Est. 2005

 In 2005, the Central Kansas Water Bank Association (the “Association”), based in Stafford, became the first chartered water bank in the state of Kansas. While the Association operates within the same geographic boundaries, shares staff, and uses the same monitoring network as Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5, it is governed by a separate board of directors and is funded entirely through its own administrative fees.

Although the Association has evolved since its founding, it continues to provide the same core services to water users across the region. Today, the Association offers two programs designed to provide flexibility in water use while supporting long-term conservation.

The first program, the Savings Account, allows a portion of unused water to be preserved for future use at the same location. The second program, Deposit & Lease, allows the historical water use of a water right to be transferred to other areas within the same subbasin. Both programs have grown in popularity and give water users additional flexibility while helping conserve local water resources.

Water banking in this region originated through the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge / Rattlesnake Creek Partnership Plan as part of a collaborative effort to reduce water use in that specific subbasin. The concept was later incorporated into the Middle Arkansas Subbasin Plan as a tool to address broader water-use challenges. As the program developed, it became clear that water banking could also benefit the other subbasins within Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5, leading to its expansion across the district.