[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6497139,"mediaKeyId","5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d","parentId",5448077,"title","State warns reservoir storage has fallen at several sites; officials outline sediment-management options and funding choices","audioSeconds",3278,"startMs",7720000,"endMs",10998000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d&start=7720&end=10998","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d/thumbnail_7720000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6497139/Kansas/State-warns-reservoir-storage-has-fallen-at-several-sites-officials-outline-sediment-management-options-and-funding-choices","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497139-a8dd5aca5c1bd9edee8603be6784db3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770639804&Signature=UhZTiCW-frwZkSkPLhZyhWurm-5THMh6KwLpVKpYC1ogYJyyunbhUXDpuRDWP7IShZBDthsP1IFSMCr2-mkJl~lZGMFyIRZyvwu37tbq~25ktqOZm5zg9V2ey2fHCrkQD~ZNyFswybeQk3TOKIUrGELje4dE2NUk53fUZwc6jHNDzQnvfl~znxdye0z1QDgPCjop1d7wbZx9yb90vl3paG2vdsPLhyXHd0UpgA61IdwE4EaI4sqcYtBxk7x9Rt0P8tOFUPfpToMqmFaGsMfYulLoFEGzTpa9N1B4ZgWKeVh682ts5TqefeZUOcaaP9B-ImfNhvwr9Tm6ZzAeZOCCQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kansas Legislature","date","2025-07-22T06:19:52.757Z","article","State officials warned the task force that storage losses to sediment have reduced available water in some Kansas federal reservoirs and that those losses, combined with drought and rising local demand, put pressure on downstream municipal and industrial water supplies.

Richard Rockel of the Kansas Water Office outlined the state's role as the contracting water-supply interest in multiple federal reservoirs and described three programs: a water-marketing program (water purchase contracts for direct withdrawal and downstream diversion), water-assurance districts (storage set aside to supplement municipal and industrial water rights) and statute-authorized programs such as the Lower Smoky Hill Water Supply Access Program.

Rockel said reservoirs in the Kansas River basin (Milford, Tuttle Creek and Perry) and others around the state have lost storage to sedimentation and that some reservoir operations now provide a significant share of downstream flow during drought. He noted that reservoir managers must also follow federal water-control manuals that specify operational constraints and that those manuals are being updated for the Kansas City District.

\"Reservoir volume is the time that's able to sustain the needs of Kansans through drought,\" Rockel said. He summarized the Corps of Engineers' independent estimates showing substantial declines in storage at Tuttle Creek and Kanopolis and predicted declines at other reservoirs if no action is taken.

Rockel described several management and investment options discussed by the water office and the Corps of Engineers:

- Sediment management pilots: a planned water-injection-dredging (WID) pilot at John Redmond with downstream monitoring; a hydro-suction technology under evaluation; and demonstration projects intended to test whether sediment can be moved without unacceptable downstream impacts.

- Upstream sediment reduction: streambank stabilization, targeted agricultural best-management practices (BMPs), and sediment fingerprinting to prioritize source areas.

- Operations and infrastructure: re-evaluate downstream flow targets and outlet configurations to reduce the frequency and volume of releases that deplete reservoir drought reserves.

- Reallocation and additional storage: reallocation studies to move storage from flood-control pools to conservation pools, where feasible, as an alternative to physical dredging.

Rockel also summarized recent legislative and fiscal actions affecting storage contracts. He said the state had appropriated money to purchase storage interests in Milford and Perry reservoirs when the state earlier authorized those contracts; the presentation noted a change in federal law that allowed conversion from compound to simple interest on outstanding contract debt and that an April 2026 payoff plan would reduce the state's projected liability.

Water quality issues were also raised. Rockel said rising prevalence of harmful algal blooms can raise treatment costs for downstream suppliers and that the state has increased real-time water-quality monitoring with the U.S. Geological Survey at several reservoirs.

Why it matters: Reservoir storage underpins water supplies for cities and many rural areas. Loss of storage reduces drought reserves, complicates future development and can increase treatment costs. Task force members heard that a mix of engineering pilots, watershed work and possible contract reallocation will be needed and that those options require federal cooperation and state funding decisions.

