2012 1st Place Scholarship Winner Chirae Christie’s Essay

Chirae Christie

The Great State of Texas, and specifically the Panhandle, is in the midst of a record drought of mammoth proportions. What can we do as consumers of the Ogallala Aquifer to stem the tide of the rapid depletion of this finite resource?

As a seventeen year old high school senior born and raised in Amarillo and attending school all my life at San Jacinto Christian Academy in Potter County, I have personally witnessed the largest reservoir in this region basically dry up and blow away in only a few short years. Who would have ever thought this could happen here? This has made it glaringly apparent not only to water experts, but also to all of us as residents of the Texas Panhandle, that we cannot rely on surface water to supplement the Ogallala and our excessive water consumption. The time is now for us as consumers to take decisive action to mitigate the long-term depletion effects of this precious life sustaining resource we call the Ogallala. We often hear the phrase: “we must do it for our children”. I’m here to say, we must do it now for every one of us and for any possibility of future generations to live and thrive in this semi-arid region. The situation is approaching critical mass, and if we do not act now our limited supply of groundwater that sustains our agricultural communities and our petrochemical and energy based industries will be gone. Without these jobs, our communities and our much-cherished way of life will dry up and blow away just like Lake Meredith.

The research I have done regarding this topic further proves that if we as Texans do not act quickly, it may be too late. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has recently published its 2012 State Water Plan titled “Water for Texas.” As clearly stated by the Chairman of the TWDB—the primary message of the 2012 State Water Plan is a simple one: “In serious drought conditions, Texas does not and will not have enough water to meet the needs of its people, its businesses, and its agricultural enterprises.” Well, the serious drought conditions are here. This statement is a sobering thought to a seventeen year old that has fourth generation roots in the Texas panhandle agriculture and petrochemical industry. This may sound drastic to some of you, and that’s because it is. So what can we do to stem the tide?

I propose a three-tiered approach: Education, Conservation and Legislation. Educating the general public, as well as agricultural and industrial consumers, is one of the most critical actions each of us can do. I believe the majority of the residents in this region do not fully understand where their water comes from and that it comes from an aquifer that has a finite life. Municipalities, local officials, and the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District (PGCD) have all been very proactive in implementing educational programs for the various stakeholders. However, I believe that more can and should be done through education of all water consumers about the importance of conserving this resource. Local school districts should include basic water conservation education in the science classroom from an early age and continue this training through high school. Educating our youth about this topic is vital to your region.

Conservation is the next and most critical step that must be taken to slow the depletion of this lifeline. We can all do more at home, school, and work to conserve our water. There are numerous resources readily available that provide basic water conservation tips that can easily be implemented. The PGCD has a variety of conservation tips and other useful resources available at its website: http://www.pgcd.us/. Additionally, new agriculture irrigation technologies have been developed that result in reduced evaporation rates for more efficient irrigation of our crops. Farmers should plant drought tolerant crops that are more suitable for this region. Tax incentives and low interest farm loans are available to assist with capital improvements that will yield long-term benefits not only in crop production, but also in conservation of water. Industries that consume massive amounts of water to produce their products should employ basic conservation techniques within their facilities. Furthermore, industries should establish water conservation teams comprised of qualified experts to evaluate water consumption and identify ways to minimize usage and also identify cost efficient ways to recycle and reuse their process wastewaters.

The final approach in mitigating the adverse effects on the Ogallala Aquifer is through legislation. Local governments should implement regulations that can be enforced to prevent this precious resource from being wasted. Additional state legislation should be enacted that encourages and rewards industry, agricultural, and individuals who employ effective conservation techniques and wastewater recycling programs through tax incentives, as well as penalizing wasteful water usage. Senate Bill 1, signed into law in 1997, is the foundation for comprehensive water legislation that put in place the water planning process designed to ensure that future water needs of all Texans are met. The PGCD has established a set of comprehensive rules under the Texas Water Code that regulate the production of water within the district. The rules specify that a “50/50 standard” be met. The standard states that “at least 50% of the saturated thickness of the aquifer remains after 50 years.” This standard also establishes an acceptable annual decline rate and limits production when data demonstrates that the decline rate is excessive. When established decline rates are exceeded, the district will identify the area as a “study area” and implement additional data collection, including more comprehensive water level measurements, and if necessary, the district can declare an area as a “conservation area” and can further regulate the production from that area.

If we all join together as proactive stakeholders in this quest to save our Ogallala and we all do our part with respect to Education, Conservation, and Legislation, our cherished way of life here in the Panhandle will thrive for generations to come.