The Wimberley Roundtable invites the public to a free screening of “Written On Water,” a compelling documentary that explores how communities grapple with dwindling aquifers and the difficult choices of growth, conservation and sustainability that they face.
The 2016 documentary was written and produced by Merri Lisa Trigilio, who holds a doctorate in geoscience from Penn State. The film examines the conflicts, politics, economics and groundwater depletion in the High Plains region of Texas near Olton, in the state’s panhandle, about 50 miles northwest of Lubbock.
Focusing on the Ogallala Aquifer, the film revolves around interviews with local farmers, municipal leaders and water managers as they hold very different views on water rights, conservation and the future of irrigated farming.
The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is North America’s largest groundwater resource, covering approximately 280,000 square miles beneath Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. It is intensively used, with 97 percent of its withdrawals going towards the irrigation of crops. Water from the Ogallala supports more than 20 percent of the grain, beef and cotton raised in the U.S. and supplies 80 percent of the drinking water for people living in the High Plains. But in many areas, particularly in the central and southern High Plains, these withdrawals are occurring faster than the aquifer is recharged, causing substantial water level declines. In pockets across the High Plains, many farmers, communities, industries and ecosystems are coming up dry.
Tied up in aquifer depletion is the fundamental legal question of who actually owns the water underfoot. “Written on Water” highlights the patchwork of laws and opinions, which vary from state to state and even within states, which often show limited interest in widespread conservation.
In an article by Kate S. Zalzal for Earth magazine, Trigilio says, “Groundwater decline is not just happening in the Ogallala, it’s a global issue. There are aquifers in India, the Middle East and Israel that are facing depletion, but some countries have employed successful water conservation programs. If you structure these programs smartly and collaboratively, they can work. After all, what is more important than water?”
With issues that resonate with Hill Country residents, the 58-minute documentary will be followed by a community discussion, an opportunity for neighbors to come together to consider what water stewardship means for the Wimberley Valley.
The screening and discussion will be held at the Katherine Anne Porter School, beginning at 6:30 p.m. KAPS is located in Wimberley at 515 FM 2325.
Admission is free, but space is limited. To reserve a seat, go to https://www. even t b r i t e. com/ e/ written-on-water-tickets- 1397746721069 To learn more about the event and the Wimberley Roundtable, visit wimberleyroundtable. org.
