Hydrologic Conditions in Kansas, Water Year 2017
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Hydrologic Conditions in Kansas, Water Year 2017 The U.S. Geological Survey area, and most of the eastern border of the WY about 30 percent was classified (USGS), in cooperation with Federal, Kansas received normal to above normal as abnormally dry, about 9 percent was State, and local agencies, maintains precipitation, whereas the central and classified as moderate drought, and about a long-term network of hydrologic northeastern parts of the State received 1 percent of the State was classified as monitoring stations in Kansas. In water slightly below normal precipitation severe drought (National Drought Mitiga- year (WY) 2017, the network included (National Oceanic and Atmospheric tion Center, 2017). The central and north- 214 real-time streamgages (hereafter Administration, 2017). The percentage eastern parts of Kansas were the areas of referred to as “gages”) and 12 real-time of normal precipitation Kansas received the State that were affected by drought reservoir-level monitoring stations. Real- in WYs 2016 and 2017 are compared in conditions at the end of the WY (fig. 2; time data are calibrated and validated figure 1. At the beginning of WY 2017, National Drought Mitigation Center, by USGS personnel throughout the year a little more than 13 percent of the State, 2017). These areas coincide with the with regular measurements of stream- mostly in southwestern Kansas, was clas- parts of the State that received slightly flow and lake levels. These data and sified as the drought condition “abnor- below normal precipitation during WY associated analyses provide a unique mally dry” (fig. 2; National Drought 2017. The total area affected by drought overview of the hydrologic conditions Mitigation Center, 2017). By the end of in Kansas at the end of WY 2017 was and help improve the understanding of substantially more than at the end of the Kansas’ water resources. Yearly assess- previous 2 WYs; however, figure 3 shows ments of hydrologic conditions are made Water year 2016 that WY 2017 had a smaller percentage by comparing statistical analysis of and far less extreme drought conditions current and past WY data for the period than the end of WYs 2011–14 (National of record. A WY is the 12-month period Drought Mitigation Center, 2017). from October 1 through September 30 and is designated by the calendar year Beginning of water year 2017 in which it ends. Long-term monitor- ing of hydrologic conditions in Kansas provides crucial information for protect- ing of human life and property, manag- Water year 2017 ing water supplies, forecasting floods, operating reservoirs, designing bridges and culverts, processing interstate and intrastate water rights claims, ecological monitoring, and many other uses. End of water year 2017 Preceding Conditions and Precipitation EXPLANATION Climate normals are three-decade Normal precipitation, in percent 175 averages of climatological variables, 150 including precipitation (National Oceanic 125 and Atmospheric Administration, 2018). 110 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 100 Administration produces a climate 90 EXPLANATION 75 normals product every 10 years; the Drought intensity 50 current dataset includes data from 1981 to Abnormally dry 25 Moderate drought 2010 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Severe drought Administration, 2018). Most of Kansas Figure 1. Percentage of normal (1981– received greater than normal precipita- 2010) precipitation in Kansas for water Figure 2. Drought conditions in Kansas at tion in WY 2016. During WY 2017, the years 2016 and 2017 (National Oceanic and the beginning and end of water year 2017 western part, part of the north-central Atmospheric Administration, 2017). (National Drought Mitigation Center, 2017). U.S. Department of the Interior Fact Sheet 2018–3060 U.S. Geological Survey September 2018 100 October 2016 April 2017 80 60 40 July 2017 September 2017 20 Areal coverage of drought conditions, in percent 0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Water year EXPLANATION EXPLANATION Exceptional drought Extreme drought <10 10–24 25–75 76–90 >90 Severe drought Low High No data Much below Below Normal Above Much above Moderate drought normal normal normal normal Abnormally dry Percentile classes None Figure 4. Monthly streamflow conditions across Kansas throughout water year 2017 Figure 3. Percent areal coverage of (U.S. Geological Survey, 2017a). drought conditions in Kansas at the end of water years 2011–17 (National Drought precipitation. Streamflow conditions central Kansas had below normal to much Mitigation Center, 2017). in central Kansas decreased to below below normal runoff during the first two normal conditions, whereas the southwest quarters. Intense precipitation in the third corner decreased further to much below quarter caused much of the State to have Streamflow Conditions and normal (less than 10th percentile). The above normal runoff conditions. The Drainage Basin Runoff WY ended with most of the State having southeastern corner of Kansas had much normal streamflow conditions. Parts of above