• Home
  • About
  • Publications
  • Links
    • Drilling and Fracking
    • Resources
    • Stuff I Like
    • TX Progressive Alliance
  • Must See Videos
  • PSYOPS
  • Shale Survival
    • Before drilling starts
    • Tools
    • Medical
  • FAQ
  • Contact Me

Texas Sharon's Bluedaze

Fracking News

Choose one: Water for farming or water for fracking

July 5, 2012 By TXsharon

According to a Greenwire article (available through subscription) the Texas drought has resulted in the Ogallala Aquifer’s biggest decline in 25 years.

The 16-county water district, which stretches across the Texas Panhandle, reported that its wells showed an average decline of 2.56 feet in the Ogallala Aquifer last year, the third-largest decline in the district’s 61-year history and three times the average rate in the last 10 years.

In Oklahoma, a second water district — the eight-county North Plains Groundwater Conservation District — registered a similar large decline in the Ogallala, finding that the average drop was 2.9 feet last year.

Farmers have been restricted on how much water they can take from the aquifer.

San Antonio has a similar situation with the Edwards Aquifer. If the Edwards goes one foot lower, San Antonio will enforce  stage three restrictions. While in Uvalde, the  City Council will consider doubling the water rates to force people to pay attention and conserve. And private water wells are going dry.

Dry conditions lead to more water woes
Uvalde’s conservation measures might soon hit San Antonio, too, as aquifer nears Stage 3 level.

Farmers are canceling their fall crops because they don’t have enough irrigation rights to make it through the season.

I have not yet seen any restrictions on fracking water.

About Sharon Wilson

Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.

  • Mail
  • |
  • Web
  • |
  • More Posts(5117)

Filed Under: hydraulic fracturing, Water

Comments

  1. john bozeman says

    July 11, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    Typical irrigated section in Oglalla area uses 1000 gallons per MINUTE. 24 HOURS a day. 180 days per year. That’s enough water for 120 45000 barrel cleveland frac jobs a year. Most of the frac area is rough country with no ag use for irrigation. Some people don’t like the fact that all this water is “wasted” on feed grains for cattle and hogs in the first place. At any rate, there is plenty of water to frac in the panhandle.

Stalk TXsharon

Recent Posts

  • I’m continuing to expose the dirty secrets of oil and gas.
  • Register for the worldwide premier of Uncovering the Permian Climate Bomb
  • Update: Chris Faulkner > IT Guy > Frack Master > Felon
  • French Energy Giant Total Declares War on Texas Toddlers
  • Hydrocarbon odors during oil and gas drilling
  • MSNBC and TXsharon in the Texas fracking zone

Like Earthworks on Facebook

Categories

Archives

All work © Sharon Wilson. No works may be shared copied in full without permission. Bluedaze: Drilling Reform. Site Design by Sumy Designs. Powered by those who advocate for a safe and healthy environment.