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Ogallala Aquifer
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Map showing oil pipelines originating from the Alberta tar sands in Canada, with routes extending south through the United States. The map uses different lines to distinguish existing pipelines, proposed Keystone XL routes (including an abandoned route through the Nebraska Sand Hills), and other proposed or existing pipelines such as Flanagan South, Seaway, and Enbridge Northern Gateway. The Alberta tar sands region is shaded in orange, and the Ogallala aquifer is marked in pink beneath parts of
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Ogallala Aquifer

aquifer, North America
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Map showing oil pipelines originating from the Alberta tar sands in Canada, with routes extending south through the United States. The map uses different lines to distinguish existing pipelines, proposed Keystone XL routes (including an abandoned route through the Nebraska Sand Hills), and other proposed or existing pipelines such as Flanagan South, Seaway, and Enbridge Northern Gateway. The Alberta tar sands region is shaded in orange, and the Ogallala aquifer is marked in pink beneath parts of
Alberta tar sands The location of the Alberta tar sands region and its associated oil pipelines.

The Ogallala Aquifer is a vast, relatively shallow underground water source located beneath the Great Plains of North America, spanning parts of eight states. It is a critical resource, providing about 30 percent of the groundwater used for agricultural irrigation and drinking water for many residents in the region.1

An aquifer is a rock layer that holds and releases water through connected pore spaces. The Ogallala Aquifer, however, is experiencing a significant concern because water is being extracted at a faster rate than it is being replenished. This depletion is a form of groundwater mining, as the aquifer is not receiving adequate recharge under current climatic conditions.21

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. aquifer and Agriculture
  2. aquifer

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