by Adeline Miller

An Environmental Sustainability major from Trophy Club, Texas whose passion is environmental justice, Adeline Miller wrote this essay for Timothy Bradford’s “Humans, Nature: Fragile Future” class.

I first learned about the Ogallala Aquifer junior year of high school in my environmental science course. We explored how vast the aquifer was and how vital it was to life in the middle of the United States and ultimately the entirety of the country. The Ogallala is a water source for all communities overlying it, as well as the irrigating source for a quarter of the nation’s crop producing land. After reading about how indispensable the resource was, I then learned that the aquifer could run dry in the next 50 years, and as a resident of the middle of the United States, I panicked. I looked around the room after our teacher broke that mind-boggling news, but no one was phased. Why was no one else as terrified as I was? I could not wrap my mind around how little we were doing when faced with a foreseeable crisis with detrimental effects. Current groundwater usage projected that my generation could experience the emptying of this resource, and I had no idea what I could do. The consequences of humanity’s past and current actions are finally catching up to us, yet we do not have a tangible plan for when that time comes. I was left feeling immense guilt and worry about a problem I, at 16, had not known about or contributed to. This led me to further questions: why is there such a lack of education and indifference towards the subject? However, times are changing. Some communities are showing willingness to participate in water conservation efforts; yet, despite their efforts, the real problem involves a complicated relationship between mass agriculture and governmental policy.

The Ogallala Aquifer dates to between 2 and 6 million years ago, from the late Miocene to early Pliocene ages when the Rocky Mountains were still tectonically active, formed from ancient erosion moved eastward by rivers, along with the accumulation of millennia of rain and snow over the area. According to the Talon LPE Environmental Consultant’s article “History of the Ogallala Aquifer and Its Current State,” humans started accessing this water around the early 1900s, but mass extraction did not begin until the 1930s due to drought. To keep farmers on this dry land the government subsidized irrigation projects to improve water drilling technologies, which led farmers to be able to develop more land. The Ogallala allowed communities to build over this land and for farmers to produce almost half the crops in the nation, but the consequences of unregulated groundwater pumping are now becoming clear. A 2012 research text titled “Tapping unsustainable groundwater stores for agricultural production in the High Plains Aquifer of Kansas, projections to 2110” by David R. Steward offers the jarring statistic that in the next fifty years the aquifer could be almost 70% depleted, considering current trends. This may not seem disturbing at first, but once the number is broken down the danger is put into perspective. The article gives statistics in two parts: 30% of the groundwater has already been used and in the next fifty years another 39% will be used. Taking into consideration the history in the Talon LPE article, humans started mass extraction from the Ogallala around 1930, thus in the 82 years between 1930 and 2012 when the research article was written, 30% of the water had been used. Then, Steward states that in the next 50 years we will deplete another 39% (roughly doubling the rate of depletion, if considered on a yearly basis). This data illustrates our increase in technology and ability to consume groundwater, which will only continue to evolve. This foreshadows a potential 100% percent depletion in less than 100 years.

There is no question that the Ogallala is running out, and the high plains region relies on the Ogallala for its residential, industrial, and agricultural needs. Jane Braxton Little’s “Saving a Vital US Resource” focuses on Garden City, a small southern Kansas community that is being hit hard by the aquifer’s low levels. The community’s economy is based on their usage of the Ogallala, and the town believed the water was “inexhaustible,” until the wells began running dry. A member of the community addressed the issue by saying there is “no benefit to mankind to keep it unused in cold storage” (Little pp.9). There is no debate over stopping usage of the Ogallala because it offers too many benefits; nevertheless, it is important to note that there still are potential dangers in fully draining this resource. The article “Crisis on the High Plains” by Jeremy Frankel highlights one of these potential consequences. A team of ecologists found that depletion of the aquifer was leading to fish extinction in surrounding areas. The over pumping of water is drying out streams and rivers that depend on the aquifer and collapsing large fish populations. The thinning of streams favors the small sized fish populations because their size still allows them to swim through the streams, whereas large fish cannot anymore. This decreases biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems which is vital to the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity allows for larger genetic pools and more resilience to outside factors; then, as biodiversity decreases, the ecosystem becomes susceptible to collapse. Fragile ecosystems will not only restrict human ability to fish and harvest resources but also animals who use these fish as a food source. As the aquifer is drained, it will devastate ecosystems in the region. The aquifer is often only looked at as a resource for humans, yet it plays a role in the natural world. Draining the aquifer fully will have environmental repercussions, therefore conservation of the aquifer will serve not only to lengthen humanity’s use of the water, but also our ability to utilize the ecosystems it supports.

