Changes in water levels and storage in the High Plains Aquifer, predevelopment to 2009

Trends in groundwater levels in and near the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota, water years 1956–2017

“…The primary sources of groundwater for the Rosebud Indian Reservation are the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers (saturated areas of the Ogallala and Arikaree Formations, fig 1), which are part of the High Plains aquifer system that extends as far south as Texas and is the most heavily utilized aquifer system in the United States (Weeks and others, 1988). Large-scale irrigation development from the High Plains aquifer system has substantially decreased groundwater storage and reduced water levels in several States (McGuire, 2011(McGuire, , 2017. In recent years, increasing commodity prices have driven the agricultural industry towards more intensive agricultural practices aimed at increased crop production, which has potential to increase irrigation demand.…”