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Playas work for Kansas

Category: Restoration

Steps to Water Stability #3: Using Every Tool in the Toolbox

Steps to Water Stability #3: Using Every Tool in the Toolbox

We’re continuing a series exploring how communities in Kansas Groundwater Management District #1 are working together to address water challenges and protect water for future generations. Throughout the series, you’ll hear from local leaders, producers and scientists who are turning conversations and real-world decisions into long-term solutions.

In the third story, learn what happens when a producer is ready to take action, what options exist, and where playas fit into a broader water-stability effort. Be sure to listen to the companion podcast at the end of the article. 

Finding the Right Tools and Programs

In western Kansas, water stability doesn’t come from one decision. It comes from many. Producers tightening irrigation schedules. Retiring low-producing wells. Testing new technology. Talking with neighbors. And increasingly, it includes restoring the natural features on the landscape that help the Ogallala Aquifer recover after rain.

Katie Durham, district manager for Western Kansas Groundwater Management District #1 (GMD1), has described the goal of Q-Stable as a straightforward concept: a water budget, with communities working toward estimates of Q-Stable that reflect conditions at the local level.

“You want to find an equilibrium where you’re not pumping or extracting more than you’re able to maintain or recharge,” Durham said.

Reaching that balance takes more than one strategy. It takes options and people who can help landowners sort through them. That’s where Matt Smith comes in. Smith is the conservation delivery manager for Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV), and his work often starts with a conversation.

“My role is really just to listen to people and listen to producers,” Smith said. “Learn what their needs and objectives are for their property, and then connect them to the best opportunity to meet those needs.”

Sometimes that means a formal conservation program. Sometimes it means technical advice. Sometimes it means helping a landowner decide if a project makes sense at all. But in many cases, it leads to one feature that has shaped the High Plains for thousands of years: playas.

How Playas Contribute

Playas are shallow, round recharge wetlands, the low points in an otherwise flat landscape where water naturally collects after heavy rains. Because playas are a primary source of groundwater recharge, with rates 10 to 1,000 times higher than under other areas, they are an important part of water management. One producer told Smith that playas become even more important as communities move closer to Q-Stable.

“Once we reach this goal of Q-Stable that we’re trying to achieve,” Smith recalled, “that’s when playas really take on even greater importance.”

The logic is simple: as producers reduce irrigation withdrawals to slow aquifer decline, recharge opportunities matter more and playas are one of the most efficient recharge features on the landscape.

“That’s when we’ll see even greater interest in playa conservation,” Smith said.

Not Just a Wet Spot

For people unfamiliar with playas, Smith uses a comparison most Kansans understand immediately.

“We’ve all driven down the road and hit a pothole,” he said. “Basically, that’s what a playa is.”

Playas are low basins lined with clay. When dry, the soil contracts and forms large cracks. Then, when it rains, the first flush of water from the surrounding area flows into the playa and down the cracks — beginning its journey to the underlying aquifer. As that clay gets wet, the cracks close, holding water in the playa.

After a major rainfall, a playa can hold water for weeks, months, or longer and while some of that water evaporates, a significant portion infiltrates into the soil — along plant roots and other channels, as well as along the perimeter of the playa — and can help recharge the aquifer. Playas also provide something else that has become rare in intensively farmed areas: wildlife habitat.

“On a landscape that’s heavily dominated by agriculture, they’re kind of hot spots of biodiversity,” Smith said. “They provide a resting place for migratory birds and even resident wildlife like pheasants and quail.”

Reversing Past Modifications

In many cases, playa restoration isn’t about creating something new. It’s about returning a playa to its original function. Over time, some playas become cut off from runoff due to terraces, roads, or sediment buildup. Others have pits that drain and hold water in a small area. Restoration work often focuses on reconnecting the hydrology so rainfall can reach the entire playa basin again.

“A big part of our restoration work is to try to make sure that water does reach those areas,” Smith said. “That may be removing a terrace, maybe it’s a road that blocks that water.”

Once water can flow back into the playa, protection becomes the next step.

