In response to groundwater quality deterioration caused by chloride contamination in the Burrton area, the Board of the Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2 (GMD 2) requested that the Chief Engineer initiate the Intensive Groundwater Use Control Area (IGUCA) process in June 1982. Public hearings were held in August 1982 and February 1984, and the IGUCA order was issued in June 1984, with a correctional order issued in July 1984. The order defined a control area, made thirteen recommendations from a task force report and imposed three main corrective controls: (1) that all applications to appropriate water or change a point of diversion within the IGUCA shall be reviewed on an individual basis using a computer model, (2) that the Board of Directors of GMD 2 will annually review all hydrologic information in the IGUCA and may request a hearing on any matter related to the IGUCA and (3) that water flow meters shall be installed on all groundwater wells excepting domestic and temporary wells.
Pursuant to
K.A.R. 5-20-2, each of the eight IGUCA
orders in effect before July 1, 2008 must be formally reviewed in a process that includes a public hearing conducted by the Chief Engineer. While a brief summary of the history of the Burrton IGUCA has been provided below, the
1984 Burrton IGUCA Order itself is also available and should be referred to for details of the hearing conclusions and corrective control provisions.
In 2016, DWR conducted a formal review of the June 1, 1984 order establishing the IGUCA. The purpose of the review was to determine whether the public interest required that the IGUCA designation be continued and, if so, whether there should be any adjustment to the IGUCA boundaries or corrective control provisions.
DWR, in cooperation with GMD 2, developed the Burrton IGUCA Review Report, which was admitted to the record of the public review hearing conducted by the Chief Engineer in October 2016 in Hutchinson, KS. Oral and written testimony from DWR, GMD 2, and the City of Wichita, Kansas were presented at the hearing, and the Chief Engineer left the hearing record open for further submittal of written testimony through February 1, 2017, at which time the hearing record was closed.
June 11, 1982: IGUCA Proceedings Initiated by GMD 2 Board of Directors
- Based on water quality deterioration, as high chloride concentrations had been detected in the groundwater
August 4, 1982: Public Hearing
- Established Burrton Task Force
- Burrton Task Force was composed of GMD 2, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Geological Survey, Kansas Water Office, Kansas Corporation Commission, Kansas Water Authority, Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Producers Association, and area water right holders
- Public hearing continued on February 21, 1984 with results of Task Force investigation available
June 1, 1984: IGUCA Order Issued
- Concluded that unreasonable water quality deterioration was occurring in the area
- Concluded that corrective controls were needed in order to protect public interest
- Required water flow meters on all wells within the IGUCA, excepting domestic and temporary wells
- Required that each new application to appropriate groundwater and each application to change a point of diversion be reviewed on an individual basis using a computer groundwater model
- Forwarded additional recommendations from the Burrton Task Force to other entities or agencies having jurisdiction in the area
- Required the GMD 2 Board of Directors to annually review all hydrologic information in the IGUCA and granted them the ability to request a hearing on any matter related to the IGUCA
- Chief engineer can amend the IGUCA if deemed in the public interest
July 24, 1984: Correctional Order Issued
- Corrected effective date of water flow meter requirement
March 10, 2016: Draft Burrton IGUCA Review submitted to GMD 2
May 10, 2016: GMD 2 Board reviewed the Burrton IGUCA Review Report and submitted no comments to DWR
October 4, 2016: Burrton IGUCA Review Public Hearing
November 2, 2016: Burrton IGUCA Review Hearing initial written testimony submittal deadline
December 2, 2016: Burrton IGUCA Review Hearing extended written testimony submittal deadline
February 1, 2017: Burrton IGUCA Review Hearing second extended written testimony submittal deadline; Review hearing record closed
February 28, 2020: Findings and Conclusions from the Burrton IGUCA Review submitted by Chief Engineer
Individuals who have questions regarding the Burrton IGUCA review should contact David Engelhaupt at
David.Engelhaupt@ks.gov for more information.