Ogallala Aquifer Water Rights and Planning

1
Ogallala Aquifer Water Rights and Planning

• David Brauer
• OAP Manager
• CPRL-ARS-USDA, Bushland Texas

2
(No Transcript)
3
Governments involved with Ogallala water use
policies

• U.S. Federal government
• Limited Federal and Tribal Reserve water rights
• State
• Major player rules/policies vary
• Local Groundwater Conservation Districts
• Second major player

4
Definitions

• Water right
• Legal right/device to use water
• Private vs. public ownership
• Private ownership property right
• Public shared ownership of a common pool
  resource
• Prior Appropriation vs. Right to Capture
• Prior appropriation First in, last out
• Right to Capture landowners right to use all
  water that can be captured

5
Ground Water Rights in Kansas

• Prior appropriation
• Beneficial use allows for treatment of ground
  water as a public resource
• Water development to water conservation
• Groundwater Management District Act
• Intensive Groundwater Use Control Areas
• Rules to control withdrawals

6
Ground Water Rights in Oklahoma

• Ground water is private property
• Reasonable regulation by state
• Oklahoma Water Resource Board
• Permitting of water rights
• Developing OK Comprehensive Water Plan

7
Ground Water Rights in Texas

• Governing principle
• Right to capture
• Water right is real property

8
Water Planning in Texas

• Related Laws
• Senate Bill 1
• Creation of 16 regional water planning groups
• Senate Bill 2
• Empowered GCD with some regulatory power
• Joint planning within GMA
• GCD able to share information
• House Bill 1763
• Bottom Up Approach

9
House Bill 1763-2005

• Regional decisions on groundwater availability
• Requires planning to meet desired future
  conditions, 50 year horizon
• How much water left in the aquifer in 50 years
• Defines a permitting target for groundwater
  production (Managed Available Groundwater).

10
A lesson in geography
11
What is Water Planning and PWPG Role

• Determines the water demands of water users
• Determines the water supply
• Determines the water shortages or excesses
• Proposes remedies for shortfalls

12
(No Transcript)
13
Groundwater Supplies in the PWPGAc-ft per year
2010 2060
Ogallala Aquifer 3,403,864 2,053,260
Seymour Aquifer 41,525 38,650
Blaine Aquifer 230,000 228,750
Dockum Aquifer 338,000 174,800
Other Aquifers 676 671
Total Groundwater 4,014,065 2,496,131
14
Potential Shortfall of Available Water Identified
by PWPG

• Irrigated Agriculture Needs
• 6 Counties With Identified Water Needs for
  irrigation
• Potential Needs Range from 849 acre-feet to over
  142,079 acre-feet annually
• Municipal/Rural Water Needs
• 15 Entities With Identified Needs
• Potential Needs Range from 36 acre-feet to over
  18,337 acre-feet annually
• Actions to remediate shortfall maybe eligible for
  funding from Tx Water Development Board

15
Strategies for Reducing Irrigation Demand- PWPG

Water Management Strategy Assumed Annual Regional Water Savings acre-feet/ac/yr Assumed Baseline Use Year 2010 Goal for Adoption 2020 Goal for Adoption 2030 Goal for Adoption 2040 Goal for Adoption 2050 Goal for Adoption 2060
Use of NPET 0.083 20 27.5 35 42.5 50 50
Change in Crop Variety 0.341-corn 0.054-sorghum 40 70 70 70 70 70
Irrigation Equipment Changes 0.525 80 85 90 95 95 95
Change in Crop Type 0.692 20 40 40 40 40 40
Convert Irrigated Land to Dryland 0.892 5 10 15 15 15 15
Implement Conservation Tillage Methods 0.146 60 70 70 70 70 70
Precipitation Enhancement 0.083 0 100 100 100 100 100
Biotechnology Adoption 15 30 corn, cotton soybeans 0 50 90 100 100 100

16
Analysis for Sherman County, Texas (acre-ft/year)
    2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060
  Projected Shortfall -72,126 -68,962 -79,286 -82,553 -76,718 -68,790
  Projected Water Savings            
Water Saving Strategies Change in Crop Type 0 10,580 10,580 10,580 10,580 10,580
Water Saving Strategies Change in Crop Variety 0 8,020 8,020 8,020 8,020 8,020
Water Saving Strategies Conservation Tillage 0 2,562 2,562 2,562 2,562 2,562
Water Saving Strategies Convert to Dryland 0 4,261 8,521 8,521 8,521 8,521
Water Saving Strategies Irrigation Equipment 0 4,607 9,214 13,821 13,821 13,821
Water Saving Strategies NPET Network 0 1,092 2,185 3,277 4,370 4,370
Water Saving Strategies Precipitation Enhancement 0 7,953 7,953 7,953 7,953 7,953
Water Saving Strategies Biotechnology Adoption 0 10,006 36,020 40,022 40,022 40,022
  Total Water Savings 0 49,080 85,055 94,756 100,456 100,456
               
  Water Surplus / Deficit -72,126 -19,882 5,769 12,203 19,131 27,059
17
Future Water Plans in Texas

• By September 10, 2010 each Ground Water
  Management Area will have to submit Desired
  Future Condition (DFC) for major Aquifers
• Example 50 of available water remaining in 2060
• DFC will alter the available ground water for
  further water planning activity

18
Groundwater Conservation Districts over Ogallala
Aquifer in Texas
19
Future for Ogallala Aquifer in Texas