Great Bend Tribune
Published September 11, 2022
The drought monitor report as of Tuesday, September 6, indicates an ever-increasing expansion of severe drought and it’s creeping now into Barton County. Extreme drought is now as close as southern Stafford and Wester Rush and Pawnee Counties. Only a few counties in the state are not in some stage of drought. The six to ten-day outlook (September 13 to 17) indicates a 60 to 70% chance of above normal temperatures and normal to a 33 to 50% chance of below normal precipitation. The eight to fourteen-day outlook (September 15 to 21) indicates our area a 60 to 70% chance of above temperatures and near normal precipitation. With wheat planting just around the corner, except under irrigation, the outlook is grim as most ground also has little to no subsoil moisture. Last week we discussed the water crisis in Kansas and the Great Plains, both groundwater and surface water. This week, let’s briefly discuss what could possibly be done.
- The key point with groundwater is simple. We are withdrawing more water than is being added through precipitation – depletion. It is exacerbated during years like this as irrigation is more needed now than typically as we are very short on precipitation. So we are withdrawing more and adding even less. This is compounded by the depth to groundwater. Simply put, groundwater is over appropriated. We have more permits than water. And the overwhelming percentage of groundwater usage in the state is agriculture, primarily for irrigation.
- Especially concerning the aquifer, there are two schools of thought. One, which we will discuss shortly is to do everything possible to extend the life of the aquifer through various means. There is actually another school of thought that says just use it up as needed until the useful life of the aquifer is over and then deal with it.
So how can we extend the life of the aquifer?
- Increase the efficiency of the irrigation systems/methods. For example – pressure regulators, LEPA systems, subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), banning of end guns which are inefficient anyways, and use technologies for irrigation scheduling. Money is involved, especially with SDI, but all of these could save water. State and federal assistance would help promote these.
- Some things are already in place where irrigators come together and work together to decrease usage. Two possible actions are one, decreasing water allocations (the five-year plan already does this) and two, retire some water rights. Again, monetary incentives and help will be needed. You are speaking about substantial decreases in average production and income.
- Change crops and cultural practices to use less water yet produce economically viable crop yields. Alternative crops and/or better use of existing crops such as milo. Also new improved varieties/hybrids with increased water use efficiency or with improved feedability. Solutions must be found to supply necessary feed stuffs to the feedlot industry. Along those lines, use irrigation for more perennial grasses for cattle. And there are a number of cultural practices such as decreasing tillage and pest control that can help.
We can find a way to move forward but it will take time, money, research, and cooperation.