Ogallala Aquifer Levels in Kansas Drop
Associated Press - Tue 11:00 AM 02/05/2013
Water level declines were sharper in northwestern Kansas, which was especially dry in 2012. In southwestern Kansas, which saw a little more rain last year than the year before, the decrease wasn't quite as severe.
The Kansas Geological Surveys says water levels in the Ogallala aquifer have dropped significantly in sections of Kansas since last year.
Rex Buchanan, interim director of the KGS, recently completed an annual tour of the 1,400 wells that tap into the Ogallala in western Kansas. He says overall levels in January 2013 dropped about 3 1/2 feet. Declines in January 2012 averaged 4.25 feet.
Buchanan says that the water level declines were sharper in northwestern Kansas, which was especially dry in 2012. In southwestern Kansas, which saw a little more rain last year than the year before, the decrease wasn't quite as severe.
In a normal year, the aquifer recharges at an annual rate of only about a half-inch, and even less during drought.
---
Associated Press information from: The Lawrence Journal-World
Comments must stay on topic and be respectful. Comments that are personal attacks, make unfounded accusations, or are for the purpose of "trolling" or inciting others will be removed. Offending users will have their profile suspended.
Post a comment Log in or Register to comment
Aurora
Tuesday 5 February 2013 12:23 Report this comment
Isn't that wonderful that the farm corporations of western Kansas and lawmakers care more about temporary profits than the long term effect on water table!?! In some places, rivers already have been dry for a decade or longer and some farms have already been abandoned because of no water in the well. In the end, local farmers, poor people, and small towns are going to suffer the most...Unless we do something about it, good luck!
ShadowCipher
Tuesday 5 February 2013 13:00 Report this comment
Scary news. I wish people would see this problem for the priority it needs to be.
grnthums
Tuesday 5 February 2013 16:46 Report this comment
Yeah, but look on the bright side. Now big oil and their bought and paid for congressmen can more easily route all those job creating pipelines around the depleted aquifer.
jimdingo
Tuesday 5 February 2013 17:58 Report this comment
Let it rip, big oil, ethanol, all in the name of getting me around, leave a carbon footprint as big as Salina folks. Someday it will all be gone, and we'll be back to horse and buggy.
troy
Tuesday 5 February 2013 17:59 Report this comment
God made dinosaurs for a reason....so that millions of years later we could have oil.
Aurora
Wednesday 6 February 2013 15:38 Report this comment
Oh troy...dinosaurs didn't turn into oil, it was from plants that are being buried and compressed under huge pressure!
Aurora
Wednesday 6 February 2013 15:38 Report this comment
And troy, what does oil have to do with falling water table?