News Release, Kansas Geological Survey, July 28, 2015
LAWRENCE--Water users from across the state will focus on the management and future of the state's water resources at the summer meeting of the Kansas Water Congress August 6 and 7 at the University of Kansas.
The Kansas Water Congress is a not-for-profit organization representing a diverse group of agricultural, industrial, and municipal water users that promote conservation and development of the state's groundwater and surface-water resources. Groundwater, particularly from the massive High Plains aquifer, is the primary source of water in western and central Kansas. Eastern Kansas relies mainly on water from rivers, reservoirs, and other surface-water sources.
Co-hosted this year by the Congress and the Kansas Geological Survey, the conference includes presentations on the prospects for extending the lifetime of the High Plains aquifer; the potential effect of oil and gas operations on aquifer quality and seismic stability; reservoir sedimentation; water quality; a proposed Kansas aqueduct from the Missouri Rivers to western Kansas; changes to the federal Clean Water Act; and implementation of the Kansas Water Appropriations Act.
Participants will have opportunities to advocate positions on water policy, debate protection and use of water resources, and interact with representatives from water-related state agencies, Groundwater Management District (GMDs), and other entities. The state's five GMD's in central and western Kansas are organized and governed by area landowners and large-scale water users to address water-resource issues.
For information about the conference, contact David Brenn, Kansas Water Congress executive director, at 620-287-4541, or dbrenn@gcnet.com.