R9 Ranch Final Master Order promised by March 1; cities talk to governor

The cities of Hays and Russell have been told a Final Master Order for the R9 Ranch water project will be completed by Friday, March 1.

If not, the cities will “turn up the heat,” and 40th District State Sen, Rick Billinger, R-Goodlandm plans to intervene, according to Hays Mayor Henry Schwaller.

The cities submitted applications to the state in June 2015 for development of the R9 Ranch in Edwards County as a long-term water supply for Hays and Russell.

In May 2018, the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources released a draft master order approving an application to convert water use on the city-owned property from agricultural to municipal.

Following a public hearing in Greensburg in June, DWR Chief Engineer David Barfield began preparing the Final Master Order.

Hays Mayor Henry Schwaller updated the situation during a news conference Tuesday morning at the Hays Welcome Center after announcing last week the cities planned to increase pressure on the state to produce the order.

“We’ve had the input. The DWR has not released the document and there’s been considerable delay. We don’t know why,” he said.

(Read more: Hays Post)