“We want to make sure we prevent further sedimentation,” Smith said, “and that means putting a grass buffer around that playa.”

Buffers can help trap sediment and contaminants before they enter the wetland, improving the quality of the water that eventually moves downward.

Not a Stand-alone Fix

Both Smith and Durham emphasize a key point: no single practice solves aquifer decline.

Durham has said Q-Stable is about balancing long-term use with what the aquifer can sustain. For GMD1, that means meaningful progress requires changes in irrigation use, since irrigation represents the vast majority of groundwater use. That’s why Smith describes playa restoration as one tool within a much larger toolbox.

“It may be a reduction in irrigation use,” he said. “It may be making irrigation more efficient. Maybe there’s low-producing wells that just need to be retired. But all these things coming together are what’s going to make a difference.”

Voluntary “Win-win” Option

Smith says one reason playa restoration resonates with producers is that it is voluntary and positive, and it often produces visible results.

“Our role is to understand producer challenges around water conservation and then provide information on playa restoration so they can make informed decisions for their operations.”

PLJV is just one of many partners working on stabilizing water in Kansas. While each approaches it from a different angle, water is what brings them together: PLJV, GMD1, NRCS, local conservation districts, state agencies, and landowners themselves.

“Water is common to everyone, and so it gets us all at the table,” Smith said.

He also notes that playa conservation isn’t built around regulation.

“It’s not forced. It’s not required. It’s all voluntary,” he said. “It ends up with a product that helps the producer and it’s a society benefit. It’s just a win-win for everybody.”

“Where Do I Sign Up?”

For landowners interested in exploring options, Smith points to a simple first step.

“The best place they can go is a website called PlayasWorkForKansas.com,” he said.

The site includes tools that allow landowners to locate playas on their property, learn about recharge potential and wetland condition, and review available programs. It also helps connect producers to people who can walk them through next steps.

Smith says a common question he hears is about cost. “How expensive is this going to be?” The answer depends on the project. Some efforts are simple, like establishing a grass buffer. Others involve sediment removal or reworking old structures to restore hydrology. But Smith says most programs are designed to cover the majority of costs, and in some cases offer annual payments similar to CRP rental payments.

“As a conservation community and society, we’ve said these wetlands are important,” Smith said. “Producers should be compensated for taking appropriate conservation actions.”

What Success Looks Like

A healthy playa is not a permanent pond. In fact, it is usually dry.

“A lot of people think, well, it’s a wetland, it’s supposed to be wet,” Smith said. “But actually, playas are dry more than they’re wet. For a healthy functioning playa, that’s probably very true.”

When the rain comes, though, those systems can respond quickly and dramatically.

“If you build it, they’ll come,” Smith said. “Waterfowl and other wildlife will show up almost immediately.”

Even species that have waited out years of dry cycles can reappear. Some producers also notice a change closer to home.

“They have larger playas and their house wells are near that playa,” Smith said. “They notice when that playa is full, some of their wells exhibit a notable increase.”

For many, the benefits are practical: reduced headaches from farming wet spots, improved field efficiency, and compensation through financial assistance programs. For others, success is simpler, like watching a restored playa fill after a big rain.

“That’s the exciting time,” Smith said.

And for communities working toward long-term water stability, those visible changes matter, because they are a reminder that progress is possible when the right tools are available and landowners have support to take the next step.

 

To hear more from Matt Smith, listen to the episode below. In the next story, we explore what it looks like to implement these practices into a farming operation and how it all started with a calculator.

 

Listen to the Podcast

In the third episode, Matt Smith, conservation delivery manager for Playa Lakes Joint Venture talks about what happens when a producer is ready to take action, what options exist, and where playas fit into a broader water-stability effort.

 

Keep Reading & Listening

Read the entire Steps to Water Stability series and listen to the companion podcasts:

Sherman County Farmer Lets Playa Be a Playa Photo by Abe Lollar

Sherman County Farmer Lets Playa Be a Playa

For nearly a century, Nate Emig’s family has farmed the rolling ground southwest of Goodland, raising corn, wheat and milo in the semi-arid landscape of northwest Kansas. Like many multigenerational producers, Emig was raised with a simple philosophy: make the most of every acre.

