DWR Currents

August 24, 2010


Dam Safety TAC Examining Risks, Rules, Hazards and Funding
Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Josh Svaty, Chief Engineer David Barfield and Water Structures program manager Matt Scherer are among 30 or so members of a technical advisory committee, or “TAC,” convened to look for solutions to challenges facing the state, local governments and property owners regarding dams.

The committee is examining a number of issues that are broader than the statutes and regulations administered by the Division of Water Resources.  Kansas Water Office Director Tracy Streeter and Barfield co-chair the TAC.

Kansas Farm Bureau, the Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Association of Counties, Kansas Homebuilders Association, State Association of Kansas Watersheds, State Conservation Commission, and other associations and agencies are also represented on the TAC, as are several engineering firms.

“We’re seeing a growing number of new developments below existing dams.  That means there’s more at stake if one of those dams fails than had been at risk in the past,” said Barfield.  “Because there are now residences and busy streets below these dams, human lives are endangered so the dams must be made safer.  In addition, there are dams built to proper standards, but owners are unable to cover the cost of needed repairs as dams age and sustain damage.  How to help finance these upgrades or repairs, and how to limit development below dams that weren’t constructed to high-hazard standards, are problems the state has been wrestling with for years.”

Right: Severe erosion of the auxiliary spillway at a dam in Kansas after 2007 flooding.  This is an example of damage that may jeopardize public safety and is very costly to repair.  Photo by DWR staff.  Click to enlarge image.

The House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources grappled with these issues during their consideration of House Bill 2493 in the 2010 legislative session.  The committee did not take action on the bill, which focused on the related issue of periodic dam safety inspections.  During the committee’s deliberations, Barfield committed to work with stakeholders after the legislative session to address concerns with hazard class changes caused by downstream development.

In its August 10, 2010, inaugural meeting, the TAC reviewed dam safety policy recommendations previously adopted by the Kansas Water Authority.  The TAC then formed three subcommittees to examine specific problems: risk tolerance and hazard classification rules; hazard change prevention; and funding.

The TAC is scheduled to meet at the end of September to hear reports from the subcommittees and decide on the next courses of action.


GMD 5 Gets a New Manager
On August 2, 2010, Wes Essmiller became the fourth manager of Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5 that formed in 1976.

Essmiller succeeds Sharon Falk, who worked at GMD 5 for 30 years, including the past 22 years as its manager.  Falk is retiring effective August 30, although she has agreed to continue working for GMD 5 part time for a few months.

Born and raised in Great Bend, Essmiller has agricultural roots in the area.  

“We produce the whole gamut at our family farm,” said Essmiller, “including alfalfa, wheat, corn, soybeans and milo.  We irrigate 400 acres.”

Essmiller holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, with emphasis in horticulture, from Kansas State University, and he is currently completing requirements for a master’s degree in landscape architecture from K-State.

Prior to his graduate work, Essmiller worked as irrigation foreman for a landscaping company in Topeka.

“I’ve always been interested in water, both in its uses and conservation of the natural resources,” Essmiller said about his new job.  He cites ongoing work to improve streamflow in Rattlesnake Creek and to better manage water in the Mid Ark basin among top priorities for the GMD.

Chief Engineer David Barfield extended congratulations to both Mr. Essmiller and Ms. Falk.  

“With change comes renewed opportunity for cooperation and new energy to address water resources issues in south-central Kansas,” said Barfield.  “We look forward to working with Wes, and we wish Sharon the best in her new endeavors.”


Drought Takes Hold in Parts of Kansas
After a very wet spring, the effects of the summer’s severe heat and lower precipitation are catching up with Kansas.  Last week the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly service of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, indicated “abnormally dry” conditions in portions of 14 northeastern Kansas counties and slivers of two southwestern Kansas counties.

This rating, abbreviated as “D0,” is the lowest, most minor drought intensity rating used by the Drought Monitor.

Right: Kansas detail map of August 17, 2010, courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor. Click to enlarge image.

The following statement accompanied the map released on August 17, 2010:

“High Plains:  Coupled with spotty dryness and high temperatures over the last few weeks, D0 was introduced into portions of southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas.  As several crop tours are making their way through this region, losses are mounting up for both the corn and soybean crops.  Soils have rapidly dried out in the top layers of the profile as well.”

