Last week’s rejection of a plan to reduce irrigation pumping in five Kansas counties was at least a temporary setback for those concerned about the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer.

The proposal by the Western Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 1 would have created the state’s second local enhanced management area (LEMA) and implemented a plan to reduce irrigation pumping from the aquifer by 20 percent over the next six years. The water district, which covers a five-county area in west-central Kansas, could have created the management area without a vote, but its board instead opted to put the question in the hands of water rights holders and property owners. A two-thirds majority was required to approve the proposal.

Unfortunately, the vote wasn’t even close. The proposal won in Lane, Scott and Wichita counties but lost by one vote in Greeley County and 31 votes in Wallace County. The final count in the weeklong election was 173 opposed and 158 in favor.

Bob Hoeme, a Scott City farmer and member of the groundwater district’s board, said he was disappointed by the margin of the proposal’s defeat, but indicated the district would continue to try to address the aquifer’s decline.

“We are trying to buy some years on the tail end of the irrigating process, trying to buy a little more time,” said Hoeme. “Maybe we can spread the transition period over more years.”

Other officials with the district indicated that the vote had been a good educational process that would help them craft a plan that farmers might find more palatable.

Admittedly, it’s hard for those of us who live in eastern Kansas to fully appreciate all of the economic and environmental issues involved in the aquifer debate. However, the science indicates that, at the current rate, the Ogallala will be 70 percent depleted within several decades. Unless farmers are willing to reduce the use of the aquifer for irrigation, the supply of water for both agriculture and human use may be threatened.

Those who are trying to address the aquifer’s decline wisely are taking the long view of what’s best for everyone in their area. The fact that the recent proposal was defeated is disappointing, but the fact that it drew considerable support is heartening. The state as a whole should support the ongoing efforts of western Kansas residents to negotiate terms to prolong the life of the vital Ogallala.