Summit To Discuss Future Of Ogallala Aquifer

A summit next week in Colby will bring together several people and organizations interested in preserving the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides much of the water for agriculture in western Kansas.

The summit, called by Gov. Sam Brownback , is scheduled for July
21 at Colby Community College. The registration deadline is Friday.

The aquifer, which stretches from South Dakota to Texas, has
been declining for years. Western Kansas farmers who developed
irrigation to raise crops eventually pumped more water than the
aquifer could sustain.

Mark Rude of Garden City, is a former southwest Kansas water
commissioner. The Salina Journal reports that he expects the summit
to discuss ways to do a better job of managing the aquifer
long-term while still helping agriculture interests stay viable.