Conflicting news about the condition of the Ogallala aquifer is creating more confusion than ever, and the federal government’s own report card on its efforts to protect the aquifer don’t make the grade.

Oklahoma producer Merlin Schantz is interested in conserving water and energy as well as being a good steward of the land and resources, and that's one reason he and other farmers have agreed to participate in a unique program that looks at both the water and energy consumption related to irrigation, says Oklahoma State University Extension.