Rural Affairs
Almost $20M Allocated for Rural Kansas Housing
Almost $20 million in state and federal funds has been allocated to help develop hundreds of moderate-income housing units in rural Kansas.
With the Ogallala Aquifer Drying Up, Kansas Ponders Limits to Irrigation
Water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer continue to plummet. But after decades of inaction, Kansas’ approach to water conservation might be shifting.
Kansas Encourages Rural Housing With Massive Influx of Funds
For years, the Kansas Housing Resource Corp.’s median-income program was a well-intended effort operating with modest resources. Then everything changed.
‘This is Do or Die’: Western Kansas Farmers Push to Save the Ogallala Aquifer Before it’s Too Late
After decades of irrigation, the aquifer that makes life possible in dry western Kansas is reaching a critical point. But a new plan could save more of what’s left.
A Hotter, Drier Future Could Change How We Eat, Breathe and Get Our Water
This year’s drought could be a dress rehearsal for a drier, hotter future that scientists predict climate change has in store. Long-lasting droughts could alter the way we live.
Here’s How This Year’s Drought has Battered the Midwest — and What it Might Mean for Next Year
From deadly wildfires to choking dust storms to decimated crop harvests, this year’s drought has left its mark across the country. For the hardest hit areas, such as the Great Plains, recovering from the far-reaching impacts of this historically dry year won’t be easy.
How the Drought Killing Kansas Corn Crops Could Make You Pay More for Gas and Beef
Drought is taking its toll on western Kansas cornfields this year. And all that dead corn could mean higher prices for ethanol-infused gasoline and corn-fed beef.
How Kansas Could Lose Billions in Land Values as its Underground Water Runs Dry
The water in the Ogallala aquifer is worth billions of dollars to western Kansas, but it’s rapidly disappearing. And it’s been a challenge to find ways to slow the depletion.
Cleared for Takeoff: How Small Town Airports Elevate Communities
Small general aviation airports can drastically improve the growth and development of rural communities.
As Fertilizer Pollutes Tap Water in Small Towns, Rural Kansans Pay the Price
For towns with only a few hundred residents, keeping tap water clean and safe can pose a crippling expense. The predicament is likely to become more common in western Kansas as farm chemicals seep into dwindling water supplies.