K-State officials and a western Kansas farmer attended the recent Ogallala Aquifer Summit talk about the importance of partnerships in extending the life of water resources in an eight-state region.

They spoke about the importance of partnerships in extending the life of water resources in an eight-state region.

“I think it’s really important the every land grant institution that services the eight states over the Ogallala Aquifer has a hands-on role in assisting communities and producers, and making decisions that improve overall water management,” said Susan Metzger, director of the Kansas Water Institute at Kansas State University.

Brian Olson, director of the Western Kansas Agricultural Research Centers in Hays, said extending water resources is complex, and involves thought regarding crops, livestock, communities, technology and more.

“Ultimately, we can’t think of the aquifer as a big bathtub that we’re just drawing water from it because the geological landscape is you have all these little nooks and crannies that hold different amounts of water,” he said. “So we have to understand what is driving water use in a particular region, and look for solutions for that region.”

Western Kansas farmer Dwane Roth manages one of the state’s Technology Farms, in partnership with K-State.

“We’ve installed soil moisture probes on our farm and it not only saved us several inches of water, but we also increased our profitability by $50 to $60 per acre,” Roth said. “When I speak to my fellow producers and friends, I give them the background of why I was hesitant at first…but you know, doing this has opened my eyes that it really did improve the farm.”