Plans have been made by local legislation to begin conservation of what is left of the Ogallala. A case study of Clovis, New Mexico, by O’Donnell and Berrens introduced a town whose water comes solely from the aquifer. Their wells are delivering half what they used to, and Clovis’ governing body has begun to make their response. They have created water conserving acts and rebates to decrease water usage at the household level. The Clovis residents’ agreement to make these changes exemplifies the general public’s agreeability with water conservation acts. In “Building a Simple General Model of Municipal Water Conservation Policy for Communities Overlying the Ogallala Aquifer,” Jeffrey Edwards builds on public sentiment and constructs a model that lays out ways to conserve water at the household level. Communities are responsive towards policy changes such as sprinkler regulations and various price increases. This proposal would create multiple forms of water conservators that can be adopted by a range of people. It is remarkable that the public is open to water conservation practices, but these policies restricting individual water use reinforces the misleading idea that the individual is at fault for draining the Ogallala, while in fact household usage of the Ogallala’s water is microscopic compared to the water guzzled by the high plains agricultural industry. Conserving water is always a good thing, but why are households having to make the changes on account of an industry’s greediness?

Mass production agriculture strains the aquifer far more than domestic households. In his article “Farmers are Depleting the Ogallala Aquifer because the Government Pays them to do it” Matthew Sanderson analyzes the hidden factor of governmental funding in mass agricultural practices. Sanderson provides statistics of agricultural water use in the high plains, such as irrigation accounting for 90% of water withdrawals. The high plains are responsible for 25% of the crops provided to the nation and lead to 89 trillion gallons of aquifer water used between 1900 and 2008 with no expected slowdown. Sanderson then takes corn in 2020 as an example, where production increased 5.7% above 2019. The government paid out $37.2 billion dollars in subsidies to farmers because corn prices were too low to cover the cost of growing. As the market price lowers, farmers flood the market with more to make up profit. The government pays subsidies to keep the farms afloat and allows for this extra production in an attempt at profits. This creates a vicious cycle of overproduction and inundates the market, lowering prices again, furthering the cycle. Even as large as these subsidies are, they have not been successful in raising profit. This strategy was created to help farms survive financial strife, but Sanderson cites a study from 1980 to 2010 that “showed…larger irrigated acreage failed to increase income”: the extra water usage and crop production led to no benefit (10). This proves that the strategy has failed to have a lasting positive impact on agriculture in the high plains, and that this strategy of funding overproduction does not effectively create profit, but it deepens the original market issue. Moreover, as long as there is drastic market fluctuation and low profit, water will be drained at an unsustainable rate.

Governmental policy is a driving force behind the abuse of water from the Ogallala, yet it is not being held responsible nor contributing to a mandated solution. However, the government is not actively ignoring the issue either. Sanderson confirms there have been attempts for governmental regulation on groundwater usage that have been immediately shot down by farming state leaders. Sanderson also rejects the idea of eliminating agricultural subsidies because they are “simply part of modern production agriculture,” but modern production agriculture is the root of the problem (Sanderson 14). Modern production practices are based on overproduction to create profit through government funding, which farmers are now accustomed to. This is the system that needs to be dismantled. Breaking down a stubborn and outdated system is unviable without major governmental determination; that being said, I agree that government subsidies should not be eliminated altogether, but they need to be reapportioned. I conclude that the subsidies need to be used strictly in ways that promote water conservation and sustainable organic farming techniques. Subsidies should be regulated, so they are solely used to finance responsible farming. Farmers would be given support through the transition from modern practices to future ones. Rebuilding our agricultural system will also regulate markets by eliminating the max production mindset. By growing what the land can handle versus what we can force it to, markets will stabilize with less sporadic yields each season.

