Annual groundwater report shows dip from drought

A new report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows groundwater levels in Nebraska generally dipped in 2024 following a season of drought.

Researchers from UNL’s Conservation and Survey Division, along with Nebraska Natural Resources Districts, the U.S. Geological Survey and other federal agencies, measure groundwater levels in about 5,000 wells across the state to monitor levels in Nebraska’s aquifers, including the High Plains Aquifer, also known as the Ogallala Aquifer. Current and historic groundwater levels throughout Nebraska are archived in interactive data maps.

The most recent report compared 2024 groundwater levels to 2023 levels, 2014 levels and level estimates before widespread irrigation (1930s to the 1960s), also known as pre-development.

Levels dip between 2023 and 2024

Aaron Young, a CSD geologist who compiles the yearly groundwater review, said Nebraska’s largest year-to-year decline in groundwater was in southeastern Nebraska, which reflects drought experienced in that region in 2023. Levels there were about 10 to 15 feet lower in 2024 compared to the prior year.

“Parts of York and Fillmore counties saw the largest declines, and parts of Butler County saw some declines in the 10-foot range,” Young said. “That was the area in 2023 that had the greatest drought, so that was the area that received the least amount of rainfall.”

If there’s a lack of rain, aquifers can’t recharge, and Young said it’s not necessarily concerning to see levels dip after periods of drought.

“Particularly in Southeast Nebraska, where we have most of our irrigated agriculture, those areas have been holding steady for about the last 30 or so years,” Young said. “They go up a little bit and down a little bit, depending on annual variations in climate.”

Long-term declines, Sandhill surprises

Looking at the long-term review between the pre-development of irrigation to 2024, researchers found declines in areas that have more irrigation wells and little direct connection to surface water, such as canals or reservoirs.

Yearly groundwater records show the greatest long-term declines continue near Alliance in Box Butte County and in the southwestern Nebraska counties of Chase, Perkins and Dundy.

Southwestern Nebraska is a notoriously dry, sandy patch of the state, and an area in Nebraska known for needing to pull groundwater for livestock and crops. Nebraska lawmakers are hoping a $600-plus million revived canal plan from the 1800s may help aid future water flow into that area.

Research shows another consistent, deep loss of groundwater in parts of Box Butte County, where levels there have dipped 130 feet since irrigation began around the 1930s.

Pat O’Brien, the manager of the Upper Niobrara White NRD, which encompasses Box Butte County, says the deep historic drop in levels is due to three major reasons: an earlier start in irrigation, recharge to the aquifer not keeping up with irrigation use and the Box Butte Clay Layer inhibiting recharge.

O’Brien also said the dominant crops grown in that area, such as sugar beets and corn, require more water to grow. The Upper Niobrara White NRD has taken several steps to try to mitigate continuing decline, such as limiting how much groundwater can be tapped and barring the drilling of new groundwater wells.

“There is quite a bit of water left in that area, so I’m not overly concerned about it,” Young said. “But it is an area that we need to keep an eye on and an area that we need to manage.”

Despite several rounds of widespread drought in Nebraska, the report shows the Sandhills continue to gain groundwater. Young says that’s puzzled the researchers who are keeping tabs on aquifer levels.

“They’ve been steadily rising, particularly over the last 10 or 15 years,” Young said. “Water levels just continue to keep coming up. I’m not really sure why that’s happening. Several of the other researchers around here have been working on that.”

Overall, Young said Nebraska’s groundwater levels remain in pretty good shape. He credited the state’s natural resources districts for the groups’ continued monitoring and caretaking of the aquifers, especially the vast Ogallala.

“I’m not saying that we should be out just pumping with reckless abandon, but we do a pretty good job of managing our aquifer,” Young said.

He didn’t make any predictions on where groundwater levels will be a year from now, but some climatologists have warned that parts of Nebraska, especially the northwestern areas, should prepare for a drier year. If those predictions hold, the reflections will show in the coming years.

Aquifer worries in the South

States just south of Nebraska are trying to claw back some of their Ogallala Aquifer levels after drought has strangled parts of their land in recent years.

Lawmakers in Texas just passed legislation that would help create new water sources and a dedicated office for water infrastructure development. However, a Texas lawmaker said the state’s out of time to address the state’s water issues.

“Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat — it’s here, and it’s already disrupting the lives of Texans across the state,” Texas Sen. Charles Perry said earlier this year.

In the Kansas statehouse, lawmakers are piling up cash to help address Ogallala Aquifer shortages in their state. The Kansas Reflector reported that the Kansas Geological Survey estimates the aquifer in parts of western Kansas has only 25 years of water left.