Total Withdrawal (gallons/day)

0 to 10,000
10,000 to 20,000,000
20,000,000 to 50,000,000
50,000,000 to 125,000,000
125,000,000 to 250,000,000
250,000,000 to 500,000,000
500,000,000 to 1,000,000,000
1,000,000,000 to 2,500,000,000
2,500,000,000 to 3,500,000,000
Counties outlined ---- cyan are in the Ogallala Aquifer
Choose Year:

Map of Kansas and Texas Fresh Groundwater Use

Each county in Kansas and Texas has been assigned a shade, corresponding to the amount of fresh groundwater withdrawals. The numerical values corresponding to the shades have been defined in the legend in gallons per day. To see how groundwater tables have changed since the 1940s, click on any of the Ogallala counties, bordered in cyan, in Kansas and Texas.


Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Map created by Jordan B. Bates and Aubrey Ann Parker, Circle of Blue’s web producer and chief data analyst, respectively. Sreeram Balakrishnan, Sheng Long, and Brett Walton contributed.

Appendices

Values were published in numerous excel files from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Water Withdrawal refers to groundwater that is pumped or surface water that is taken from a river, lake, or ocean.

Fresh Groundwater Withdrawal refers to fresh groundwater that is pumped.

Agricultural Withdrawal includes water that is used for irrigating farm fields and for use in the livestock industry, either as drinking water or in daily operations.