In response to excessive groundwater declines and at request of GMD No. 3 the chief engineer initiated IGUCA proceedings for the area along the Arkansas River on April 12, 1984. The area includes portions of Hamilton, Kearny, Finney, Gray and Ford counties in Southwestern Kansas. A public hearing was held on November 6, 1985 and the IGUCA order was issued on September 29, 1986. Amendments were issued on March 6, 1987; August 10, 2011; and October 14, 2013.
Pursuant to
K.A.R. 5-20-2, each of the eight IGUCA orders in place before July 1, 2008 must be reviewed in a process that includes a public hearing conducted by the chief engineer. While a brief summary of the Arkansas IGUCA has been provided below, the IGUCA order is also available and should be referred to for detailed conclusions and provisions.
April 12, 1984: ICUCA proceedings initiated
- Requested by GMD No.3
- The chief engineer had requested a hydrologic study of the area in order to resolve a long-standing moratorium on approval of new applications in the area, which had been in place since January 21, 1977.
- USGS notified the chief engineer of completion of their study on October 3, 1983
- Information in the Office of the Chief Engineer indicated excessive declines in groundwater levels and that the rate of withdrawal of groundwater equaled or exceeded the rate of recharge and that conditions existed that required regulation in the public interest.
November 6, 1985: Public hearing
September 29, 1986: IGUCA Order issued
- Closed the area to further appropriations
- Prohibited approval of applications for change in point of diversion proposing to move wells closer to the river
- Set strict construction requirements on new or replacement wells in order to minimize leakage from he alluvium to the Ogallala Aquifer
- Required test logs for all applications to change he point of diversion
- Appointed a task force composed of one representative from each of the following:
- Associated Ditch System
- GMD No. 3
- Lower reach surface water users of the Arkansas River
- Upper reach surface water users of the Arkansas River
- Lower reach groundwater users of the Arkansas River
- Upper reach groundwater users of the Arkansas River
- Upper Arkansas River Basin Advisory Committee
- Groundwater users for municipal or industrial
- Southwest Kansas Irrigation Association
- Two representatives at large
- Allowed GMD No. 3 to request a hearing to amend and make recommendations separate from the task force
June 1989: Task force recommendations submitted
- Owners of all non-domestic wells should be required to install water flowmeters
- Maximum authorized quantities should be more closely monitored and enforced
- Additional regulations should be proposed to control over-pumping
March 6, 1987: Amendment issued
- Permitted appropriation for rates exceeding 50 gallons per minute with a 25 acre feet per year limitation
- Clarified that any application approved under the provisions of the IGUCA is subject to the laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures in effect in that area
- Allowed small changes to points of diversion within the IGUCA so long as the distance between the well location and the river channel is not decreased by more than 10% of the distance between the river channel and the location of the point of diversion authorized on September 29, 1986
August 10, 2011: Amendment issued
- Permitted Emergency Drought Term Permits to be issued for a period not to exceed two years
October 14, 2013: MYFA Amendment issued
- Allowed for the filing of an application for a Multi-Year Flex Account term permit
Individuals who have questions regarding the Arkansas IGUCA should contact David Engelhaupt at
David.Engelhaupt@ks.gov for more information.