Event will draw participants from eight states to discuss water management issues
A proverbial Who’s Who of water management is expected for the 2024 Ogallala Aquifer Summit, set for March 18-19 in Liberal, Kansas.
The conference marks the third time that a group of water specialists, users, regulators and others from eight states will gather to discuss the condition of the mighty Ogallala, a vast underground reservoir that covers 174,000 square miles and touches parts of South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.
The Ogallala Aquifer is critical to the economies of the regions it touches. It is estimated that 95% of groundwater pumped from the aquifer each year is for irrigated agriculture, though it also supports livestock and municipal needs. The aquifer supports approximately $35 billion in crop production.
But the Ogallala Aquifer is rapidly depleting; some estimates indicate that in 50 years, 70% of the aquifer will be depleted.
Some topics on this year’s agenda include:
- New opportunities with conservation-related legislation.
- Understanding water risk as part of climate risk and economic risk.
- Advances in science and data application.
- The power of peer networks.
- Workforce and leadership development.
Registration is available online at www.irrigationinnovation.org/2024-ogallala-summit. The cost is $150, which includes meals and all conference sessions.
