Tuttle Creek Reservoir spillway, 1993. (Photo via Wikipedia.org)
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Drought-stricken Kansas is asking the Corps of Engineers to halt releases of water from three of its small reservoirs for downstream navigation. During a drought conference Wednesday, Governor Sam Brownback asked U.S. Senator Pat Roberts to help get the Corps to stop releases from the Milford, Perry and Tuttle Creek reservoirs while some upstream reservoirs remain at flood stage. The governor also asked Roberts to support expanding the Kanopolis reservoir to hold 2 more feet of storage, which could help central Kansas during a future drought. Brownback says he has allowed pumping from all of the state's fishing lakes to water livestock. Kansas has now declared all 105 counties in a drought emergency, with crop losses projected at $1.5 billion.