Are you smarter than a fifth grader on water issues? Kansas governor faces students’ questions
Gov. Laura Kelly speaks to fifth graders about Kansas water issues April 14, 2026, at Piper Creek Elementary School in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Grace Hills for Kansas Reflector)
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly faced a sea of fifth graders Tuesday to answer their questions about water policy, conservation, and what the Legislature is doing to help the next generation.
How does Kansas share water from the Ogallala Aquifer with other states? How is Kansas addressing the water crisis? Will the next governor continue Kelly’s work?
After the fifth graders at Piper Creek Elementary School learned about the water crisis in Kansas, they wanted these questions and more answered. They sent a wave of letters to the governor asking her to speak with their class — so Kelly brought along former state senator and current special adviser on water Carolyn McGinn to tackle the questions.
Which begs the question: Are you smarter than a fifth grader on Kansas water issues?
All of these questions were asked by students at the elementary school.
Since other states use (the Ogallala Aquifer) water, have you talked to them about water conservation, and sharing the water?
“We’ve talked to our adjacent states, and it’s mostly about the water coming into our state,” McGinn said. “But our laws are different in how we conserve. … We need to continue to talk to those people in our adjacent states and figure out how we can partner to make things better.”
The Ogallala Aquifer extends into eight states. The governmental approach to conserving the Ogallala Aquifer across states has been slow, and it is still depleting at a rapid pace — in some areas over-extraction has dropped the water levels by 250 feet, an important issue in southwest Kansas and north Texas.
Some argue this is because individual agriculture producers don’t feel the need to reduce their water consumption, and conservation should be in government hands.
We have learned throughout our study of water education that Kansans have known for a long time that the Ogallala Aquifer is running out. Many governors were aware of these water conservation things, but did not budget. However, since you took office you made sure to provide funding for our generation. What positive impact have we made on the water crisis in Kansas now that it’s being funded?
“We’ve known we had water issues for decades, and there have been several plans that have been put together, some very very good plans, but part of the problem has been that it was not followed up with the funding necessary to implement those plans,” Kelly said.
Former governors told the Kansas City Star the state failed to avoid the water crisis, despite knowing about the depleting aquifer. Former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who endorsed Kelly in her gubernatorial campaign, told the Star she didn’t prioritize water issues because they weren’t immediate.
Kelly decided to make finding a solution to the water crisis her “north star” in her final year-and-a-half as governor. After talking to the students, Kelly told reporters the 2026 Statehouse session was “not a complete disaster related to water,” but there is still a long road ahead — primarily because she thinks this session was rushed and they need more time to develop a plan.
“There was no time or appetite from the leadership to do that,” Kelly told reporters.
“Leadership” includes Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican who is running for governor.
Will the plans you have continue when the next governor is elected?
“Probably depends. I certainly hope so,” Kelly said, “There has been a lot of working together, regardless of whether you’re Republican or Democrat, so I’m hoping that the Legislature will influence whoever is in the governor’s seat next to carry on with this process of getting a plan in place and getting money in place.”
Masterson applauded the creation of the water program task force, but has made it clear in his campaign that he doesn’t support most of Kelly’s work. The two Democrats vying for the Democratic nomination for governor have lightly touched on water issues. It’s still early in campaign season.
The answers to many of the students’ questions was “call your representative.” The governor and former senator emphasized the importance of legislators listening to their constituents — especially the young ones.
“Without that water in the Ogalalla, we’ll be in a world of hurt,” Kelly told the students. “So it’s imperative that we adults do something so that as you’re growing up that water is there.”