“The cost of farming nonproductive acres has a direct cost. You can actually reduce your expenses in that playa and do something that protects it.”

But about 14 miles southwest of Goodland, one stubborn patch of ground kept refusing to cooperate.

“It was pretty clear once we started farming it that it wasn’t meant to be farm ground,” Emig said.

The acreage included a large playa, a shallow, natural depression common across the High Plains that temporarily fills with water after rainfall and is vital for recharging the Ogallala Aquifer. When Emig’s family acquired the property in 2016, the playa had long been farmed. But over five or six seasons, Emig said he harvested only one or two crops from it.

The rest of the time, it flooded.

“You can actually reduce your expenses in that playa and do something that protects it,” Emig said. “The cost of farming nonproductive acres has a direct cost.”

That realization marked a turning point. Not just for a single field, but for how Emig views the balance between production and conservation.

It marked the beginning of exploring restoration on the playa and a deeper understanding of the quiet but powerful role these wetlands play in recharging the Ogallala Aquifer and protecting the land for future generations.

Letting the land return to itself

By 2021 or 2022, Emig began pursuing restoration through an Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE), administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He reached out to the local NRCS office and worked closely with staff to enroll in the program..

The playa restoration itself was straightforward.

Crews removed sediment that had accumulated in the basin, improving its ability to infiltrate and hold water. A terrace that had restricted natural flow into the depression was taken out.

“There weren’t any surprises,” Emig said. “It was pretty much exactly what we thought it was going to be.”

For a farmer accustomed to managing variables — markets, weather, input costs — the predictability of the process was welcome.

From nuisance to asset

Across northwest Kansas, playas are sometimes viewed as inconveniences, wet spots that interrupt fieldwork, drown crops and complicate irrigation patterns.

“I’d say most farmers view it as a nuisance,” Emig said.

Historically, many playas were leveled, terraced or farmed through in an effort to maximize production. But research shows that intact playas play an important role in aquifer recharge, particularly over the Ogallala Aquifer, which supplies much of western Kansas’ groundwater.

“Playas that are farmed are less productive in recharging the aquifer,” Emig said. “It stands to reason that there should be more recharge if they’re set up properly.”

Emig is careful not to overstate what a single project can do. The impact of restoration depends on location, soil type and proximity to municipal wells, he said. But he believes cumulative change matters, especially in communities like Sherman County, where groundwater sustainability is an ongoing concern.

“I value what we have for groundwater resources out here,” he said. “We try to be more efficient and reduce the quantity of water that we pump. Any measure that helps that out is beneficial.”

The restored playa also creates wildlife habitat. Rather than an area that floods and grows weeds, the basin and its grass buffer now provide space for native plants, migratory birds and other wildlife.

“When we farm them, it destroys that habitat,” Emig said. “If playa restoration becomes more widespread, you’re going to see better wildlife habitat.”

Economics and longevity

For Emig, the decision was not driven solely by environmental goals. It was also about stewardship and long-term viability.

“Land stewardship translates into longevity of the farm operation,” he said. “Keeping soil where it belongs.”

In the High Plains, wind erosion and intense rainfall events can move sediment quickly. By restoring the playa and planting perennial grasses, Emig reduced the likelihood of soil loss and eliminated the repeated input costs — seed, fertilizer, fuel — associated with planting a crop unlikely to survive.

“Sometimes we as farmers are a little stubborn about wanting to farm the most acres that you can,” Emig said. “But sometimes Mother Nature’s best left to do what she does best.”

Contact Us

Nate Emig’s story is just one example of how conserving playas can turn unproductive ground into an asset for both producers and the land. Learn more about how playas benefit wildlife and people.

To discuss programs and options that can help meet your conservation objectives, contact Ducks Unlimited Biologist Abe Lollar at 620-214-2693 or Bernadette Mills, Playa & Water Conservation Outreach Specialist for Northwest Kansas at 785-772-5763.

