Southwest Kansas towns relied on the Arkansas River for water. Now it’s dry for miles
A car whizzes over the Arkansas River near Lakin, Kansas, where the river runs dry.
Southwest Kansas residents are making an effort to remember a river that helped shape communities in the area. The Arkansas River today has run dry in the region, but has left a significant impact, leading locals looking for conservation and recharge efforts.
DODGE CITY, Kansas — To enter most towns in southwest Kansas, one will first drive across bridges seemingly built over sand and briar.
Tanner Rutschman, a city engineer for Dodge City, jokes that no one really knows what it is.
“It doesn’t look like it,” Rutschman said, “but I have to tell people when they come to town that they just drove over the Arkansas River.”
Rutschman and the city are proposing a new wastewater plan that could help conserve water for the town on the High Plains. That plan will feature the bone-dry Arkansas River.
The community also wants to remember the river that shaped southwest Kansas and helped build the towns that dot the grassy desert. Today, the river is just meandering sand from Deerfield to Great Bend — more than 100 miles — which serves as a warning about water security for western Kansans.
The agriculture industry’s water usage has evaporated the once-sparkling river. In the early days it was used for ditch irrigation to help grow watermelons and sugar beets.
But now locals better understand that the river is connected to the underground water source, the Ogallala Aquifer, beneath it. And they know that pumping billions of gallons from that aquifer each day to irrigate crops like corn and alfalfa is depleting the important water source too.
“In this well just west of town, in the year 2000, the depth was about 12 foot to water,” Rutschman said of access to the aquifer. “In 2020, we’re down over 45 foot depth to water, so it’s declining.”
That’s why Rutschman and towns like Dodge City have started to look for ways to be more efficient with their water usage, and prepare for the area to become classified as a desert if water runs out completely.
The river plan
The Ogallala Aquifer is the only source for drinking water for Dodge City and many other towns in western Kansas. The city’s proposed system would dump treated wastewater into the riverbed so it can trickle down to the aquifer.
“I would say the city has been good stewards of that water resource since the early 80s,” Rutschman said. “We’re always thinking about ways to enhance or broaden our reuse practices.”
This closed-loop system has also been adopted by other cities like nearby Garden City. With this system, the cities hope to become “water neutral” by taking used water — like the treated wastewater and water from sources like a new cheese plant — and sending it back to where they drew it from.
Currently, that water is also being used by nearby farmers to decrease how much the agriculture industry pulls from the aquifer.
The project would take millions of dollars from both state and federal grants to upgrade the city’s water treatment facilities. The city is requesting a total of $34 million from state and federal funds and providing $22 million of its own. If approved, construction is slated to begin in 2027.
But the Dodge City plan still may not revive the Arkansas River or the aquifer, but could make the city less dependent on the shrinking resources.
Recharging the aquifer is a very slow process and would take thousands of years without human intervention. Municipal water use makes up only 5% of the water taken from the portion of the Ogallala Aquifer that sits under western Kansas, but the project encourages recharge efforts to secure water for the city.
“This project is setting the city up for direct water reuse, which will become more and more necessary in the coming years,” Rutschman said.
Remembering the river
Not that long ago Dodge City and other communities could rely on the Arkansas River for water. It was even navigable with kayaks and canoes.
And some locals still remember when the Arkansas River flooded in 1965.
Dodge City native Hannes Zacharias kayaked down the river twice. The first time was in the 1970s when there was still water in the western Kansas portion. But the river looked much different during his more recent attempt, which required him to use an ATV to navigate the dry parts of the river.
“I don’t know what you call a river that doesn’t have any water in it,” Zacharias said, “except you call it anything but a river, and that breaks my heart.”
He recently spoke to the locals about the power and significance of a river that no longer flows as part of a cultural project for Humanities Kansas.
Indigenous tribes like the Ute, Arapaho, Kiowa and Osage used the river for many years as a natural resource, and for travel and trade.
