The Kansas Water Office (KWO) develops a State Water Plan that includes sections corresponding with water planning areas determined by the office to be the 12 major river basins.   The Plan is developed with advice from the general public and from committees consisting of individuals with knowledge of and interest in water issues in the water planning areas.  Basin advisory committees were first established in each of the 12 river basins in Kansas on June 28, 1985.  The 11-member committee for each basin consists of at least one member representing each of the following six water user categories:  domestic; municipal; other public water supplier; industrial; irrigation and recreation, fish and wildlife.  The remaining five members are selected based on user category, geographic distribution and other criteria at the discretion of the basin advisory committee.  Water resource agencies assign staff to serve as advisors to each of the basin advisory committees. 

Kansas River Basins Map
Cimarron Basin Lower Arkansas Basin Walnut Basin Verdigris Basin Neosho Basin Marais des Cygnes Basin Kansas Lower Republican Basin Missouri Basin Upper Arkansas Basin Smoky Hill Saline Basin Solomon Basin Upper Republican Basin Section Map Kansas River Basin Map

The BACs provide the working link between the KWO staff and the public.  The committees:

  • Advise the KWO and the KWA in identification of water-related problems, issues, and concerns within their basin.

  • Advise the KWO and the KWA in the formulation of revisions to the Basin Plan for their basin.

  • Advise the KWO and the KWA regarding the Kansas Water Plan implementation priorities and actions.

  • Serve as a link to the public in the basin through interaction with various groups and individuals and communicate information on concerns and issues to citizens in the basin.

  • Advise the KWO and KWA on policy issues under consideration for inclusion in the Kansas Water Plan.