DWR Currents

August 17, 2010


Temporary Reg Promotes End Gun Removals in GMD 5’s Rattlesnake Creek Area
This week, at the request of Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5, Chief Engineer David Barfield amended state regulation K.A.R. 5-3-23 to encourage participation in the district’s end gun removal program.  The temporary regulation became effective August 16, 2010, after approval by the State Rules and Regulations Board.

In considering the matter, the board expressed some concerns about whether the program will actually reduce water use.  GMD 5 and the chief engineer believe the program will be effective in reducing water consumption since end guns are widely recognized to be the least efficient part of center pivot irrigation systems and crop needs are thought to be fully met on the remaining irrigated acres in this area.

A public hearing is scheduled October 25, 2010, to consider adopting the provisions of the temporary regulation into a permanent regulation.

Right: Center pivot irrigation system with end gun.  Photo by DWR staff.  Click to enlarge image.

The temporary regulation stipulates that a request to reduce the authorized place of use for a water right located in both the Rattlesnake Creek subbasin and GMD 5 to comply with the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program will not require reducing the authorized quantity if both of the following conditions are met:

• The reduction in the authorized place of use will lead to an overall reduction in water use.
• Any future changes to the water right will require a reduction to the authorized quantity to amounts specified in K.A.R. 5-3-19, which is up to 1 acre-foot of water per acre irrigated in eastern Kansas, up to 1½ acre-feet of water per acre irrigated in central Kansas, or up to 2 acre-feet of water per acre irrigated in western Kansas, unless other exceptions are warranted.

As reported in the July 13, 2010, Currents, GMD 5 was awarded a federal grant to conserve water by removing end guns from center pivot irrigation systems in the Rattlesnake Creek watershed.  As reported in the August 10, 2012, Currents, end guns frequently cause water waste and public nuisances.

GMD 5 has reported that they received more than 100 AWEP applications for this year, indicating strong interest in the program.  The available funding in 2010 will remove about 570 acres from irrigation.


Community Rating System Encourages Flood-Resilient Communities
DWR’s floodplain management team works tirelessly to help Kansas communities better protect their residents and businesses from the devastating effects of floods.  Safeguarding lives and property from the most costly type of natural disasters is rewarding work, and it’s even more satisfying when these efforts can save people money through the Community Rating System.  

The Community Rating System is a part of the National Flood Insurance Program.  The system is run by FEMA’s Insurance Services Office.  When communities go above and beyond the minimum standards for floodplain management, the Community Rating System can award credit for that effort in the form of discounted flood insurance premiums – up to 45 percent discounts in some cases.

Right: Kansas River at Lawrence during the June 1993 flood.  Photo courtesy of Kansas Geological Survey.  Click to enlarge image.

But the Community Rating System is about more than insurance discounts.  The public outreach and mitigation activities spelled out in the program can mean reduced property damage or saved lives during a flood.  Some Community Rating System activities will make the community better prepared and more disaster resilient.  The program also is an excellent tool for increasing public awareness of the floodplain program in your community.  It can also generate political good will for a floodplain manager or local official by helping people save money.

The program works by awarding credit points for various activities.  In many cases, these are activities communities are already doing but without knowing it could generate the community credit.   Keeping a record of elevation certificates, offering advice on flood-proofing, having maps on a GIS database, or having a certified floodplain manager on staff are all activities that are worth credit points under the Community Rating System.  Once a community achieves 500 points, policyholders in that community receive a 5 percent discount on flood insurance premiums.  When a community reaches 1,000 points, there is a 10 percent discount.  At each 500 point benchmark, there is an additional 5 percent discount on flood insurance for policies in the special flood hazard areas within that jurisdiction.

In Kansas, communities get credits that are not available in many other states.  Every community in Kansas qualifies for 72 bonus points because of the dam safety program managed by the Division of Water Resources.

In addition, regulations require one foot of freeboard for all residential and nonresidential structures in Kansas.  Structures in Kansas are required to have a level of protection that is one foot higher than the predicted water surface elevation, called a base flood level, as shown on the flood insurance rate map.  On average, the freeboard requirement is worth an additional 100 points for each community.
 
