DWR Currents

March 1, 2010


DWR Offers Floodplain Management Training Opportunities
Workshops scheduled in April and May provide floodplain managers and other local officials an opportunity to gain knowledge that will help them perform their work.

• Basics of the NFIP, April 6 in Belleville: This training opportunity is for local officials and floodplain managers.  The focus is on the history of the National Flood Insurance Program, why we regulate the floodplain, and the basic tools of floodplain management.  This class is intended for those who are new to floodplain management or experienced floodplain managers in need of a refresher course.

• Residential Substantial Damage Estimation, May 6 in Lyons: The Residential Substantial Damage Estimation software can speed the process of making damage estimations.  RSDE is provided for free to community officials responsible for making substantial damage estimations.  Discussions will cover the basics of RSDE.  There will be classroom instruction in the morning and a field trip in the afternoon.  After this training, participants will be able to explain how to use RSDE to other community officials.

These workshops are free.  However, we ask participants to pre-register so we have a head count for meeting room size and training materials.  To register or ask questions about these training opportunities, please contact Steve Samuelson at (785) 296-4622 or steve.samuelson@kda.ks.gov.

In related news, DWR is helping the Kansas University Transportation Center with several Culvert, Drainage and Levee Maintenance workshops on April 20 in Colby, April 21 in Hays, April 22 in McPherson and April 23 in Junction City.  To register, or for contact information, visit KUTC’s training website.


Ark River Flow Reaches Garden City
For the first time in eight years, there is river flow at Garden City.  That is, when the river is not frozen.

Sustained Arkansas River flow was detected at the U.S. Geological Survey gage at Garden City beginning February 13, tapering off intermittently when the river froze.  The daily average flow rate climbed as high as 11 cubic feet per second (cfs) by February 25.

While 11 cfs is a proverbial drop in the bucket compared to the maximum recorded flow of 104,000 cfs at this location in June 1965, any sustained river flow at this location has been a rare occurrence in recent years.  Apart from short-lived runoff from local precipitation events, the last time river flow from Colorado made it to the Garden City gage was in March 2002.

One reason river flow does not occur regularly at Garden City is because upstream ditch companies with very old water rights normally divert for irrigation use the 100 cfs to 200 cfs typical state line flows from Colorado, even in the off-season, when it is stored in Lake McKinney or used to improve soil moisture for the coming irrigation season.  Another reason is that when some flow makes it past the ditches, it usually soaks into the alluvium—the sandy river bed where water levels have dropped due to pumping—rather than flowing downstream.

The fact that river flow is currently reaching Garden City is due primarily to off-season flows being bypassed while Lake McKinney dam is being repaired.  Recent precipitation events have also limited the need for diversion of river flows by irrigation ditches for winter irrigation.

As a result, flow has recharged the alluvium to the point where there is some flow at Garden City when temperatures are above freezing for sustained periods of time.  It will be interesting to see whether the flows increase this spring and how far downstream the flow may progress.


Legislature Considering Water Issues
Some water resources bills saw activity last week, including legislation that would protect unused water rights in closed areas from abandonment if they are able to be pumped in a timely manner when necessary; a bill to establish conservation use as a new beneficial use of water; a bill to amend the interstate water litigation fund law; and a bill that could affect the safety of people, homes and property below dams.

• H Sub SB 316 (nonuse in closed areas) – The House Committee of the Whole passed House Substitute for Senate Bill 316, which would amend K.S.A. 82a-718 to establish that “...a groundwater right, which has as its local supply an aquifer area that has been closed to new appropriations by rule, regulation or order of the chief engineer and where means of diversion are available to put water to a beneficial use within a reasonable time, shall be deemed to have due and sufficient cause for nonuse and shall not be deemed abandoned.”  Now the bill goes to conference committee for consideration.

• SB 510 (establishing conservation use as a beneficial use of water) – There was no committee action on the bill last week.  The department and stakeholder groups have been negotiating language to address some specific issues.  Committee deliberation on the bill has not yet been scheduled.

• SB 558 (interstate water litigation fund) – The Senate Committee on Ways and Means introduced Senate Bill 558, which would amend K.S.A. 82a-1802 to delete references to the interstate water litigation reserve account of the state general fund; to declare that the interstate water litigation fund “shall remain intact and inviolate” and “shall be used for the purposes set forth in this section and for no other governmental purposes”; and to accrue interest in the interstate water litigation fund.

• HB 2493 (dam hazard classifications and inspections) – The original language of House Bill 2493 would repeal K.S.A. 82a-303b, which requires periodic inspections of high-hazard and significant-hazard dams, and which authorizes the chief engineer to inspect any dam or other stream obstruction.  The House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources also considered an alternate version of the bill apparently intended to exempt from regulation any dam impounding less than 100 acre-feet at the spillway and any watershed district dam regardless of the volume impounded.  Last week the committee chairman appointed a subcommittee to study this further.

More information is available under “News” on DWR’s home page, on KDA’s Government Relations web page and KDA’s Twitter postings at KSDeptofAg.

The text and status of bills are available on the Kansas Legislature’s website.


Upcoming Events

• March 4: GMD 4 board meeting (Colby)
• March 9: GMD 2 board meeting (Halstead)
• March 10: GMD 3 board meeting (Garden City)
• March 11: GMD 5 board meeting (Stafford)
• March 16: GMD 1 board meeting and annual meeting (Scott City).  Chief Engineer Barfield will attend.
• April 6: Basics of National Flood Insurance Program training (Belleville)
• April 7: Hearings on proposed amendments to water appropriation regulations (Topeka – with teleconference stations at Garden City, Halstead, Stafford and Stockton)
• April 20-23: Culvert, Drainage and Levee Maintenance workshops by Kansas University Transportation Center (Colby, Hays, McPherson and Junction City)
• April 21: Hearing on proposed water bank regulation amendment (Topeka)
• May 6: Substantial Damage Estimation class (Lyons)

For more information about these and other upcoming events, please check our events listings page.