Released: February 12, 2003

‘Water and the Future of Kansas’ Conference Set for March 11

MANHATTAN, Kan. – State and national water experts will discuss drought, the value of water for recreation, keeping the state’s water supply safe and many other related issues during the Water and the Future of Kansas conference, March 11 at the Holiday Inn in Manhattan.

The conference, now in its 20th year, runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The registration fee is $50 if paid by Feb. 28, or $75 afterwards. A registration form and more information is available on-line at www.dce.ksu.edu/dce/conf/waterfuture/.

"The main purpose of the conference is to share the latest science-backed information on water issues in our state," said Bill Hargrove, director of the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE) at Kansas State University, which co-sponsors the conference. "It also provides an opportunity for water professionals and all who are interested in water issues to interact."

Hargrove said the conference is the only one of its kind in Kansas, "where the latest scientific information can be presented and important water issues can be discussed and debated."

The morning session focuses on three important topics in Kansas, including efforts to meet requirements of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) in the state’s waterways; identifying and eliminating pollutants in watersheds; and prolonging the life of an aquifer, especially the Ogallala Aquifer that provides water for irrigators in western Kansas and seven other states.

"These are critical water issues facing our state," Hargrove said. "Addressing them is crucial to the long-term health and well-being of our economy, environment and the overall quality of life for Kansans."

Eight breakout sessions dot the afternoon schedule, including:

* Groundwater management;

* Nutrients in the environment;

* The value of water as part of the landscape;

* Weather, climate and water management (including weather patterns over the last 100 years, and predictions for the future);

* Groundwater quality;

* Surface water quality;

* Water educational programs in Kansas;

* Innovations in water quantity assessment.

In addition to KCARE, the conference is sponsored by the Kansas Water Resources Research Institute; K-State Research and Extension; and the U.S. Geological Survey.

This year’s event also will feature a traveling exhibit being shown by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which is celebrating its 100th year in 2003. The exhibit includes descriptions of the nation’s major irrigation projects, construction of Hoover and Grand Coulee dams, and more.

For more information, or to obtain registration materials, interested persons may call 1-800-432-8222 (or 532-5569 in Manhattan) and ask for ‘conference registration.’ Special room rates also are available at the Manhattan Holiday Inn for conference participants.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Pat Melgares, News Coordinator
pmelgare@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News