Drought’s effects trickle in

Water conservation measures discussed

Kansas’ long-running drought could put the squeeze on Lawrence’s water supply. It’s already making the water stinkier.

State water officials have told the city to dust off drought contingency plans because reservoirs used as an emergency backup to Lawrence’s usual water sources are running low.

Lawrence isn’t ready to begin emergency conservation measures, officials said Wednesday, but that could change.

“In the time that I’ve been here, we’re closer to implementing a conservation ordinance than ever,” said Chris Stewart, the city’s assistant utilities director for water.

Such a plan could curtail lawn watering, agricultural irrigation and industrial water use.

So far, drought hasn’t diminished the amount of water the city draws from the Kansas River, thanks largely to the Bowersock Dam, which keeps the level high enough to ensure a steady supply.

But because the river is so low upstream, that water is coming in with more “taste and odor compounds,” Stewart said.

That means the city has been spending an extra $5,000 a month on water treatment.

“So far, we haven’t really seen any effects in water quantity. We have seen effects in water quality,” Stewart said. “We’ve spent quite a bit of money to deal with the taste and odor issues.”

Weather records show 2002 was a dry year in the Lawrence area. A total 26.11 inches of precipitation fell, at least 7 inches less than normal. So far in 2003, Lawrence has received 1.13 inches of precipitation — about a one-third of an inch below average.

Parts of the Kansas River are so drought-starved that tire tracks and footprints can be seen where water usually flows. The continuing drought has spurred state officials to tell the city to dust off water conservation plans. This scene of the Kaw riverbed was near Lecompton.

Tom Lowe, an environmental scientist with the Kansas Water Office, said last summer was so dry statewide that 45 cities and water districts resorted to conservation measures. This spring’s rainy season will be critical, he said.

“If we don’t get rain then, and we end up with a hot, dry summer, we’ll see more water restrictions in the eastern part of the state,” he said.

Lawrence pulls nearly 10 million gallons a day of water from Clinton Lake and the Kansas River, though that number often doubles during the dog days of summer.

The city pays as much as $35,000 a year to the Kansas River Water Assurance District for the rights to water in Milford, Tuttle Creek and Perry reservoirs as a backup to the usual water supply.

But the district last week notified Lawrence and other customers — 16 cities and industries along the Kansas River between Junction City and Kansas City — that the reservoirs “are considerably below maintenance pool levels.”

“The projected weather forecasts are not optimistic for the upcoming spring and summer,” the district warned in an unsigned memorandum.

The district urged customers to ready drought contingency plans. The first stage in Lawrence’s plan is voluntary conservation. The second stage would make those measures mandatory.

“It wasn’t anything more than a warning and a heads-up,” City Manager Mike Wildgen said of the water district memo.

Puddles dot the Kansas River bed east of the Lecompton Bridge.

But he added: “This is probably the earliest heads-up we’ve had.”

The city’s largest users of water are thinking about how to conserve. They want to be careful, however.

“We’ll try to do the minimum watering we can do without doing damage,” said Mark Hecker, the city’s superintendent of parks.

City officials are planning a public education campaign to encourage voluntary conservation. Stewart said he believed the city could avoid the “second stage” of mandatory conservation measures.

“I don’t think we need it at this point in time,” he said. “Ask me that in another three months, and it may be different.”