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,-, " . l ()!' 1)L1,11,' 18, ./ ~h.:::.' {'=~'l,",."-' '!'(!-I~?"irT1 C:{t""'Y'I.~:; f;::'T h~={o"C tl-:e t:~'\11'1d.'3-_"ies (It' Colorado. It is an important aquifer especially in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. In fact, the aquifer is much more extensive in the other states than it is in Color3.do. It is most extensively developed in Texas where mar:y thousands of wells are furnishing water to irrigate about E million acres of land. The Ogallala formation has not been extensively exploited for water in Colorado. However, enough wells have been drilled to prove that it is capable of supplying large quantities of water which can be used for irrigation. A recent estimate indicates that there were about 400 wells being used for irrigation in 1960; the number has been increasine each year. .' Development of grounct water in the High Plains of Colorado is behind that in Colorado IS other major aquifers and several south- western states for several reasons: (1) the depth to water and hence the cost of pumping water is much greater in the High Plains than it is in the other major ground-water provinces in the State; (2) dry- land farming has been quite successful; (3) land owners are reluctant to make the large expenditure to convert from dry land to irrigation farming; and (4) climatic conditions are not as favorable for growing high-priced crops as they are in states farther to the south. Economic conditions are becoming increasingly favorable and probably irrigation fanning in the High Plains of Colorado will continue to increase. Extensive development of ground water will undoubtedly result in a depletion of the supply. The potential rate of development for irri- gation is many times greater than the rate of replenishment. The aquifer is recharged only by precipitation on the surface. Of the normal annual precipitation (15 to 18 inches), probably not more than an inch reaches the aquifer. At least one foot of water is needed to irrigate most crops and some crops, under certain conditions, require several feet. Based on extensively developed areas in other states, it seems likely that extensive irrigation development in the irrigable areas of the High Plains of Colorado might cause the water table to decline at the rate of 5-10 feet per year. ., To date, the withdrawals of ground water have not been great enough to cause a widespread decline although, in a few small in- tensively developed areas, the decline has been measurable. Water- level measurements in parts of the area are being made periodically - 2 -