Ogallala Aquifer

E50494

The Ogallala Aquifer is one of the world’s largest underground freshwater reservoirs, supplying crucial irrigation and drinking water across much of the central United States.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf aquifer
groundwater reservoir
natural resource
composition clay
gravel
sand
silt
country United States
extendsUnder Colorado
Kansas
Nebraska
New Mexico
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Texas
Wyoming
geologicAge Tertiary
importance critical to U.S. agricultural output
one of the world’s largest freshwater aquifers
issue declining water levels
groundwater depletion
overpumping for irrigation
sustainability concerns
locatedIn Great Plains
High Plains
majorCropsIrrigated corn
cotton
sorghum
wheat
managementConcern groundwater management policy
water conservation
namedAfter Ogallala, Nebraska
partOf High Plains Aquifer system
primaryFormation Ogallala Formation
rechargeRate slow
rechargeSource precipitation
surface water infiltration
regionType semi-arid
studiedBy United States Geological Survey
supports agricultural production
industrial water use
major crop irrigation
municipal water supply
rural communities
threat climate variability
drought
use drinking water supply
irrigation
livestock watering
waterType freshwater

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Great Plains
contains
Ogallala Aquifer ("High Plains Aquifer system")
partOf
Ogallala Aquifer ("Ogallala Formation")
primaryFormation
Eastern Colorado ("Ogallala Aquifer (in southeastern and eastern portions)")
waterSource

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