The decline of the Ogallala Aquifer in western Kansas needs to be a higher priority for water officials, the Kansas Water Authority decided last week.
That’s a welcome call to action for state water officials.
The group approved a plan that immediately begins addressing how to better manage and conserve the vast Ogallala Aquifer of western Kansas, which has been seriously depleted by wasteful irrigation practices.
Board members also noted the current ethanol boom and its potential drain on water resources in western Kansas.
There are barriers to taking action, said board member Lisa French: “But at some point, reductions are going to be forced.”
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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20 Comments
I agree, but don’t know enough about the specifics of the Aquifer and its usage to contribute any ideas. We must protect our water. I’ve read comments by ksfarmgrrl about irrigation, ethanol plants and Coal Fire plants on their water usage. She seems to be on top of that topic in regards to specific information.
I would also want to include in the conversation neighboring states who share the aquifer and their usage. It covers a huge area, we need to get everyone on the same topic of conversation.
I noticed some comments about changing the proposed coal-fired power plants out near Garden City/Holcomb, Kansas, from coal to natural gas. The natural gas would presumably come from the Hugoton natural gas field in southwestern Kansas.
True, natural gas burns cleaner with less pollution. But this option would serve to drive our residential natural gas prices through the roof. If you think natural gas prices are bad now, wait for this decision to bemade.
If new power sources are needed, move the power plants closer to the sources of coal or go nuclear. In any case, western Kansas doesn’t have enough remaining underground aquifer water to support these activities.
This month’s water bill I used zero dollars in water. There is no incentive for me to purchase water saving devices as I will never see a return on what I buy to cut down on water consumption.
If we place a tax on water consumption that will go to providing rebates on water saving devices then perhaps that could cut down on water consumption a bit. The tax will largely be paid by corporate farmers and the ethanol plants who already receive billions in federal subsidies.
The taxes from the sales of these devices would help offset the program costs, as would the lower demand on water resources. However such plans would require foresight and an environmentally friendly government. Those traits are lacking more than water resources in Kansas.
Nuclear isn’t a sustainable option. The stockpiles of uranium are running low. To acquire more uranium we’ll have to go to foreign sources and that will be influenced by the global market just like oil so we can’t have stable prices.
Market stability can be provided by investing more in wind, solar and geothermal energy. Those resources will always be available and not fall victim to competition and import problems.
Why do I think anything the Kansas Water Board does will be to protect ethanol and industrial users to plunder the limited Kansas water supply. This needs to be made totally transparent to Kansas citizens. The newspaper industry needs to step up and shine a powerful spotlight on Kansas water usage. The Hutchinson newspaper appears to be doing a good job of examining water usage and problems in Kansas.
With legislation in the works that would allow the state of Kansas to buy the water rights of land owners in exchange for not growing on certain parcels, The state’s uber-love for corn to methanol, along with their careless water policies of the present, one wonders if the state is not trying to become the T.Boone Pickens: http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2001/02/01/water_texas/ of the Ogallala aquifer.
Of course, tying the over-water usage of the aquifer with the real possibility of global warming, and the effect it will have on an ever drying Kansas would be too much for the average resident of Kansas to quantify . . . or would it?
“Nuclear isn’t a sustainable option. The stockpiles of uranium are running low. To acquire more uranium we’ll have to go to foreign sources and that will be influenced by the global market just like oil so we can’t have stable prices.”
BS Doug! We have HUGE reserves of Uranium in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nevada. You need to go to the USGS website and check out the resrves of materials before you post something so misinformed.
Hmmm, the US stopped buying uranium a long time ago and their stockpiles are dwindling. That happens when you use your resources and don’t acquire more. As a result there aren’t many commercial sites open and demand is increasing worldwide. As a result uranium prices have been on the increase. With few production facilities if demand increases to the point we can’t supply it then we’ll have to look to foreign sources.
Perhaps the concept of supply and demand is new to you but don’t call others an idiot after you display a lack of understanding of the issue. If what you say is true then there is no explanation for the price of uranium increasing by 170% over the past year since, as you claim, we have an overabundance of uranium.
While all the pseudo-water experts are lamenting coal-fired plants, irrigation for food sources and recreation - the water from the aquifer continues to constantly drain downward in the oil wells.
24/7
But let’s go after agricultural usages and the energy sector, industries that use the water to benefit the citizens..
Pathetic.
We will get serious about the Ogalalla AFTER it is empty.
BTW GS - I am NOT a “pseudo”-expert on hydrogeology. My license from the State of Kansas says otherwise.
I wasn’t talking about you, Ben. But the status quo on preserving the Ogalalla is currently getting folks fired up about the usage of water - that actually HAS A PURPOSE.
Meanwhile, the total waste of pure water goes on, and on, and on.
By JWink
Randy Scholfield — To read your blog subject gives the impression the depletion of the Ogallala acquifer is only a threat to WESTERN Kansas.
