Kansas Water Authority

Member Bios:

Kansas Water Authority Ex Officio Members:

• Earl Lewis, Division of Water Resources, KS Dept. of Agriculture
• Chris Kennedy, KS Dept. Wildlife & Parks
• Mike Beam, KS Dept. of Agriculture
• Ernie Minton, Ag Experiment Station, KS State University
• David Toland, KS Dept. of Commerce
• Connie Owen, KS Water Office
• Steve Frost, Division of Conservation, KS Dept. of Agriculture
• Sara Baer, KS Biological Survey
• Andrew French, KS Corporation Commission
• Leo Henning, KS Dept. of Health & Environment
• Jay Kalbas, KS Geological Survey

As defined in Kansas Statute 74-2622, the responsibilities of the KWA are:

• Consult with and be advisory to the governor, the legislature and the director of the Kansas water office.
• Review plans for the development, management and use of the water resources of the state by any state or local agency.
• Make a study of the laws of this state, other states and the federal government relating to conservation and development of water resources, appropriation of water for beneficial use, flood control, construction of levees, drainage, irrigation, soil conservation, watershed development, stream control, gauging of stream and stream pollution for the purpose of determining the necessity or advisability of the enactment of new or amendatory legislation in this state on such subjects.
• Make recommendations to other state agencies and political subdivisions of the state for the coordination of their activities relating to flood control, construction of levees, drainage, irrigation, soil conservation, watershed development, stream control, gauging of stream, stream pollution and groundwater studies.
• Make recommendations to each regular session of the legislature and to the governor at such times as the authority considers advisable concerning necessary or advisable legislation relating to any of the matters or subjects which it is required by this act to study for the purpose of making recommendations to the legislature.
  All such recommendations to the legislature shall be in drafted bill form together with such explanatory information and data as the authority considers advisable.
• Approve, prior to submission to the legislature by the Kansas water office or its director: (A) Any contract entered into pursuant to the state water plan storage act; (B) any amendments to the state water plan or the state water planning act; and (C) any other legislation concerning water resources of the state.
• Approve, before they become effective, any policy changes proposed by the Kansas water office concerning the pricing of water for sale pursuant to the state water plan storage act.
• Approve, before it becomes effective, any agreement entered into with the federal government by the Kansas water office.
• Request any agency of the state, which shall have the duty upon that request, to submit its budget estimate pertaining to the state's water resources and any plans or programs related thereto and, upon the authority's receipt of such budget estimate, review and evaluate it and furnish recommendations relating thereto to the governor and the legislature.
• Approve, prior to adoption by the director of the Kansas water office, rules and regulations authorized by law to be adopted.
  Approve, prior to adoption by the director of the Kansas water office, guidelines for conservation plans and practices developed pursuant to subsection (c) of K.S.A. 74-2608, and amendments thereto.
• On or before December 1 of each year, the KWA submits to the Governor and the Legislature a report setting out: (1) an account of all moneys expended from the state water plan fund during such fiscal year; and (2) a five-year capital development plan for state water plan projects.