Topic: Cooperative Extension Service
Interview of David Pope, September 19, 2019
Interviewed by Rex Buchanan
In this 2019 oral history interview, David Pope described how the awareness of declining water levels in the High Plains Aquifers in Kansas led to efforts to support wise use and responsible management of groundwater in the state. He described being hired to address groundwater issues from the local perspective and how he was involved in the creation the Groundwater Management District (GMD) in southwest Kansas. As Assistant Chief Engineer of the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources and later Chief Engineer, Pope was involved in a state policy limiting new groundwater development, referred to as planned Show Moredepletion, along with efforts to develop regulations on water management to replace the prior ad hoc approach. Pope discussed his dealings the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in assuring minimal desirable streamflow to satisfy municipal and industrial water users along with conservation and recreation interests. He observed the complex interplay of surface and groundwater use policies which became a politically highly charged issue in addressing the Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands issue, Pope explained how the water law premise of "first in time, first in right" has been modified with amendments and regulations that require the filing of water rights, development of conservation plans to assure the beneficial use of water, mandatory metering of water use, and closure of areas for new water rights, all based on hydrologic studies. He concluded that although some GMDs have not tackled long-term depletion problems in western Kansas, two districts have adopted successful strategies: safe yield rules adopted by Groundwater Management District No. 2, and the creation of the Local Enhanced Management Area (LEMA) in Sheridan County to regulate irrigation. Pope described those successes and speculated on why others have not been as successful. Show Less
Interview of Bruce Snead, September 3, 2024
Interviewed by Rex Buchanan
This interview of Bruce Snead, former Director of the Engineering Extension Program at Kansas State University, focuses on his career and contributions to energy policy in Kansas beginning when he moved to the state to take a position with the university. Snead reflects on the complexity of the history of unsuccessful attempts to establish an independent energy policy entity in Kansas. His perspectives on state action were colored by his years of service as a non-partisan elected member of the Manhattan, Kansas City Commission and Mayor, as well as his involvement in a number of statewide energy planning Show Moreefforts where he saw the importance of individuals to policy development and implementation.
Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview