Question

The Ogallala aquifer is the largest in the United States, covering \(450,000 \mathrm{~km}^{2}\) across eight states, from South Dakota to Texas. This aquifer provides \(82 \%\) of the drinking water for the people who live in this region, although most \((>75 \%)\) of the water that is pumped from it is for irrigation. Irrigation withdrawals are approximately 18 billion gallons per day. (a) The Ogallala aquifer might run dry, according to some estimates, in 25 years. How many cubic kilometers of water would be withdrawn in a 25 -year period? (b) Explain the processes that would recharge the aquifer.

Short answer

In 25 years, 466.56 cubic kilometers of water would be withdrawn from the Ogallala aquifer. Aquifers are recharged through the process of infiltration, which involves water from precipitation, snowmelt, or excess irrigation entering the soil and eventually making its way into the aquifer, replenishing it.

Step-by-step solution

(a) Convert and calculate withdrawn volume in 25 years

First, let's convert the given withdrawal rate from gallons to cubic kilometers: 1 gallon = 0.00378541 cubic meters, so \(18 \times 10^9\) gallons/day \(= (18 \times 10^9)(0.00378541) \mathrm{~m}^3/day = 68.134 \times 10^6 \mathrm{~m}^3/day = 0.068134 \mathrm{~km}^3/day\) Now, we also know that 75% of the water is used for irrigation, which means we should multiply the withdrawal rate by this percentage: \(0.068134 \mathrm{~km}^3/day * 0.75 = 0.0511005 \mathrm{~km}^3/day\) Next, let's calculate how many days are in 25 years: \(25 \ \mathrm{years} * 365.25\ \mathrm{days/year} = 9131.25\ \mathrm{days}\) Now, calculating the volume of water withdrawn in 25 years: \(0.0511005\ \mathrm{~km}^3/day * 9131.25\ \mathrm{days} = 466.56\ \mathrm{~km}^3\) So, 466.56 cubic kilometers of water would be withdrawn in a 25-year period.

(b) Recharge processes for aquifers

Aquifers can recharge through the process of infiltration. Infiltration is the movement of water from the ground surface into the soil and rocks, which then makes its way into the aquifer. This can occur through precipitation, snowmelt, or even excess irrigation in agriculture. The water will pass through the vadose zone (unsaturated zone), and eventually reaches the saturated zone or water table, where it replenishes the aquifer. The rate of recharge may vary depending on factors such as climate, soil type, and land use.

Key concepts

Aquifer Depletion

The Ogallala Aquifer, vital for both drinking water and irrigation in the United States, faces the phenomenon known as aquifer depletion. This occurs when water is withdrawn from the aquifer at a rate faster than it can be naturally replenished, leading to a decline in the water levels within the aquifer. Depletion has serious implications, potentially causing wells to dry up, impacting agricultural productivity, and disrupting ecosystems.

As demonstrated in the exercise, if water withdrawal continues at current rates, estimates suggest that significant depletion may occur within a 25-year period. To visualize this impact, the conversion of daily water withdrawal into volumetric measurements over 25 years gives us a staggering figure of hundreds of cubic kilometers potentially extracted, emphasizing the urgency in addressing this environmental challenge.

Water Withdrawal Calculation

In understanding the stress on aquifers, it is vital to have a reliable method of calculating water withdrawal. This involves converting the withdrawal rate from a standard volume unit to one that can compound over time to reflect the total volume extracted. For the Ogallala Aquifer, the exercise demonstrates the conversion of gallons per day to cubic kilometers over a 25-year span, taking into account specific usage such as for irrigation. Proper calculation is paramount in water resource management, allowing for the assessment of current usage against sustainable levels and helping inform policy decisions and conservation efforts.

To calculate the withdrawal, the rate is converted to a volume per day, and then the daily use is projected over the desired time span. In the exercise, by multiplying the daily rate by the number of days in 25 years, we calculate the total volume withdrawn, providing a clear picture of the volume of water resources that may be depleted if conservation measures are not implemented.

Aquifer Recharge Processes

While the exercise highlights the challenge of aquifer depletion, it also sheds light on the aquifer recharge processes. Recharging an aquifer is the natural or artificial process through which water is added back into an aquifer, replenishing what has been withdrawn. Natural recharge processes include infiltration from precipitation, snowmelt, or nearby rivers and lakes. In areas where this natural recharge is insufficient, artificial recharge may be employed, which can include techniques such as aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), where water is intentionally infiltrated into the ground during times of surplus.

The rate at which an aquifer recharges can vary greatly depending upon several factors including soil permeability, the presence of impervious surfaces, and climate conditions. For the Ogallala, recharge rates are particularly slow due to its geological composition and semi-arid environment, highlighting the importance of managing withdrawals sustainably to protect this critical water resource.