No formal votes were taken. Rockel and other presenters were asked to provide further details on pilot timing, costs and the implications of reservoir manual updates.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Water Program Task Force 07/21/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Task force members heard that Kansas' federal reservoirs have lost storage to sediment and that releases to maintain downstream flows often draw heavily on remaining storage. Presenters described water-marketing and assurance programs and technical and policy options to preserve reservoir function.","taxTitle","Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",15103,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6497143,"High Plains aquifer depletion, local districts and new mapping technologies top task force's groundwater briefing",2106,2839000,4945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d&start=2839&end=4945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d/thumbnail_2839000.jpg","/articles/6497143/Kansas/High-Plains-aquifer-depletion-local-districts-and-new-mapping-technologies-top-task-forces-groundwater-briefing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497143-2c847d302bfbbd15b9de694b0ca5efb6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770639804&Signature=K~PwuLBgtJ2kngPfOPz8-qSU8km5Jx1Uf1ZzTkL6MeKvMOK1kQ87I7igo1gqLVm6ER853wqt0AGIVEOGcNLD3Ih5JToLOvjRihaxc9vKqeUGhru0qC4bbsZccyHTSVRe-6WJIDZAK6-CfwVyP3JBLNo8t5fFfAo6oX9HfDvBAjag0RIDnmBs8xDCswLuKY-6MXnBLRS2~gLmkLTdcP15ezB-jk~dtbXDlIlFyEQP5yFHzw2OoFvYr7NbW3esVCMFNHcS~ymQtvNiH3UQgXHjZWuwDdJYliCD61znXnGSTwplp7ZItspnUZvjptpOKyq8XL-qz1dhlCwZyJFCPbVlOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State and academic water scientists told the task force that long-term groundwater declines in the High Plains aquifer, especially the Ogallala formation in western Kansas, require data-driven management and locally led conservation.

Earl Lewis, chief engineer for the Division of Water Resources, said Kansas uses a prior-appropriation water-rights system and that groundwater permits include a point of diversion, place of use, type and quantity. The state measures wells annually in winter to track aquifer levels and applies \"safe-yield\" principles to avoid permitting more water than natural recharge can support.

\"We measure about 1,400 wells a year by hand,\" said Jay (KGS program lead), describing the annual campaign. The Kansas Geological Survey (KGS), represented in the presentation by the director, described that teams physically measure water levels, log data in real time and maintain a network of index wells that report continuously. Director Janie Kalbus (Kansas Geological Survey) told members the index-well network provides daily data that help separate seasonal variation from long-term trends.

KGS and the Division of Water Resources also discussed an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey program designed to map the three-dimensional structure of the Ogallala. Jay described AEM as a \"leap forward\" that converts resistivity measurements from helicopter-borne sensors into subsurface estimates, including depth-to-bedrock and internal variations in the aquifer, which are not visible from single borehole logs. The program has flown Groundwater Management District (GMD) 4, and the office plans a larger flight across GMD 3 next year.

Local groundwater governance tools were a central part of the briefing. Lewis described the historical arc from the 1945 Water Appropriation Act through the 1972 Groundwater Management District Act and subsequent tools: Local Enhanced Management Areas (LEMAs), created in 2012, and Water Conservation Areas (2015). GMDs have used LIMAs to achieve localized reductions in pumping; Sheridan County was cited as an early example where local measures reduced use roughly 24\u000025 over a multi-period window compared with historic levels.

KGS researchers presented the QStable approach for defining where modest percentage reductions in pumping can stabilize long-term water levels. Task force members heard that QStable estimates in northwest Kansas ranged from a few percent to 25\u000025, and in parts of southwest Kansas could be higher; speakers urged that these numbers make some conservation targets more achievable than earlier broad estimates of 50\u000025 to 75\u000025 reductions.

Speakers also described the economic stakes. Kelsey Olson (presented as Secretary Olson) summarized agriculture and meat processing data and said Kansas ranks among the nation's top producers for several commodities; she highlighted the concentration of cattle and feed yards in southwest Kansas and warned that aquifer decline has economic consequences for farming, ranching and associated processing employment.

Why it matters: The briefing emphasized that data density and local governance are key to workable conservation that preserves economic activity. The state's measurement campaign, index wells, the QStable framing, GMD authorities and AEM mapping together provide a richer evidence base for locally tailored conservation plans.

