Water supply levels dropped this week due to the planned release of water from Hulah Lake by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City Director of Water Utilities Terry Lauritsen said Monday.
“As anticipated, we had an overall drop in water supply compared to last week due to the Corps releasing of water from Hulah Lake to free up water storage in the flood control portion of the lake,” Lauritsen said. “However, inflow continues at Hulah and Copan lakes after rains in the watershed areas for both lakes.”
Watersheds for both lakes are located in Southeast Kansas, where severe drought conditions began in 2022 and persisted through 2023.
“It’s important to note that this was the area’s second worst drought in recorded history, which began in 1919,” Lauritsen said. “This means we were able to preserve our water supply throughout the more than year-long drought, which was the second worst drought in the watershed area in more than a hundred years.”
Currently, overall water remaining is 81.3 percent, compared to 91.1 percent last week, while weighted water supply based on water right is 110.3 percent, compared to 167.8 percent last week.
Hulah Lake is currently 112.4 percent full. The lake serves as the City’s primary source of water. Copan Lake, where the City has rights to just 1 million gallons per day (mgd), has been slower to fill — but is gaining, Lauritsen said.
“Copan Lake has increased its water storage by almost 20 percent over the last week,” he said. “While the lake is still significantly lower than normal — it is currently at 61.7 percent — water levels continue to climb, which is encouraging.”
Lauritsen said average consumption last week was 4.27 mgd, which is about average for this time of year.
You might also like:
Water 101: A guide to the City’s past, present and future water needs