Middle Arkansas River Subbasin
Issues:
- Groundwater depletion due to pumping in the Great Bend Prairie - High Plains aquifer and alluvial aquifer.
- Streamflow depletion.
Goals:
- To achieve sustainable yield management by 2015 of the ground and surface water system with long-term management strategies that fall within the framework of state water law.
- Ensure that the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will continue to have the water needed to maintain Cheyenne Bottoms.
Current Activities:
- Continue to monitor groundwater levels and streamflow conditions in the subbasin.
- Increase interest and participation in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.
Groundwater Flow Model:
- Kansas Geological Survey completed the collaborative model -- the Technical Advisory Committee also included GMD No. 5, Kansas Water Office, Water Protection Association of Central Kansas and Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources -- and Final Middle Arkansas River Model Report for the Middle Arkansas subbasin in 2006.
The Middle Arkansas Subbasin covers an area approximately 781,455 acres. The subbasin begins at the Ford/Edwards County line and also includes parts of Barton, Kiowa, Pawnee, Rice, Rush and Stafford counties. Much of the subbasin lies within the boundary of the Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5.
The Middle Arkansas Subbasin lies within the Great Bend Prairie physiographic region with gently sloping hills. South central Kansas has relatively less relief than north central Kansas. The subbasin has two aquifer systems including High Plains -- Great Bend Prairie and alluvial aquifers.
The High Plains aquifer was deposited during the Pleistocene Epoch. Sediments were deposited into deep valleys because of major changes in drainage. These Quaternary deposits provide an excellent source of good-quality water for the subbasin. The Great Bend Prairie aquifer is an unconfined/semi-confined system.
The Arkansas valley alluvium consists of stream-laid deposits. The upper 2-20 feet consists of finer sediments, but deeper deposits consist of more coarse-grained sediments. The area lying south of the river in Pawnee and Edwards counties are overlain with dune sand. This sand is above the water table; thus, it does not yield any water to wells.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks have a water right to divert streamflow off of the Middle Arkansas River into Cheyenne Bottoms. The Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area is 19,857 acres of a 41,000 acre land sink north of Great Bend. Cheyenne Bottoms is important to wildlife especially migratory birds.
In 1998, the Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources, Basin Management Team, residents of the Middle Arkansas Subbasin and other governmental agencies came together to form a working group to address issues related to water resource concerns in the region. Throughout the course of this project, the working group has evolved into a knowledgeable working group in respect to understanding the hydrological conditions of the subbasin. Active participants in the group represent numerous interests, including but not limited to: Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5, municipalities, Water Protection Association of Central Kansas, county conservation districts, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources, Kansas Livestock Association and other interested parties.
The chief engineer approved the Middle Arkansas Working Group's Middle Arkansas Management Strategies January 2004. The group encourages water users in the subbasin to conserve at least 10 percent of average water use from 1988 to 2000. In addition, it is recommended that water users submit a voluntary conservation plan to the Division of Water Resources documenting participation.
The Middle Arkansas Subbasin Newsletter was created July 2004 to educate and correspond with the water right holders on the water issues in the subbasin. The newsletter is electronic and goes out quarterly with the main focus on education, conservation and other related agricultural information. Middle Arkansas Subbasin Newsletters are now available online.
