation Law). The water in Colorado is just that; Colorado’s water, owned by the people and restricted by the state. However, Colorado is required by law to send over 30 million acre – feet of water to seven western states (“Missouri River”). An acre – foot is “The quantity of water required to fill one acre with one foot of water and is equivalent to 43,560 cubic feet or 325,850 gallons” (“Missouri River”). The State enforces all water laws in Colorado even though they are not straightforward and are riddled with loopholes. These water laws came into effect “As early as 1879” (Hundley, Jr. 53). In the laws, there are even more constraints and idiosyncrasies including; owning ground water, owning surface water, senior rights and junior rights, and the use and reuse of rainwater or graywater. Water users in Colorado need to familiarize themselves with the laws and regulations involving water in order to receive the allotted water and the reasoning behind that number.

    Read More

  • Water Problems in Texas

    1966 Words  | 4 Pages

    Texas, with its abundances of natural resources, is facing a new demon, one that doesn’t even seem possible, a shortage of water. Water, without it nothing can survive. Texas is the second largest state for landmass in the nation and ninth for water square miles. Within the borders of Texas are more than 100 lakes, 14 major rivers, and 23 aquifers, so why has water become such an important issue for the state? Politicians and conservationists all agree that without a new working water plan, the state could be facing one of the most damaging environmental disasters they have ever seen. The issues that shape the states positions are population growth, current drought conditions, and who actually owns the water.

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Documentary Film "Flow- For the Love of Water"

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    We often hear the saying that water is the source of life so how can mankind waste this precious source that God has given us. A fine example was mentioned in the film about India’s new green agricultural system where 30 times more water is been use than the actual amount required. It is really hard to see how these farmers are spitefully wasting water when it is really needed in the neighboring communities. This goes to show that people only do things to benefit themselves not considering the needs of other people. Not only is water being wasted in developing countries but there is also water wastage in developed countries we often take our water sources for granted here in the US such as not turning off the pipes when brushing our teeth or washing our hands and the list goes on. Water conservation is the key to saving our planet because soon it will become extinct to us human beings.

    Read More

  • The Colorado River Basin Drought

    1664 Words  | 4 Pages

    Americans today tend to believe that the Colorado River drought has been a recent occurrence, although drought relief strategies have been implemented since early 1997. To summarize, in the book The Colorado River Basin Drought Planning and Organizations, Colorado is named as the original state to acquire a drought relief plan. For instance, various assume water levels are diminutive in the Colorado and blame is due to the previous ten years of drought throughout the United States. Although it is true that water levels are at a record low, initial plans in the early 1920’s to introduce manufactured structures into the water basin is the original reason Colorado’s water system began to be compromised. It follows, then the supplementary natural

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On California Drought

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    For about five years California has experienced above average temperatures and a lack of rain. This lack of rain and snowfall has caused California to become increasingly dry, starting arguments over whose right to water is more important and who needs to be more mindful with their use of water. Farming in California truly began during the gold rush when water was redirected to land where food was grown for those looking for gold (Siegler, 2015). The farmers that have stayed on that land now have senior water rights (“Water wars”, 2015). Farmers that settled their land before 1914 are those with senior water rights (Terrell, 2015). Governor Jerry Brown has called for a cut in water use by one-quarter percent to people living

    Read More

  • water rights

    590 Words  | 2 Pages

    Water is essential to life. By being so important it is crucial to keep it maintained and preserved. Our water supply is affected by environmental, economic, and legal issues. In Oklahoma water is very sacred to its people especially to Native Americans. Both Choctaw and Chickasaw nations are suing the state of Oklahoma for the regulatory authority over Sardis Lake and the water resources it holds. The Choctaw and Chickasaw nations deserve the rights over Sardis Lake because it is their main water supply and they own the rights through the treaty of the Dancing Rabbit Creek of 1830.

