Kansas Water Office - State of Kansas

158th Committee Meeting
Oct. 28-30, 2008
Catoosa, Okla.

Reservoir Management

As part of the Reservoir Sustainability Initiative the Kansas Water Office (KWO) has proposed policies that will develop a comprehensive wetland and riparian area protection program and also increase access to State owned storage.  The riparian and wetland management part of the policy focuses on maintaining healthy riparian and wetland areas which will help reduce sedimentation in the reservoirs.  This part of the policy proposes voluntary easements and incentives, as well as regulatory oversight, which may be able to protect existing riparian and wetland areas.  Localized support and coordination with Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) groups will be an integral part in the effort to protect and restore riparian and wetland areas.  The access to storage component of the policy proposes to allow additional water right holders who currently only have access to natural flows, such as recreation users and irrigators, to use State owned water stored in the federal reservoirs.  Presently water from State owned storage is allowed to be used by municipal and industrial users only.  An increase in access to this storage will provide additional water to more users and allow the State to make operational decisions that are in the best interest of the public. 

John Redmond Reservoir has experienced a high sedimentation rate that has created a significant loss of capacity totaling a 39% loss from the conservation pool.  Due to the loss of capacity from sedimentation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is completing a reallocation study. This study recommends a two foot raise in the conservation pool level to recover water supply storage lost from sedimentation.  The conservation pool will increase from 1,039 feet to 1,041 feet after the pool raise, resulting in inundation of a boat ramp, wetlands, and riparian woodlands that will need to be replaced.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service is working with the KWO and the Corps to complete the replacement tasks by 2010.

Since the early 1970’s, large woody debris began collecting at the mouth of the Neosho River as sedimentation created mudflats at the upper end of John Redmond (USACE 2005), creating a logjam.  The Neosho River logjam has continued to grow and as of December 2007, the logjam was 2¼ miles in length.  As part of the ongoing “John Redmond Dam and Reservoir, Kansas Watershed Feasibility Study” the KWO has contracted with The Watershed Institute, Inc. (TWI) to complete a feasibility study for the restoration and maintenance of the access to the Neosho River at Jacobs Creek – John Redmond Reservoir.  As part of this feasibility report TWI characterized the current logjam conditions, identified and evaluated options for logjam removal and disposal, and recommended remediation/restoration strategies.  TWI recommended the KWO consider two alternatives for potential implementation: Alternative 1 - No Action and Alternative 8 - Land-based Removal of the Logjam Above Jacob’s Creek Landing.  These two alternatives had the highest scores based on evaluated costs, social acceptance, maintenance, technical feasibility, environmental impacts, recreation, and sediment transport.  At a public meeting held May 14, 2008 the public favored Alternative 2 – Removal of the Logjam and Implementation of a Dredging Operation for a small portion of John Redmond Reservoir. 

TWI was also contracted to complete a riparian area and stream channel assessment as part of the feasibility study.  TWI performed this study on 10 sites to provide a means of assessing channel conditions and contribution of streambanks as a source of reservoir sediment loading.  To complete these tasks, TWI determined channel conditions and stability and also examined aerial photographs from 1991 and 2006.  TWI identified 13.4 miles of channel with significant erosion over the 15-year period.  Based on measured bank lengths and estimated bank height, TWI estimates that 2.54 tons/year/foot of sediment erode from these streambank “hotspots.”  Most of these sites have narrow riparian corridors or none at all.  Additionally, TWI observed excessive cattle grazing in riparian corridors, resulting in poor vegetative cover and greater sediment loading potential within these riparian corridors.  To address observed instability problems, TWI recommends implementing streambank stabilization—using rock vanes to slow down water velocities and redirect flow away from the near bank region.  TWI also urges riparian corridor restoration which will require bank shaping, riparian tree and shrub planting, native grass seeding, and proper maintenance.  For cattle disturbances, TWI recommends riparian fencing best management practices (BMPs) to restrict or limit cattle access to the riparian corridor.

Horse Thief reservoir located in Pawnee County is taking shape.  The first phase of construction which consists of installing a concrete bentonite slurry wall to prevent seepage under and through the dam, was completed in late July.  In mid-September, the construction of the principal spillway was underway.  The pipe cradles for the 60-inch steel spillway were installed and the pipe had been shipped.  Construction is also on-going on the more than 40-foot tall intake tower and stilling basin with completion of this component anticipated by mid-November.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Marion Reservoir.  The density of zebra mussel populations in the reservoir is very low at this time, but peak populations are expected to be seen in the summer of 2009 and zebra mussels will most likely be found in the Cottonwood River by that time.  In response to the discovery of zebra mussels in Marion Reservoir, the KDWP is currently conducting routine monitoring on the Cottonwood River at the City of Emporia.  Also as part of the response to this discovery the KDWP has been coordinating with the KWO to notify surface water users in the Neosho River Basin.  All surface water right holders in the Neosho River Basin have been sent a letter to notify them of the current situation and to give them contact numbers in case there are questions or concerns.  Informational meetings for municipalities and industries will be held on November 12th in Parsons, November 19th in Emporia, and November 21st in Iola.  These meetings will be held to discuss the effect the zebra mussels will have on the reservoirs and river system and the problems associated with zebra mussels. 

