WSP13028

• File Number: 8134
• Description: SW Kansas Ground Water Management District
• State: CO
• Author: Varied
• Title: Newsletters of SW Kansas Ground Water Management District
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

WATER DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

FORMERLY KNOWN AS
"the Pipeline"

SOUTHWEST KANSAS GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (GMD3)
A GOVERNING BODY CONTROLLED BY LOCAl PEOPLE

Volume 3, Issue 9
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HANK HANSEN
[e-mail]
ASSISTANT MANAGER
JANET L. KING
[e-mail]
CONSERVATIONIST
KENT SHAW
[e-mail]
CONSERVATIONIST
JASON NORQUEST
[e-mail]

CLERK
SHARON MISHLER
[e-mail]
BOARD PRESIDENT
BRANT PETERSON
Stanton County
VICE PRESIDENT
KENT DUNN
Seward County
SECRETARY
PETER YORK
Haskell County
TREASURER
MIKE O'BRATE
Gray County
BOARD MEMBERS
DAVID BRENN Surface
ARLEN EATON Ford
WARREN Fox Meade
JAY HOUTSMA Hamilton
WAYNE BREEDING Morton
KIRK A. MADDUX Keamy
ALAN SCHWEITZER Municipal
CLAY SCOTT Grant
STEVE STONE Finney
THOMAS FORD Industrial
SHANNON CRAWFORD
Stevens
PHONE [phone]
FAX [phone]
MEETINGS:
2ND WED. EACH MONTH
9:00 A.M. - DISTRICT OFFICE
409 CAMPUS DR., SUITE 106
GARDEN CITY, KS 67846
http://www.gmd3.org

www. d3.or Se tember, 2003
BRENN APPOINTED TO SECOND TERM ON KS WATER AUTHORITY
On August 27, 2003, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius confirmed the
reappointment of David A. Brenn, GMD3 Surface Water Representative, to serve a
four-year term on the Kansas Water Authority (KWA). Mr. Brenn is the current
Executive Director of the Kansas Water Congress (KWC) and is also one of three
Kansas Commissioners on the Arkansas River Compact Administration (ARCA).
RESOLUTION ON EXPERTS APPROVED
On August 13, 2003 the Board of Directors approved Resolution 2003-5. This
resolution clarifies the Board's intent to retain private consultants or other appropriate
experts on a temporary or as needed basis to provide the District with factual,
scientific, technical, or legal information or advice that best represents the interests of
the District. This is in response to the recommendations made by the Ogallala Aquifer
Management Advisory Committee to the Kansas Water Authority on October 16,
2001. The committee recommended that the 3 western Kansas groundwater
management district's (GMD's) "establish water-use goals to extend and conserve the
life of the Ogallala Aquifer". The Kansas Water Authority plans to submit these
recommendations as part of the 2005 Kansas Water Plan to be adopted by the
Kansas Legislature in the upcoming legislative session. This local GMD expects to
have a reasonable opportunity to consider the hydrologic, legal and economic impacts
associated with implementing these recommendations that could result in a regulated
reduction of water usage.
OGALLALA HIGH PLAINS AQUIFER PROTOCOL UPDATE
On September 10, 2003, the Board of Directors reviewed the submitted proposals
from 3 engineering firms to provide expert analysis of the District's pending adoption
of the Ogallala-High Plains Aquifer Protocol. Wright Water Engineers, Inc. (WWE) of
Denver, Colorado was selected by the board to provide engineering consulting to the
District on an ad hoc basis. The District has agreed to have a preliminary draft of the
protocol completed by November 14, 2003 that is acceptable to the Chief Engineer,
David L. Pope, of the Kansas Division of Water Resources (DWR). WWE is preparing
a very initial review of the protocol for the Board of Directors to consider before the
November 14, 2003 deadline. A more thorough and detailed report is expected from
WWE by February or March of 2004. The protocol was also discussed during a
portion of the July 23, 2003 Kansas Water Authority meeting held at Topeka. During
that meeting the Chief Engineer, David Pope, implied that the 3 western Kansas
GMO's could have a Revised Management Program adopted by November of 2004
that will include these new Aquifer Management Protocol's. If things go as planned,
the District will host a public hearing to consider the adoption of a Revised
Management Program prior to November of 2004. Revised Management Programs
cannot be adopted without providing a public hearing as defined in Kansas Statute
Annotated 82a-1029 of the Groundwater Management District Act.
UNAUTHORIZED APPROPRIATION OF WATER PROGRAM UPDATE
During December of 2003, at least 304 irrigation wells were selected for intensive
monitoring because they appropriated water during the calendar years 2000 and 2001
that was in addition to their authorized annual limit. The District successfully
completed monitoring these sites during the 2003 irrigation season. Fortunately, as of
September 9, 2003 approximately 220 of the initial 304 wells did not exceed their
authorized quantity. Unfortunately, in the same time period approximately 30 well
owners were sent legal notices of unauthorized appropriation of water. The remaining
50 or so wells are still being scrutinized by District staff. Their eventual determination
may result in more notices of non-compliance being delivered. The notices include a
written directive that the unauthorized appropriation of water must stop. Corrective
legal action is being considered in the more egregious cases.