Hydrologic Conditions in Kansas, Water Year 2019
The U.S. Geological Survey Kansas provides important information Kansas at the end of WY 2017 (fig. 2A). (USGS), in cooperation with Federal, for many functions including managing During WY 2018, most of the eastern State, and local agencies, maintains water resources, protecting human life half of the State experienced normal a long-term network of hydrologic and property, maintaining agricultural (average) to below normal precipitation, monitoring stations in Kansas. In water and industrial activities, the operation of whereas parts of the western half of the year (WY) 2019, this network included reservoirs, the development of infrastruc- State experienced above normal precipi- 217 real-time streamgages (fig. 1). A WY ture, accurate ecological assessments, and tation, particularly north-central Kansas is the 12-month period from October 1 recreational purposes. (fig. 2B). South-central and eastern through September 30 and is designated Kansas experienced below and much by the calendar year in which it ends. below normal precipitation, resulting in Real-time hydrologic data are veri- abnormally dry to extreme drought condi- fied by USGS personnel throughout the Preceding Conditions and tions at the end of WY 2018 (fig. 3) that year providing regular measurements of Precipitation continued into WY 2019. streamflow, lake levels, and groundwater Heavy rainfall events in October and levels. These data and associated analyses Despite some isolated, heavy November of 2018 ended drought condi- provide a unique overview of hydrologic precipitation events, overall streamflow tions, and by the beginning of December, conditions and help improve the under- and drainage basin runoff conditions dry conditions were virtually nonexis- standing of Kansas’ water resources. decreased for the State of Kansas tent in Kansas and remained that way Annual assessments of hydrologic condi- between WYs 2017 and 2018. During throughout WY 2019 (National Drought tions are made by comparing statistical WY 2017, precipitation in most of the Mitigation Center, 2019). Overall, normal analyses of current and past WY data State was classified as normal to below to much above normal precipitation for the period of record. Long-term normal, which resulted in drought condi- occurred throughout WY 2019 (fig. 4A) monitoring of hydrologic conditions in tions in much of central and eastern (National Oceanic and Atmospheric
River basins South Fork Republican Tuttle Creek River Basin Lake Kansas River Basin KANSAS Wilson Lake Milford Perry Lake Lake Kanopolis Pomona Lake CedarCedar Bluff LakeLake Lake Clinton Lake EXPLANATION
Melvern Major cities Lake Hillsdale Rivers Horse Thief Reservoir Lake Cheney Lake Streamage location Cimarron River Basin
Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 0 50 100 MILES Albers Equal Area Conic projection North American Datum of 1983 0 50 100 KILOMETERS
Figure 1. United States Geological Survey streamgages in Kansas and selected river basins.
U.S. Department of the Interior Fact Sheet 2020–3029 U.S. Geological Survey July 2020 A. Water year 2017 Administration, 2019). The above normal precipitation within a month on record; precipitation for WY 2019 extended from out of 125 years of record, the precipita- the northeast portion of the State, with tion for May (10.26 inches) beat the 1951 more than 20 inches of above normal record of 9.36 inches (National Weather annual rainfall occurring in places, down Service, 2019). Additionally, in WY to the southwest portion of the State, with 2019, Kansas experienced the second only a small area experiencing normal largest amount of precipitation in a water precipitation (National Weather Service, year within 130-years of record (National 2019) (fig. 4B). Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, B. Water year 2018 2019) and the most cumulative runoff on record (fig. 5A). Runoff, or streamflow per unit Streamflow Conditions area, is a good indicator of precipita- and Drainage Basin tion and streamflow for a given drainage basin. The monthly average runoff graph Runoff shows the continuity of above normal hydrologic conditions during WY 2019 Kansas experienced several (fig. 5B). Streamflow conditions were P I record-breaking hydrologic conditions much above normal in Kansas during ormal precipitation, in percent during WY 2019, including the most the first quarter of the WY (October to 175 100 150 90 A. Percentage of normal precipitation, water year 2019 125 75 110 50 100 25
Figure 2. Comparison of statewide percentage of normal precipitation (1981–2010) (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019). A, Water year 2017. B, Water year 2018.
A. Water year 2017
B. Inches of precipitation above normal, water year 2019 B. Water year 2018