Ensuring adequate water flows to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge is both a legal obligation and an ecological necessity. The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for restoring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s senior water rights to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, a critical advocacy priority for Audubon of Kansas. However, excessive groundwater pumping by junior water rights holders has repeatedly impacted the refuge’s water supply for the past several decades. A DWR report found that in 18 of the 34 years studied, shortages exceeded 3,000 acre-feet, threatening the refuge’s delicate ecosystem.
AOK has long championed stronger conservation measures, advocating for essential improvements in Quivira’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan, which has included litigation to ensure progress. We remain committed to ensuring that water resources are properly managed to support sustainable native habitats and protect species of concern in this vital Great Plains refuge.
The fight to protect water for Quivira is also a fight to protect the wildlife that depends on it. From the endangered Whooping Crane to the secretive Black Rail, these species rely on healthy wetlands for survival.
