From Dustbowl to Mudbowl:
Addressing Water Quality and Quantity Issues in Kansas
Bob Atchison1
1Kansas Forest Service, Kansas State University, 2610 Claflin RD, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; 785-532-3310, atchison@ksu.edu
Kansans use four million acre-feet of water annually with agricultural irrigation accounting for 80-85% of all use. This irrigated cropland has a $5-billion-dollar value with $1.75 billion in corn production and $2 billion in beef. Unfortunately, if the aquifer continues to decline at its current rate it will be 70% depleted within the next 50 years. The introduction of irrigation pumps and center pivots in 1960 -1970 caused the Arkansas River to run dry in 1973. As a result, miles of cottonwood died and was gradually replaced by tamarisk which now infests 56% of the Arkansas River corridor (55,000 acres).
Additionally, federal reservoirs serve as the source of municipal and industrial water for more than two-thirds of the state’s population. Without changes in the next 50 years, Kansas reservoirs will be 40% filled with sediment and 5 out 7 of our major river basins won’t meet water demands during droughts.
RiversEdge West, the Kansas Forest Service, Kansas State University and a host of other partners are working together through a variety of initiatives to address these issues. This presentation will provide insights into state strategies, grants, and collaboration.