Then most populous towns in western Kansas were built on the Arkansas River.
“This river was a geographical feature throughout history that people recognized, and still recognize today,” Zacharias said.
Zacharias said he has seen a change in attitude towards the conservation of the aquifer and he has not given up hope on the river someday flowing again. But for now, he is focused on ways the riverbed can be used for recreation, like a walking trail, to bring more connection to the river with the communities it helped establish.
Humanities Kansas is launching a podcast with Zacharias that will focus on the river’s historical significance and its environmental impact.
“My goal is letting people know it was not an inconsequential river and deserves to be remembered,” Zacharias said.
Calen Moore covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can email him at [email protected].
The Kansas News Service
Goessel Showcases Antique Farming Methods
Richard Shank
Columnist
As the sun rose over Goessel on Friday, August 1, it was time to launch the 53rd annual Threshing Days Celebration.
Trucks hauling antique tractors were arriving in the Marion County town early in the morning in advance of the 9 a.m. opening.
I remember playing basketball for Solomon High School in the 1960s, and we made an annual visit to Goessel to play the Bluebirds in what was always a tough game.
Goessel, founded in 1874, has a proud Mennonite heritage. As the story is told, there was a large migration of German Mennonites from Russia who settled in central Kansas during that time and established several small villages, including Goessel.
Today, Goessel sits along Highway 15 approximately 10 miles north of Newton. The Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church opened its doors in 1886 and sits one mile north of Goessel. The tall and imposing wood structure painted white is located on grounds that are nothing less than pristine.
Arriving shortly after the event’s opening, the grounds looked much like a sea of aging beauties otherwise known as antique tractors. As an Oliver tractor owner, it was special to view three Model 60s parked side by side, owned by Jim Blough from nearby Hesston. Jim is the area’s foremost expert on everything Oliver and has made multiple trips to the Shank farm to do his magic while repairing some of the Shank’s golden oldies. I always pay him and buy lunch too in hopes he will be willing to return.
Oliver was not the only brand exhibited. I grew up atop a Farmall H, so it was good to see one totally restored at the Goessel show. Donavan A. Schmidt from Newton, made this tractor, manufactured in 1947, look, perhaps, better than it did on a showroom floor 78 years ago.
No antique tractor display would be complete without some John Deeres. The company that saw its origin nearly 200 years ago in 1837 in Illinois, has produced its share of classic tractors. The row of John Deeres included a Model 70 and Model R.
No show would be complete without a few corn binders that converted fields of Capricorn and Atlas into shocks. Next, farmers and their crews stood the shocks grouped together into what resembled a Tipi. The Shank’s old International Harvester binder remains on the farm, backed into a barn lean-to, and looks like it could still produce a shock or two but know it will never be called on for further duty.
The one-way plow was invented in a barn near Plains, Kansas, and reputedly revolutionized the farm during the 1930s, so it was good to see one on display.
To study the past 100 years as it pertains to harvesting wheat, visitors saw everything from a threshing machine, pull combine and a Massey Harris Model 26 self-propelled combine with a 12-foot platform.
Inside a shed on the grounds were two trailer loads of wheat stocks awaiting a threshing demonstration scheduled for the event’s second day.
For lunch on this Friday at noon, visitors were invited to dine at the Goessel Grocery and Deli and from all indications no one left hungry.
Tractors were not the only display item. A row of antique pickups and trucks was attracting a lot of attention as well as a white Chevy Impala car. I was unable to determine if it was a 1962,63 or 64 but it was well preserved like new.
And, no antique show would be complete without a sulky rake with a seat in the middle. Not so fondly, I remember sitting on the seat when my dad was picking up loose hay while receiving orders on raising and lowering the levers.
And, believe it or not, there is a market for old calendars which highlights antique tractors as there were several dozen for sale.
