About Kansas Bostwick

Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District No.2 (KBID) is a 42,500 acre surface water irrigation district serving agricultural lands in Jewell County and Republic County in North Central Kansas and is headquartered in the town of Courtland. The District is made up of 100 miles of main canals and an additional 150 miles of lateral canals and pipelines.

Kansas Bostwick was organized and incorporated in 1948. After entering into long-term repayment contract with the United States Bureau of Reclamation for the construction of the district for a price of $5.5 million, KBID made its first deliveries of irrigation water to agricultural fields in 1955.

Kansas Bostwick holds water right #385 with the state of Kansas with a priority date of July 16th, 1948 for flows of the Republican River which serves as the primary supply source of irrigation water for KBID. Kansas Bostwick, through the Bureau of Reclamation, utilizes Harlan County Reservoir near Alma, Nebraska, and Lovewell Reservoir near Webber, KS as its water storage facilities.

Kansas Bostwick’s office staff is made up of Superintendent Jared “Pete” Gile and office manager Tracie Nelson. The district employs thirteen other full time employees who are charged with maintaining and improving the system as well as delivering irrigation water through canals to crop fields throughout the summer months.

The District’s policies are set and decisions are made by a three member Board of Directors who are landowners within the District and are advised by the Superintendent. These board members are elected by all landholders in the District. KBID is funded by assessments levied against the classified irrigation acres served by KBID and collected with annual landowner property taxes through their respective counties.

The mission at Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District No. 2 is to deliver the precious resource of water to our irrigators and agricultural producers in the most cost effective, efficient, and conservation minded way possible within the affordable limits of available modern technology.