Governor declares drought warnings statewide, though some areas have seen rain / LJWorld.com

Lawrence and Douglas county

August 23, 2006

Topeka — Although the entire state is now under a drought warning, it has been a weird summer with some places inundated with water while others just a few miles down the road remain dry.

"We've seen some rain showers around the state, but overall it's still very dry," Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said.

"Until we see a major change in the weather and get some sustained rainfall, the drought will continue," said Sebelius, who issued an order Monday bringing the state's remaining 25 counties, including Douglas County, under the warning.

In Douglas County, recent rains may have greened up lawns, but the water came too late for corn crops, which are taking a big hit.

"Estimated yields are probably less than half of normal," said Johnathon Alley, executive director for the county Farm Service Agency.

But with the hot, dry weather has come some exceptions.

Bruce Chladny, horticultural agent with the Douglas County Extension Service, said a colleague received 9 inches of rain Aug. 1 at his farm in Wamego.

"Things are so spotty and localized, it's hard to make a blanket statement," Chladny said. "We've had worse summers. This year we don't seem to see as many trees dying."

Under the drought warning, state officials have sped the process to help communities access water through surplus water contracts. The quicker process likely will be needed by some communities because of record-low stream flows in many areas.

David Pope, chief engineer with the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Division of Water Resources, said, "It's unprecedented the number of streams simultaneously experiencing low flow."

But the city of Lawrence faces little risk of a water shortage, officials said, because it belongs to one of three state water assurance districts.

The district has purchased water storage in reservoirs that must be released down the Kansas River when the flow decreases under a targeted rate, said Hank Ernst, a spokesman for the Kansas Water Office.

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23 August 2006
at 12:43 p.m.

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dizzy_from_your_spin (Anonymous) says…

If Gov Sebelius were to load up her school bus with reporters and drive to Barton County, they'de discover Cheyenne Bottoms is filled with water—and optimism—for the first time in a dozen years.

Of course, why cloud the truth and federal relief money with election year politics.
23 August 2006
at 12:51 p.m.

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belle (Anonymous) says…

I think you missed the point. The article stated that the areas of rain were patchy. The majority of the state has been dry.
23 August 2006
at 10:50 p.m.

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cowboy (Anonymous) says…

dizzy , leave the bar and drive south of town and look at the dry pastures , better yet look at the foundations crumbling in town . might want to change your name to very uninformed also.