Wichita-area Cheney Reservoir hits lowest water level in a decade. Here’s what to know

Continuing drought conditions have made a significant impact on a popular Kansas lake that helps provide Wichita’s drinking water .

Cheney Reservoir, located about half an hour from Wichita , is experiencing near historic low water levels, Wichita’s National Weather Service shared on its social media.

“The drier start in the first half of the year and current drought conditions have helped contribute to the lowering water levels,” the X post said.

The Reservoir is currently 6 feet below the normal conservation level — which is the lowest the water has been since 2013, NWS said.

What is the current drought status in Kansas?

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows most of Sedgwick County is experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions. The portion of the county not in drought conditions is still considered “abnormally dry.”

While the National Weather Service doesn’t have rain total specifics for Cheney, for Wichita, NWS has reported 14.12 inches of precipitation so far this year, which is about 5 inches below normal.

In order for the state to see significant progress in its drought, there needs to be more frequent rainfall, said Kevin Darmofal with the National Weather Service’s Wichita office.

“I t’s hard to say specifically, because, you know, some of it depends on how it falls and if there’s runoff and stuff,” Darmofal said. “But you know, probably, you know, 5, 6 [or] 7, inches of rain ... cut out over the course of a month [is needed] to ease the drought conditions.”

The city of Wichita is currently in Phase 1 of its drought response plan. If the city gets to stage 2, the response plan would restrict which days water customers can water their lawns. All watering would be done in the evening or early morning, the plan specifies.

Previously, stage 2 happened when Cheney Reservoir dipped below a 69% annual average, which it was nearing in June. But a recent City Council vote decided that the city manager will now be responsible for deciding when to enter the next phase , with the recommendation of the public works and utilities director.