By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 46th meeting of the Equus Beds Groundwater Management District is set for Thursday, July 15, in Halstead.
“We always do a presentation on what we did the year before and what we’re working on this year,” GMD-2 General Manager Tim Boese said. “We’ll also look at our proposed 2022 budget. We have nine board of directors and there’s always three up for election and we’ve got five people running for three slots this year.”
One of those running is incumbent David Bogner of Reno County. Boese says that part of the meeting will deal with what lies ahead for the water district, which includes tackling water usage rates in the northern part of the district.
“We’re looking at possibly some new monitoring wells in the Burrton area. We’re working with the Kansas Corporation Commission to install some new monitoring wells and possibly replace some of those,” Boese said. “We’re also working on our safe field regulation, particularly for an area up in McPherson and Northern Harvey County, and modifying that regulation and adjusting the safe field.”
The safe field is part of an overall look at how a new water use permit will affect the underground water table. While the regulations could have an impact in those counties, the city of McPherson is not part of the possible changes.
“Around the city of McPherson has been closed since 1980 to any new permits,” Boese said. “We’re mostly looking south of that area.”
The city of McPherson continues to suffer from some water shortages and may be looking into Harvey County to alleviate some of those issues.
“The city of McPherson is actually working on a new well field about 15 or 16 miles south of the city of McPherson, clear down in Harvey County,” Boese said. “They’ve got a plan going forward that should get them by for the next 50 years, roughly.”
Boese also says they continue to monitor the water usage around Pretty Prairie, which has had restrictions in place for the past decade or so.
The GMD also continues the legal process regarding a proposal by the city of Wichita to change the way they take water from the Equus Beds. That issue may stretch into the fall before any decision is made, according to Boese.
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