Ground‐water problems in the Southern High Plains

Abstract

The High Plains region has been passing through a prolonged low in the precipitation‐cycle during a large part of the last decade. The drought has continued longer and has been more severe than any that has been experienced since the region began to be farmed. It has caused untold distress. Crops have failed for years in succession. In large areas in the so‐called dust‐bowl the top soil has been almost entirely removed by wind‐erosion and the dust‐storms have become so bad at times that the health of the inhabitants has been seriously threatened. In some parts of the region the annual rainfall, which ranges from about 18 to 24 inches, according to the location of the area, has returned to about the normal or long‐time average. In others the drought is still in progress and a partial or complete crop‐failure was again experienced in 1938. When the rainfall‐record is studied, it becomes apparent that a large part of the High Plains never should have been farmed and should be allowed to go back to the range, if indeed the native grasses can be restored. Other parts, however, can still be farmed with moderate success by the farmer who uses proper methods of cultivation and crop‐rotation, and combines farming with stock‐raising by keeping a part of his land in pasture and raising mostly feed‐crops. Irrigation, if it can be accomplished at a practicable cost, affords security both to the farmer and stock‐raiser.