The Ogallala Aquifer Initiative

1216 Words5 Pages
Ogallala Aquifer Dennis W. Guffey, Angela Clawson, James Adamson, Rebecca Modrzynski GLG/220 November 10, 2014 Dave Santek Ogallala Aquifer Ogallala Aquifer The High Plains Aquifer system, also know as the leading geologic formation and more widely known as the Ogallala Aquifer occupies roughly 174,000 miles across eight states. The Ogallala is primarily made up of sand, gravel, clay along with groundwater filling in all the spots not occupied by dirt. The layout of the Ogallala was formed over ten million years ago by fluvial deposition from all the streams east of the Rocky Mountains. With the Ogallala being as old as it is, one would think it would dry up by now. Although, it is constantly recharged from all the rain and the snow…show more content…
With around one-fifth of America's cattle, cotton, corn and wheat currently being produced from this aquifer's stores, the stakes could indeed be deemed high ("USDA, NRCS, Ogallala Aquifer Initiative", n.d.). The Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI) is a cooperative effort to address overexploitation of the Ogallala Aquifer. Its overall goals are to reduce overconsumption while raising water quality and agricultural sustainability ("USDA, NRCS, Ogallala Aquifer Initiative", n.d.). The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationists determine resource concern priorities in conjunction with local conservation districts, state environmental agencies, land grant universities and NRCS State Technical Advisory Committees in effected states. Some specific goals of the OAI are to improve irrigation efficiency by 20 percent over 3.7 million acres of land and to achieve application of nutrient management and conservation cropping methods on 3.4 million acres of…show more content…
Flexible policies with regulatory aspects, like a water deeds policy, may ensure a better degree of adherence and success (Peterson, Marsh, & Williams, 2003). Issuance of permits for a set extraction limit that would be subject to adjustment based on realized recharge levels of the aquifer for which they were issued. While total permits sold would remain the same, they may be bought or sold creating market value, and possibly a better reflection of external groundwater extraction costs. Intergenerational equity embodies fair practices in regards to resource use today, and for future generations as well (Peterson, Marsh, & Williams, 2003). The merging of economic interest and moral duty may serve society well if policies can be effectively applied that preserve resources, like the Ogallala Aquifer, for generations to

More about The Ogallala Aquifer Initiative

Open Document