Author
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CLARK, RAY |
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Submitted to: Proceedings of the Water and the Future of Kansas Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2003 Publication Date: 3/11/2003 Citation: Clark, R.N. Prolonging the Life of the Ogallala Aquifer, What¿s Happening in the Texas High Plains? Proceedings of the Water and the Future of Kansas Conference. 2003. v. 20. p. 4. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: In 1997, the Texas Legislature changed the procedure for developing state water plans. Instead of a single state agency (Texas Water Development Board) developing a statewide plan, the state was divided into 16 regions for local water planning. Regional water planning groups composed of local representatives were to produce a unique water plan for their respective regions. The 16 regional plans were assembled into a state plan. The first round of regional plans were completed in December 2001 and adopted as the current Texas water plan. The plans were developed for 10 year intervals extending until 2050. The next planning cycle started in early 2003. The Texas High Plains was divided between two water planning regions based on river basin drainage areas. Generally, the Canadian and Red River basins were included in the Panhandle Water Planning Region and the Brazos River basin was in the Llano Estacado Water Planning Region. The Panhandle Water Planning Region included 21 counties, which included Amarillo and the areas north. Lubbock was near the center of the Llano Estacado Water Planning Region. This report will focus on the plans developed by the Panhandle Water Planning Region. A groundwater conservation goal was adopted for the region, sating that 50% of the 1998 saturated thickness of the Ogallala aquifer would be remaining after 50 years. Current water use was estimated to be 1.72 million acre-feet per year with 96% of that water coming from groundwater. Agricultural water use accounted for 92% of the water used in 1998 with irrigation using 89% and livestock 3%. Approximately 4% of the water was used by cities and the remaining 4% was divided between manufacturing, mining, and electric power generation. From these data, it is easily seen that to significantly reduce water use, water savings in irrigated agriculture is a must. Five of the 21 counties were projected to develop a deficit water need by 2050. An agricultural water use sub-committee was formed within the planning group to address the issues of proposing water saving strategies. Seven strategies were evaluated and the relative savings of each was estimated based on an assumed adoption rate. Using the daily crop water use scheduling procedure provided by the Texas Cooperative Extension estimated a water saving of 113,621 ac-ft per year by 2010. The adoption of more efficient irrigation application equipment suggested an annual savings of 45,129 ac-ft per year. Other strategies offered similar water savings. It was interesting to note that almost any one of these water saving strategies would save enough water to meet the proposed municipal water needs through 2050. |
