Ogallala (High Plains) Aquifer
8 states · 450,000 sq km · unconfined
Critical Depletion Risk
About the Ogallala (High Plains) Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer underlies 450,000 square kilometers of the Great Plains and is the largest aquifer in North America. It supplies roughly 30% of US irrigation groundwater but has been declining rapidly in its southern and western reaches since the 1950s.
Area
450,000 km²
Depth Range
100–400 ft
States
8
Rock Type
Sand
Key Facts
- ▸Supplies irrigation for approximately 27% of US cropland
- ▸Has lost an average of 16 feet of saturated thickness since pre-development
- ▸Kansas portion expected to be 69% depleted by 2060 at current rates
- ▸Recharge is slow — typically 0.25 to 6 inches per year
- ▸Unequal distribution: Nebraska's portion is thick and well-recharged; Texas panhandle is severely depleted
States Overlying the Ogallala (High Plains) Aquifer
Explore Water Assets Over the Ogallala (High Plains) Aquifer
See every tracked spring, well, and water right that draws from this aquifer on our interactive map.
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