Restoring Playas on Dryland Acres Photo by Ryan Barnhardt

Restoring Playas on Dryland Acres

In northwest Kearny County, farmer Ryan Barnhardt realized the low pockets in his dryland fields, called playas, weren’t helping his operation. Those temporary wetlands either burned up or flooded out, leaving bare ground and no real production.

About a decade ago, Ryan enrolled those areas in a playa restoration program through the USDA Conservation Reserve Program Migratory Birds, Butterflies and Pollinators State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practice. The program restored the playas and added surrounding grass buffers.

“Those acres were never productive,” he said. “Putting them into grass made sense.”

Restored playas now catch rainfall, reduce erosion, and help water soak back into the Ogallala Aquifer. Wildlife quickly returned. Pheasants, quail, geese, and other birds now use the grass and wetland basins throughout the year. “It’s great to see the bird life out there,” Ryan said.

Financially, he says the conservation payments are far more reliable than trying to farm those acres. “You get a more consistent income stream than what those spots ever produced,” he said.

For other producers considering playa conservation, his advice is simple: look into it. “The recharge and the wildlife alone make it worth it,” he said.

By turning marginal acres into habitat and recharge zones, Ryan Barnhardt is proving conservation can benefit both the land and the operation.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn more about Ryan’s story. Read how conservation pays off on his unproductive ground.

Restoring Playas After a Lifetime on the Land Photo by Brian Slobe

Restoring Playas After a Lifetime on the Land

Western Kansas farmer Mike O’Brate has known the low, flood-prone playa lakes on his fields his entire life. After decades of trying to farm them and watching wells decline, he enrolled about 600 acres of playas and buffer habitat in the USDA Conservation Reserve Program Migratory Birds, Butterflies and Pollinators State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practice.

“The payment was $125 an acre,” Mike said. “I can’t farm them for that. Those acres take too much water.”

Restoring the playas means less fertilizer and seed on ground that rarely paid off, and more wildlife. Antelope, deer, pheasants and ducks now use the restored areas. “My wildlife is coming back,” he said.

As a longtime board member of Kansas Groundwater Management District 3, Mike sees playa restoration as one way to help the Ogallala Aquifer. “It may take years for the water to soak in, but you’ve got to start somewhere,” he said.

At 73, he’s proud of the acres he’s enrolled in conservation programs and hopes more producers consider doing the same.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn more as Mike reflects on conserving playas after decades of farming through them.

Preserving Wetlands for the Long Haul Photo by Dan Pace

Preserving Wetlands for the Long Haul

Nearly 25 years ago, Dan and Brenda Pace enrolled two Kansas properties — a river corridor in Kingman County and a shallow playa in Meade County — into the USDA Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program. He wanted to conserve both places “as close to their original condition as possible.”

Today, beavers, ducks, shorebirds, and native wetland plants thrive on the restored acres. The Meade site, once a mud-prone irrigated circle, now functions as a healthy playa that helps recharge the Ogallala Aquifer.

“Just seeing the wildlife and knowing it will stay that way is very satisfying,” Dan said.

Managing the easements takes some work, especially keeping invasive brush under control, but new tools like herbicide-spraying drones help him stay ahead of it. Dan says the program has been flexible and easy to work with. “The restrictions are very few,” he said.

His advice to other landowners considering WRE? “Do it. It’s good for native species, and it’s not hard if you enjoy working on the land.”

By restoring both wetlands, Dan and Brenda Pace are preserving two unique Kansas landscapes for generations to come.

Listen to the Podcast

Read more about how Dan and Brenda committed to protecting their wetlands.

Bringing a Small Wetland Back to Life Photo by Christopher Rustay

Bringing a Small Wetland Back to Life

Nearly 40 years ago, Greg Meador bought a 35-acre wetland in Rice County after first leasing it for duck hunting. Over time, sediment filled the shallow basins and the birds stopped coming. After a rainy weekend camping there with his son and hearing ducks overhead again, Greg decided to restore the wetland instead of letting it fade away.

