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<br />"I:" I ~3 <br />l \.. - '." <br /> <br />question because water for irrigation and other purposes is being withdrawn <br />from the Ogallala at a rate far in excess of natural recharge. II continuation <br />of existing usage patterns is expected to result in depletion, or near depletion, <br />of this sole major source of water in a large portion of the High Plains. The <br /> <br />problem of a declining water table combined with ever increasing energy costs <br /> <br />is of great concern to the people of the region. The people through their <br /> <br />1 eaders were successful in getting Congress to authori ze and fund a study to <br /> <br />determine the extent of the problem and alternative actions which could be <br /> <br />taken to maintain the existing economic vitality of the region. <br /> <br />THE STUDY <br /> <br />In response to the concerns for the economi c future of the region expressed <br /> <br />by leaders from the States of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, 8klahoma, <br /> <br />and Texas, Congress authorized the High Plains Ogallala Aquifer Regional Study <br /> <br /> <br />in Section 193 of the 1976 Water Resources Development Act (Public Law 94-587). <br /> <br />Section 193 reads as follows: <br /> <br />"Section 193. In order to assure an adequate supply of food to the Nation <br /> <br />and to promote the economic vitality of the High Plains Region, the Secre- <br />tary of Commerce (hereinafter referred to in this section as the "Secre- <br /> <br />tary"), acting through the Economic Development Administration in coopera- <br /> <br />tion with the Secretary of the IIrmy, acting through the Chief of Engineers, <br />and appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and the private sector, <br />is authorized and directed to study the depletion of the natural resources <br /> <br />of those regions of the States of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, <br />Texas, and Nebraska present ly ut i 1 i zi ng the decl i ni ng water resources <br /> <br />of the Ogallala aquifer, and to develop plans to increase water supplies <br /> <br />3 <br />