By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Almost two dozen local and state leaders gathered in Hays last week for the latest meeting hosted by the governor's office to discuss water planning in Kansas.
Kansas Water Office Director Carolynn McGinn was among those state officials in attendance and said Gov. Laura Kelly's administration is working to make water a higher priority across the state.
She said that effort begins by hearing directly from Kansans.
This summer, representatives from the governor's office and the Kansas departments of water, agriculture, and health and environment are holding seven meetings in late July and throughout August.
State officials had similar meetings two years ago. They plan to compare the feedback gathered this year with the information collected during the previous meetings.
"Kansas is really a grassroots state, and we want to go out and hear from those people that are interested in water, water quality, quantity, and that type of thing," McGinn said.
The Hays meeting, last Wednesday, was the second in the series. The first took place in Colby the day before.
During the meeting, representatives from each agency provided an overview of their work. Participants then weighed in on several scenarios and answered questions about water in their region, community and personal lives.
McGinn said the results will be compiled after the meetings to provide a better understanding of how Kansans view water and its role in their lives.
"In some areas of the state we've had some drought issues and that type of thing, and that brings water to the forefront of people's minds," McGinn said. "But we have to get people to think about water long term and not just in crisis situations."
She said the governor wants to approach water infrastructure the same way Kansas approaches transportation infrastructure through the Kansas Department of Transportation.
"Because we have long-term funding in KDOT," McGinn said. "When you have long-term funding, you can also plan long term instead of just year to year."
"Roads bring us mobility," McGinn said. "Water brings us stability, and we have to have that for economic development."
McGinn said businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of water, but she noted the state's water challenges vary by region.
"I know people that fly over; they may think that we all look alike, but we are very diverse," McGinn said. "From the west, where we don't have a lot of rainfall and groundwater is our resource, to the east, where we have much more rainfall, but we have reservoirs that also have their challenges with sedimentation and that type of thing."
McGinn said attendance at the meetings continues to be strong, and she believes participants are gaining a better understanding of both local and statewide water needs.
"There is certainly increased interest in water and the future of water, and that's what's important," McGinn said.
McGinn said the state also plans to expand discussions this fall around watershed planning.
The first two watersheds to be discussed will be the Upper Republican Basin in northwest Kansas and the Verdigris watershed in southeast Kansas.
Rather than focusing on political boundaries, McGinn said watershed plans evaluate water resources across entire drainage basins and identify projects that can improve water delivery, conservation and regional cooperation.
She said more information about the watershed initiative will be announced later this fall, adding that it is imperative for communities within each watershed to work together.
The next round of meetings will take place in eastern Kansas later this month. The only remaining meeting in western Kansas is scheduled for Aug. 26 in Garden City.