Hydrologic Conditions in , Water Year 2020

The U.S. Geological Survey management, protection of life and National Oceanic and Atmospheric (USGS), in cooperation with Federal, property, reservoir operations, agricul- Administration, 2020). All the major State, and local agencies, maintains a tural practices, public supply, ecological drainage basins in the State had areas long-term network of hydrologic moni- assessments, and industrial and recre- with greater than normal, less than toring stations in Kansas. This network ational purposes. normal, and normal precipitation (fig. 3). included 219 real-time streamgages, There was however a pattern of pre- 12 real-time reservoir-level monitoring dominantly greater than normal precipi- stations, and 20 groundwater monitoring Preceding Conditions and tation in north-central and northeastern stations in water year (WY) 2020. A WY Kansas and less than normal precipitation is a 12-month period from October 1 to Precipitation in extreme western and southeastern September 30 and is designated by the Kansas. Despite generally receiving calendar year in which it ends. WY 2019 was characterized by a normal amount of precipitation in Real-time data are verified by greater than normal precipitation across WY 2020, drought conditions intensi- USGS personnel throughout the year the State (fig. 1A; National Oceanic and fied across much of the State (fig. 4A and with regular measurements of stream- Atmospheric Administration, 2020). This B; National Drought Mitigation Center, flow, lake levels, and groundwater levels. resulted in normal to much greater than 2020). Hydrologic data collected in real time normal runoff and streamflow (fig. 1B; Characteristically, Kansas is typified aid in the understanding of, and deci- U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b). Of the by a pronounced gradient of precipita- sions made involving, water resources 12 reservoirs monitored by the USGS in tion across the State, and WY 2020 was of Kansas. Hydrologic conditions are Kansas, 10 began WY 2020 with water- no different. The westernmost part of the assessed annually by comparing statisti- level elevations above their full conserva- State received 10–20 inches of precipita- cal analyses of current and past WY data tion pool. tion, and the easternmost part received for the period of record. The monitor- During WY 2020, some areas of 35–50 inches with small areas receiv- ing of hydrologic conditions in Kansas Kansas received greater than normal ing as much as 50–60 inches (fig. 5; can provide critical information to meet annual precipitation, and some received National Oceanic and Atmospheric several needs including water-resources less than normal precipitation (fig. 2; Administration, 2020).

A. Water year 2019 statewide percentage of normal precipitation B. Water year 2019 statewide monthly average runoff 102° 101° 100° 99° 98° 97° 96° 95° Duration hydrograph of monthly runoff for Kansas 40° 90 Republican Missouri Republican Big Blue

Smoky Hill Kansas 39° 10

Lower Upper Arkansas Missouri Blackwater 38° Osage 1 Middle Arkansas Neosho

erdigris Monthly runoff, in millimeters

Upper Cimarron Arkansas 37° Upper Beaver Lower Cimarron Arkansas 0.1 Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 2020 025 50 75 100 MILES OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP 2018 2019 North American Datum of 1983 Last updated: 2021-04-07 0 50 1002575 KILOMETERS PAAI PAAI Percentile class Water year 2019 percentage of Watershed oundaries normal annual precipitation 1981–2010 Lowest — 5 10–24 25–75 76–90 95 Highest— 10th percentile 90th percentile 100 to 109.9 150 to 199.9 Runoff 110 to 124.9 200 to 300 Less than Greater Much less than normal normal Normal than normal Much greater than normal 125 to 149.9

Figure 1. Water year 2019 precipitation in Kansas. A, water year 2019 statewide percentage of normal precipitation (1981–2010; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020); B, statewide monthly average runoff for Kansas during water year 2019 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b).

U.S. Department of the Interior Fact Sheet 2021–3045 U.S. Geological Survey August 2021 Water year 2020 102° 101° 100° 99° 98° 97° 96° 95° 40° Republican Missouri Republican Big Blue

Smoky Hill Kansas 39°

Lower Missouri Upper Arkansas Blackwater

Osage 38°

Middle Arkansas Neosho erdigris

Upper Cimarron Arkansas Upper Beaver Lower Cimarron A. ctoer 1, 2019 37° Arkansas

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 2020 0 25 50 75 100 MILES North American Datum of 1983 0 25 50 75 100 KILOMETERS PAAI Water year 2020 percentage of normal Watershed oundaries annual precipitation 1981–2010 Less than 25 75 to 89.9 110 to 124.9 25 to 49.9 90 to 99.9 125 to 149.9 50 to 74.9 100 to 109.9

Figure 2. Comparison of water year 2020 statewide percentage of normal B. Septemer 29, 2020 precipitation (1981–2010; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020).

