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. . . After 1931:, the rate of development area irrigated had increa~ed to 80,000 acres. the years follo,Tine 1936 is given 'in Table 2. accelerated and by 1936 the Most of the development in Developments since 1936 have been affected by several factors. Scarcity of capital durine the depression year~ is reflected in the rate of increase fram 1936 to 1940. Precipitation was ample in 1941-42 and there was little need for irrigation, but the construction of wells continued through these years (Table 2). As a result of the ,1!U', pumpin[; equipment and well casing became exceedingly scarce early in 1942 and continued in short supply until after the war. Meanwhile, the v~.ue of irrigation having already been demonstrated, interent lras further stimulated by favorable a;:;ricul tuxal price~. Table 2. - Acreage irrigated, Southern High Plains of Texas, 1936-50 11 Acres .. Acres .. Year irrip,ated .' Year irrigated -- " 1936 80,000 :: 1944 450,000 1937 160,000 :: 1945 550,000 1938 200,000 .. 1946 650,000 .. 1939 2}0,000 " 1947 900,000 1940 ~~50,000 .. 1948 1,250}000 1941 : y .. 1949 1,710,000 .. 1942 .y .. 1950 1,850,000 1943 400,000 .. .. ., 1/ Adapted from Table 8A, "Geology and Ground \-later in the Irrigated Region of the Southern High Plains in Texas", Progress Report No.7, Texas State Board of Hater Engineers in cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey, Harch 1949. 2/ Acreage irrigated was sTnall because of exceptionnlly high precipitation. Increasing quantitier. of equipment became available late in 1945 and early in 1946, and increased still loore through 1947 and 1948. Demand, which was fuxthor stimQ1ated by high postwar agricult~'al prices, was SO great, howcvor, that it was not until mid-1948 that supplies of pumping equipment and well casing cea~ed to be a limiting factor to development. ~r Supply ~~.- Tho source of water in the High Plains has been 0. subject of considerable speculation among people of the area. Hydrologists, who have investigated and rGported on t:le snbject, however, are in agreement. According to Hhite, et al., the souxce is as follows: 5 .