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Water Planning Committee Meeting Summary May 18, 2020 Webinar–Matt Unruh–Kansas Water Office Planning Activities

  1. Chair Jennifer Hoggatt-Missouri DNR called to order at 10:03 a.m. Central
  2. Introductions of Participants on the call:  Jennifer Hoggatt, Chair; Sue Lowry, ICWP; Jodee Pring, Pooja Kanwar, Brian Atkins, Jennifer Schellpeper, Carrie Wiese, Carol Flaute, Melissa Mosier, Jessie Winter, Mark Matlock, Kristina Peacock-Jones, Gail Melgren, Jessica Fritsche.

 KWO was initiated in 1981 to do water planning, water policy and water marketing; implementation of the state water plan is the main mission and also lead interagency drought response and indicating drought onset.  Kansas Water Plan is updated on a 5-year cycle—set out in State Water Resources Planning Act (1981).  Ensure the water policies and programs address needs of all Kansans via Kansas Water Authority—a Board with 13 voting members and 11 ex officio.  For implementing the water plan, Regional Advisory Committees inn place for regional input—now focusing on water supply vision. Surface water supply issues in eastern KS and groundwater dependent in western and boundaries of the regional planning areas reflect these differences. In Oct. 2013, Gov. Brown back issued a call to action to develop a 50-year Vision for the Future of Water in Kansas. Focus on Ogallala aquifer and the federal reservoir storage (sedimentation) in KS. The Vision was developed by 2016.  Up to now has been stand-alone document and the next step is to incorporate the Vision Action items into the State Water Plan. Looking to complete in each regional action plan by early 2021. Integrating more water quality aspects. Four current Focus Areas:  High Plains Aquifer; KS Federal Reservoirs; Improving Water Quality; Reducing vulnerability to extreme events. Water technology Farms—applying new irrigation management strategies on working farms. HAB Mitigation Strategies—Milford and Marion Lakes

  • All-committee—All ICWP members are invited to these webinars: 
    • WestFAST organized federal agency updates:
      • NIDIS—May 19; 2:30 p.m. Central time
      • NRCS—May 21; noon Central time
  • Identify 1-3 Principle Statements topics from 2020 workplan

Jennifer developing a couple of draft Principle statements  — Even though face to face ICWP meetings may not happen for either the Board or the Annual meeting, still good idea to pick 3-4 items that are the high priority for this committee and develop principle statements for each. 

  • Relevant activities from other ICWP committees:
    • AWIA/WRDA comments from Legislation  & Policy–—PAS update on what’s in AWIA (all authorities should continue to be utilized, not just flood mitigation) and ICWP letter will request in-kind services amount to be the same across PAS programs.  Board will send letter soon to Senate Leadership and to House T & I committee.  
  • Topics and speakers for future water planning learning opportunities
    • FEMA disaster pre-planning and mitigation mentioned as topic—Sue has made initial contact with a potential speaker to discuss the BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities)
  • Next call or webinar— July 13, 10 a.m. Central– FEMA presentation

Water Planning Committee:  Provide a forum of the exchange of ideas and concepts related to state and regional water planning. 

2019 Accomplishments:

  • Webinars from state planning efforts, including MN, MO, WY and Nebraska
  • Contributed Planning topics/speakers for Annual Meeting and Washington DC Roundtable

Issues for 2020 Workplan

  1. Continue with Webinar presentations from individual states on their water planning programs
  2. Support for PAS, including cost share change in WRDA letter
  3. Water Quality and Infrastructure—how ICWP might integrate these topics with our main mission topic areas
  4. Revolutionize CW Listening Session at 2020 Washington Roundtable
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