normal runoff conditions, whereas The streamflow conditions in central, northeastern, and southeastern the northwestern and southwestern parts Kansas were normal (25th–75th percen- Kansas had below normal streamflow, of Kansas still suffered from below tile) throughout most of WY 2017 whereas parts of southwestern and north- normal runoff. Less precipitation and (fig. 4; U.S. Geological Survey, 2017a). central Kansas had much below normal heightened storage in reservoirs caused Above normal (76th–90th percentile) streamflow conditions. These locations much of northern and central Kansas and much above normal (greater than coincide with the areas of below normal to have below normal and much below 90th percentile) streamflow conditions precipitation and drought conditions at normal runoff in the last quarter of the were present in the eastern one-half and the end of the WY (figs. 1, 2). WY. A few isolated extreme precipitation northwestern corner of the State, whereas Runoff, or streamflow per unit area, events in the fourth quarter caused the the drought conditions (fig. 2) contributed eastern border of Kansas to be at above to below normal (10th–24th percentile) is a good indicator of precipitation and streamflow for a drainage basin. Runoff normal or much above normal runoff at and record low streamflow conditions in the end of the WY (figs. 1, 5). the southwestern part of Kansas at the is not solely affected by precipitation contributions for a given area because beginning of the WY. These conditions Reservoirs remained relatively unchanged until April of groundwater aquifer recharge and when extensive precipitation throughout reservoir storage, which can prevent Many of the Federal reservoirs in Kansas caused the streamflow condi- water from exiting the basin, decreasing Kansas were at above normal levels at tions to increase in range from normal streamflow (Langbein and Iseri, 1960). the beginning of WY 2017 (table 1). to record high, except for the extreme Quarterly runoff percentiles for WY 2017 All the USGS monitored reservoirs in northwest corner of the State where are shown in figure 5. Normal to above Kansas exceeded their conservation pool below normal conditions were present. normal runoff conditions predominated elevations during the year because of By July most of the State had normal throughout most of the WY. Runoff fell heavy precipitation from April through streamflow conditions. A few areas on the into the 68th percentile of computed June (National Oceanic and Atmospheric eastern and southern border of Kansas runoff and ranked 37th for the State Administration, 2017) except for Cedar were elevated to above normal condi- (calculated since 1901, U.S. Geologi- Bluff Reservoir near Ellis, Kansas. The tions because of localized high intensity cal Survey, 2017a). Parts of western and resulting high water-surface elevations October–December 2016 January–March 2017 Eleven of the USGS-monitored reservoirs ended the WY with less water than at the beginning of the WY, whereas only Hills- dale Lake near Hillsdale, Kans. (station 06914995; fig. 7), ended the WY with slightly more water. Streamflow at Selected Streamgages April–June 2017 July–September 2017 Four gages were selected to charac- terize streamflow conditions in Kansas for WY 2017. Locations of the selected gages are illustrative of the spatial and temporal variability of conditions exist- ing in different regions of the State. The locations of these gages, three other gages discussed in other sections, and USGS lake-level monitoring stations are EXPLANATION provided in figure 7. Stranger Creek near Tonganoxie, <10 10–24 25–75 76–90 >90 Kans. (station 06892000), represents Low Much below Below Above Much above High No data normal normal Normal normal normal eastern Kansas. Stranger Creek originates Percentile classes in northeast Kansas and flows south into the Kansas River near Linwood, Kans., Figure 5. Quarterly runoff conditions across Kansas throughout water year 2017 and has a drainage area of 406 square (U.S. Geological Survey, 2017a). miles (U.S. Geological Survey, 2017b). Seven-day average flow was above caused many Kansas reservoirs to release Kans. (station 06910997; figs. 6, 7), and normal at the beginning of the WY higher outflows in April, May, and the gage below the lake outflow, the (fig. 8). The 7-day average flow dropped June; these reservoirs continued steady Marais des Cygnes River at Melvern, briefly to below normal by March. Spring outflows during the other summer months Kans. (station 06911000; figs. 6, 7). and summer precipitation kept the 7-day to reach their respective target conser- The releases from the Kansas reservoirs average streamflow ranging from normal vation pool elevations (U.S. Geologi- helped keep streamflow normal in areas to much above normal conditions during cal Survey, 2017b). A good example of the State that received less than normal the second one-half of the WY. This of this is Melvern Lake near Melvern, precipitation during WY 2017 (figs. 1, 4). gage closed out WY 2017 with normal Table 1. Change in water storage during water year 2017 in 12 Federal reservoirs with complete records monitored by the U.S.