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Beginning in 2002, Lake Region Resource
Conservation and Development (RC&D) compiled a Watershed Restoration and
Protection Strategy (WRAPS) for the Marais des Cygnes (MDC) Basin, the first
basin-wide WRAPS Project. The plan brought together community leaders to discuss
the basin's current issues, future needs and implementation strategies.
Residents identified the basin's priority water resources, determined watershed
threats and defined opportunities for restoration during the preparation of the
plan.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)
approved the WRAPS final draft in 2003, which includes the latest geographic
watershed maps, reports and reference materials, all designed to help residents
better understand water quality issues of the MDC Basin. In addition, the plan
includes information on future water management to preserve and improve quality
of life for the people choosing to live in the MDC Basin.
The Marais des Cygnes Forestry Initiative identified
the following goal: "To restore and protect water quality in the Marais des
Cygnes Basin by restoring, protecting and enhancing riparian woodland and
associated vegetation along identified high priority Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) streams."
Partnerships are focused among residents, landowners,
businesses, municipalities and local, State and Federal agencies to implement
best management practices within the MDC Basin. Specific areas include:
promoting involvement of the MDC Basin's TMDL implementation process and working
with area entities on issues surrounding storm water and source water
protection. Key community members and volunteers will work with staff to
implement basin protection measures as identified by the WRAPS and directed by
the basin's TMDL report.
The MDC Riparian Forestry Initiative continues to
assist landowners in the basin to plant and manage trees along streams to
improve water quality. The Forestry Initiative focuses on forestry best
management practices for restoring and protecting water quality. Installing
forest buffers along riparian areas decreases stream bank erosion, provides
filtration of pollutants entering waterways and reduces sediment entering the
streams.
The Initiative includes two primary targets:
restoration and education. To read more about the Marais des Cygnes Forestry
Initiative and it's restoration and education projects, click on the link below
to view the 2002-2008 Progress Report.
The Marais des Cygnes Basin
The Marais des
Cygnes Basin is a vital natural resource, providing drinking water and other
domestic uses including municipal and industrial uses, recreational
opportunities, agricultural benefits, wildlife habitats and other benefits
to thousands of residents in portions of 13 counties in east central Kansas.
The basin is characterized by increasing development expanding from the
Kansas City area; growing recreational demands and municipal needs; a robust
agriculture comprised of feed grain production, grazing lands, and confined
animal feeding operations, especially dairy and beef cattle; and critical
wildlife habitat, including the Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area, a natural
wetland providing habitat for migratory waterfowl.
The 1990 total population for the Marais des Cygnes
Basin in Kansas was 110,023. The Kansas Water Office projects an increase to
177,000 by 2040. Similar growth is taking place in Missouri. The Marais des
Cygnes Basin includes four HUC-8 subwatersheds: Upper Marais des Cygnes
(10290101), Lower Marais des Cygnes (10290102), Little Osage (10290103) and
Marmaton (10290104).
Watershed planning has occurred throughout this basin.
During 2002, several local Kansas entities conducted TMDL educational
efforts. The Lake Region RC&D and K-State Research and Extension offices
co-sponsored public tours and a workshop to develop a Watershed Restoration
Action Plan. During those sessions, residents identified the basin’s water
resources, determined watershed threats and defined opportunities for
restoration. A watershed protection plan was completed for Melvern Lake’s
223,360-acre watershed. A Hillsdale Watershed Resource Plan, for the
92,000-acre watershed, has also been completed.
Identified impairments in the basin’s streams include:
dissolved oxygen, nutrient loading and fecal coliform bacteria. Low
dissolved oxygen levels typically coincide with an abundance of algae and
are associated with heavy organic matter and nutrients. Sources of fecal
coliform bacteria found in the streams are human and warm-blooded animal
waste. The impairments in the basin’s lakes include eutrophication,
excessive biomass and sediment.
Ryan D. Neises
Watershed Forester
Ottawa, KS 66067
Phone: 785-242-2073
Fax: 785-242-5568
Landowners Reap Benefits of Initiative
Since the Marais des Cygnes (MDC ) Riparian Forestry
Initiative began in December 2003, landowners, with the assistance from the MDC
Watershed Forester Ryan Neises, installed more than 1,220 acres of Best
Management Practices (BMPs) along 158,607 linear feet of streams. BMPs include
timber stand improvement, Maintenance and tree plantings.
Through one-on-one site visits with landowners, the watershed
forester met with more than 222 landowners. Neises also provides the required
maintenance needed to ensure a better survival rate of BMPs installed.
Initiative interest continues to grow. During the fourth year
of the program alone, the same number of acres were restored, improved or
planted as the combined number of the first three years of the Initiative.
The MDC Riparian Forestry Initiative will continue to
increase its focus on high priority areas like the Hillsdale Watershed. For more
information about the Initiative, cost-share assistance or to schedule a site
visit, contact Ryan Neises at (785) 242-2073.
Event and Initiative Promotion:
Lake
Region Resource Conservation and Development:
http://www.lakeregionrcd.org
Kansas Forest Service:
http://www.kansasforests.org/
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