OGALLALA LAND AND WATER CONSERVANCY

THE OGALLALA LAND & WATER CONSERVANCY (OLWC) CONTINUED IMPLEMENTING ITS VOLUNTARY, INCENTIVE-BASED GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM IN EASTERN NEW MEXICO TO CONSERVE THE OGALLALA AQUIFER WHILE SUPPORTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND MISSION RESILIENCE FOR CANNON AIR FORCE BASE. DURING FY25, PROGRAM EXPENDITURES SUPPORTED THE EXECUTION OF THE 4TH YEAR OF WATER RIGHT LEASE AGREEMENT (WRLA) PAYMENTS TO PARTICIPATING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS WHO TRANSITIONED IRRIGATED FARMLAND TO DRYLAND CROPPING, PASTURELAND, GRAZING, AND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES. BY JUNE 30, 2025, OLWC HAD TRANSITIONED APPROXIMATELY 11,120 IRRIGATED ACRES AND RETIRED 56 IRRIGATION WELLS WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA. THESE EFFORTS CONSERVED AN ESTIMATED 12,859 ACRE-FEET OF GROUNDWATER ANNUALLY (APPROXIMATELY 4.19 BILLION GALLONS PER YEAR), WITH CUMULATIVE AVOIDED WITHDRAWALS OF APPROXIMATELY 36,981 ACRE-FEET OVER FOUR YEARS. OLWC CONTINUED ADVANCING PARTICIPATING LANDOWNERS FROM TEMPORARY WRLAS INTO PERPETUAL GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION EASEMENTS DESIGNED TO CONSERVE UP TO 80% OF GROUNDWATER WHILE SUPPORTING LONG-TERM AGRICULTURAL LAND STEWARDSHIP, LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND NON-IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL USE. BY JUNE 30, 2025, OLWC HAD SUBMITTED AND RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR CONSERVATION EASEMENT APPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH 10 PARTICIPATING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS; FIVE HAD SECURED FULL FUNDING COMMITMENTS, AND FIVE WERE ADVANCING PENDING FUNDING AVAILABILITY. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION WAS SUPPORTED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE READINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INTEGRATION (REPI) PROGRAM, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS), CENTRAL CURRY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, AND OTHER LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS. MONITORING DATA COLLECTED WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE POSITIVE GROUNDWATER RESPONSE TRENDS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED IRRIGATION PUMPING.