Groundwater Distribution
Shelli Lalicker
Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management
Garden City, KS


Overview:
Kansas, Texas, and Nebraska's agriculture communities are highly dependent on the groundwater of the Ogallala Aquifer. Throughout history, as the need for groundwater developed, these three states were forced to decide who would be allowed to use the water. Even though all three states use the same aquifer, their laws regarding groundwater allocation vary greatly, which may be demonstrated with this activity.
Grade Level: 9-12

Time Needed: 50 minutes

Geographic Theme:
Movement

Kansas Social Studies Standards for Benchmarks, Grade Levels 12-K:
The student will understand the connections among people, places, and environments in the local school and community, Kansas and its surrounding states, the United States, and its region, and the world.
 
The student will understand the effects of economics, science, and technology in the local school and community, Kansas and its surrounding states, the United States and its region, and the world.

National Geographic Standards, Grades 9-12:

#16

 The geographically informed person knows and understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

Outcomes:
Students will determine the distribution of a limited resource.

Performance Objectives:

1.

 Students will define non-renewable resource.

2.

 Students will describe problems with non-renewable resource distribution.


Vocabulary Terms (see Glossary):
Allocation
Senior Water Right
Junior Water Right

Materials:


Procedures:
1. Separate students into groups of four. (If groups of four are not possible, make sure each student receives a piece of candy at the first site, at least two should receive candy at the second site, and only one will receive candy at the third site.
2. Have students define non-renewable resource and discuss how non-renewable resources may be distributed.
3. Begin the activity by telling the students they are miners in search of a non-renewable resource. They will explore three areas with varying amounts of the resource and are responsible to distribute the resource among their group.
4. Place enough candy at the center of the table so each group member receives a piece of candy. At this time, the students will discuss how the candy should be distributed among the group.
5. Take two pieces of candy from each group and tell the students that they have just found their second site containing the non-renewable resource. How will they distribute the non-renewable resource among the groups? The students are not allowed to divide the pieces of candy; each piece of candy must be distributed as a whole.
6. Groups are to share their distribution solutions with the class.
7. Collect the gum.
8. Explain that this problem is occurring in the Central United States as we speak with groundwater.
9. Display a map of the Ogallala Aquifer.
10. Look at Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, which of the three states has the most available groundwater? (Nebraska has 62% of the water, Texas 12%, and Kansas 10% of the available water.) (Kromm, 1992)
11.
a. Nebraska's groundwater supply is represented by the first site. How did you distribute the first site's non-renewable resource among your group?
b. Groundwater is distributed equally in Nebraska.
c. The owner of land is entitled to appropriate the subterranean waters found under his land, but he cannot extract and appropriate them in excess of a reasonable and beneficial use upon the land which he owns, especially if such is injurious to others who have substantial rights to the waters, and if the natural underground supply is insufficient for all owners, each is entitled to a reasonable proportion of the whole. (Kromm, 1992)
d. Therefore, everyone is allowed to use the water if they do not use excess and as long as they use it in a beneficial matter. If you distribute your gum according to Nebraska law, everyone would have received one piece and it is up to each person as to what they do with their piece of gum. They can chew it or give it to someone that would use it in a beneficial way (chew the gum). The only thing that they could not do is throw the gum away, because that would be wasting it or not using it beneficially.
 e. Do you think this is fair or should they distribute the water in a different manner? Why do you think as you do? If you think a different method should be used, what method do you suggest?
12.
a. The second site is represented by Texas. How did you distribute the pieces of gum in your group?
b. To demonstrate how Texas distributes their water, have each of the students look under their chair. The two people in each group who are sitting on the chairs that have the pieces of gum taped to the bottom own the gum.
c. Texas policy states that the person that owns the land above the water, owns the water. ". . . the owner of the land is the absolute owner of the soil and percolating water, which is part of and not different from the soil." (Kromm, 1992)
d. Do you think this is fair or should they distribute the water in a different manner? How should Texas distribute their water? Why do you think as you do? If you think a different method should be used, what method do you suggest?
13.
a. The last site represents Kansas. Kansas has some groundwater, but there is not enough for everyone to have what they want. How did you distribute the gum found at the last site?
b. The easiest way to explain how Kansas distributes water is by demonstration. Choose one group from the back of the room to line up. Give the first two students in line one piece of gum. They were first in line and were the first to receive the gum. First come first serve. Let's suppose the first person has a right that allows him two pieces of gum, what do we do?
c. The State of Kansas would take all of the gum from the last person receiving the gum and give it to the person in front of him. Therefore the first person would receive all of the gum he is entitled to before the others would receive any gum. [Take the gum from the second (junior water right) and give all three pieces to the first person in line (senior water right).] Kansas distributes water in the same manner, "first in (water) right, first in time."
d. For a $250 application fee, anyone in Kansas can apply for a water right. If the water is available and the right is granted, the person owning the water right can sell the water right. In the state of Kansas, you do not have to own the land above the water. Consequently, individuals may own the water and not the land above the water or own the land but not the water below the land.
e. The oldest water rights have the lowest numbers and the newer water rights are given the higher numbers.
f. Do you think Kansas distributes water fairly? How do you think Kansas should distribute their groundwater? Why do you think as you do? If you think a different method should be used, what method do you suggest?

Assessment:
1. Check students' definition for a nonrenewable resource.
2. Check students' description of the problems concerning non-renewable resources.
 
Extension:
Use maps to identify other non-renewable resources and research their distribution.

Resources:

bar

Top of Page | Lesson Plan V Content Page
Lesson Plans Content Page
Previous Lesson | Next Lesson

FHSU Geoscience | Kansas Geographic Alliance
National Geographic Society | Kansas Water Office
Fort Hays State University | Kansas State University

e-mail: pphillip@fhsu.edu

irc staff 11/13/97 (updated kn 06/18/99)
Disclaimer