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Kansas becomes a state
More than 100,000 people resided in Kansas when it was admitted into the Union in 1861. In the following year, its population grew by 240 percent, which was 10 times more than the US growth rate. Kansas, then a hub for social reform, was fuled by agriculture.
Small communities began to form, populated with those who wanted to build their own version of the American Dream.
"These rural towns bound us together," said Marci Penner, Kansas Sampler Foundation Director.
http://www.city-data.com -
Ogallala aquifer named
The Ogallala aquifer underlies more than 174,000 square miles of the central United States. In the 1950s, as part of the New Deal, irrigation technology improved, allowing farmers to pump water from the aquifer to irrigate their crops. This allowed the agricultural economy to stay alive during the droughts of the 1950s. The population increased during this time, and Kansas became one of the top producers of wheat in the United States. http://www.ksda.gov/subbasin/content/204 -
Hugoton gas field discovered
The Hugoton gas field, which underlies much of southwestern Kansas, has produced more than 26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The field has been a key factor in stabilizing the Western Kansas economy, and provides gas for 2/3 of Kansas homes. In the past two decades, there has been a decline in pressure and productivity in the field. "I don't think anyone expects anything to happen that will change those declines that are taking place," Buchanan said.
http://www.kdheks.gov/bar/reghaze -
Population declines during Dust Bowl
The Kansas economy took a hit in 1934 with the beginning of the Dust Bowl. Throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s, people fled out of the High Plains; the population declined by four percent, ending the steady growth that Kansas knew for its first 73 years of existance.
Farmers did not have the technology to reach the Ogallala aquifer, which is now the dominant source of water in Western Kansas, and were unable to operate during the drought.
http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/cunfer.dustbowl -
Hydraulic Fracturing begins
With the purpose of extracting natural gases, hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") has been used on more than 50,000 vertical wells in the state. Recently, fracking is being applied to horizontal drilling. Although there haven't been any cases reported thus far, many Kansans are worried about possible groundwater contamination caused by fracking. An incident like this occured in Pavillion, Wyoming in 2011. Residents suffered from nuerological impairment and much of the population relocated. -
Ogallala begins to decline
When large-scale irrigation began in Western Kansas in the 1960s, the supply in the Ogallala began to decline, and has been since.
"This is a long term issue that hasn't gone away, and might not," said Rex Buchanan, interim director of the Kansas Geological Survey.
The figure to the left shows the percent change in saturated thickness from 2007 to 2009. In some parts of southwestern Kansas, the thickness decreased more than 60 percent. -
Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation established
EcoDevo was established in 1987 by the county commission to enhance the economy of Pottawatomie County communities.
"They're doing relatively well because they have a county economic development director that really cares about them and takes focused steps to help them," Penner said.
The population of Pottawatomie has been on a steady increase since the establishment of EcoDevo. From 2000 to 2010, the population increased by 18.6 percent.
http://www.ecodevo.com/documents -
Buffalo Commons proposal released
Geographers Frank J. Popper and Deborah Popper proposed the idea that use of the dry parts of the plains in the U.S. was not sustainable, and the land should be converted into a nature preserve by reintroducting American Bison into the area. The Poppers predicted the dry land, dwindling economy and depopulation of the plains would lead to the failure of small-scale farming. The plan was ridiculed at the time.
http://gis.ttu.edu/geog3300/documents/readings/The Great Plains From Dust to Dust.pdf -
Kansas Sampler Foundation founded
Marci Penner and her father, Milferd Penner, founded the Kansas Sampler Foundation with the purpose of promoting and preserving rural Kansas. The foundation distributes guidebooks, presents annual awards for those who sustain rural culture and hosts conferences to address challenges of living rural. Marci Penner stated her concerns for the future of rural areas. "There are some towns that will soon die because there is no internal motivation to keep them going," she said. kansassampler.org -
Projections made for Ogallala
In 2009, the Kansas Geological Survey made projections about the future of the Ogallala aquifer.
Although the productivity of agriculture in western Kansas is based on a variety of factors (commodity prices, energy costs, weather and new technology), the availability of water will have an affect on the future of farming in Kansas.
The image to the left shows the number of years it will take for each part of the aquifer to reach its minimum threshold. www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic18/in -
2010 Census data released
According to a document released by the U.S. Census Bureau titled, "Change in population by county 2000 to 2010," Sedgwick and Johnson counties , both of which contain large cities, experienced a population increase of 40,000 or more. The rest of the state, particularly western and northern counties, decreased in population. This means that almost 3/4 of Kansas counties decreased in population.
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-01.pdf -
Rural Opportunity Zones program takes effect
Governor Sam Brownback signed into law the Rural Opportunity Zones program in order to reverse population declines in rural Kansas. The state and county offer incentives for people to move into these designated rural areas. The participants coming from other states will receive a state income tax exemption for up to five years. Both in-state and out-of-state applicants will receive student loan forgiveness of up to $3,000 per year.
http://www.kansascommerce.com/index.aspx?NID=320 -
Kiowa County consolidation
From 2002 to 2011, 18 rural Kansas school districts have been consolidated due to declining enrollment. This consolidation leads to a loss of community identity and history, and affects the local economy.
"I think a lot of people in this school efficiency discussion lose sight of the fact that schools both cost money and generate income for the people on main street," said David Thompson, education professor at Kansas State University. cjonline.com/news/2011-07-24/school-consolidations -
Rural Opportunity Zones program has first round of applicants
Forty counties that have faced declines of 10 percent or more are participating in the ROZ program, and 138 people have applied. Forty-two of those applicants are from states other than Kansas.
Dan Lara, Public Information Officer for the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the state is most excited to get young people moving into rural areas.
"If they're younger people, they will establish families and those kids will grow up and become part of the fabric of that community," he said. -
Building a "New Rural"
The Kansas Sampler Foundation hosted meetings throughout November 2011 to benefit young people in rural communities. These people, called "PowerUps," are given the chance to become more visible in their communities and are encouraged to take leadership positions. Marci Penner said. the PowerUps will be the future face of rural living in Kansas.
"We want PowerUps to help us build a new rural," she said.
http://ruralbychoice.com/
