Plan to address impairment at the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
In 2019, KDA developed a plan to regulate junior water rights in response to impairment of the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge senior water rights. This action was in response to the impairment complaint by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.
On 10/18/2019, KDA was informed that the United States Department of the Interior, which oversees the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is interested in working with the local leadership of the Rattlesnake Creek region to renew efforts to find a locally-driven solution to the impairment at the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge operated by the Service, before requested DWR to protect their water right.
On 10/21/2019, two public meetings were held in St. John related to the proposed administrative orders by the Chief Engineer (which did NOT move forward). Below are links to the slides presented at those meetings.
On the morning of 10/25/2019, KDA-DWR received the following official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service related to the Quivira impairment: "
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not make a request for water to the State of Kansas for Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Fiscal Year 2020. Throughout the year, the Service will continue to work to find local, voluntary, collaborative and non-regulatory solutions, including augmentation, to address the water needs of the community and the wildlife conservation purposes of the refuge before determining if more formal measures are necessary to ensure the refuge's water rights are secured. We look forward to working with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, the Kansas congressional delegation, and all water users to develop concrete milestones and lasting solutions."
Status and Background of the Quivira Impairment as of Aug 2019
Planned Administration to take place 2020-22
*Note that this plan was NOT implemented.