In 2023, the Kansas Legislature allocated $35 million to preserve the Ogallala Aquifer, marking the largest investment in the state’s water resources. This funding, supported by agricultural groups like the Kansas Farm Bureau, significantly surpasses the previous goal of $8 million, often unmet.

The funds address decreasing groundwater supplies and reduced surface water storage, which threaten Kansas’ agricultural sector and communities with expensive water treatment needs due to declining water quality and increased regulation.

New legislation requires the state’s five groundwater management districts to identify priority conservation areas and develop water-saving strategies. The funds will support cost-share programs encouraging farmers to adopt more efficient practices or grow less water-intensive crops.

The “first in time, first in right” principle governs Kansas water rights, but over-issuance of permits has led to allocations exceeding groundwater recharge rates, endangering wells and agricultural production in western Kansas.