No formal actions were taken; presenters and task force members collected follow-up questions and requested more detail on meters, financial impacts and the AEM schedule.","State and university scientists told the task force that the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer shows large, long-term declines in parts of western Kansas, and described measurement campaigns, airborne electromagnetic surveys and local groundwater district tools used to manage decline.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6497148,"Kansas water task force opens with charge to identify risks, options and funding; state officials outline existing grants and fund structure",578,740000,1318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d&start=740&end=1318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448077-a3c38af95948d4b18066fa140ba8dc7d/thumbnail_740000.jpg","/articles/6497148/Kansas/Kansas-water-task-force-opens-with-charge-to-identify-risks-options-and-funding-state-officials-outline-existing-grants-and-fund-structure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6497148-014c4c407acc3926e19316e9b9ebc780/orig.mp4?Expires=1770639804&Signature=VmrPUZH2fm242-Ug91so8NTWbZQEcJcuprxNkCPa9ZqOgyPD0nYcaS2jhisF7H7BMHd4-3xHjU1hZFU4osJ3NX011O0VjPOxyq-INDX~pHCt3mso~4TqC65Yb9CoAiLb7EDHmE6k9zKfzg~2h9CzG0hOk7tJhlpZ8FZ0Ktitwht7qgiKCAidu7Q7rUbxqlP2Ny-3m0fVl1vSNz20YyYnfaLecjrJsLirBZecwjyKganqqwY7bUgfHT8TFSNt61h8PMX5SmWsVWPHcXuMlB5xPbkcvIEtLXAvfM7cWTKMdNXRjnc~VLCpqweocIFsOKZ4hY9IuuuojCVpz8odVtoVsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The bipartisan water program task force convened its first meeting to \"identify the risks to current and future water supply, determine how to approach those risks, and find a way to pay for solutions,\" said Senator Kenny Titus, co-chair, at the opening of a Webex session that included legislators, state agency directors and local water managers.

The task force will begin by collecting information and hearing agency presentations, then move to designing approaches and, finally, recommending funding strategies over the next 18 months. Senator Titus said the group will accept public comment at some online meetings and at a planned first in-person meeting to be scheduled later.

Connie Owen, director of the Kansas Water Office, provided a state-level summary of water management roles, planning and funding. Owen said the water office does not regulate water but serves as the state's policy and planning arm and prepares the Kansas Water Plan for review by the Kansas Water Authority and the public. She described the plan's five guiding principles: conserve the High Plains aquifer, protect reservoirs, improve water quality, reduce vulnerability to extreme events and increase public awareness.

Owen also outlined the State Water Plan Fund and a recent legislative grant program. The State Water Plan Fund, created in 1989, is the state fund that supports programs recommended in the Kansas Water Plan and currently stands at about $40 million per year, she said. A recent infusion created by House Bill 2302 set aside $17 million in grant money targeted at communities of 2,000 people or fewer; Owen said $5 million of that is for technical-assistance grants and $12 million is for water-project construction, repair and technical work. She said an additional $35 million was added to related water funding in recent legislative action, divided as $18 million to the State Water Plan Fund and $17 million to the grant programs.

Owen described the fund's revenue sources as a mix of statutory transfers and fees: specifically, statutory transfers of $6 million annually from the State General Fund and $2 million from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund, along with various fees. She told the task force that the State Water Plan Fund had been underfunded for many years and that recent full statutory transfers have helped reduce a historical arrearage she said had reached about $80 million when transfers were missed in prior years.

The water office administers the HB 2302 grant programs and presented a map showing many more grant applications than available funding; Owen said the grants are set to sunset after five years and emphasized the need for renewal or expansion. She also described the state's regional advisory committees, the Kansas Water Authority (a 13-member voting board plus ex officio members) and the state's public outreach and planning process, including the 2022 Kansas Water Plan update that incorporated more than 300 public comments.

Task force co-chair Representative Jim Minnicks and other members asked about specific grant maps and about water-quality enforcement revenue. Owen said the grant map shown represented applications submitted and not only funded projects; a question about pollution fines was referred to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for a future meeting.

Why it matters: The first meeting set the task force's agenda and provided members with the fiscal and institutional context for future recommendations. The State Water Plan Fund and HB 2302 grant program already provide state-level tools and impose limits on what the task force can immediately recommend without new legislative funding or statutory changes.

The panel and the task force agreed to gather follow-up questions from members via staff and to continue agency presentations at upcoming meetings.","The Legislature's new water program task force met for the first time and heard an overview of its three-part charge and the state's existing water planning structure, including the State Water Plan Fund and the recently created HB 2302 grant program.","actionData","errors"]

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State warns reservoir storage has fallen at several sites; officials outline sediment-management options and funding choices

High Plains aquifer depletion, local districts and new mapping technologies top task force's groundwater briefing

Kansas water task force opens with charge to identify risks, options and funding; state officials outline existing grants and fund structure