Irrigation and sustainability in the Ogallala region, USA

自20世纪60年代以来，美国的高平原地区经历了重大变化，当时开始从奥加拉拉含水层开采地下水，中心-枢纽灌溉系统得到广泛应用。灌溉农业的发展引发了高原区区域经济、社区和文化景观的一系列变化，地下水资源的可持续利用成为重要问题。这个为期三年的研究项目试图调查实地的这种转变过程，并考虑环境的可持续利用。虽然在Ogallala地区进行了广泛的实地调查，但选择了堪萨斯州西南部进行深入的实地研究。在阿肯色河谷考察了沟渠灌溉和甜菜糖生产的时代。详细介绍了堪萨斯州芬尼县灌溉农业的发展，并从土地所有制和土地利用的角度调查了中心-支点灌溉系统的扩散。随着新的牛肉饲养和牛肉包装地区的形成，拉美裔和东南亚人增加了。与此同时，20世纪90年代中期开始的企业养猪业和大型乳制品业，为高平原地区的增值经济做出了贡献。考察了堪萨斯花园城，以确定当地商业中心的特征。1960年以来的人口动态也得到了澄清。从水权和水政策的角度分析了地下水管理。对日本的投资进行了调查，以便将高平原置于全球背景下。我们计划通过与美国西部其他地区的比较和对比，继续我们对灌溉和环境可持续利用的研究。

The High Plains regions of the United States have experienced substantial changes since the 1960s when the exploitation of groundwater from the Ogallala aquifer began and center-pivot irrigation systems became widely utilized. The development of irrigation farming triggered a series of changes in the regional economy, local communities, and cultural landscape of the High Plains, while the sustainable use of the groundwater resources became important issues. This three-year research project attempted to investiage such transformation processes in the field and to consider the sustainable use of environment.While field investigations were conducted extensively in the Ogallala regions, southwest Kansas was chosen for intensive field studies. The era of ditch irrigation and beet sugar production was examined in the Arkansas Valley. Development of irrigation farming in Finney County, Kansas, was presented in detail and the diffusion of center-pivot irrigation systems was investigated in terms of land tenure and land use. As new beef feeding and beef packing regions were formed, Hispanics and Southeast Asians increased. At the same time, corporate hog industry and mega-dairy began in the mid-1990s, contributing to the value-added economy of the High Plains. Garden City, Kansas, was examined in order to characterize local commercial center. Population dynamics since the 1960 was also clarified. Groundwater management was analyzed in the context of water right and water policies. Japanese investment was investigated in order to put the High Plains in global context.We plan to continue our research on irrigation and sustainable use of environment by comparing and contrasting the High Plains with other regions of the American West.