Salina City Commissioners Monday approved the idea of entering into a water supply group. Commissioners authorized staff to prepare and submit an application to the Kansas Water office for membership to form the Lower Smoky Hill Water Supply Access District.

The group will include other cities, industries, and farmers that get water from the Smoky Hill River. The group is the result of on going discussions since the drought of 2006.

The Kansas Legislature approved creation of the district in 2011. Detailed regulations were finished last August.

The purpose of Lower Smoky Hill Water Supply Access District is to buy additional storage at Kanopolis Reservoir. By buying storage in the lake, members of the access district would be able to have water sent to them during drought, and those with older water rights wouldn’t be able to use that water.