Water Scarcity Affecting Midwest Farms

In the past years, the environmental impact that agricultural irrigation systems have had on the aquifers that we live on in the midwest have been devastating to the water table and have resulted in an upcoming drought. An example of this is the Ogallala Aquifer, which spans over Western Kansas. The Aquifer has lowered by as much as 18 inches in Southwestern Kansas in the past year, raising concerns about future consumption of water.

To remediate this issue, the State of Kansas has been consulting with the farming population about setting water consumption restraints, and setting legal limitations on the different kinds of irrigation. This is because flood irrigation and spray irrigation are very inefficient and can result in as much as 90% water loss. Drip irrigation has been proven to be the most effective method in conserving water while farming. Make sure you are voting yes to preserve the current water in our aquifers and promote sustainable practices for our local farmers!