Minimum Desirable Streamflow Overview
No streams are currently under MDS administration.
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Minimum desirable streamflow requirements were made part of the Kansas Water Appropriation Act by the Kansas Legislature to ensure base flows in certain streams to protect existing water rights and to meet in-stream water uses related to water quality, fish and wildlife, and recreation.
The Division monitors 23 streams and rivers at 33 locations for minimum desirable streamflow. When flows drop below an established threshold, pumping restrictions are imposed on permits or water rights granted after the minimum desirable streamflow provision was made into law in 1984.
All applications to appropriate water for beneficial use filed on or after April 12, 1984, are subject to any minimum desirable streamflow requirements identified and established pursuant to the following statutes:
K.S.A. 82a-703a, b and c: Minimum Streamflows Established (PDF)
Related Links
Minimum Desirable Streamflow in the Lower Republican River Basin
Current Overview
Criteria for initiation of MDS administration are contained in K.A.R. 5-15-1(d). For the Republican River, criteria are: A) when flows drop below established MDS levels at certain gages for 7 consecutive days; and B) when the streamflow trigger value set in K.A.R. 5-15-4 is not met for the preceding 60-day period.
Provided flows remain above MDS and the 60-day streamflow trigger remains above the acceptable value, "junior" water right holders (those with water rights established after April 12, 1984) may continue to divert water. Several variable factors influence when water rights administration may be required to meet MDS values on the Republican River, including precipitation, reservoir releases and area water use.
Additional information will be posted on this page if MDS administration becomes likely.
Data
The following graphs for Concordia and Clay Center plot the actual daily average flow value divided by the MDS value (dashed purple line) and the 150 percent value (1.50 as a solid purple line), representing the triggers outlined by K.A.R. 5-15-1(a)(1) and K.A.R. 5-15-4. (Click graphs to enlarge.)*
*Flow values during the winter months are based on USGS estimates due to gage icing during extreme cold.
The 60-day criteria is computed as follows:
1. Divide the mean daily flow for the day by the MDS value for the day.
2. Compute the average of the ratios computed in step 1 for the previous 60 days.
Example:
The ratios described in step 1 have been computed for June 1 through July 30 (60 individual ratios). On July 31, the average of those 60 ratios is computed by summing the ratios and dividing by 60. If that average ratio is less than 1.5, the 60-day criteria for initiation of MDS administration has been met.
Related Links
USGS Gage on the Republican River near Hardy, NebraskaUSGS Gage on the Republican River at Concordia, KansasUSGS Gage on the Republican River at Clay Center, Kansas US Army Corps of Engineers Milford Lake Daily Lake information Page
Contact
Katie Tietsort, Water Commissioner of the Topeka Field Office (785) 862-6300
Scott Ross, Water Commissioner of the Stockton Field Office (785) 425-6787
