Biofuel Boom, Aquifer Doom?

Abstract

The expansion of the biofuels industry is having a historic impact on the production of corn and other grains. As corn is among the most input-intensive crops, this extra production has raised concerns about environmental impacts and pressures on water resources in particular. While water quality has been a longstanding concern in the cornbelt, much of the new production is in nontraditional corn regions including the southeast, the High Plains, and the western states. In these areas, there is mounting concern over depletion of already stressed water supplies. In the High Plains, the chief water source is the Ogallala aquifer, one of the largest water resources in the world that underlies eight states from South Dakota to Texas. The Ogallala has enabled many agricultural industries, such as irrigated crops, cattle feeding, and meat processing, to establish themselves in areas that would not be possible otherwise. A consequence is that the economy of this region has become dependent on groundwater availability. Continued overdrafts of the aquifer have caused a long-term drop in water levels and some areas have now reached effective depletion. This paper seeks to estimate the impact of the emerging biofuels sector on groundwater consumption and cropping patterns in the Kansas portion of the High Plains Aquifer. The economy of this region is particularly dependent on water and irrigated crops, with more than 3 million head of feeder cattle and irrigated crop revenues exceeding $600 million annually. Sheridan County, in northwestern Kansas, has been selected as a representative case study region. The county has intermediate levels of water supplies remaining compared to other counties in western Kansas. Like the region as a whole, a significant share of pre-development supplies has already been consumed. Cropping patterns in Sheridan County are typical of the