News:
Additional related documents and support material have been added to this website in the "SD6 LEMA Support Materials" table below.
August 24, 2017 - the Chief Engineer, upon review of the record from the public hearing of May 31, 2017, issued an order formally accepting the proposed Sheridan 6 Local Enhanced Management Plan (LEMA) for the period 2018-2022. An order of designation will be issued in the coming weeks with the specifics of the LEMA’s corrective controls pursuant to the plan requested by GMD 4.
March 6, 2017 - Sheridan 6 LEMA extensions for years 2018-2022 found acceptable for consideration. Hearings held may 31, 2017 at the Sheridan County Courthouse in Hoxie. A letter from DWR regarding the review and hearings can be found
here.
February 17, 2017 - GMD 4 submitted a request to DWR for the re-formulation of the Sheridan 6 LEMA.

SD6 LEMA Support Materials:
Description |
Document File |
File Size |
Document Date |
Provided by |
SD-6 Advisory Committee Meeting Report and Handouts |
Advisory Committee Report |
6 MB |
03/28/2019 |
Advisory Committee |
Environmental Research Letter on Quantifying Irrigation Adaption Strategies in Response to Stakeholder-driven Groundwater Management in the US High Plains Aquifer |
Environmental Research Letter |
1 MB |
01/14/2019 |
MSU |
Dr. Bill Golden's Report on Monitoring the Impacts of the SD6 LEMA |
LEMA Monitoring Report |
439 KB |
11/15/2018 |
Golden |
Effects of Collective Action Water Poly on Kansas Farmers' Irrigation Decisions: The Case of the SD6 LEMA |
ACCC Fact Sheet |
331 KB |
01/25/2016 |
KSU |
2018-2022 SD6 LEMA Documents:
2013-2017 SD6 LEMA Documents:
Initiated:
- July 12, 2012 Approved by Board of Directors, Northwest Kansas GMD No. 4
- July 16, 2012 Sheridan 6 LEMA Proposal transmitted to DWR. The proposal includes legal descriptions of sections to be included in the LEMA, sets a goal for limiting water use, and specifies proposed management actions to achieve the goal. See link in Documents section below.
Reasons for recommendation:
- To reduce groundwater decline rates and extend the life of the aquifer
- Rate of withdrawal of groundwater in that area appears to exceed the recharge rate
Public Hearings:
- The initial public hearing for the Sheridan 6 LEMA was held on Thursday, September 13, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at the Sheridan County Courthouse, which is located at 925 9th Street, Hoxie, Kansas 67740. See notice and the hearing officer order in Documents section below.
- In the October 4, 2012 order on behalf of the chief engineer, the hearing officer found that the record of evidence submitted for the September 13 initial public hearing warrants continuing the process towards establishing the Sheridan 6 LEMA.
- The second of the two public hearings required to establish a LEMA was held on November 28, 2012 at 10:30 at the Sheridan County Courthouse in Hoxie. It considered whether GMD #4's recommended corrective control provisions for the proposed Sheridan 6 LEMA should be adopted.
- In his December 31, 2012 Order of Decision, the chief engineer accepted the enhanced management plan for the Sheridan 6 LEMA.
Orders:
- On Wednesday, April 17, 2013, the chief engineer issued his Order of Designation setting forth the complete terms for the Sheridan 6 LEMA.
Links:
Northwest Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 4
GMD4 Sheridan 6 High Priority Area Page
Senate Bill 310 of 2012, authorizing the LEMA process
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