The switch to an organic-based agricultural system will make a difference in our water usage. In his 2017 article “How Organic Farming Protects and Conserves Clean Water,” Jean Nick explains how organic farming promotes water conservation by building soil organic material, planting cover crops, spreading organic mulches, and utilizing perennial plants. These practices help the soil absorb and retain water, reduce runoff, and even recharge underground aquifers. The Rodale Institute found that 15 to 20% more water seeps down to the aquifer in organic fields than conventional. Organic practices not only conserve water usage but reduce the risk of contamination of its water source due to less runoff and toxic materials as synthetic fertilizers would not exist to threaten the water we have left in the aquifer.

I mentioned perennial plants earlier: their benefits are vital and could be a key in moving towards a sustainable agricultural system. The return to perennial grains offers a wide range of benefits that our current annuals cannot compare. The 2011 article “Perennial Crops Being Developed to Produce Food with Less Environmental Impact” by Greg Seaman articulates the benefits of Perennials in agriculture. Perennials are more water efficient than our current grain because they “make complete use of annual rainfall” (Seaman 5). Perennials can remain in the ground for years, allowing their roots to grow and tap into deep water sources below. With the help of the groundcover, perennials capture rainfall in the soil absorbing water that would otherwise become runoff. More importantly, these perennials could also be a key to altering our current agricultural systems. These plants could increase profit margins for farmers, leading to less of a need for government subsidies, resulting in less expensive irrigation and other machinery. Perennials are a step toward less governmental policies dictating our nation’s farms.

Changing a centuries-old practice is a huge task, especially because our modern practices have been created to make a profit. However, organic farming practices can fulfill this need too. The argument is made that organics cannot produce at the same scale and make as much profit, but a study in the Agricultural Systems Journal by Timothy A. Delbridge, entitled “A Whole Farm Profitability Analysis of Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems,” investigated that assumption and found a hopeful outcome. Comparing the two cropping systems using equal land size, technology, and labor. Delbridge found that “higher prices for organic crops and lower production costs in an organic system allow for higher per-acre net returns on organic crop farms than on conventional corn-soybean operations” (Delbridge p.18). Also, the study concluded that organic farms would be preferred by risk adverse farmers, because the yields were more stable than conventional farms. These findings prove organic agriculture could still satisfy the economic aspect of mass agriculture. However, Delbridge also noted that conventional farms do not have the machinery and management practices to easily make the switch. Time and money would need to be spent on the transition, which, with the reallotment of government subsidies, could be a possibility. Although this study was a hypothetical comparison, there are examples of organic agriculture’s successes. For example, a case study of Turkey’s agricultural practices titled “Organic Agriculture: The Case of Turkey” by K. Demiryürek honors the benefits of organic agriculture. Organic agriculture in Turkey has led to “rich biological diversity, species that are resistant to diseases, and low input” were the main advantages found (Demiryürek 265), along with the absence of dense chemical pollution on Turkey’s agricultural lands and water sources. This case study also found that not only in Turkey but in all Eastern Europe and Northern America the supply of organic products cannot meet the demand. This switch will result in an opportunity for growth in the markets.