Water year 2020 102° 101° 100° 99° 98° 97° 96° 95° 40°

Republican Missouri PAAI Republican Big Blue Drought intensity Abnormally dry Smoky Hill 39° Kansas Moderate Severe treme Lower ceptional Upper Arkansas Missouri Blackwater

Osage Figure 4. Comparison of drought conditions in 38° Kansas (National Drought Mitigation Center, 2020). Middle Arkansas A, at the beginning of water year 2020; B, at the end Neosho erdigris of water year 2020.

Upper Cimarron Arkansas 37° Upper Beaver Lower Cimarron Arkansas

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 2020 0 25 50 75 100 MILES North American Datum of 1983 0 25 50 75 100 KILOMETERS PAAI Departure from normal precipitation, Watershed oundaries in inches −12 to −8.1 −2 to 1.9 8 to 11.9 −8 to −6.1 2 to 3.9 12 to 16 −6 to −4.1 4 to 5.9 −4 to −2.1 6 to 7.9

Figure 3. Observed statewide departure from normal precipitation, in inches (1981– 2010; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020), for water year 2020. Figure 5. Observed statewide precipitation, in inches (1981–2010; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020), water year 2020. A. Water year 2020 cumulative runoff ydrograph of cumulative daily runoff for Kansas 300 Runoff and 100 Streamflow Conditions 10 Estimated runoff (flow per unit area) based on available streamflow data at 1 gaged locations can be used to charac- terize streamflow over large areas such Cumulative runoff between daily 25th and 75th percentiles as drainage basins or States (Brakebill 0.1 Cumulative runoff of daily median Lowest observed cumulative runoff (1956) and others, 2011). In WY 2020, Kansas Cumulative runoff, millimeters in ighest observed cumulative runoff (1993) was characterized by normal to much Observed cumlative runoff (2020) 0.01 greater than normal runoff fig.( 6A and OC NO DC JAN FB MAR APR MA JUN JUL AUG SP 2019 2020 B; U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b). Last updated: 2021-04-07 WY 2020 began with statewide runoff B. Water year 2020 monthly average runoff much greater than the normal level, but Duration hydrograph of monthly runoff for Kansas by summer, runoff was in the normal 90 range, approaching slightly less than the normal level in September (fig. 6B; U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b). The less than normal runoff condition corresponds 10 to the mostly less than normal precipita- tion across most of the State from May to the end of the WY (fig. 7A–J). This 1 condition resulted in increased drought conditions across much of the State by Monthly runoff, in millimeters the end of September 2020, in com- parison with drought conditions at the 0.1 OC NO DC JAN FB MAR APR MA JUN JUL AUG SP beginning of the WY (fig. 4A; National 2019 2020 Drought Mitigation Center, 2020). Last updated: 2021-10-27 Streamflow conditions across PAAI the State ranged from extremely low Percentile class to extremely high percentiles dur- ing WY 2020 (fig. 8; U.S. Geological Lowest — 5 10–24 25–75 76–90 95 ighest— 10th percentile 90th percentile Survey, 2020b). The southwestern part Runoff Less than Greater of the State remained at less than normal Much less than normal normal Normal than normal Much greater than normal to much less than normal through the entirety of the WY. In the rest of the Figure 6. Statewide runoff for Kansas during water year 2020 State, a wide range of streamflow condi- (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b). A, cumulative runoff; B, monthly tions was observed. average runoff. A. ay 26, 2020 B. ay 2020

C. une 30, 2020 D. une 2020

E. uly 28, 2020 F. uly 2020

PAAI Drought intensity Abnormally dry Moderate Severe treme ceptional

Figure 7. Comparison of drought conditions in Kansas (National Drought Mitigation Center, 2020) and observed statewide departure from normal precipitation, in inches (1981–2010; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020). A, at the end of May 2020; B, the month of May 2020; C, at the end of June 2020; D, the month of June 2020; E, at the end of July 2020; F, the month of July 2020; G, at the end of August 2020; H, the month of August 2020; I, at the end of September 2020; J, the month of September 2020. G. August 25, 2020 H. August 2020

I. Septemer 29, 2020 J. Septemer 2020

PAAI Drought intensity Abnormally dry Moderate Severe treme ceptional

Figure 7. Comparison of drought conditions in Kansas (National Drought Mitigation Center, 2020) and observed statewide departure from normal precipitation, in inches (1981–2010; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020). A, at the end of May 2020; B, the month of May 2020; C, at the end of June 2020; D, the month of June 2020; E, at the end of July 2020; F, the month of July 2020; G, at the end of August 2020; H, the month of August 2020; I, at the end of September 2020; J, the month of September 2020.— Continued