He enrolled the property in the USDA Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program and took on much of the work himself, from paperwork to managing the dirt work. Partners like NRCS, Ducks Unlimited, and a NAWCA grant helped move the project forward.

The restored basins now hold water longer, provide habitat, and even reduce flooding on a neighboring farm. Wildlife has returned as well. “Seeing that kind of wildlife again has made it worthwhile,” Greg said.

He plans more improvements, including tree removal and pollinator seeding. But the biggest motivation is family. “I’ve got two grandsons,” he said. “This is something I can pass on to them.”

For Greg, restoring the wetland is about stewardship and making sure the landscape is healthier for the next generation.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn more about Greg’s story. Read how he restored his wetland for wildlife, water and future generations.

Kansas’ First Wetland Reserve Easement Photo by Max Good

Kansas’ First Wetland Reserve Easement

In 1994, Max and Eweleen Good enrolled the first Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) in Kansas on their Labette County property. Max discovered the new program through an Audubon newsletter and signed up immediately.

Their 10-acre wetland quickly transformed the landscape. Water stayed on the property longer, and wildlife doubled — ducks, geese, reptiles, amphibians, and new plant species they had never seen before. Schools and visitors now tour the site by appointment to learn about wetlands and biodiversity.

The project led to more conservation. With help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Goods restored additional acres of native prairie, now home to more than 200 species. They even documented their work in a 308-page book filled with hundreds of photos.

For Max and Eweleen, the goal has always been simple: create habitat, share it with others, and leave the land better for the future.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn more about the first Wetland Reserve Easement in Kansas. Read how Max and Eweleen restored their wetland and continue to share it with others.

Protecting a Wildlife Corridor in Miami County Photo by Brian Slobe

Protecting a Wildlife Corridor in Miami County

In Miami County, Kansas, Eric Howell is conserving 77 acres along Pottawatomie Creek through the USDA Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program. A lifelong outdoorsman, he saw the property’s potential the moment he bought it.

“I’ve always had a passion for wildlife and habitat,” Eric said.

His land sits on a major wildlife corridor where bald eagles, turkey, deer, and migrating ducks already pass through. Once the wetland restoration is finished, he expects even more waterfowl and native species to use the site.

The process hasn’t been quick. He enrolled in 2020, and construction is only now beginning, but he says the outcome is worth the wait. While the paperwork moved slowly, Eric planted native grasses and wildflowers on the non-easement acres, building a diverse landscape that will benefit wildlife long-term.

His goal is simple: protect the land permanently. “Other than a couple acres around the house, I want the whole property locked in as habitat,” he said.

Some neighbors are wary of federal programs, but Eric encourages others to look into WRE. “It took longer than I wished, but I’d still say do it,” he said.

For Eric Howell, the easement is a commitment to leave the land better, and wilder, for the next generation.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn more about Eric’s story. Read about how this young Kansas landowner conserves wetlands.

Shutting Off Wells to Save Water

Shutting Off Wells to Save Water

In western Kansas, farmer Joe Zellner Jr. made a major shift in how he manages his land. He shut off every irrigation well he owned. After decades of pumping, declining well levels and rising fuel and labor costs convinced him it was time for a new approach.

“I felt like we were just pulling more water out and the table kept going down,” he said. “I want to have drinking water in the future.”

Joe also restored the playas on his farm, wet spots that rarely produced a crop, by enrolling them in the conservation programs. He planted them to grass and stopped trying to farm through them.

“I was losing money on those acres,” he said. “Putting them into grass just made sense.”

Restoring the playas helps capture rainfall, protect topsoil, and add water back to the Ogallala Aquifer. It also saves Joe time and inputs. “You’re not spending money on seed, chemical and fertilizer in a place that isn’t productive,” he said.

Joe believes conservation practices like no-till and playa restoration will shape the future of farming in his region. “Your yield may be less, but your profit may be more,” he said. “And long-term, land managed with conservation will hold more value.”

