Saving for a dry day: investigating well ownership and watering practices during droughts

Abstract

ABSTRACTGrowing demands for irrigation water are tapping groundwater supplies beyond their natural rates of replenishment, which has profound implications for sustaining communities in semiarid regions. This paper investigates the drought-time watering practices of Kansas well owners, a key social group whose water consumption is pivotal to prolonging groundwater formations. I address two questions: Do well owners and non-well owners have different responses to droughts? Is the relationship between water supply awareness and water conservation during droughts moderated by water supply infrastructure? To answer these questions, I constructed one of the only datasets of well owners used in the social sciences by surveying well owners and non-well owners throughout Kansas (n = 864). My findings reveal that well ownership is significantly correlated to increased watering during droughts and water conservation varies among those who own different types of wells. Furthermore, increased levels of water literacy are negatively associated with water conservation during droughts. These findings support the Conservation of Resources theory, which holds that individuals stockpile their resources during non-stressful times and draw from their reserves during times of scarcity. Therefore, aquifer stewardship involves selective timing for making groundwater extractions.