Kansas Water Office Update Kansas Environmental Conference Cara

Kansas Water Office Update Kansas Environmental Conference Cara Hendricks, PE August 9, 2018

Long-Term Vision for the Future of Water in Kansas • Kansans act on a shared commitment to have the water resources necessary to support the state's social, economic and natural resource needs for current and future generations. Vision Mission Statement: “Provide Kansans with the framework, policy and tools developed in concert with stakeholders to manage, secure and protect a reliable long-term, state-wide water supply while balancing conservation and economic growth. ”

Long-Term Vision for the Future of Water in Kansas If we take no action in the next 50 years… Ogallala-High Plains Reservoirs Ø The Ogallala will be 70% depleted. Ø Water supply reservoirs will be 40% filled with sediment. Ø Another 40% of the area irrigated by the Ogallala will not support a Ø Five of the seven major river basins 400 gpm well. that support municipal and industrial use won’t meet demands during a drought

Implementing the Vision Focus of Recent Work • • • Regional Advisory Committees Ogallala-High Plains Activities Drought Monitoring & Response Reservoir Activities Vision Implementation Research

Regional Advisory Committees

Implementing the Vision Ogallala-High Plains Activities ØWater Technology Farms (WTFs) ØLocal Enhanced Management Areas (LEMAs) ØWater Conservation Areas (WCAs)

Water Technology Farms Ø Three WTFs first established for 2016 growing season, three additional farms in 2017 Ø Showcase on a field scale, the latest technologies in • • • irrigation infrastructure, irrigation water management, soil moisture management, conservation tillage, automation telemetry and other agronomic practices aimed at reducing water use.

Water Technology Farms

+ 2017 Water Technology Farms Hatcher's Farm - i. Wob, Bubbler, and spray - Soil vs plant sensors - Scheduling Circle C Farm - i. Wob, Bubbler, and spray - Variable rate irrigation - Cover crops use and mixes NW Tech College Farms - Soil water sensors - Partner with 6 local water users - Workforce development

SW KS GMD #3

Building Water Resource Workforce • NW Tech & Local Irrigation Companies partnering with neighboring landowners, GMD 4 and KWO to develop water technology farms within the Precision Ag Dept at NT • Students working on campus & in the field to develop irrigation water management skills • Irrigation Technology (soil probes, Variable Rate Irrigation) and Scheduling to demonstrate water savings and profitability • Six farms participating this year

Local Enhanced Management Areas (LEMA) • Approved by 2012 Legislature • Locally-led through groundwater management districts • Allows for locally identified water use reductions with state enforcement – Does not permanently alter water right – Mandatory participation for water users • 100 sq mi, 5 year, 55 acre-inch allocation per water right, 20% reduction • Economic evaluation showed no significant impact

Local Enhanced Management Areas

WCA Name Water Conservation Areas County The Garden City Company FI/KE Ray Smith GL/WA Fansher Farms FI Larry Goss Farm FI Hayden Family Farms SH R&R Unruh Farms FI/KE Big D Farms FI Richmeier Farms FI Hatcher Land Co. LP SW Compton: Lane County Farm LE Wichita County WH Compton: Highway 4 Farm SC Total Period 2017 -2021 2017 -2026 2017 -2021 2018 -2017 -2021 2017 -2021 2017 -2019 2017 -2031 Acres Enrolled 7, 170 1, 479 1, 246 432 800 1, 613 2, 790 597 252 288 10, 673 649 27, 989 Water Date Savings Approved (Af) 943 5/8/2018 87 4/6/2018 171 3/29/2018 89 2/19/2018 85 1/26/2018 248 1/26/2018 253 9/5/2017 129 8/25/2017 19 7/31/2017 38 3/30/2017 2, 226 3/7/2017 97 2/20/2017 2, 323 • Level of conservation ranges from 10 -29% of average water use in approved plans • Multi-year allocations • Flexibility to move water between enrolled water rights • Totally voluntary

Implementing the Vision Drought Monitoring & Response ØDrought Declaration ØEmergency Water Supply

Drought Monitoring & Response

Implementing the Vision Reservoir Activities Ø Streambank Stabilization Ø BMP Implementation Ø Alternative Reservoir Sediment Management Strategies Ø Milford RCCP

le Pe e o ro nt To ttl Tu Ka ity no po Fa lis ll Jo Ri hn ve Re r dm on d k. C El rr y on a m Po W ff ac on da M il Co un ford cil Gr ov e lu r. B to n in Cl da n ey ar io lls da Ce M en Ch er st ill ra do Do Hi El eb W rn g. H Bi ve M el Percent Loss of Capacity to Date Kansas Reservoir Loss of Capacity 50 40 30 20 10 0

Streambank Stabilization

Streambank Stabilization

Site 1 : Stateline

Kansas Reservoir Protection Initiative • Enhance sediment reduction efforts above 4 federal reservoirs • Lands located in targeted sub-watersheds are eligible for assistance • SFY 2019 → $900, 000 for eligible BMPs • KDA, KDHE, KWO and RACs will collaborate to prioritize projects based on greatest sediment reduction per $

Tuttle Creek Lake: 1957 to 2010 19 BUILDING STRONG®

Tuttle Creek Lake: 2010 Open Water *Graphic courtesy of USACE 27

Tuttle Creek Lake: 50 years Open Water *Graphic courtesy of USACE Sediment 28

Reservoir Sediment Sustainability *Graphic courtesy of USACE 29

Alternative Reservoir Sediment Mgmt: Water Injection Dredging (WID) • Inject water into the sediment deposits to induce a density current. • Open the gates and release the sediment through the existing conduit. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Jf. VK 5 r. LYXi. M

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Nutrients and Harmful Blue-Green Algae Milford, Marion Reservoirs & others…. .

Milford Lake Regional Conservation Partnership Program • $2. 8 M Federal Commitment • State and Local Match • 5 Yr program • Target Nutrient Reduction Practices

Implementing the Vision Implementation Research Vision Research Needs Ø Water Conservation Ø Water Management Ø Technology and Crop Management Ø Additional Sources of Supply

Vision Implementation Research • Initiated statewide research coordination effort Focus on Vision research needs • Three major research areas to focus initial efforts: 1. Ogallala-High Plains Groundwater Depletion Ø Irrigation research technologies & crop genetics research technologies 2. Reservoir Sedimentation Ø Effectiveness of streambank stabilization 3. Water Quality Ø Harmful algal blooms (HABs) research

2018 Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas

Questions? Thank you! Cara Hendricks, PE