Access to open records
Many details of existing water rights and water use are available online through the Water Information Management and Analysis System (WIMAS).
For all other inquiries, the Kansas Department of Agriculture has a set of procedures to help the public gain fair and expeditious access to open public records about its employees, programs and regulated community: Online Open Records Request Information
Examples of Available Water Appropriation Program Records
Vested Water Rights
- Verified Claim for vested right
- Notice of Hearing, proof of publication
- Order of determination of the existence of a vested right
Appropriated Water Rights
- Applications to appropriate water for beneficial use and supporting documents including maps, plats and photographs
- Recommendations by Groundwater Management Districts
- Permit
- Dismissal Orders (Voluntary or Denied Applications)
- Notice of Completion of Diversion Works
- Certificates of Appropriation, including proposed certificates and draft certificates
Change Applications
- Applications to change the place of use, point of diversion or type of use and supporting documents filed with these applications
- Approval of change applications
- Dismissal of change applications
Abandonment of Water Rights
- Verified reports
- Hearing notice
- Transcript of hearing and exhibits
- Order declaring water right abandoned
Temporary and Term Permits
- Application to appropriate water for beneficial use by means of a temporary or term permit
- Approved Permits
Cease and Desist Orders
- Legal notice to cease and desist appropriation of water
- Legal notice to stop diverting water
- Order rescinding above orders
Other Information
- Correctional Orders and Findings and Orders of the Chief Engineer
- Orders of the Chief Engineer requiring meters be installed
- Letters concerning extensions of time requested and granted
- Letters and supporting documents related to change in ownership and/or correspondence
- Information and/or reports provided by Kansas Geological Survey, Kansas Water Office, Kansas Corporation Commission, Kansas Department of Health and Environment and other agencies relating to applications
- Dismissal letters
- Memorandums to the file
Reports
- Annual Report of water used
- Field Inspection Reports after certification
- Field Investigation Reports
- Water Right Information Report
- Amount Statistics Report
Water Reservation Rights
- Notice for a Water Reservation Right
- "Accepted" Notice for a Water Reservation Right
