Thursday, the Cities of Hays and Russell received official ruling from the Chief District Judge of the Edwards County District Court denying Water PACK's Petition for Judicial Review of the State's order allowing the conversion of water irrigation rights of the R9 Ranch in Edwards County to municipal use. The District Judge's decision affirmed the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Chief Engineer's 2019 approval of the Cities' change applications. The City of Hays purchased the approximately 7,000-acre R9 Ranch and its thirty water rights in southwestern Edwards County in 1995, and a year later Russell purchased an 18-percent interest in the property, [...]

From the Kansas Supreme Court opinion: This is a tale of two cities. On March 23, 2006, the cities of Spring Hill and Olathe entered into a written agreement (Agreement) to restrict their future growth by establishing boundaries for annexing land lying adjacent to the two cities. Olathe agreed not to seek annexation of property south of the boundary line, while Spring Hill agreed not to seek to annex property north of the line. Each city reserved the right to annex land within their respective boundary lines.... The Agreement had no fixed expiration term. Instead, it was to "remain in effect [...]