Supply and Demand

In 2007, the KWO initiated an analysis of surface water supply and demand in several eastern Kansas river basins.  The analysis utilized historic climate and flow data, and current census information to project future surface water supply and future demand.  Of all the eastern basins that were analyzed, the Neosho River Basin is the most critical, concerning future surface water supply availability.  The preliminary findings for the Neosho River Basin were that the demand could exceed the supply during a 2% probability drought by the year 2012.  The analysis that was conducted in 2007 was a basin-wide approach to analyzing supply and demand.  The KWO has initiated a more refined modeling approach using the OASIS (Operational Analysis and Simulation of Integrated Systems) model to identify water supply and demand at specific points in the basins.  Currently the he KWO is focusing on the Neosho River Basin and is working with all users in that basin to get inputs for development of the model.  Preliminary results of the model for the Neosho River Basin are available and several options for improving reliability of the basin water supply have been tested.  The OASIS model is in agreement with the previous analysis that sedimentation is the key factor in reducing the available supply over time.

Ozark Plateau Aquifer System Management

Federal and state funding was secured to complete a regional groundwater study and model development for the Ozark Plateau aquifer system in southeast Kansas.  The study, which began in 2005, is scheduled for completion in spring 2009.  The information obtained from this study will be used to assess the future availability of groundwater in southeast Kansas. The information will also be used to verify the need for the continuation of the moratorium that was placed on new groundwater rights in 2004.  A groundwater well monitoring network, consisting of 24 wells, was established by the Division of Water Resources in 2005. The wells are measured on a quarterly basis to record the water levels in the Ozark Plateau aquifer system.  A network of 12 wells is also sampled quarterly for water quality due to the potential eastward movement of salt water in the aquifer.  In additional to the 24 wells in the monitoring network, 3 observation wells were drilled in 2006 and were equipped with transducers that have satellite telemetry capabilities.  Two of the observation wells are screened to the Ozark aquifer and are located in McCune and Pittsburg and one is screened to the Springfield Plateau aquifer and is located in Pittsburg, as well.

Public Water Supply System GIS Mapping Assistance Program

The Public Water Supply System GIS Mapping Assistance Program is a voluntary program designed to promote modern mapping of public water supply systems in the State of Kansas.  Mapping of water supply infrastructure provides a number of benefits, including the capacity to more accurately respond to facility locate requests (such as Kansas One Call) and allowing system operations and maintenance to more easily locate problems, complete repairs, and schedule maintenance.  The GIS Mapping Assistance Program is funded through the Clean Drinking Water Fee Fund and provides technical assistance to public water supply systems across the State.  The KWO estimates that the two year program, if all projects are funded at the full level, will provide mapping for 76 public water systems in the State.  Additional projects may be funded if maximum limits are not met by submitted mapping applications.

The Kansas Mesonet

A network of automated weather stations is being developed to provide meteorologists, emergency managers, and the public, with basic weather information almost as soon as it happens.  This network is called the Kansas Mesonet.  This fall 13 stations are being installed in strategic locations around the State that lack nearby automated stations providing near real time information.  Each of the new automated weather stations has a 10-meter tall instrument tower outfitted with sensors to measure precipitation, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, air temperature, and relative humidity.  All stations are powered by solar panels with a power line back up if available.  Communications and data retrieval will be made via a digital modem.  Data from the Mesonet stations will be available on the Kansas State University Weather Data Library website.  Soil moisture, temperature, and salinity measurements will also be made.  Counties initially designated to be the site of a Kansas Mesonet automated weather station include Butler, Cherokee, Clay, Elk, Harper, Hodgeman, Jefferson, Jewell, Miami, Mitchell, Osage, Osborne, Wabaunsee, Washington, and Woodson.  Funding for the stations came from the State Water Fund Plan and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Update

Almost 10,000 acres, to date, have been enrolled in The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).  Farmers have until June 30, 2009 to enroll acreage until the 20,000-acre program is filled.  Meetings on CREP are planned for this fall with times, dates, and places to be announced.  The voluntary enrollment program is in 10 southwestern Kansas counties along the Upper Arkansas River corridor.  These counties are Barton, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Gray, Hamilton, Kearny, Pawnee, Rice, and Stafford counties.

Water Right Retirement Program

Water Transition Assistance Program (WTAP) is a voluntary, incentive-based water right retirement program designed to help restore aquifers and streams in critical areas.  A fixed rate price of $2,000 per acre-foot of historic consumptive water use is available for eligible water rights to be permanently retired.  Priority is given to retiring water rights in areas which would have the greatest impact on the stream or aquifer system.  WTAP grants are approved on the basis of competitive bids and the amount of historic consumptive water use which has been established under the water right.  The State Conservation Commission began accepting applications for the WTAP on October 1, 2008 in three areas of the state.  Those three areas are Prairie Dog Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, and the six high priority units in Northwest Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 4.  Sign-up continues through November 15, 2008.  If program funds are still available, a spring sign-up period will be held on February 15 through March 31, 2009.

Water and Energy Meetings in December

“Water and Energy: reduce, reuse and recharge” is the theme of the second annual Kansas Water Issues Forum.  The dates and locations of the forums are Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 7001 West 21st Street North in Wichita, and Thursday, December 11, 2008 at the Kansas State University Agriculture Research Center 1232 240th Avenue in Hays.  The meetings are free and open to the first 150 members of the public to preregister.  There will be presentations from experts in water and energy issues.

Contact Information

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