Before large-scale water initiatives began taking shape across the Ogallala Aquifer region, one question stood out: why weren’t producers connecting with the tools already available?
That question became the starting point for the Irrigation Planning for Western Kansas project, funded through a Conservation Collaboration Grant Agreement with Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service. The project’s focus was on understanding the gap between conservation programs and the producers they were designed to serve.
“The original goal was to make those connections,” said Matt Smith, PLJV Conservation Delivery Manager. “Irrigators weren’t always getting the information they needed about programs or opportunities to make changes.”
We realized programs don’t always work for people the way they’re designed. So we really tried to listen to producers and elevate what they had to say.
As outreach efforts expanded, it quickly became clear the challenge wasn’t just awareness – it was alignment. Programs didn’t always fit real-world operations the way they were intended, and in many cases, producers weren’t being heard in the process.
“We realized programs don’t always work for people the way they’re designed,” Smith said. “So we really tried to listen to producers and elevate what they had to say.”
That shift, toward listening first, became one of the most important outcomes of the project. Producers consistently emphasized the need for flexibility, clearer information and solutions that could adapt to their individual operations.
“Flexibility is very important,” Smith said. “Producers need options that fit their operation.”
At the same time, the project uncovered gaps on the other side of the equation. Many new conservation professionals responsible for delivering these programs had limited experience with water conservation, particularly irrigation management.
In response, the project expanded to include training efforts, bringing in experts to better equip those working directly with producers.
“That wasn’t something we originally planned,” Smith said. “But it became a really valuable part of the work.”
Through that process, the goal became less about delivering a single program and more about understanding how the entire system could work better – from communication to implementation.
A lot of what we learned – about working with communities, understanding needs, and bringing partners together – fed directly into Tomorrow’s Water.
A few years into the effort, those lessons began shaping something larger.
“A lot of what we learned – about working with communities, understanding needs, and bringing partners together – fed directly into what came next,” Smith said.
That next step was to apply the insights gained through this project and similar programs into Tomorrow’s Water, a collaborative process between communities, agricultural producers, and conservation organizations to create an actionable plan to stabilize future water supply.
Partnerships played a key role throughout the process, but just as important was the willingness to adapt along the way.
“You have to get out there, listen, and be adaptable,” Smith said.
Among the impacts Smith points to is the ability to highlight the work already happening on the ground. Through outreach and storytelling, the Irrigation Planning for Western Kansas project helped bring attention to the positive steps producers were taking to address water challenges.
“You hear a lot of negativity sometimes,” he said. “But there are a lot of positive efforts out there, and people are making a difference.”
Results from this work are also helping to inform development of a Water Conservation Framework for western Kansas being led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The vision for this Framework includes securing long-term water availability for the High Plains, improving surface and groundwater quality through coordinated local action, strengthening rural economies, and empowering landowners, producers and youth as leaders in water solutions.
The project also strengthened connections through direct engagement, helping bridge the gap between producers, programs and the people delivering them.
Now the focus is on building from that foundation.
“Tomorrow’s Water is what’s next,” Smith said. “It’s expanding the scope of what we’re trying to do.”
That progression reflects a broader approach – starting with a focused effort, learning from it, and then scaling those lessons to create a larger impact across the landscape.
“We may start small,” Smith said. “But we’re always thinking about how to grow it and make a bigger difference.”