Thirty-two sponsors signed up to support the event including Midway Motors, Mid-Kanas Coop and AG 360. Saturday events included a 9:30 a.m. parade through the downtown of Goessel, a corn binding demonstration and a Pedal Tractor Pull.
Driving out of Goessel, I could not help but think about the significance of events like Threshing Days to life in rural America. Summer events and celebrations define the character of towns like Goessel. For 53 years, hundreds of volunteers have worked tirelessly to make this event happen.
Speaking for the thousands of people who drive to Goessel from other Kansas towns and states to attend, please know your efforts are appreciated.
Kudos to Goessel for what you have accomplished and may you have many more Threshing Day Celebrations.
Lovina Offers a Peak into One of her Typical Days with a One-Day Dairy
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen
Lovina Eitcher,
Old Order Amish
Cook, Wife &
Mother of Eight
4:30 a.m. The alarm rings, time to get up. My husband Joe gets ready for work while I pack something for breakfast, which he’ll eat at break. He doesn’t want to eat this early. It seems by the time he gets all his medicine taken he isn’t hungry.
5:10 a.m. Joe leaves for work.
6:00 a.m. I walk over to daughter Loretta and Dustin’s house. Dustin is leaving for work. Loretta and the boys are still in bed. Seven-month-old Kylie wakes up and I change her diaper and make a bottle for her. I lay her back in her bed after some snuggles. I take a nap on the recliner.
7:30 a.m. Byron wakes up but goes back to sleep on the recliner with me. He will be 2 on August 7th.
8:10 a.m. Denzel, 3, wakes up and smiles when he sees I’m there. He crawls onto the recliner with Byron and me.
8:30 a.m. The boys want to get up and ask me to get them “cocoa milk” which is actually Nestle’s Quik and milk. I brought a mug of coffee along, but I decided to make myself a glass of chocolate milk. Both boys stand there and smile like it’s funny to see Grandma drinking chocolate milk with them. I hardly ever drink any, but it does taste good for a change. I remember daughter Elizabeth saying that Grandma Coblentz always added more chocolate to their milk than I did. I think maybe I might be doing the same for my grandchildren. It’s so easy to spoil them. I help Loretta into her mobility scooter, and Kylie is ready to get up, too.
9:15 a.m. Loretta and I, and the children head over to our house. Daughter Lovina decides to come over bringing a few dozen eggs from their chickens.
9:45 a.m. Breakfast is pancakes, smokies and fried eggs. After breakfast, Loretta and Lovina stuff banana peppers with cream cheese and shredded cheese and wrap with bacon. This will be for tonight’s supper at Dustin’s. After that, Lovina heads back home. Benjamin mows our pasture field. He didn’t have to work today. I mix up bread dough for 12 loavf bread. I have to take some to church on Sunday and make extra for us.
The boys want to go over to “visit” Daniel Ray and Verena. Daniel and Verena fill the kiddie pool with water for the boys to play in and cool off. The boys think it’s funny to throw water at Verena. They laugh when Verena acts all surprised that she is wet now. They must have inherited that “Coblentz blood” and the love to throw water at someone. Haha!
1:00 p.m. Joe is home from work. The boys are glad to see Grandpa is home. I put the risen dough into bread pans. I make a light lunch for everyone who wants to eat.
2:00 p.m. Dustin is home, so Loretta heads home with the children. She has a wagon hooked behind her scooter for the boys and Kylie to sit in. The children will be ready for a nap when they get home.
I bake the bread, and while that is baking, I do other jobs around the house.
6:30 p.m. We sit around the grill while Dustin makes supper on the grill. Daniel and Lovina come over to join us. Daniel Ray and Verena have his family at their house for supper tonight. After the dishes are done, we play some games before heading home to bed.