Kansas had been drought-free, according to the Drought Monitor, since April 2010, when part of south-central Kansas was briefly demarcated as abnormally dry.

The High Plains region is generally faring better than some other parts of the country, such as eastern Virginia, which is experiencing severe drought and northern Louisiana, which is experiencing extreme drought.

The drought monitor included predictions from the National Weather Service that sound encouraging for Kansas:

“Looking Ahead: Over the next 5 days (August 19-23), precipitation should be impacting some of the drought areas, as maxima of precipitation are centered over the Gulf Coast and upper Midwest.   The Plains and Mid Atlantic have fairly good chances of precipitation as well.  The monsoon season looks to continue, with widespread precipitation over the southwest.  Temperatures are projected to be above normal for almost the entire United States, with the greatest departures over the High Plains and Ohio River Valley (6-9 degrees Fahrenheit above normal).  Cool temperatures will again take place over the west coast.  

The CPC 6-10 day forecast (August 24-28) continues to show the best chances for above normal temperatures over the Ohio River Valley and below normal temperatures from Alaska down through the west coast.  Precipitation chances are greatest over the northern High Plains and along the Gulf Coast.  The best chance for below normal precipitation is from Arkansas up through West Virginia and into New England.”


Meet the Staff: Chelsea Juricek
This month we interviewed Chelsea Juricek, environmental scientist in DWR’s water management services program, interstate water issues unit.

Juricek is stationed in the Stockton field office.  Her main responsibilities include monitoring and documenting Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado’s compliance or noncompliance with the Republican River Compact, evaluating impacts of proposed changes in water management strategies, and helping with compact administration meetings.

Juricek has worked for the Division of Water Resources since 2006.

Chelsea, please tell us about your background.

I hail from Crete, Nebraska, located about 25 miles southwest of Lincoln.  As a youngster, my parents made a point to pack the family in the station wagon and haul us kids to national and state parks to experience the outdoors.  I believe that early exposure to the natural wonders of the Midwest shaped the course of my life.

I received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in December 2002 with a major in biology and minor in spatial analysis (geographic information systems).  I cemented my interest in biology with two internships where I helped research pronghorn antelope population and habitat in the Oglala National Grasslands of northwest Nebraska, and also documented habitat fragmentation effects on wildlife in the Waco area of central Texas.

After college, I worked as a biological technician for the Nebraska Game and Parks, where I surveyed the snow goose migratory population throughout central Nebraska and leg-banded local populations of Canada geese in the Lincoln and Omaha areas.  I also helped track, night trap and leg band radio-collared bobwhite quail to estimate hunting impacts on the quail population.

I started grad school in January 2004 and graduated in May 2006 with a master’s degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo with a thesis topic of rangeland management of leafy spurge using a mixture of herbicides, beetles and competitive native grasses.  I skipped my graduation ceremony to start a summer job as a botanist with the USDA Forest Service in the town of Dickinson in western North Dakota.  I evaluated revegetation efforts by oil companies in the vast oil fields of the Little Missouri National Grasslands and also tracked rare plant populations in the vast badlands.

What led to your job at DWR?

At the end of the Forest Service summer job in October 2006, I got a call from the Division of Water Resources.  I drove 832 miles from Dickinson, North Dakota, to Garden City, Kansas, for a personal interview for the newly created environmental scientist position with the Arkansas River interstate team.  I remember driving across the Ark River main street bridge with Mike Meyer and Kevin Salter and thinking three things: 1) Where’s the water?  2) Is that a thick stand of salt cedar in the river bed?  3) Why do they keep saying “ar-kansas” instead of “arkan-saw”?  I gladly accepted the Garden City field office position as my first ever full-time job because I recognized water issues as a worldwide topic, and the new experience would help me become a well-rounded scientist and informed citizen.

What was it like when you started at DWR?  What are some noticeable changes since those days?

When I started with DWR in November 2006, David Pope was chief engineer and there were only occasional cautions about the impending 2010 budget crisis.  In early 2009, funding was cut for my position in the Garden City field office.  Fortunately, I was transferred to the Stockton field office, where I now use my previous experience with the Ark River to tackle issues with the Republican River.  It was quite a shock going from the big city of Garden City (pop. 28,000) to the tiny town of Stockton (pop. 1,200), but I was able to quickly adapt to the new job and town with support from my Garden City field office friends and new Stafford field office friends.

