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<br />'J U i..-J 't....
<br />
<br />REVIEW COpy
<br />SUBJECl' TO REVISION
<br />
<br />A SUMMARY OF RESULTS OF THE
<br />OGALLALA AQUIFER REGIONAL
<br />STUDY, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS
<br />TO THE SECRETARY OF *
<br />COMMERCE AND CONGRESS
<br />
<br />Background
<br />
<br />The High Plains Ogallala Aquifer Regional Study was authorized by Congress in
<br />1.976 (P .L. 94-587). The authorizing legislation directed"... the Secretary of Commerce,
<br />I\cting through the Economic Development Administration, in cooperation with the
<br />Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, and appropriate federal,
<br />state and local agencies, and the private sector to study the depletion of the natural
<br />resources of those regions of the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico,
<br />Oklahoma, and Texas presently utilizing the declining water resources of the Ogallala
<br />aquifer, and to develop plans to increase water supplies in the area and report thereon
<br />to Congress, together with any recommendations for further congressional action." The
<br />legislation explains that the reasons for the study are to assure an adequate supply of
<br />food to the Nation and to promote the economic vitality of the Region (Figure 1).
<br />The Governors and other representatives of the High Plains states, organized the
<br />High Plains Study Council in November, 1976 to guide and direct the study. In
<br />September, 1978, a General Contractor-Gamp Dresser, and McKee, Inc. in association
<br />with Arthur D. Little, Inc., Black and Veatch and others-was engaged. The General
<br />Contractor managed the Study for the Federal Government and the Council and
<br />performed parts of the work. Each state performed parts of the work, and the U.S.
<br />~,rmy Corps of Engineers conducted the water import studies.
<br />
<br />The Problem
<br />
<br />Presently, the region has one percent of the Nation's population living on six
<br />percent of the Nation's land area, producing over 15 percent of the total value of
<br />wheat, com, sorghum, and cotton and 38 percent of the total value of livestock
<br />produced in the Nation. The High Plains has approximately 14.3 million acres of
<br />irrigated land for which water is supplied from the underlying Ogallala formation with
<br />more than 150 thousand irrigation wells. The High Plains area also has about 18.3
<br />million acres of dryland farming, a part of which is interspersed with the irrigated
<br />acreages. In addition to irrigated and dryland crop production, large scale cattle
<br />feedlot and meat packing industries have developed due to the availability of feed
<br />grains and a climate that is ideal for cattle feeding.
<br />Estimated ground water in storage in the area was 3.05 billion acr~feet in 1974.
<br />Irrigation and other uses cause an annual withdrawal of 22.14 million acre-feet. It is
<br />estimated that by the year 2020, there will be a net increase of 3.8 million acres in
<br />irrigation in the area, occasioned by a large increase in the northern area and a smaller
<br />decrease in the southern area.
<br />
<br />Objectives
<br />
<br />The principal Objectives of this study were to compute, display, and communicate
<br />to local, state, and national public and private sector policymakers the nature and
<br />
<br />* Prepared by the High Plains Study Council whose members are Colorado, Kansas,
<br />Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas; The Honorable William P. Clements,
<br />Jr., Governor of Texas, Chairman; The Honorable Charles Thone, Governor of
<br />Nebraska, Vice Chairman; and The Honorable Morgan Smith, Colorado Commission
<br />of Agriculture, Secretary.
<br />
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