Author(s)

M. Guru, J. Horne

Abstract

The Ogallala Aquifer covers approximately 10,000 square miles from Texas to the Dakotas, and is a major source of water for the High Plains. Unfortunately its water is being used faster than it is being replenished, and the result is predicted by many to be serious eco-centric pressure on the area in the not so distant future. This paper critically examines the impacts of the increasing use of the Ogallala— with specific focus on the situation in the Oklahoma Panhandle region, and the possibility of adopting sustainable development practices to curb the increasing aquifer water depletion and deterioration. The first section of this paper is the introduction to the subject. The next section peruses Ogallala water conditions and quality issues, and examines how and why the aquifer is in its present state. Past studies conducted in this area are also briefly covered. A case study of the

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