K-State News and Communications Services

HUTCHINSON — As wells in western Kansas run dry, the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University is helping citizens decide how to keep the water flowing.

The institute will host discussions on managing the Ogallala Aquifer from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. The round-table discussions are free and open to the public. They will be at the Cottonwood Court building on the fairgrounds.

In small groups, participants will discuss frequently proposed solutions and strategies to sustain the scarce water resource. The goal is to understand the issues and options through a deliberative conversation. After the round-table discussion, attendees will be able to explain and compare approaches to managing the Ogallala Aquifer, said Myles Alexander, project coordinator for the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy.

“Strengthening democracy is the mission of Kansas State University’s Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy,” Alexander said. “We hope people will continue the conversation at home and with their elected and appointed representatives.”

For more information on the forum, contact Alexander at (785) 532-6868 or [email protected]. More information on the institute is available at https://icdd.engg.ksu.edu.