Saturday was a great turnout for the South Bend book signing. Many thanks to everyone who stopped by. You have no idea how your encouraging words help. Writing the column doesn’t pay much, and sometimes life is so busy that it’s hard to find time to write. After meeting and talking with everyone, it gives motivation to keep writing. May God bless your kind hearts. Also, thank you for buying cookbooks, which helps more than you know. I also want to thank my daughter Elizabeth, son-in-law Tim and grandchildren T.J. and Allison for going with me. The children’s highlight was looking out the back door of the booth and seeing the trains go by. A thank you to the Farmer’s market staff for their hospitality! This is a great market held indoors, rain or shine. Last but not least, a great thank you to my good friend Ruth, who made it possible for me to be there. Without her I don’t think I would still be penning this column. Bless her heart!
God’s blessings!
ZUCCHINI GARLIC BITES
1 cup shredded zucchini (squeeze out excess moisture)
1 egg
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine zucchini, egg, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and seasonings. Shape into small balls and place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and firm. Makes 6
Just a Little Light: Then I Remembered E. P. McKee
Dawn Phelps
Columnist
It was a hot, muggy day in Columbia, Tennessee, the town of my birth. Just rolling down a car window let in a blast of hot air like a furnace that had been turned up to 95 degrees!
The year was 1983. I graduated from nursing school that spring and was weary from studying. For some time, our family of four had looked forward to a trip to Tennessee and other southern states. Our first stop was in Columbia.
I also wanted to get reacquainted with one of my relatives in Tennessee, my sweet Uncle Jones, a gentle older man bursting at the seams with musical talent. To hear him play “Darktown Strutter’s Ball” on the piano was a real treat!
I knew that Uncle Jones had lived at a boarding house in Columbia for many years. I thought I had a general idea where the boarding house was located, but the town was considerably larger than when we were there last. So, after driving up and down streets, we realized we were lost and needed help.
My husband Ralph headed the car into the driveway of a very small house to turn around. There was an older gentleman sitting on the porch. Before we could back out of his driveway, the gentleman got up from his seat and made his way toward our car.
My husband asked the man if there was a boarding house in the neighborhood. The man knew where the boarding house was located and gave us precise directions. But before we went on our way, the man asked, “Would you like a drink of water?”
We gently tried to decline his offer, but he quickly headed toward his house and went inside. He soon returned with two glasses of water complete with ice cubes. The water was offered in glasses that jelly had been sold in. If you are older, you may have drunk from a “jelly” glass while growing up.
He handed the two glasses to us in the car, turned around, and proceeded back into his house again. He returned with two more glasses of ice water for our daughters Melody and Misty. Mmmm, mmmm! What a wonderful treat on such a stifling hot day!
We were taken aback by such gracious hospitality—true southern hospitality. We finished our water, returned the glasses, and thanked him more than once. Before leaving, I asked him, “What is your name?”
And he replied, “E. P. McKee.” I liked the sound of his name—E. P. McKee.
Using Mr. McKee’s directions, we did find my Uncle Jones, and we visited him. But the memory that stands out most vividly from that hot day was Mr. E. P. McKee’s simple act of kindness that cost him only a few ice cubes, water, and a little energy and time.
Even this summer, on an especially hot day, when I’m craving a cold, icy drink of water, I still remember that day and how good that drink of water tasted. The memory is still as crystal clear in my head as my glass of cold water!
And I remember the friendliness and hospitality of the people of Tennessee with their slower southern drawls and polite “Yes, Ma’ams” and “Yes, Sirs.” More than likely, by now, Mr. McKee has met his Maker, yet my memory of him remains!
Sometimes the simplest kindness can leave a lasting impression and memory behind. Many people in this world could use a smile, a kind word or deed, and something as simple as a cold glass of water.
The Bible says that we if give a cup of water “in my name” it is as “unto Him.” E. P. McKee willingly gave four glasses of ice-cold water to four thirsty Kansans in 1983, a reminder of what a gift “a cup of water” can be to thirsty travelers.
Yes, over forty years later, I still remember E. P. McKee and his kind gesture. I hope he is having a good time in heaven. And I still like the sound of his name—E. P. McKee!
