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Sociology of Agriculture and Food (SAFRIG)

Producer Perceptions of Groundwater Depletion in the Southern High Plains Ogallala Aquifer Region Samuel Baumer*, Samuel Baumer, Matthew Sanderson,

The High Plains Ogallala Aquifer, a vital source of potable water for the High Plains, is rapidly depleting in the southern portion of the region. The primarily cause of depletion is irrigated agriculture coupled with high demand from local CAFOs for water-intensive crops. In order to understand the drivers for irrigation-related aquifer depletion and motivations for groundwater conservation, we interviewed 37 agricultural producers across the Southern High Plains region in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Additionally, we interviewed non-operating land owners as well as governmental and nongovernmental groundwater conservationists from the same region. The results reveal farmers’ perceptions of significant factors relating to aquifer depletion and groundwater conservation.