By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The summer of 2026 has been a historic one, at least in terms of heat in Kansas. The South Central portion of the state saw 50 consecutive days of highs of at least 90 degrees, dating back to July 24. Eleven times in August, temperatures reached at least 100 degrees in Wichita. Temperatures typically dip into the 80s in September, but the first week of the month saw highs over 100 degrees. Scott Keeler, public lands director for the city of Great Bend, said city-owned property is feeling the heat like everything else.
“Probably like most of the homeowners around the community have seen, our grass on the ballfields, the courthouse, everywhere, with the drought and extended heat we’ve had, is really stressed out,” he said Wednesday on 1590 KVGB/95.5 FM’s “City Edition” program with Steve Webster.
Grass and flowering plants often get the most attention during drought conditions, but city staff is also ensuring trees, especially young ones, are staying watered.
“We have what they call gator bags, which basically hold about five gallons of water and have small holes in them that (water can) go in slow so it can actually soak in well without evaporating,” Keeler said. “We try to do that for at least the first three years of their life until they have time to get established, then as needed when we see them stressing out.”
The lower third of Kansas is now in at least moderate drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor. Much of South Central and the entire Southwest corner of the state, including parts of Barton and Pawnee counties and all of Stafford County, are categorized as severe drought.