The Kansas River is getting a checkup of sorts as the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) puts red dye into the water this week at Wamego to check the flow and protect water supplies.
In a news release, the USGS said the study, which was conducted from Oct. 20 - 22, is being done with cooperation from the cities of Lawrence, Manhattan, Olathe and Topeka, and will provide a myriad of data on the river.
“Recent events with spills above intakes in rivers have pointed out the need for travel-time data to monitor and respond appropriately,” Tom Stiles, Bureau of Water director at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in the release.
As part of the study, the red-tinted fluorescent dye will be put into the water and measured against laboratory data. It will measure water flow during low, medium and high flow periods, according to the news release. The research will determine flow rates and travel times on the river, 6ParkNews reported.
“With so many people dependent upon surface water supplies in Kansas, understanding how those rivers move is critical to proper water management,” Stiles added in the release.
The Kansas River Water Office pointed out that agencies have stepped up testing efforts in recent years. A decade ago, a harmful algal bloom led to toxins in the raw water.
“During the late summer and early fall of 2011, due to hot and dry conditions, Milford Reservoir experienced a harmful algal bloom and several utilities along the Kansas River detected microcystin (a toxin produced by cyanobacteria) in the raw water,” The Kansas Water Office stated on its website.
In the wake of the algal bloom, the Kansas Water Office also noted on its website that the Public Water Supply Work Group and USGS developed a plan to collect water quality data and conduct similar tests annually in the area.
Testing has been done at Wamego, Topeka, and DeSoto, according to the website.
According to the USGS, the dye-tracer tests along the river will help researchers determine the velocity of the water’s flow as well as travel times. This can help protect the water supplies that communities along the river depend on.
