The Invisible Crisis Threatening America's Food Superpower Status | WSJ

Summary

The video script discusses the critical issue of groundwater depletion in the United States, with a focus on the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest underground freshwater source in the country. It covers the impact of excessive water use for agriculture, particularly in the farming communities stretching from Kansas to parts of Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. The script highlights the decline in water levels since the 1950s, the existential threat this poses to the region's agricultural and drinking water supplies, and the potential long-term consequences of this unsustainable use. It also explores the efforts by some farmers to adopt more sustainable practices, such as switching to less water-intensive crops and using irrigation more strategically. The importance of groundwater regulation and the need for a more coordinated national approach to water management are emphasized. The summary also touches on the broader implications of groundwater depletion, including its effects on urban areas and the potential for land subsidence and contamination of drinking water supplies. Finally, it mentions the opportunities for sustainable solutions, such as wastewater recycling programs, and the growing recognition of groundwater as a shared public resource.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Groundwater use is depleting aquifers across the U.S., posing a threat to drinking water and the nation's agricultural status.
• 🌽 Corn is the most water-intensive crop in the region, and its cultivation is unsustainable without significant water resources.
• 🏞️ The Ogallala Aquifer, the largest underground freshwater store in the U.S., is rapidly declining, transforming once fertile areas into unsustainable farmland.
• ⏳ Time is running out for critical parts of the Ogallala Aquifer, highlighting a larger groundwater crisis unfolding nationwide.
• 📉 Wells have declined by more than 100 feet since the 1990s, indicating a significant drop in water levels.
• 🌾 The Ogallala Aquifer supports about 30% of all U.S. crop and animal production, but its water levels reached an all-time low in 2019.
• 💧 Only 90% of water used in Kansas comes from groundwater, with 80-85% of that used for irrigation, leading to substantial aquifer drawdown.
• 📊 Some areas in Kansas have lost 50-70% of their aquifer capacity since the mid-20th century, with water replenishment taking centuries or millennia.
• 🌾 Declining groundwater has led to decreased corn yields in some regions, such as Wichita County, Kansas.
• 🛠️ Farmers like the Gigot family are switching to less water-intensive crops and implementing more strategic irrigation to conserve water.
• 🏛️ Policy experts argue that more consistent groundwater regulation and significant reductions in water use are necessary to save the aquifers.

Q & A

What is the primary concern regarding the use of groundwater in the United States?

The primary concern is that unchecked groundwater use is draining aquifers across the country, threatening drinking water supplies and the nation's status as a food superpower.

Which crop is mentioned as the highest water using crop in the region?

Corn is identified as the highest water using crop in the region.

How has the Ogallala Aquifer contributed to the transformation of the Sandhills of Kansas?

The Ogallala Aquifer, a wealth of underground water, has helped transform the dusty Sandhills of Kansas into bountiful farmland.

What is the current status of the Ogallala Aquifer?

The Ogallala Aquifer is experiencing a rapid decline in water levels, with many wells having declined by more than 100 feet since the 1990s.

How significant is the Ogallala Aquifer to US agriculture?

The Ogallala Aquifer is crucial as it supports about 30% of all US crop and animal production, making it a vital resource for farming communities.

What is the impact of scarce rainfall on agriculture in the region?

Scarce rainfall is insufficient to sustain industrial scale agriculture, leading farmers to rely heavily on draining the aquifer for irrigation.

What measures have the Gigot family taken to preserve water on their farm?

The Gigot family has switched to less water-intensive crops like Triticale and Forage sorghum, used irrigation more strategically with soil moisture probes, and cut their water use by about 26% over the last seven years.

What percentage reduction in groundwater use is estimated to slow down the decline of the aquifer?

Estimates range from a 20 to 50% reduction in groundwater use each year, depending on the location.

How does the current groundwater law impact landowners' rights to use groundwater?

Current groundwater laws, which vary from state to state, generally allow landowners to pump large amounts of groundwater for relatively low costs, treating it as an unlimited resource.

What are some of the consequences of over-pumping groundwater?

Over-pumping can lead to land subsidence, roads buckling, fissures opening in the earth, and contamination of drinking water supplies with saltwater intrusion.

What is one strategy being implemented to address the groundwater crisis?

Expanding wastewater recycling programs, which turn city sewage into drinkable water, is one strategy being implemented to reduce the demand on groundwater resources.

How are cities and agricultural communities beginning to view groundwater?

There is a growing recognition that groundwater is a public resource, with cities like Denver, Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Phoenix showing concern about the groundwater problem alongside farmers who use the bulk of the water supplies.