U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-KS) announced this week that the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge will not be calling for more water in 2026, which would have severely impaired the region’s agriculture sector. The decision comes less than a month after five Kansas counties held their first coordination meeting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) requesting the federal agency withdraw their impairment water claims.
U.S Congressman Ron Estes, who represents the farmers, has been working with the Department of the Interior to resolve the longstanding dispute where the Federal agency has claimed that agriculture interests are taking water allocated to the Refuge.
In the coordination meeting held by the five counties, the counties raised concerns that the Refuge was not being managed as required under their plan. They also learned that the legal point of measurement for the allocated water was well inside the Refuge property and not at the property boundary, making the Refuge’s failed water management practices even more relevant.
Here is Congressman Estes’ announcement:
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released an official notice that they will not call for water at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in 2026. Their announcement is great news for the hardworking Kansas farmers and ranchers in the region who rely on the water to irrigate their crops.
Earlier this year, I sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum about the need for stability in the region around Quivira and the Rattlesnake Creek Basin. I’m grateful that his Department is providing assurance to the Kansans who rely on the water for their farming efforts.
Kansans are good stewards of our land and resources, and the federal government should not restrict their water rights. As the process moves forward, I will continue to stay engaged with the stakeholders near the area, push for the protection of the farmers and ranchers by Quivira, and hold FWS accountable for water in the refuge.”