In your own words describe your job.  What are some specific projects you’re working on?

Ark River Compact – I continue some Ark River duties while in Stockton, especially the spring inspection of dryup acres in the Ark River basin in southeast Colorado, from the state line to Pueblo.  Each year Kansas gets GIS files from the Colorado water resources staff and we use those files as the basis for our inspection of lands that are no longer irrigated with surface water.

Republican River Compact – I attend compact-related meetings in Colorado and Nebraska as the budget allows, help implement the compact and final settlement stipulation and any related documents like the accounting procedures, and help the interstate team with pending litigation or arbitration efforts.  I also lead a coordination call for the Republican River team to update the status on all pending projects before the team.

Field office activities – I perform meter compliance inspections, help with spring/fall/annual well measurements, review about 30 online newspapers in KS/CO/NE for water-related news stories, and other tasks such as helping to file water use reports.

What do you like about your job?  What would you change if you could?

I enjoy being involved in issues that have real-world applications and consequences, and the interstate team works hard to make a difference for Kansas water users.

Technology has made it quick and efficient to interact with interstate team members located in various offices, but I wish DWR had the funding to allow personal interaction on a regular basis, especially with me being “the new gal on the block.”  My experience with interstate issues is that the better you know someone (Kansas coworkers as well as Colorado-Nebraska staff), the easier it is to work together to solve problems.

How often do you interact with the public and in what ways?

In the office, I occasionally field phone calls and help visitors.  In the field, I might get stopped by Mr. Farmer while doing meter inspections or well measurements, and he usually wants to know what I’m doing and why!  When I attend meetings in Colorado or Nebraska for interstate issues, I have to be aware of who I represent and what my role is as the Kansas representative.

What are some frequently asked questions you hear and the answers to these questions?

What is the “FSS”?  FSS stands for final settlement stipulation, the result of litigation brought by Kansas against Colorado and Nebraska in the U.S. Supreme Court.  The FSS includes specific accounting procedures for the Republican River Compact Administration model, which may be modified by agreement among the states and in accordance with the compact and FSS.

Do you have any humorous anecdotes about your job?

Most funny moments come from snippets I hear at water-related meetings in Nebraska or anti-Kansas water articles I glean from Nebraska and Colorado newspapers, but I should probably keep those observations to myself!  I composed a funny version of “The Night Before Christmas” after a difficult Ark River Compact Administration meeting in December 2008 and got a few chuckles.  I definitely enjoy making my coworkers laugh because everyone needs a ray of sunshine in their lives.

Tell us something unusual about yourself.

I spent three weeks touring Australia and New Zealand with a student group right after I graduated high school in 1998.  To my parents dismay, I burned up all my childhood savings in the process, but I’m glad I did it then because who has the time or money to go to New Zealand when you have adult responsibilities like rent, utility bills and keeping the yard mowed?

Is there anything we didn’t ask that you think would be appropriate to note?

I’m a fan of “backyard tourism,” or visiting cultural and natural points of interest within about 400 miles of home.  I’ve hiked in Schermerhorn Park and Spring River Wildlife Area in extreme southeast Kansas and visited Big Brutus.  I’ve toured the underground salt mine, Cosmosphere and Dillon Nature Center in Hutchinson.  I enjoyed the Sunset Zoo, Goodnow House and hiking the Konza prairie in Manhattan, as well as stopping by the Rolling Hills Zoo along I-70.  I’ve marveled at the Wichita Art Museum, Sedgwick County Zoo, botanical gardens, Museum of World Treasures and took in a show at the downtown Mosley Street Melodrama Dinner Theater.  I’ve visited Dorothy’s house and the Mid-America Air Museum in Liberal.  I enjoyed the Sternberg Museum in Hays, Stauth Memorial Museum in Montezuma and the High Plains Museum in Goodland.  One of the most unique experiences was driving through the Arikaree Breaks and the three corners where Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska meet geographically, where you’ll find a lone mailbox holding a notebook awaiting your signature!


Upcoming Events

• August 24: Upper Little Arkansas River Watershed Meeting (Little River); Secretary Svaty will be guest speaker
• 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.