You said, “The group (the Kansas Water Authority) approved a plan … to better manage/conserve the vast Ogallala aquifer of WESTERN Kansas which has been seriously depleted by wasteful irrigation practices. Board members also noted the current ethanol boom and its potential drain on water resources in WESTERN Kansas.”
Sorry, Randy, Wichita Eagle and Kansas Water Authority. The Ogallala crises is already threatening the Wichita water supply.
The City of Wichita gets its drinking water from two main sources: 1) From the city owned Lake Cheney in northwestern Sedgwick County and 2) from the Equus Beds aquifer near Halstead, Kansas.
Lake Cheney gets its water from the north branch of the Ninnescah River that starts at the Pratt/Stafford County line. Both the north and south branches of the Ninnescah rivers get their water from seepage from the Great Bend/Pratt portion of the Ogallala aquifer. As a teenager, I marveled at the marshy/swampy area near Pratt where the south branch of the Ninnescah starts in an otherwise fairly dry geography. I continue to watch that area in 2007 for signs of depletion.
The Equus Beds Acquifer is also an extension of and hydrologically connected to the Ogallala aquifer. The difference is its underground gravel beds seem to be of a geologically younger time period.
The City of Wichita has recognized the potential threat to Wichita’s Equus Beds Aquifer water source by establishing a method of “recharging” the aquifer from high-water in the Little Arkansas River in that vicinity. A problem is that in a drought period when water is needed most, the Little Arkansas River is also at low flow.
Using water directly from the (Big) Arkansas River is a poor option for several reasons:
1) There ain’t much! The dry line in the Arkansas River is moving eastward from the Colorado State Line. Dodge City hasn’t had any surface water in the Arkansas River channel for years. I’m told the river channel at Kinsley is relatively dry now. I suspect the dry line is approaching Great Bend, then Hutchinson and then will be knocking on Wichita’s doorway.
Also the Arkansas River is polluted with salt from underground salt layers leeching upward from various penetrations of the subsurface layers.
Of course, treated sewage is discharged into the Arkansas River from various municipalities along its channel.
THE BEST SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER IS FROM THE OGALLALA ACQUIFER BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE A FALSE IDEA THAT ETHANOL AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL USERS GET FIRST DIBS ON OUR REALTIVELY PURE UNDERGROUND AQUIFER WATER.
By Kansas law, WATER IS A PUBLIC RESOURCE AND BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS. Politicians such as Governor Sebelius, Senator Sam Brownback and Congressman Tehart who are touting the FALSE ECONOMIC advantages of ethanol production in Kansas need to recognize this … quick.
Hemp = Bio-fuel = Less water usage, beats the corn ethanol method by a long shot.To hell with the Hearst and Dupont family, bring back the industrial hemp.
On that we agree GS. Like I said, depletion of the Ogalalla will end when the Ogalalla is empty.
Jwink,I couldn’t agree more. I do have a problem with the state owning all, or as much as they can, of the water rights. What that means, to me, is the state can then force farmers to grow what the state wants with regards to water usage.
That could be a very bad thing when politics is thrown into the mix. The states love affair with ethanol, and the fact we are using corn, which is water intensive troubles me. Especially when big oil’s backing is factored in.
We’re already seeing the price of corn products going up due to ethanol. It’s, ethanols, production should, in my opinion, be stopped until a better method of production, using non-food organic matter is perfected.
We also need to force water into the forefront of Kansas politics, and push candidates, who understand the problem, into leadership positions.
Of course, like GW, the people able to do something about the problem either have their collective heads in the sand, or think anybody who is aware of the importance of the problem has the ubiquitous chicken little complex. Down the hatch, people; the glass ain’t have full no more.
If Kansas would deport the 70,000 illegals wasting Kansas water. There would be plenty for Kansans
Let’s see… there are 4 million people in Kansas. If there are 70,000 illegal immigrants that would be 1.75% of the population would be deported.
Somehow, I don’t think a 1.75% reduction in the demand on the aquifer would make much of a difference.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm…………….
W.S. Clark: I believe Kansas has a population of about 2,800,000. So if your figure of 70,000 illegal immigrants is correct, the percentage would be 2.5% of illegal immigrants in our total Kansas population.
I wonder what the percentage of population of illegal immigrants is in our Wichita population? I suspect it would be more than in the state-wide Kansas population? I estimate 5 percent and increasing.
So, since the Wichita population remains basically static, I suspect that for all Wichita residents who moves out, they are being replaced by inbound illegal immigrants.
This represents a major turnover in the Wichita population that isn’t being publicly recognized and provided for in tax supported activities.
I read with interest in Truman Capote’s book “In Cold Blood,” (the horrifying story of the murder of the Clutter Family of Holcolm, Kansas)reference by a Larry Hendricks regarding the supply of natural gas. I quote from the book. Quote: “around here people just install a gas furnace and pump the gas smack out of the ground. Doesn’t cost them a a nickel -….” unquote. Could someone explain to me what is meant by this. Are there (or were there as this took place in 1959)natural gas deposits underground in this region? I would be gratefull if someone could enlighten.Philip Bromley, Pumula Village, KwaZulu-Natal, Siuth Africa