Historically, Community Rating System participation in Kansas has been limited to a few flood-prone communities.  This was because community officials did not understand the system.  Many thought it was too expensive to join or too much work.  The Floodplain Management Team at the Division of Water Resources held classes to dispel these myths and to teach the real facts about the program.  A community rating specialist from FEMA’s Insurance Services Office led a session at the Kansas Association of Floodplain Managers’ annual conference last year and is coming back again this year.

When a community is interested in the Community Rating System, DWR’s floodplain team meets with the community and provides community officials with the application materials and sample forms to use to document the activities they want to submit for credits.  There are six key low-cost activities that are simple enough for nearly every community in Kansas.  In the initial community conference, it is explained how the community can perform these six activities and reach the first level in Community Rating System.

After the initial meeting, the local community begins compiling documentation.  When community officials feel confident they can reach the first 500 point tier, they contact the Community Rating System specialist, who determines if it is worth proceeding with the application.

The next step is to have a compliance letter from the Kansas NFIP Coordinator.  Tom Morey, the NFIP coordinator, visits the community and reviews the floodplain management program by auditing records and visually inspecting floodplain areas.  Once the compliance letter is issued, the Community Rating System specialist arranges to visit the community to review the application and supporting documents.

There are seven cities and counties in Kansas that are currently active in the program: Lawrence, Lindsborg, Olathe, Overland Park, City of Shawnee, City of Ellis and Lyon County.  Since May 2010, several other communities have filed applications, including Shawnee County and the cities of Lenexa and Lansing.  Two other communities requested a compliance audit so they can also file applications.
 
For more information about applying for the Community Rating System, preparing for an audit, or general program questions, contact Steve Samuelson at (785) 296-4622.


Corps Releases Water from Southeast Kansas Reservoirs
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates a number of reservoirs in Kansas.  The Corps is releasing water from Toronto Lake and Fall River Lake in preparation for scheduled maintenance on the outlet works at each of these reservoirs.

The Corps’ Tulsa District Office posted the following notices on its website:

Toronto Lake: “The lake has been drawn down to 899.5, or two feet below normal through March 2011.  This drawdown is to support the ongoing Tainter Gate maintenance work.  Some boat ramps may become unusable.  Boaters should exercise additional caution while operating their boats on the lake due to the lower lake level.  Contact the Cross Timbers State Park at Toronto at the number below to obtain information on which boat ramps have been closed due to the lower than normal lake level.”

Fall River Lake: “The lake has been drawn down to 946.50 approximately.  This drawdown is planned until March 01, 2011, and is to support the ongoing Tainter Gate maintenance work.  Boat ramps currently closed due to the lower than normal lake elevation are: main ramp in North Rock Ridge, Fredonia Bay windhill ramp, Quarry Bay ramp, and Whitehall Bay ramp.  The other ramps remain open at this time and should remain usable, however boaters should exercise additional caution while operating their boats on the lake due to the lower lake level.”

Right: Tainter gates at Toronto Lake.  Image courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Tainter gates are a means of controlling the release of water over a dam spillway.  Tainter gates, also known as “radial gates,” have a curved face that can be rotated up (open) to release water or down (closed) to store water.  Tainter gates are named after the inventor, Jeremiah Burnham Tainter.

As of Monday, August 16, data on the Corps’ website showed that Toronto Lake was about halfway to the reduced-pool target and Fall River Lake was nearly at the target level.

A two-foot drop in the lake levels may sound small, but it involves a significant volume of water.  At 1.3 feet below normal on August 16, Toronto Lake contained 2,300 acre-feet (26 percent) less water than at normal pool.  At 1.75 feet below normal on August 16, Toronto Lake contained 2,800 acre-feet (25 percent) less water than at normal pool.

Some water users below the lakes have expressed concern about these releases during a hot, dry period when the stored water may be needed to meet public water supply or irrigation needs.  DWR is examining whether lowering these lakes at the same time in the peak of summer might affect downstream users or create other potential impacts.


Upcoming Events

• August 17: GMD 1 Board Meeting (Scott City)
• August 25: Small Dam Owners Seminar (Eureka)
• September 2: GMD 4 Board Meeting (Colby)
• September 6: Labor Day (state holiday)
• September 8: GMD 3 Board Meeting (Garden City)
• September 9: GMD 5 Board Meeting (Stafford)

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