Cases / Water use · United States · 2013
Sheridan 6 farmers have capped pumping since 2013; High Plains aquifer still falling
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Farmers in the Sheridan 6 local enhanced management area in Kansas have limited groundwater pumping since 2013 under state law. The Kansas Geological Survey says pumping must fall further to halt the High Plains aquifer's decline.
What?
Sheridan 6 farmers in Kansas limited groundwater pumping through a local management area, and the state survey says the wider High Plains aquifer is still declining. Kansas Geological Survey
Where?
Sheridan 6 local enhanced management area, Kansas; High Plains aquifer Kansas Geological Survey
When?
Limits in place from 2013; state survey report dated 6 December 2023 Kansas Geological Survey
Who?
Gained
None on recordLost
- Farmers who gave up crops and irrigated land — gave up crop output and irrigated acreage under the limits
Harmed
None on recordWhy?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
How?
Pumping was limited under a local management area allowed by state law.
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
Farmers in the Sheridan 6 local enhanced management area have limited pumping since 2013, under a local arrangement that state law allows.
The Kansas Geological Survey said in December 2023 that in some areas less than 40 percent of the original aquifer thickness remains, and that pumping must fall 18 to 32 percent to halt the decline.
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the annual water-level decline fell from 2.0 feet to 0.5 feet, with irrigation efficiency gains of 23 percent.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: farm profitability continued under the limits.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers
Press and investigations
- KGS report assesses health of the High Plains aquiferKansas Geological Survey · 2023-12-06