Minson Named Smoky Hill Watershed Specialist 1/13/04

HAYS, Kan. – Former Trego County Extension Director Stacie Minson has been named the watershed specialist for a four-county area in northwest and north central Kansas.

Minson was hired as the specialist for the Smoky Hill Watershed, which spans from Cedar Bluff Lake in Trego County to Kanopolis Lake in Ellsworth County, and including areas in Ellis and Russell counties.

Minson worked in the Trego County Extension office as an agricultural agent and county director from 1996 to 2003. She took over as the Smoky Hill watershed specialist on Nov. 3.

Facts about Kansas’ Watersheds, Specialists

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The work of the seven watershed specialists in Kansas impacts the lives of the state’s residents, many of whom may not realize that wherever they live, work or play, they are in a watershed.

By definition, a watershed is any area of land that catches rain and snow, which then drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater.

Many watersheds include several counties, or even cross state borders. Some are millions of square miles, and others are just a few acres. And, because watersheds often drain into other areas, one watershed can be part of a larger watershed.

According to a map from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, all or parts of 79 watersheds make up the state of Kansas.

While much of their job includes helping farmers establish best management practices to protect water resources on their land, watershed specialists also work with urban residents to improve practices in the city, such as reducing the runoff of oil from service stations or fertilizer from home lawns.

Born in Norton, Kan., Minson earned an associate’s degree from Colby Community College, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture with a major in animal science from Kansas State University.

Among other duties, Minson’s job includes encouraging safe management practices along miles of rivers and streams, and working with Kansans to maintain water that is safe for drinking, fishing, recreation and other uses.

“One of my challenges is education; bringing residents in the watershed up to speed on issues that affect their water,” Minson said. “Things can change so fast, and people in the community are busy living their lives and taking care of their families.

“I don’t think that most people think about water quality issues. They tend to think that someone else takes care of it for them. Education is the key. It’s everyone’s responsibility to protect our water.”

Minson already is involved in the Smoky Hill River task force and its plan to restore and protect local waterways. The group is planning a driving tour of nine counties to identify areas of concern, then will host meetings to inform residents of local water issues.

“One of the things that I’d like to focus on is community development,” Minson said. “I want to involve people that live in town. Aside from water quality in their towns, many of those people also have family or friends that farm or are involved in agriculture.”

Kansas’ watershed specialists are hired by Kansas State University with support from 16 industry groups, including the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment and the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment.

Currently, there are seven watershed specialists throughout Kansas. The positions were originally created in 2000 through former Kansas Governor Graves’ Water Quality Initiative.

Minson’s office is located at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Service Center in Hays. She can be reached by calling 785-628-3081 (ext. 334), or by sending email to sedgett@oznet.ksu.edu.

More information on Kansas’ watershed specialists is available at local Extension offices in Kansas, or call the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment at 785-532-7419.

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.