Ogallala Land And Water Conservancy

TO CONSERVE THE AGRICULTURAL LAND AND GROUNDWATER OF THE OGALLALA AQUIFER PALEOCHANNELS IN CURRY COUNTY BY FOREVER PROTECTING, PRESERVING, AND STEWARDING THESE NATURAL RESOURCES FOR VISTAS, RECREATION, WILDLIFE, AND NON-IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL USE TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, CURRY COUNTY, AND THE CITY OF CLOVIS.

THE OGALLALA LAND & WATER CONSERVANCY WORKED WITH LANDOWNERS TO SECURE WATER WITHIN TWO PALEOCHANNELS THAT RUN NORTHWEST AND WEST OF CANNON AIR FORCE BASE. THIS AREA HAS OVER 100 PLAYA LAKES AND IS CONSIDERED THE BEST OPTION TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, RESTORE AND PRESERVE WILDLIFE HABITATS, AND IMPLEMENT MONITORING PRACTICES, ALL WHILE SUPPORTING PLAYA RESTORATIONS COUPLED WITH EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT PROVIDE WATER RESOURCES TO WILDLIFE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE RECHARGE OF THE OGALLALA AQUIFER. IN APRIL 2022, THE CONSERVANCY METERED 53 IRRIGATION WELLS IN THE OGALLALA AQUIFER PALEOCHANNEL RUNNING NORTHWEST OF CANNON AFB AND DISCOVERED THAT WE HAD ALREADY LOST 20% OF THE REMAINING GROUNDWATER SINCE 2017. IRRIGATION FARMERS IN THE PALEOCHANNEL USE APPROXIMATELY FOUR (4) TIMES MORE GROUNDWATER THAN THE ANNUAL GROUNDWATER NEEDS OF THE CITY OF CLOVIS. THEREFORE, FOR EVERY YEAR LANDOWNERS CONTINUE PUMPING THEIR WELLS TO IRRIGATE THEIR CROPS, WE LOSE APPROXIMATELY FOUR (4) YEARS OF REMAINING GROUNDWATER FOR CONSUMPTIVE USE. BY PAYING OUR INITIAL 10 LANDOWNERS NOW TO SHUT DOWN THE PUMPING OF THEIR WELLS, WE WILL SAVE APPROXIMATELY 12 YEARS OF WATER FOR A TOTAL OF 11,919,031,200 GALLONS OF GROUNDWATER, IN JUST THREE YEARS. GROUNDWATER SAVINGS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE EACH YEAR THAT WE ENTER INTO ADDITIONAL LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH THE REMAINING LANDOWNERS FOR UP TO THREE YEARS, WITH AN END GOAL OF ENTERING INTO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN PERPETUITY.