    Read More

  • The Usage of Water Bottles Should Be Banned

    526 Words  | 2 Pages

    For every water bottle made, non-renewable resources are wasted to produce an unnecessary luxury. For the bottled water that Americans enjoy, seventeen million barrels of oil are used (excluding transportation), which could fuel more than 1.3 million cars for a year. Most water is imported and exported from places that are thousands of miles away, such as Fiji. Although oil is controversial in nature, for every one liter of water produced, three liters are used. The excess water wasted can supply clean water to the world’s poorest countries.

    Read More

  • Global Speech: An Informative Speech On Climate Change

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ner efficient energy. Also using water efficiently, we can preserve our water and with preserving water we preserve energy that reduces greenhouse gas pollution. We can always refer back to our grade school motto for the environment, which is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle which is very essential to our environment.

    Read More

  • Allocating Effects Of Wasting Water: Hazardous Waste Of Water

    489 Words  | 1 Pages

    Some people may not know this but wasting water affects our environment. Whenever water is wasted it ends up in treatment facilities. We need water to survive yet people still waste it because to their understanding there will always be water whenever they turn on a faucet. This is one of the main reasons that water is wasted. People often waste more water than they use. “Australia uses on average 500 litres per person per day, European countries using between 200 – 400 litres and the UK using about 150 litres.” This quote from the article, “Water Conservation” explains how not just in the US but all around the world people are wasting significant amounts of water every day.

    Read More

  • The Global Water Crisis

    2639 Words  | 6 Pages

    Freshwater in the world makes up only a small portion of the water on the planet. While the percentage of water in the world is nearly 70%, only 2.5% is consumable. Even further, only 1% is easily accessible to basic human needs. According to National Geographic, “by 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's population living in water-stressed regions as a result of use, growth, and climate change.” With this current trend, water will become more immersed in environmental, economic, political, and social changes.

    Read More

  • The Water Crisis and Solutions

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    Freshwater is quite scarce, but it is even scarcer than one might think: about seventy percent of all freshwater is frozen in the icecaps of Antarctica and Greenland and is unavailable to humans. Most of the remainder is present as soil moisture or lies in deep underground aquifers as groundwater. It is not economically feasible to extract this waster for use as drinking water. This leaves less than one percent of the world’s fresh water that is available to humans. It includes the water found in lakes, reservoirs, groundwater that is shallow enough to be tapped at an affordable cost. These freshwater sources are the only sources that are frequently replenished by rain and snowfall, and therefore are renewable. At the current rates of consumption, however, this supply of fresh water will not last. Pollution and contamination of freshwater sources exacerbate the problem, further reducing the amount of freshwater available for human consumption. Something must be done if humans want to even survive in the near future: the lack of clean drinking water is already the number one cause of disease in the world today. The first step is worldwide awareness of the water crisis: governments and the citizens they govern worldwide need to know about this problem and be actively involved in solving this problem.

    Read More

  • Causes, Effects and Solution of Water Polution

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    Water is on of the most precious natural resources that exist on our planet. “It is delivered from the atmosphere in the form of rain, snow, hail, fog, and condensation and returns to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration” (Hannigan 1969). Although many of us love activities that have to do with water, we disregard it and pollute out rivers, lakes and oceans. Slowly but surely we are going to harm out planet till no return. Protecting and conserving nature will secure a better future. 71% of earth is covered with oceans. Sounds like a lot right? Imagine ...

    Read More

  • The Problem of Water Scarcity

    1538 Words  | 4 Pages

    Water scarcity is harmful to human life because when water is poorly managed throughout the world, those who need water are deprived of nutrients they truly need, causing them to die. This eventually affects the global population. Therefore, many experts have proposed several solutions such as the LifeSaver Bottle, TrojanUVPhox treatment system, and Waste Water Recycling. The problem of water scarcity has increasingly spread throughout the world as of yet, The UN reports that within the next half- century up to 7 billion people in 60 countries which is more than the whole present population will face water scarcity (Sawin “Water Scarcity could Overwhelm the Next Generation”). As well, the demand for freshwater has tripled over the past 50 years, and is continuing to rise as a result of population growth and economic development.

    Read More

More about The Ogallala Aquifer

Open Document