Water issues still pooling in Hays

By MIKE CORN

Hays Daily News

When it comes to water issues, there's plenty on the plate for Hays.

For example:

nÀThere's the reconfiguration of the wellfield along the Smoky Hill River near Schoenchen.

nÀThere's the situation involving rights to water in a small portion of Cedar Bluff Reservoir, set aside for recharge of the Smoky Hill River based on triggers that would be determined based on streamflow at both the Hays and Russell wellfields.

There are plenty of peripheral issues in the Cedar Bluff issue, including legislation that would prevent the release of water or a lawsuit that seeks to halt the release. Neither issue, however, has progressed.

nÀThe biggest issue perhaps, rests in a document that is little more than a philosophical statement of what will be expected on the part of either the state or the city of Hays.

That memorandum of understanding sets the stage for the future of water in Hays, including the targeting of Wilson Lake — northwest of Russell — as a long-term source of supply for Hays.

It would, however, also serve as a long-term source of supply for the city of Russell.

Already, the Kansas Water Office — the water planning agency for the state of Kansas — has put together something of a yield analysis on how much water would be available from the lake.

The agency also has started working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to obtain federal funding to do a detailed study of the lake and how much water might be available for municipal uses.

The Corps and KWO also are looking at how much water would be available without being forced to go to Congress for reauthorization of the lake.

One issue that has taken something of a backseat to all the other issues is the disposition of the Circle K Ranch in Edwards County.

Hays and Russell — the owners of the nearly 7,000-acre ranch — have indicated a willingness to sell the land and the water rights that accompany the land.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has indicated an interest in the land, with an eye to converting it from irrigated farmland to a hunting preserve. Although KDWP has received authorization to enter into negotiations with the two cities that own the land, that has not taken place in part because of the budget crunch that is awaiting the Legislature this year.

Any movement on the ranch likely will have to wait another year, given that money is not in the budget for any purchase, even though most of the money likely will come from a federal tax on guns and ammunition.

The most pressing issue rests with the reconfiguration of the Smoky Hill Wellfield near Schoenchen. In that plan, the city of Hays intends to spread out its wells so that they don't interfere with each other.

Even that process, however, has been slowed somewhat with the reopening of the comment period.

As a result, it's likely that it will take several months before a decision is made on the wellfield.

Managing editor Mike Corn can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 129, or by e-mail at

mcorn@dailynews.net.