For Joe, turning off the wells and restoring his playas isn’t just about today. It’s about keeping western Kansas farmable for the next generation.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn more about Joe’s story. Read how he prioritized conservation and halted irrigation to preserve water.

Landowner Restores Wetland for Wildlife, Water, and Future Generations Photo by Christopher Rustay

Landowner Restores Wetland for Wildlife, Water, and Future Generations

RICE COUNTY, KS – Back in 1987, Greg Meador spotted a newspaper ad for a duck hunting property while working in central Kansas. That led him to a 35-acre parcel in Rice County — surrounded by farmland and tucked near Cow Creek — where he leased the land for a couple of years before deciding to buy it outright.

“I leased it for maybe two years and then asked the people if I could buy it,” Meador recalled. “Back then it was $125 an acre, which still felt like a lot.”

“I’ve got two grandsons, five and three. Maybe they’ll be into wildlife, maybe this land will mean something to them.”

The wetland on Greg’s land is a riverine wetland, part of the floodplain near Cow Creek. These wetlands form in low areas that collect water during rains or when the creek overflows. Even though it had been filled in over time, the area still had the potential to provide wetland habitat and hold water again — it just needed a little help.

Though Greg and his family eventually moved to the East Coast, he never let go of the land. Over time, however, he noticed changes. Sediment from neighboring farms and Cow Creek filled in the shallow depressions that once held water. The birds he once hunted grew scarce.

Then came the spark that reignited his stewardship vision. “One year, maybe five or six years ago, my son and I camped out there,” he said. “Every morning, we must’ve heard 70 ducks fly over our tent. That’s when I decided to do something to bring the wetland back.”

That decision led Greg to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). Greg submitted his application for a Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) in January 2022 — just weeks after learning about the opportunity.

The process was rigorous and detailed, especially for someone managing the land remotely.

“There was a lot of paperwork, and it wasn’t always easy — especially since we travel a lot,” Greg said. “I’d be in Quebec, Canada, trying to get wet signatures on documents that could’ve been done digitally. If they streamlined that, I think more people would go for it.”

Despite those hurdles, Greg stayed on top of every step in the process, nudging when needed, reading through every policy and document. “I didn’t want to be 75 by the time this was done. I’m 66 and wanted to enjoy it now,” he said.

He even took the uncommon route of becoming his own contractor for the dirt work to speed up the timeline, coordinating bids himself when local contacts were hard to find. The effort paid off: the restoration wrapped up in December 2024, a remarkably quick turnaround for a federal easement project.

The results came quickly. “Mike Coleman from Ducks Unlimited came out and spotted eight deer, some Eastern turkey, a rooster pheasant, and even put up some quail,” Greg said. “Just seeing that kind of wildlife again — or in some cases for the first time — made the whole thing worth it.”

What used to hold water only after extreme rain now supports shallow wetland habitat again.

“Originally, with a good rain, we’d get 25 to 30 acres of water. Over time it filled in and stopped holding. Now it’s coming back.”

“I really believe we’re just going to keep shrinking wetlands, whether it’s for farming or subdivisions,” he said. “This is my little part to push back against that.”

The project gave Greg more than a restored landscape — it gave him a renewed sense of purpose in retirement.

“It was something to focus on, something to build toward. That meant a lot,” he said. “I’ve got two grandsons, five and three. Maybe they’ll be into wildlife, maybe this land will mean something to them.”

And to anyone considering a Wetland Reserve Easement through NRCS?

“I’d tell them it’s worth the effort. You just have to understand what it is — and what it isn’t. Once I realized it didn’t have to be some big managed impoundment — that it could just be a good, shallow habitat — it made sense,” he said. “It’s not just about hunting. It’s about doing something bigger.”

Learn more about Greg’s story. Hear him talk about bringing his small wetland back to life.

Explore Wetland Reserve Easements

For more information about the program and how it can support your conservation goals, contact us.

Abe Lollar, Ducks Unlimited
620-214-2693
alollar@ducks.org

Matt Carey, NRCS
785-545-7081
Matt.Carey@usda.gov