Ogallala Aquifer Summit: Collaboration on the High Plains

A patchwork of green circles dot the landscape across the High Plains of the United States, their green grid created by sprinklers irrigating with well water pumped from the Ogallala Aquifer. Relying heavily on the Ogallala Aquifer, farmers and livestock growers in this semi-arid region produce nearly one-fifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the United States as of 2011.

The importance of the Ogallala Aquifer and the communities it supports cannot be overstated. Irrigation of crops significantly boosts productivity and supports the socioeconomic lifeblood of this region. Agricultural sales from the Ogallala Aquifer region contribute billions of dollars to local economies and national gross domestic product. 

However, the Ogallala Aquifer is in trouble. Groundwater measurements in the Ogallala Aquifer show ongoing declines in aquifer water quality and quantity. The shared water resource can be managed sustainably, but this will require cooperation by water users within the region and support from those outside of the region who also benefit from it.

In March 2024, NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the Irrigation Innovation Consortium at Colorado State University partnered with the Kansas Water Office and others in the region to host the third Ogallala Aquifer Summit.

The Summit brought together more than 230 crop and livestock growers, scientists and technical experts, water managers, governments (local, state, and federal), and other partners to work to address water management challenges within the region. Summit opening remarks were delivered by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and U.S. Senator for Kansas Jerry Moran.

“Without water there is no agriculture, and without agriculture there are no rural communities in the High Plains,” said Kansas Senator Jerry Moran. “The future of the High Plains region depends on leadership to preserve water.”

This third Summit built on successes of past Summits led in 2021 and 2018 by the Irrigation Innovation Consortium. Key takeaways from the Summit were summarized in the recently published 2024 Ogallala Aquifer Summit Summary Report. The Summit program was split among four sessions, each devoted to some aspect of the theme, "Building Trust, Mobilizing Collaboration."

Session 1: Applying Science and Data for Regional Agricultural Sustainability

The opening session focused on the science of the hydrology and climatology of the region with the goal of building trust and collaboration between scientists, who are working to understand the dynamics of the Aquifer, and business leaders and decision-makers, who are implementing the knowledge being produced. Presenters highlighted the value seasonal climate predictions provide to manage risks to the community, as well as tools to support decisions to withdraw groundwater. 

Session 2: Harnessing the Power of Peer Networks

The next session focused on harnessing the power of peer networks to bring people together to share successes and lessons learned. This included a presentation about the successes of the Master Irrigators program in some states, and successes in individual regions and farms when solutions are implemented.

Session 3: Mobilizing Supply Chain Partners

The second day opened with a focus on the nationwide and global risk presented by Ogallala water challenges. Water scarcity in this region impacts local, national, and global economies, and even national security, because, as one panelist pointed out, "food security is national security." Producers underscored the need to recognize the economic value of water in approaches to address these risks. 

Subsequent discussions focused on mobilizing supply chain partners to support agricultural sustainability within the region. Sustainable water use in the Ogallala not only impacts local farmers within the region, but major corporations from across the country and the world who rely on Ogallala water. Customers at grocery stores across the country buy bread or beef that was grown from Ogallala water. Northern Texas alone produces 20% of U.S. cotton using water that is drawn from the Ogallala Aquifer. This cotton is being worn as t-shirts or blue jeans by millions of people around the world. Corporations who rely heavily on production in the High Plains regions are invited to be part of the ongoing conversation about sustainable use, hence the importance of mobilizing supply chain partners.

Session 4: Building the Future We Want: Thinking and Acting Intergenerationally

The final session focused on building intergenerational collaboration. Thinking and acting intergenerationally is about making sure there is a future for the next generation in the region. Participants discussed their desire for flexible and voluntary tools to manage the aquifer and a need for more educational opportunities to create future leaders and a skilled workforce for the next generation’s water. 

The conference ended with a capstone session that asked Summit participants, “What do you hope to be true in three years?” This 90-minute conversation helped articulate the potential next-steps to arrive at real progress in the region. Participants hoped to return to the next Summit having made strides in communicating and collaborating further, developing and implementing new tools, and broadening educational and research opportunities in the region.