NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel understands that the City of Hutchinson's water resource is something that is being looked at more closely now in light of the needs in Yoder Water District 101, but while that topic is open is a good time to do the studying that it would take to figure out if getting water to a potential new industrial park south of South Hutchinson is feasible or not.
"Water really drives everything," Teufel said. "Sometimes, it becomes an emergency situation, like what's happening down in Yoder," Teufel said. "The development that we have been working toward south of South Hutchinson definitely also will be predicated on can we get water there? To me, that means there needs to be a deal struck at some point in time between the city of Hutchinson and South Hutchinson, just like what Hutchinson is doing to help with the Yoder water situation."
The city of Hutchinson needs to let the state know what it's going to do with the water rights it has. That process is known in legal terms as perfecting a water right.
"Gary and I have been talking about looking at our water rights," said Brian Clennan with the city to the City Council at their last meeting. "I've gotten some information from the Division of Water Resources, kind of assessing our total water rights, big picture. I haven't had a chance to dive in to that spreadsheet. Gary and I will be meeting with DWR, probably later this month, to get their assessment."
Clennan said the city is using about 65% of their total water rights right now. If you don't show the state your intended use for a water right and then use it that way, you can eventually lose that water right, which is legally called abandonment.
"If we need some additional information, we may look at doing a small study, just to make sure that our information and how we are looking forward is going to be realistic," City Manager Gary Meagher told the council. "We're certainly going to be reporting back to you at some point as to where we are with South Hutchinson and perhaps others."
The council wants to be sure that there is enough water, the key to that may actually be finding additional use for the rights they already have.