Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system
This paper assesses a case of co-management of groundwater between the state of Texas, pushing for the rationalisation of groundwater management, and local (mainly farming) communities organised in Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs), which are protective of their private groundwater rights. W...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/98272 |
| _version_ | 1855540218439925760 |
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| author | Closas, Alvar Molle, Francois |
| author_browse | Closas, Alvar Molle, Francois |
| author_facet | Closas, Alvar Molle, Francois |
| author_sort | Closas, Alvar |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | This paper assesses a case of co-management of groundwater between the state of Texas, pushing for the rationalisation of groundwater management, and local (mainly farming) communities organised in Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs), which are protective of their private groundwater rights. We first describe the main legal and policy steps that have shaped this relationship. The article focuses on the Texan portion of the Ogallala Aquifer in the High Plains aquifer system – an almost non-renewable system covering 90,000 km2 and providing 95% of the irrigation needs in northern Texas. With this example, we further highlight the strategies of both parties, the different political, administrative, legal and regulatory complexities of the struggle around the definition of GCD-level aquifer management rules (the so-called 'Desired Future Conditions'). We end by reflecting on the power balance that has resulted from successive adjustments to a co-management form of governance, the advantages and disadvantages of a multi-layered state water governance system, and whether the de facto 'managed depletion' of the Ogallala Aquifer in Texas should be seen as an achievement or a failure. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace98272 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publishDateRange | 2018 |
| publishDateSort | 2018 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace982722023-09-23T17:57:17Z Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system Closas, Alvar Molle, Francois groundwater groundwater depletion water governance water use local communities water storage water demand water policy water rights water supply water conservation aquifers legal aspects regulations co-management pumping This paper assesses a case of co-management of groundwater between the state of Texas, pushing for the rationalisation of groundwater management, and local (mainly farming) communities organised in Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs), which are protective of their private groundwater rights. We first describe the main legal and policy steps that have shaped this relationship. The article focuses on the Texan portion of the Ogallala Aquifer in the High Plains aquifer system – an almost non-renewable system covering 90,000 km2 and providing 95% of the irrigation needs in northern Texas. With this example, we further highlight the strategies of both parties, the different political, administrative, legal and regulatory complexities of the struggle around the definition of GCD-level aquifer management rules (the so-called 'Desired Future Conditions'). We end by reflecting on the power balance that has resulted from successive adjustments to a co-management form of governance, the advantages and disadvantages of a multi-layered state water governance system, and whether the de facto 'managed depletion' of the Ogallala Aquifer in Texas should be seen as an achievement or a failure. 2018-10-30 2018-11-21T10:18:35Z 2018-11-21T10:18:35Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/98272 en Open Access Closas, Alvar; Molle, Francois. 2018. Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system. Water Alternatives, 11(3):511-532. |
| spellingShingle | groundwater groundwater depletion water governance water use local communities water storage water demand water policy water rights water supply water conservation aquifers legal aspects regulations co-management pumping Closas, Alvar Molle, Francois Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| title | Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| title_full | Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| title_fullStr | Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| title_short | Chronicle of a demise foretold: state vs. local groundwater management in Texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| title_sort | chronicle of a demise foretold state vs local groundwater management in texas and the high plains aquifer system |
| topic | groundwater groundwater depletion water governance water use local communities water storage water demand water policy water rights water supply water conservation aquifers legal aspects regulations co-management pumping |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/98272 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT closasalvar chronicleofademiseforetoldstatevslocalgroundwatermanagementintexasandthehighplainsaquifersystem AT mollefrancois chronicleofademiseforetoldstatevslocalgroundwatermanagementintexasandthehighplainsaquifersystem |