The Texas Panhandle and Lower Plains areas depend on the Ogallala aquifer for most of their water needs. The aquifer doesn't replenish itself as fast as most other aquifers because of the clay-like soil and evaporation in the semi-arid climate. The aquifer has already been depleted by about 10% just because of the area's irrigation needs.
That's why the Panhandle really didn't need for oilman T. Boone Pickens to come in and try to sell the aquifer's water to the Dallas-Fort Worth area's conglomeration of cities. But that is just what he was trying to do. Pickens had created his own water district in Roberts county with the help of some of his Republican friends in Austin, and was planning to build a pipeline 9 feet in diameter to ship the water to the Metroplex.
Pickens said he was just planning on selling "surplus" water, but the fact is that in a semi-arid area like the Panhandle there is no such thing as "surplus" water. Without the water from the Ogallala aquifer, the Panhandle and the Lower Plains would be little more than a desert.
Pickens has already lost one fight in federal court. The court ruled that the new law his buddies in Austin gave him that would allow non-residents of the district to serve on the Water Board was not legal. I expect that is only the first of many court fights. After all, several other states also depend on the Ogallala aquifer, and I doubt they will let Pickens get rich off their water without a fight.
Yesterday, Pickens announced he is delaying the building of the water pipeline. He said that losing the first court case had nothing to do with it, and he is still trying to negotiate the sale of the aquifer's water. But he is going to put all of his efforts right now into getting his plans for wind energy off the ground.
This is not the end of the water battle, but it does give the Panhandle and other users of the aquifer a little reprieve. But they need to plan for the future battles, because Pickens will be back with his plan to sell the aquifer.
Pickens doesn't seem to care about the Panhandle. He will happily turn it into a desert to stuff some more money into his already bulging pocketbook.
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