The management districts
Five districts govern groundwater in the parts of Kansas where it is under pressure. A quarter of the points on file sit outside all of them.
| District | Points | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outside any district | 25,058 | 42.0% |
| Southwest Kansas GMD 3 | 15,740 | 26.4% |
| Big Bend GMD 5 | 6,850 | 11.5% |
| Northwest Kansas GMD 4 | 4,377 | 7.3% |
| Equus Beds GMD 2 | 4,186 | 7.0% |
| Western Kansas GMD 1 | 3,404 | 5.7% |
What each one is
Western Kansas GMD 1
the westernmost district, over the High Plains aquifer, where decline has been measured for decades.
Equus Beds GMD 2
the Equus Beds, which supply Wichita as well as irrigation.
Southwest Kansas GMD 3
the largest irrigated district in the state, and the one where the Ogallala has fallen furthest.
Northwest Kansas GMD 4
the north-west, where the first Local Enhanced Management Areas were set up to slow decline.
Big Bend GMD 5
the Big Bend of the Arkansas River, where surface and ground water are closely tied.
Outside any district
no groundwater management district covers this point.