[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 81 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS GROUNDWATER RESOURCE 
                            CONSERVATION ACT

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                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 2000

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce 
legislation which will bring focus to an issue that concerns the long-
term economic viability of communities in much of America's heartland: 
the southern High plains stretching from the middle of Kansas, the 
Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, the eastern portion of Colorado, and the 
eastern counties of my home state of New Mexico.
  Much of the area that I just described is farming country and much of 
its economy is linked to the Ogallala aquifer. The U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service recently determined 
that there are over six million acres of irrigated farmland overlying 
the southern Ogallala. These farms use between six and nine million 
acre-feet of water annually. The problem however, is that the aquifer 
is being depleted very quickly. In just seventeen years we have seen 
large areas of the southern aquifer experience a 10- to 20-foot drop in 
their water table. These decreased levels will negatively affect 
aquifers used for irrigation, and for municipal water on the southern 
High Plains.
  The problems facing the groundwater resources on the southern High 
Plains is a multi-state issue with significant economic and social 
consequences for America. Ignoring the problem and continuing uses to 
go unabated invites tremendous economic dislocation for a large portion 
of our country.
  To address this issue I am introducing the Southern High Plains 
Groundwater Resource Conservation Act. This bill recognizes that 
accurate scientific information about groundwater resources is 
necessary to make good decisions.
  It calls upon the U.S. Geological Survey to develop mapping, 
modeling, and monitoring strategies for the Southern Ogallala, to 
provide a report to Congress and relevant states with maps and 
information, and to renew and update that report every year.
  It also acknowledges that a sound water conservation plan must be 
developed on a multiyear goal. Conservation measures must be 
implemented over a large area in order to observe a long-term 
groundwater trend. This bill would authorize the Secretary of 
Agriculture to provide planning assistance on a cost-share basis to 
states, tribes, counties, conservation districts, and other local 
government units to create water conservation plans designed to benefit 
their groundwater resource over at least 20 years.
  Lastly, this bill will provide two primary forms of assistance for 
groundwater conservation on farms. They are a cost-share assistance 
program to upgrade the water use efficiency of farming equipment, and 
the creation of an Irrigated Land Reserve.
  The cost-share program is based on the upfront costs frequently 
prohibitive for modern irrigation methods. It is estimated that an 
initial $20,000 in Federal investment in equipment on a cost-share 
basis would save between 325 to nearly 490 acre-feet of water over a 
ten year period.
  The Irrigated Land Reserve is designed to convert 10% or 
approximately 600,000 acres of irrigated farmland to dryland 
agriculture. Because dryland farming is less productive than 
irrigation, this bill would provide for a rental rate to farmers to 
ease the economic impact of changing over. When fully implemented this 
program can potentially save between 600,000 and 900,000 acre-feet of 
water per year at a cost of $33 to $50 per acre-foot.
  There is a pressing need to conserve this valuable aquifer, we must 
acknowledge that this is a precious commodity that is worth saving. 
It's good for the southern High Plains and it's good for our Nation.

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