News Headlines

Low Kansas Water Levels Partly Due To Drought

Reporter: Associated Press

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Water levels on some Kansas rivers are approaching record lows amid a drought and heat wave and water in the Arkansas River is stagnant from limited flow.

U.S. Geological Survey officials say this will be the river's lowest June flow in 53 years of record keeping. On Friday, the flow was down to about 27 cubic feet per second, far below the typical flow of 475 cubic feet per second.

And the Arkansas River isn't alone. Several other rivers were recording lower-than-normal water levels, prompting state officials to curtail junior irrigation rights in some areas.

Reservoirs also are hurting. The U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Reclamation says Cedar Bluff is only 43 percent full.