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2016 Statute



Prev Article 7. - APPROPRIATION OF WATER FOR BENEFICIAL USENext


82a-745. Water conservation areas; establishment procedures; duties of chief engineer; notice; orders; consent agreement; review. (a) Any water right owner or a group of water right owners in a designated area may enter into a consent agreement and order with the chief engineer to establish a water conservation area. The water right owner or group of water right owners shall submit a management plan to the chief engineer. Such management plan shall be the basis of the consent agreement and order designating a water conservation area and shall:

(1) Include clear geographic boundaries;

(2) include the written consent of all participating water right owners within the geographic boundaries described in paragraph (1) to enter into the consent agreement and order;

(3) include a finding or findings that one or more of the circumstances specified in K.S.A. 82a-1036(a) through (d), and amendments thereto, exist;

(4) include provisions regarding the proposed duration of the water conservation area and any process by which water right owners may request to be added or removed from the water conservation area;

(5) include goals and corrective control provisions to address one or more of the circumstances specified in K.S.A. 82a-1036(a) through (d), and amendments thereto;

(6) give due consideration to water users who have previously implemented reductions in water use resulting in voluntary conservation measures;

(7) include compliance monitoring and enforcement; and

(8) be consistent with state law.

(b) A consent agreement and order of designation of a water conservation area pursuant to this section shall define the boundaries of the water conservation area and may include any of the following corrective control provisions:

(1) Closing the water conservation area to any further appropriation of groundwater. In which event, the chief engineer shall thereafter refuse to accept any application for a permit to appropriate groundwater located within such area;

(2) determining the permissible total withdrawal of groundwater in the water conservation area each day, month or year, and apportioning such permissible total withdrawal among the valid groundwater right holders in such area in accordance with the relative dates of priority of such rights;

(3) reducing the permissible withdrawal of groundwater by any one or more appropriators thereof, or by wells in the water conservation area;

(4) requiring and specifying a system of rotation of groundwater use in the water conservation area; and

(5) any other provisions necessary to effectuate agreed-upon water conservation goals consistent with the public interest.

The chief engineer shall be responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of any corrective control provisions ordered for a water conservation area.

(c) The order of designation shall be in full force and effect from the date of its entry in the records of the chief engineer's office. The chief engineer upon request shall deliver a copy of such order to any interested person who is affected by such order and shall file a copy of the same with the register of deeds of any county within which any part of the water conservation area lies.

(d) If any corrective control provisions of a water conservation area conflict with rules and regulations of a groundwater management district or requirements of a local enhanced management plan or intensive groundwater use control area that result in greater overall conservation of water resources within which a participating water right is situated, the chief engineer is authorized to amend the provisions of the water conservation area to conform to any rules and regulations or requirements that result in greater conservation of water resources, as determined by the chief engineer. As part of the consent agreement and order of designation, the chief engineer may authorize single-year or multi-year term permits for water right owners to effectuate the water conservation area's conservation goals in accordance with the management plan.

(e) Prior to execution of a proposed water conservation area consent agreement and order of designation pursuant to this section, the chief engineer shall notify in writing the groundwater management district within which any participating water right is situated. Such groundwater management district shall be given an opportunity to provide a written recommendation regarding the proposed water conservation area and management plan within 45 days of notification by the chief engineer. The review period may be extended by up to 30 days upon approval by the chief engineer. Subject to subsection (d), any participating water right in a water conservation area shall continue to be subject to all applicable rules and regulations and management plans of the groundwater management district in which the water right is situated.

(f) The consent agreement and order of designation shall provide for periodic review of the consent agreement and order, which may be initiated by the chief engineer or upon request of the water right owners in the water conservation area. The consent agreement and order shall specify the frequency of such periodic review, but a review shall be conducted at least once every 10 years.

(g) (1) The chief engineer may, with the consent of all participating water right owners, amend a consent agreement and order of designation in order to:

(A) Modify corrective control provisions or the boundaries of the designated area;

(B) add or remove water rights upon request of such water right owners;

(C) terminate a water conservation area upon the request of the water right owners in the designated area; or

(D) make other changes the water right owners may request.

(2) Any amendments to a consent agreement and order of designation, except amendments that remove a water right upon request of the owner so long as the consent of all participating water right owners is not required pursuant to the management plan, shall be consented to by all participating water right owners within the designated area and the chief engineer and shall be based upon a revised management plan submitted by the participating water right owners.

(h) The chief engineer shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate and administer the provisions of this section.

(i) The provisions of this section shall be part of and supplemental to the Kansas water appropriation act.

History: L. 2015, ch. 37, § 1; July 1.



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