By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The Kansas State Agricultural Research Center just south of Hays is considering developing a portion of its water rights available from Big Creek surface water.
Brian Olson, head of the western Kansas research-extension centers in Hays, Colby, Garden City and Tribune, met with the Hays City Commission recently to explain why K-State wants to develop its water rights.
Three projects areas at the research center "really need adequate water," Olson said.
Those areas are the wheat breeding program, grain sorghum and pearl millet breeding, and growing alternative low-water forages locally for feeding trials in the cattle feedlot.
Despite a much-needed rain early Wednesday morning of 0.67 of an inch, Hays is still behind average precipitation for the year by more than two inches.
"That's not a very favorable environment for planting wheat," Olson said.
The center has been irrigating its wheat variety trials with a big irrigation gun, but it's not a very efficient method for the type of research underway.
"It's not a good system when the wheat gets some height on it. We need another way to make sure we're maximizing yield potential on those wheat lines," Olson said.
All Kansas wheat producers contribute money to the center's research into developing wheat varieties that grow best in different parts of the state, Olson said.
"Ultimately, there's over $1 million out in a small area with respect to the wheat breeding program," Olson said.
"We actually had to move some of our wheat breeding activities down to Garden City — under irrigation — just because we don't have the ability to irrigate it here."
State financial resources are also used to develop improved lines of grain sorghum and pearl millet.
Olson called the current drought in Ellis County a challenging environment they've been battling for two years.
Variable weather conditions hinder crop stand development and decrease yields of wheat, sorghum, millet and forage.
K-State has five acre-feet of groundwater rights at the research center but doesn't plan to develop it, Olson said.
Instead, K-State wants to use its surface water right on Big Creek.
The Stockton field office of the Kansas Division of Water Resources provided information determining that the center is authorized for irrigation use on 293 acres at an annual quantity of 180 acre-feet.
"We're really looking at developing between 40 to 60 acres of irrigation capacity out at the center, a small amount," Olson said.
"I understand water is a very sensitive topic for the city of Hays so I want to bring this forward so you are aware of it," Olson told the city commissioners.
The center is already using one of its water rights for the greenhouse.
The new irrigation would be in the area on the south side of the Highway 183 Bypass.
If Big Creek doesn't meet the irrigation needs, the research center could put in a retention pond west of the feedlot and use that water for irrigation.
"We're just trying to use the resources the state has given us the best way possible, understanding that we've got some harsh conditions out here that can occur. We're trying to give our breeders the best chance to do their jobs," Olson said.
Trials with the low-water-use forage in Hays will be utilized across western Kansas to reduce water use, Olson said.
Before the Water Appropriations Act was adopted in the 1950s, water rights in Kansas were largely unregulated.
Those who had water rights at the time were considered vested water rights holders.
"This is obviously a long-established water right," said Toby Dougherty, city manager. "They have every right to put it to use."
Olson noted this specific K-State water right dates from when the land it occupies was the Fort Hays military reservation.
"It's the water right that they had a long time ago," Olson said.
Thursday's U.S. Drought Monitor for Kansas shows most of the state remains in a drought.
