U.S. Water News Online
TOPEKA, Kan. -- It's called water banking, but don't expect to see bank presidents swimming around in three-piece suits. It's a pilot program the state started to better distribute water and save it for a day when it might be needed more than now.
David Pope, chief engineer for the state Division of Water Resources, announced recently he signed the paperwork creating the state's first water bank charter for groundwater users in south-central Kansas. The Central Kansas Water Bank Association will be available in Barton, Edwards, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice and Stafford counties, and will announce when it's accepting applications.
"This will be the proving ground for water banking in Kansas," Pope said. "It will show whether it's possible for water banking to increase water conservation while providing an alternate water source in an area closed to new water right development."
In Kansas, water use other than for household consumption requires a water right permit, setting out how much water can be used each year at a specific location and its intended use. It can only be used for such things as irrigation, watering crops and livestock, for recreation, or providing water to residents or industries.
"It will be done on paper. You don't gather up the water and take it down to your local bank and deposit it," said spokeswoman Lisa Taylor.
Through the bank charter, water rights holder can "deposit" water they won't be using in coming years in exchange for payment or other compensation from the person wanting it. Those making the "deposit" continue to hold the water rights, which often remain in families for generations.
Allowing others to use the water will require a minimum of 10 percent of the water to be conserved, Taylor said. That means for 100 acre feet of water on deposit, 90 acre feet will be available. The "deposit" can range from one year to five years and after that, the annual amount of water again is available to the water right holder.
A person can make water available only to a person who can draw it from the same aquifer or groundwater. There aren't any restrictions on use, so an industry could use water from an irrigator.
The program also sets up what it calls "safe deposit accounts" where unused water can be carried over from one year to the next. A complicated formula will be used to determine how much water can be placed into the "safe deposit account," although the total amount can't exceed what is allocated each year.
That could mean in a year when the full allotment of water wasn't needed, it could be carried over to a drought year when extra water would be needed.
"The safe deposit account gives water users some flexibility to better manage their water right to meet their fluctuating need," Pope said.
The water bank charter will be valid for seven years. It was created by the 2001 Legislature, which also authorized a second water bank at a place to be determined.
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