Reservoirs Additional reservoirs above their con- Lake, and ) ended the WY, servation pool at the beginning of the still above a 100-percent full conser- WY, but at less than 120 percent of their vation pool, with greater than 40 per- The USGS monitors the water conservation pool, were cent less than the volume with which level and contents of 12 reservoirs (06868100), (06910997), they began the WY. Only HorseThief in Kansas. Some of these reser- and (06914995). The Reservoir indicated an increase in storage voirs began WY 2020 more than remaining reservoirs, Cedar Bluff at the end of the WY compared to the 100 percent above their conserva- (06861500), HorseThief (07140885), and beginning. tion pools because of the greater than Cheney (07144790), began the WY with indicated normal precipitation received dur- less than 100 percent of their conservation lower storage conditions from the other ing WY 2019. These reservoirs (and pool full. 11 reservoirs monitored by the USGS. their real-time monitoring stations) Except for , Tuttle Cedar Bluff has little inflow, which included Milford Lake (06857050), Creek Lake, , and Hillsdale results in relying heavily on precipitation. (06865000), Tuttle Lake, reservoir storage was below the As a result, Cedar Bluff has minimal out- Creek Lake (06886900), Perry Lake conservation pool at the eight reservoirs flow, except during heavy precipitation (06890898), Clinton Lake (06891478), by the end of WY 2020. Four of the conditions; thus, this reservoir is not as and Pomona Lake (06912490) (fig. 9; reservoirs with larger storage capacity sensitive to storage changes as the other U.S. Geological Survey, 2020a). (Milford Lake, , Perry 11 reservoirs monitored. Reservoirs in Kansas water year (W) 2020 2020 600 PAAI Pea storage during WY 2020 percent 500 Storage at eginning of WY 2020 percent Storage at end of WY 2020 percent 400

300

ctoer through Decemer 2019 200

Conservationpoolstorage, inpercent 100

0 06857050 06861500 06865000 06868100 06886900 06890898 06891478 06910997 06912490 06914995 07140885 07144790 Milford Lake Cedar Bluff Kanopolis Wilson Lake uttle Creak Perry Lake Clinton Lake Melvern Lake Pomona illsdale orsehief Cheney nearJunction Reservoir Lake near near Lake near near Perry, near near Lake near Lake near Reservoir Reservoir City, Kansas near llis, Kanopolis, Wilson, Manhattan, Kansas Lawrence, Melvern, uenemo, illsdale, near near Cheney, Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Kansas Jetmore, Kansas Kansas anuary through arch 2020 U.S. Geological Survey monitored reservoirs

Figure 9. Contents of reservoirs in Kansas monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey in water year 2020 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020a). Summary U.S. Geological Survey, 2020a, USGS water data for the Nation: U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information At the beginning of water year System database, accessed October 27, (WY) 2020, streamflow in Kansas was 2020, at https://doi.org/​10.5066/​ April through une 2020 generally greater than normal in response F7P55KJN. to greater than normal precipitation in WY 2019. By the end of WY 2020, U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b, streamflow was generally at normal lev- WaterWatch—Current water resources els throughout the State, in response to a in Kansas: U.S. Geological Survey web year with near normal precipitation. page, accessed October 27, 2020, at https://waterwatch​ .usgs.gov/​ ​.

References Cited —By Chantelle Davis uly through Septemer 2020

Brakebill, J.W., Wolock, D.M., and Terziotti, S.E., 2011, Digital hydrologic networks supporting applications related to spa- For more information about this tially referenced regression modeling: publication, contact: Journal of the American Water Resources Association, v. 47, no. 5, p. 916–932. Director, USGS Kansas Water Science [Also available at https://doi.org/​10.1111/​ Center j.1752-​1688.2011.00578.x.] 1217 Biltmore Drive PAAI National Drought Mitigation Center, 2020, Lawrence, KS 66049 , less than; , greater than 785–842–9909 Percentile classes U.S. Drought Monitor—Kansas: National Drought Mitigation Center web page, 10 10–24 25–75 accessed October 27, 2020, at For additional information, visit: https:// Low www.usgs.gov/centers/kswsc Much less Less than Normal h​ttps://droughtmonito​ r.unl.edu/​ ​. than normal normal National Oceanic and Atmospheric 76–90 90 Publishing support provided by the Greater than Much greater igh No data Administration, 2020, Advanced Rolla Publishing Service Center normal than normal Hydrologic Prediction Service—2020 precipitation maps for Kansas: National Figure 8. Comparison of monthly streamflow Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, conditions across Kansas throughout water National Weather Service web page, year 2020 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020b). accessed October 27, 2020, at ISSN 2327-6916 (print) ISSN 2327-6932 (online) https:​//water.we​ather.gov/​precip/​. https://doi.org/​10.3133/​fs20213045