It's Water-Wise Wednesday with Frannie the Fish! {The Ogallala Aquifer}

Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in the soil, sand and rock. It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations called aquifers. 

This week Frannie is going to help you learn about one of the world’s largest aquifers: The Ogallala Aquifer!

The Ogallala aquifer (pronounced OH-GA-LA-LA) is an aquifer located beneath the Great Plains of the United States. It stretches about 175,000 miles and covers eight states! Those states are Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

About 95 percent of the water pumped out of the Ogallala is for irrigation [that mean watering crops and other plants]. The aquifer also provides drinking water to 82% of the people who live within the aquifer boundary.* That means the water in the Ogallala is VERY important because it helps grow our food and gives us clean water to drink! 

Do you live in one of the Ogallala Aquifer states? Think of some ways you use the aquifer and make a poster for your community that explains why the Ogallala Aquifer is so important. You can share it with us too! Just go to www.groundwater.org/kids/share.html .

*[Information from the Natural Resources Conservation Service]