Drought alert expands

Douglas County falls under warning

? Gov. Bill Graves has expanded the state’s drought warning to 83 counties as hot, dry conditions continue to wither crops, livestock and surface water supplies.

During a news conference Tuesday, Graves said the situation has intensified since his July 3 drought warning for 61 counties. He put the losses to the state’s agriculture economy in the “hundreds of millions.”

Ray Kohman, Solomon, stands at the edge of one of his irrigated corn fields a mile northeast of the Saline and Dickinson county lines. The irrigation water didn't reach the corn in the foreground. Kohman said that he has been running his pivot about 45 days straight, applying about an inch of water every time it completes a revolution.

“This is the most significant drought conditions in state history, rivaled by only a couple of previous occasions,” Graves said.

“We believe that we’ve exhausted most of the options and opportunities that we have for state response to a drought situation to this magnitude,” Graves continued.

Included in Tuesday’s warning were most of Kansas’ urban population centers, in Douglas, Johnson, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties, along with the Lower Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas-Lower Republican river basins.

Officials in the Kansas Water Office have classified the drought as extreme in the Upper Republican, Solomon, Upper Arkansas and Cimarron river basins and severe in the Smoky Hill-Saline basin.

The governor has requested federal assistance, including asking President Bush to declare the counties disaster areas, which would trigger the release of grants and low-interest loans.

“Absent some moisture, there is little we can do,” Graves said.

Graves has also asked Bush to support legislation that would give livestock producers tax breaks for two years to restock their herds, prompted by liquidation of cattle due to the drought.

A drought warning means that water shortage conditions are present and that water supplies are starting to decline. Additional curtailment of water use is suggested, especially restrictions on nonessential uses. Area counties that are under a drought warning are Douglas, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Johnson and Shawnee.A drought watch indicates the probability of a water shortage is increasing and steps should be taken to inform water users and ask for voluntary reductions in water use. Area counties that are under a drought watch are Franklin and Osage.

The governor began monitoring drought conditions in February, when he asked that Cowley, Ford and Edwards counties be declared disaster areas.

The water office began issuing weekly drought reports in April.

“We believe it’s beyond serious in some areas of our state,” said Al LeDoux, director of the water office.

Mandatory water restrictions have been imposed in several communities, including Abilene, Dodge City, Hays, Louisburg, Marysville and Tonganoxie in recent weeks.

LeDoux said that even with recent rains, pastures and crops will need time to rejuvenate.

Former Gov. Mike Hayden, now secretary of wildlife and parks, said conditions have deteriorated at state lakes, with six dry or expected to be dry within the next few weeks.

Hayden, who dealt with drought conditions during his administration in the late 1980s, said Kansas needed to revisit the policy of purchasing water rights at state lakes and reservoirs to maintain an adequate water supply in such dry conditions.