Mark Manchester

Deputy Director of Emergency Mgmt/911 for Atchison County. Also a husband, father, grandfather and lover of most all sports ever invented.

[Nature Is Nonpartisan @NINP_org]

There's an underground ocean beneath the Great Plains.

It took thousands of years to fill. We're draining parts of it in decades.

The Ogallala Aquifer sits beneath 174,000 square miles across eight states, from South Dakota to Texas. It holds enough water to cover all 50 states in a foot and a half.

It's one of the largest freshwater reserves on Earth, and most Americans have never heard of it.

It supplies 30% of all groundwater used for irrigation in the U.S. and supports roughly 30% of the nation's crop and livestock production. 

Most of that water is ancient.

It accumulated over thousands of years during ice ages. Recharge today is less than an inch per year in most areas.

Since the 1940s, pumping has dropped water levels more than 100 feet across parts of Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

In Texas, the aquifer has declined 36% since the 1950s. Scientists say parts of western Kansas and the Texas Panhandle may not support irrigation within 20 years.

In northwest Kansas, farmers created the Sheridan 6 LEMA, a voluntary agreement to cut water use by 20%. 

The result was pumping dropped 32%, the aquifer's decline rate fell by about 65%, and farmers actually reported higher profits from reduced input costs.

That model is now spreading. More conservation areas are being established across Kansas and other states.

Researchers are developing drought-tolerant crops and precision irrigation that delivers water directly to roots. Farmers are returning to dryland techniques in some areas.

The Ogallala took thousands of years to fill.

Once depleted, scientists estimate over 6,000 years to refill naturally.

The choices communities make now will determine whether this water lasts for generations or disappears in one.

[Mark Manchester @MManchester68]

@PaulieTakes If you keep saying it enough times, it's bound to come true at least once. Still waiting though.

[Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefs]

We're giving away a signed @TeamJuJu helmet thanks to @StorageMart 👏

RT this post and you're entered to win!

[Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefs]

Looking to watch Chiefs football today?

Here is all of @tkelce's 77 franchise-leading receiving touchdowns 🏹

[Darren Rovell @darrenrovell]

The homer call is just so good.

[Terrible Maps @TerribleMaps]

A Map of All Sunken Japanese Ships from World War II

[Caitlin Harvey @CaitlinHarveyWX]

Smelling smoke this morning? It's Idaho.

[Mark Manchester @MManchester68]

@JeffPassan Do you think prior to the season that anyone anticipated 3 AL Central teams making the post-season?

[Kansas City Royals @Royals]

The Boys are playin' some October ball!

[Anne Rogers @anne__rogers]

The Kansas City Royals are going to the postseason. Back in October, nine years after winning it all. One year after losing 106 games. They’re back.

[Braiden Turner @bturner23]

Bobby Witt Jr. MLB ranks this year:

-162 hits (most in the MLB)
-.349 average (highest in the MLB)
-.394 OBP (3rd highest)
-.606 SLG % (3rd highest)
-1.000 OPS (4th highest)
-99 runs (most in the MLB)
-84 RBI’s (4th)
-33 doubles (3rd)
-10 triples (2nd)

He just turned 24.

[Mark Manchester @MManchester68]

That does sound worse than prison.

[KETV NewsWatch 7 @KETV]

Man who confessed to killing 4 people, including parents, is sentenced to life in Maine | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/ikEs0WJVwG

[Mark Manchester @MManchester68]

I've never seen this broken down like this before. Amazing!

[Ryan Scholl GBR (4-0) @WxScholl]

Colorado… you gotta be kidding me #cowx #wxtwitter

[Mark Manchester @MManchester68]

@weather_katie 'Cat'astrophic heat outlook for the western US.

[Zack Golden @CSI_Starbase]

It's been a wild year for storm chasers so far.

This Iowa tornado from Reed Timmer's Livestream is incredible! Wind mills didn't stand a chance 🤯

https://t.co/M4PlceRRpn

[Mark Manchester @MManchester68]

Please keep this format every time you post the lineup if you can. It's great!

[Anne Rogers @anne__rogers]

Here’s the #Royals Opening Day lineup:

[Terrible Maps @TerribleMaps]

Egypt is smaller than the United States, Russia and China combined

[Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefs]

🚨 GIVEAWAY TIME 🚨

RT for the chance to win this @StoneColdJones signed football‼️

[New Heights @newheightshow]

Before airing our pre-taped episode on Wednesday, Jason and Travis wanted the 92%ers and Chiefs Kingdom to hear from them directly after the tragic events at the Chiefs parade

If you'd like to support #ChiefsKingdom you can find more information here: https://t.co/22z7my0o8G