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A huge, hidden underground lake spreads throughout the center of the U.S.,
supporting farming across the Great Plains and providing drinking water for
millions, but the ongoing drought is threatening to dry it up.

The Ogallala Aquifer is one of the world's largest, lying beneath the U.S.
states of South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New
Mexico and Texas.

Use of the aquifer for agricultural purposes started shortly after World War II.
It makes up about 30 percent of the groundwater used for irrigation in the U.S.,
while providing drinking water to over 80 percent of the people living across
the Great Plains.




But the crucial water source is drying up. The situation mirrors that of Lake
Mead and Lake Powell, the Colorado River reservoirs in the West, which are at
dire risk of drying up as drought grips the region amid climate change.



In the aquifers' case, we can't actually see its deterioration, and it's only
truly at risk if there is overextraction. Once it has gone, it would take over
6,000 years to replenish naturally through rainfall.

As of June, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska are all dealing with extreme drought
conditions, which are worsening the situation.

Farmers in Texas—the state with the most farms in the U.S.—are also concerned.
The state is already suffering from drought and as the aquifer continues to
decline, crops are at risk.

A 2023 High Plains Underground Water Conservation District report showed that
the Ogallala Aquifer's levels have continued to drop over the past five years,
according to the levels of 1,338 observation wells that tap into the
groundwater.



Eric Simpson, a farm manager in Lubbock, to the northwest of Texas, told The
Texas Tribune that the Ogallala is "propping" up all the farmers.



"No matter what, I'll probably have to use water from it this summer because,
without that, I don't think we could grow much in West Texas unless it's a
cactus or a mesquite tree," Simpson told the news outlet.

Farmers in Kansas are also worried.

Data collected from the Kansas Geological Survey in March this year showed that
groundwater levels across the west and south-central Kansas declined by two feet
last year.

After measuring 1,400 Ogallala wells, they found that there had been an overall
decline of 1.89 feet in 2022.

Last year, Kansas saw one of the driest years on record. This lead to an
increase in groundwater use due to the lack of rain.

And as drought conditions continue and climate change worsens, scientists fear
this could be an ongoing trend.



Nebraska also saw an extremely dry summer last year, which led to an increase in
pumping water from the aquifer.

In Chase County, the water levels have dropped by 100 feet since the 1950s, a
report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that the Ogallala could be
largely gone within the next century.

The Ogallala Aquifer fills naturally incredibly slowly. This means conservation
efforts are ongoing to better protect the integral water source.

The main way to save the underwater lake is to restrict water use. A study from
the USDA in 2020 showed that farmers may be able to use half the amount of water
that they usually need to water their crops. But as drought worsens, this may be
easier said than done.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you
have a question about drought? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

Related Articles

 * Texas Crops Are Cannibalizing Themselves in Heat Wave
 * U.S. Wheat Supply Threatened as Worst Drought in Decade Scorches Kansas
 * Water Restricted as Chicago Suffers Worst Drought in a Decade



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Washrooms all over the world are called by different names. In fact, in some
countries, washrooms are called by more than a single name. Case in point, the
United Kingdom- where public toilets are referred to in many ways. Some call it
a restroom, while others call it a loo.

However, there are quite a few public toilets in the island nation that are
signaled by a WC toilet sign, yet, apparently, very few people really know what
that is. And we would have been forever left in the dark if not for the efforts
of a TikTok user who responded to a follower who asked him what WC stood for.
The clip was viewed over 3,500 times, and the social media user dropped some
education on the rest of us. 



READ: 18 MAPS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT WILL MAKE YOU THINK




THE WC TOILET SIGN- WHAT DID IT STAND FOR?

The TikToker, mentioned, "Before indoor plumbing, we actually had a room for the
bathrub, a bathroom. But the spout was outside. You had to carry water in with a
bucket, heat it up, pour it in the tub. Indoor plumbing comes along and there is
already a room with a bath, the bathroom, so where do you put the toilet? Just
put it in a closet, it's the easiest place to put a toilet." The TikToker then
revealed that the WC toilet sign actually stood for the water closet. 



Needless to say, this revelation led to many discussions, with people being
surprised- even though the sign has been in use since the 1870s. One user wrote,
"I'm glad someone asked because I've been wondering about this for years but
never googled it." Another user commented, "Can't believe I've been living with
a WC sign and had no idea why it was called WC." A third user chipped in with,
"I was 23 y/o when I learned that WC is called water closet." This led to
another individual commenting, "I know what a water closet is, but don't use it
(don't use the word- do use the WC.)"

Some other users were just surprised that there were people worldwide who didn't
know the full form of the WC toilet sign. One user stated, "I've known this
since I was 13?" Someone else mocked, "Convinced I live in LA because of the
common sense levels in the UK, or lack thereof." A third user wrote, "What? Who
doesn't know this?" 

Did you know what the WC toilet sign stood for? Let us know in the comments!

Keep Reading: Man Discovers What the Actual Meaning Of WD-40 Is After Lots of
Bizarre Guesses

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