The City of Wichita’s Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) project diverts water from the Little Arkansas River when the river flows are high, treats it to drinking water standards and injects the processed water into the Equus Beds aquifer. By doing this, the City accumulates recharge credits with the Kansas Department of Agriculture allowing it to withdraw this additional water from the Equus Beds aquifer when needed. The ability to establish and utilize these credits is critical to ensuring the City can meet the demand during an extended drought.

What's New

Public Informational Meeting

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The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources hosted a public informational meeting on Thursday, June 28, to discuss proposed changes to the city of Wichita’s ASR project.

ASR Proposal Benefits

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Permit changes are being proposed to provide operating flexibility that is needed to maintain the aquifer as high as possible – like the levels are now.

Wichita's Permit Change Effort

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ASR provides two benefits – drought resiliency and water quality protection.  

ASR Permit Change Proposal

The City of Wichita has the state’s only active Artificial Storage and Recovery project, developed a

The City of Wichita has the state’s only active Artificial Storage and Recovery project, developed and approved in two phases.


On June 28, 2018 a public informational meeting regarding the proposed changes was held at the Halstead High School Auditorium. 

A public comment hearing on Wichita's proposed modifications to Phase II of its ASR project was held on December 11, 2018 (transcript). 

Pursuant to a Notice of Hearing issued in this matter by the Presiding Officer, the rescheduled public hearing in this matter commenced on December 10-12, 2019. 

The public and all interested parties were invited to submit oral comments on December 13, 2019, and may submit written testimony.  Please see the link below for instructions.

It is anticipated that the Hearing will continue into February and March of 2020, when there will be additional opportunities for public comment.

Public Hearing Update