Water savings policy in western Kansas: a decade-long satellite-based examination

Authors: Dhungel, Ramesh; AIKEN, ROBERT - Kansas State University Extension Center; LIN, XIAOMAO - Kansas State University; KENYON, SHANNON - Kansas Groundwater Management District #4; Colaizzi, Paul; O'BRIEN, DAN - Kansas State University Extension Center; Baumhardt, Roland; KUTIKOFF, SETH - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Irrigation Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/18/2025
Publication Date: 5/6/2025
Citation: Dhungel, R., Aiken, R., Lin, X., Kenyon, S., Colaizzi, P.D., O'Brien, D., Baumhardt, R.L., Kutikoff, S. 2025. Water savings policy in western Kansas: a decade-long satellite-based examination. Irrigation Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-025-01024-x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-025-01024-x

Interpretive Summary: Groundwater supports irrigated agriculture in the central and western United States; groundwater decline, observed in recent decades, indicates non-sustainable usage. Regulatory actions at state, and local levels (U.S.) are intended to decrease groundwater use to increase the life of these groundwater aquifers, and perhaps achieve sustainable use of groundwater. A 24% reduction in annual groundwater allocation was authorized by the elected board of Kansas Groundwater Management District #4 (GMD4) for the Sheridan 6 (SD-6) Local Enhanced Management Area (LEMA); however, data regarding the effectiveness of the policy in reducing irrigation water use were lacking. Therefore scientists from ARS (Bushland, TX), Kansas State University and GMD-4 evaluated the effectiveness of SD-6 LEMA water restriction policy on crop water use and irrigation application depths using an advanced remote sensing based surface energy balance technique in a decade long study (2008-2017). The restriction policy resulted in reduced irrigation application depth by 28% as compared to the irrigation depths of pre-LEMA. Advanced remote sensing technique provided essential information that confirmed the efficacy of water management policy. This study provides evidence of effective transition towards sustainable groundwater use by groundwater district-level management.

Technical Abstract: Groundwater supports irrigated agriculture in the central and western United States; groundwater decline, observed in recent decades, indicates non-sustainable usage. Regulatory actions, at state, and local levels (U.S.) are intended to decrease groundwater use, to increase the life of these groundwater aquifers, and perhaps achieve sustainable use of groundwater. A 24% reduction in annual groundwater allocation was authorized by the elected board of Kansas Groundwater Management District #4 (GMD4) for the Sheridan 6 (SD-6) Local Enhanced Management Area (LEMA). We evaluated the effectiveness of SD-6 LEMA water restriction policy on crop water use and irrigation application depths using an advanced remote sensing based surface energy balance technique in a decade long study (2008-2017). Both the applied irrigation records and simulated results showed the restriction policy had a positive impact on reducing the irrigation application depth. The reduction in applied irrigation depth was 28% compared to the irrigation depths of pre-LEMA. Advanced remote sensing technique provided essential information that confirmed the efficacy of water management policy, developed with producer input and authorized by elected representatives. This study provides evidence of effective transition towards sustainable groundwater use by groundwater district-level management.