WSP11744

• File Number: 8111.805
• Description: Arkansas River Compact Administration - Keesee Ditch
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 1/1/1986
• Author: HRS Engineering
• Title: Keesee Ditch Change of Water Rights Vol 2 - Proposed Pan of Operation for Storage in John Martin Reservoir
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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the Conservation Pool was depleted, water users in District 67 were to again
be administered under the priority system as if John Martin Reservoir had not
been constructed.

The operation of John Martin Reservoir, according to the provISIons of the
Arkansas River Compact, has historically resulted in a rather inefficient use
of conservation storage. Typically, water users would rush to claim their share
of the Conservation Pool once the summer storage season began, and the pool
would be depleted in a matter of days. In an effort to more efficiently utilize
the water in conservation storage, operating plans were devised beginning in
1978, whereby water was released from conservation storage into separate
accounts for each individual ditch in District 67 and for the State of Kansas.
Water could then be released from these accounts according to the specific
demands of the water user.

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Based on the success of the initial accounting system,' a more permanent
operating plan for John Martin Reservoir was adopted by the Arkansas River
Compact Commission in April 1980. A copy of this operating plan, entitled
"Resolution Concerning an Operating Plan for John Martin Reservoir" (referred
to hereafter as the "Operating Agreement") is included in Appendix B. With
the exception of minor amendments and changes instituted since 1980, the current
operation of John Martin Reservoir is governed by this agreement. Following
is a brief summary of the reservoir operations.

The Operating Ag-reement redefines the "Winter Storage Season" as beginning
on November 1st of each year, and continuing to the "first exhaustion of
conservation storage during the compact year." (The compact year begins on
November 1st.) On a specified day between March 31st and April 7th, the water
in the Conservation Pool is released at a specified rate into various "agreement
accounts" in John Martin Reservoir. Kansas is entitled to 40% of the Conservation
Pool, and the ditches in District 67 divide the remaining 60%. Once the
Conservation Pool has been exhausted, the summer storage season begins. Water
stored in the agreement accounts can be released in any amount at any time
upon the request of each individual water user.

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