State leaders are developing the next water plan after hosting six public input workshops around Kansas in late June.
The Kansas Water Office, along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, encouraged stakeholders to share ideas regarding recommendations for funding, possible policy changes, ways to improve state capacity, water management, the effectiveness of the programs, as well as measurable goals and timelines.
“We simply can’t buy our way out of these problems,” said one attendee.
Julie Lorenz, Principal Consultant at 1898 & Co. said initial goals of the plan is conserve and extend the High Plains Aquifer, secure, protect, and restore the state’s reservoirs, and improve Kansas’s water quality.
“These meetings are designed to advance the visioning and planning work that’s been done at the regional level. These meetings will result in an action plan with measurable goals and timeframes so that taxpayers can better understand what improvements they can expect to see within the aquifers, at reservoirs and with water quality,” Lorenz said.
In Kansas, 83% of annual water usage is used by irrigation farming, followed by municipal (city) at 11%, industrial at 3%, stock water for livestock at 1%, recreational at 1%, and miscellaneous.
“Water is a shared resource and shared responsibility, so no matter where you live or what kind of work you do, everyone can have a positive impact on water. From using recycled water on community golf courses to modernizing farming practices, the future is better when we work together,” Lorenz said.
The workshops concluded on June 27 in Lawrence, KS, where more than 150 members of the public gathered to share input.
Lorenz, who is a former Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation said the estimated usable life varies across the High Plains Aquifer, and the areas that have the least amount of life left in the aquifer include northwest and southwest Kansas. Counties that are reliant on the aquifer account for $57 billion in economic output annually for Kansas.
Research shows 1,646 acres in the High Plains Aquifer are suitable for drinking, 168,343 are impaired, while there’s insufficient information for 10,109 acres.
Attendees voted water quality as the most urgent issue. on issues they believe to be most urgent Participants said both water quality and reservoirs can go hand and hand, and if you invest in one, it will also help the other. Another said that the money could go a lot further to benefit water quality.
Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper and Executive Director, Chair of the Kansas Water Authority said Governor Laura Kelly is highly interested in how Kansans feel about the process and wants to make sure that input will be a cornerstone of the recommendations.
Lorenz said she sees a lot of positive momentum in the state of Kansas relating to water, including historic investments in water, bipartisan support, and strong leadership from Governor Kelly.
“We need to maximize our investments to ensure we have a steady supply of clean and usable water for all Kansans and to support our economy for many generations to come,” Lorenz said.
Topics of improvement within the reservoir areas and water quality include peer-to-peer education outreach opportunities, long-term technical assistance, cutting or combining duplicate programs, extending technical services, and coordinated strategies within programs.
The other five host cities for the public input meetings in late June included Colby, Dodge City, Wichita, Salina, and Chanute. Lorenz said this is the first time a public input meeting has occurred of this caliber.
After the first phase of seeking input and drafting goals from April to June, the committee will now turn to phase two of the project, starting in July until December, where policy recommendations will be drafted along with prioritizing investment areas, finding long-term stable funding sources, finalizing goals, and establishing a timeline.
“This summer the team will analyze the input and will host regional meetings again this fall to share what was learned and ask participants for input on the possible investment strategies, costs and program changes advancing recommendations to the Governor and legislature,” Lorenz said.
Recommendations for submission are expected to be submitted to the Kansas Legislature in January 2025.
A 2022 Kansas State survey recorded the agricultural producers using the Ogallala aquifer and collected data from more than 1,200 producers in Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The study showed 82% of irrigators agreed or strongly agreed that groundwater should be conserved for future generations, while 3% answered disagree or strongly disagreed, leaving 15% that answered neutral.
When asked in the survey “I should reduce or minimize my groundwater use,” 15% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed, while 54% answered disagree or strongly disagree, leaving 26% neutral.
