The Upper Arkansas River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) will conserve groundwater and surface water, protect water quality, reduce soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat.

It is a federal-state-local partnership to provide a voluntary, incentive-based program to landowners.  When the program started December 20, 2007, landowners could enroll up to 20,000 acres, with a 5,000 acre per county limit. In May 2008, the Legislature extended the program until June 30, 2009, with up to 40,000 acres. The program operates on a first come, first enrolled basis.

This voluntary program provides incentives and cost sharing to participants who enroll their land in the targeted areas in eligible conservation practices and permanently retire their irrigation water right.  Participants will receive annual federal rental payments ($100 to $115 per acre for land equipped with center pivot irrigation systems, depending on location; or $90 to $105 per acre for flood irrigation), an annual maintenance payment, a state sign-up bonus, and state, federal and private cost-share dollars.

The state will make an upfront payment of $62 per irrigated acre for Tier 1 soils or $35 per irrigated acre for Tier 2 soils. There also is cost share on optional well plugging.  Much like a traditional CRP contract, land will need to be put into a conservation practice, such as native grass, during the life of the contract. After the contract, the land can be dryland cropped or put to other uses.

The 2007 Kansas Legislature approved $2 million for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program for payments to producers in 10 counties along the Arkansas River, including two groundwater management districts. The state portion of the funding will come from damage award monies received from the Kansas v. Colorado lawsuit over violations of the Arkansas River Compact.

The federal government will provide payments of about $31 million, when fully enrolled.

So far, interest has been especially strong in the sandy soil areas south of the Arkansas River in the westernmost counties. In fact, enrollment in Kearny County has come close to the allowable limit.