The condition of the Ogallala Aquifer should be taken as a call to action. Our inability to plan regarding water accessibility is not a lone mistake. Environmental action is a slow-moving process that is only appearing as crisis arises. Solutions will not be found if society continues to stay in the shadows of the issues. My generation not only needs to be informed but motivated to create a world that can last for future generations. Lucas Bessire sums up my own thoughts in his 2021 book Running Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains when he recounts his personal feelings. Bessire wrote that the issue “seemed paralyzing” and caused him to have a “critical reckoning with the terms of [his] existence,” which is exactly how I felt the day I learned about the water crisis. Yet he takes it one step further by working with these emotions and creating a proposal for how we can work through the emergency. Bessire believes we can work together by “kinship within exile, community within exclusion, and alliance within disregard” which is powerful because divide between people hinders our ability to solve problems (Bessire 181). The water crisis on the high plains affects all of us, and collaboration and an open mind are what can solve it. Unprecedented environmental issues come with unprecedented solutions, which means that as a race we must allow ourselves to take a leap of faith and attempt a solution. Switching agricultural systems altogether may seem scary, but it cannot be more frightening than losing the high plains crop production altogether. Moreover, rather than focusing on our differences, opening our mind and hearts to all people creates a united force to focus on a solution.

Works Cited

Bessire, Lucas. “Afterword.” Running out: In Search of Water on the High Plains, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2021, pp. 167–182.

Delbridge, Timothy A., et al. “A Whole-Farm Profitability Analysis of Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems.” Agricultural Systems, vol. 122, Nov. 2013, pp. 1–10., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2013.07.007.

Demiryürek, K., et al. “Organic Agriculture: The Case of Turkey.” Outlook on Agriculture, vol. 37, no. 4, Dec. 2008, pp. 261–267., https://doi.org/10.5367/000000008787167754.

Edwards, Jeffrey A, et al. “Building a Simple General Model of Municipal Water Conservation Policy for Communities Overlying the Ogallala Aquifer.” Natural Resources, vol. 3, no. 1, 2013, pp. 135–155., https://doi.org/10.6008/i49.

Frankel, Jeremy. “Crisis on the High Plains: The Loss of America’s Largest Aquifer – the Ogallala.” University of Denver Water Law Review at the Sturm College of Law, 17 May 2018, http://duwaterlawreview.com/crisis-on-the-high-plains-the-loss-of-americas-largest-aquifer-the-ogallala/.

Kromm, David E. “Ogallala Aquifer.” Water Encyclopedia, http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Oc-Po/Ogallala-Aquifer.html.

Little, Jane Braxton. “The Ogallala Aquifer: Saving a Vital U.S. Water Source.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2009, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-ogallala-aquifer/.

LPE, Talon. “History of the Ogallala Aquifer and Its Current State.” HISTORY OF THE OGALLALA AQUIFER AND ITS CURRENT STATE, https://www.talonlpe.com/blog/history-of-the-ogallala-aquifer-and-its-current-state.

Nick, Jean. “How Organic Farming Protects and Conserves Clean Water.” Nature’s Path, Nature’s Path, 27 Aug. 2021, https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/blog/how-organic-farming-protects-and-conserves-clean-water/.

“Ogallala Aquifer.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Oct. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer.

Rodale Institute. “Farming Systems Trial.” Rodale Institute, https://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/RI-FST-Brochure-2018.pdf.

Sanderson, Matthew R, et al. “Farmers Are Depleting the Ogallala Aquifer Because the Government Pays Them to Do It.” The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2021, https://theconversation.com/farmers-are-depleting-the-ogallala-aquifer-because-the-government-pays-them-to-do-it-145501.

Seaman, Greg. “Perennial Crops Being Developed to Produce Food with Less Environmental Impact.” Eartheasy Guides & Articles, 23 May 2011, https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/perennial-crops-being-developed-to-produce-food-with-less-environmental-impact/.

Steward, D. R., et al. “Tapping Unsustainable Groundwater Stores for Agricultural Production in the High Plains Aquifer of Kansas, Projections to 2110.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 110, no. 37, 2013, pp. E3477–E3486., https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1220351110.