Released: January 22, 2004

Focus is on Water Protection At Feb. 4 Fall River Workshop

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The topic of the day will be water – its quality and problems detracting from it – at the Fall River Watershed Protection Workshop Wed., Feb. 4, 2004 at the Eureka Community Building in Eureka, Kan.

The workshop, which begins at 5 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m., will provide information about the watershed – its importance to residents and wildlife in the area and strategies for farmers and homeowners that may guide future water quality efforts, said Robert Wilson, environmental planner with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Located in Greenwood and Wilson counties in southeast Kansas, the Fall River Watershed is the drainage basin for the Fall River and its tributaries. In addition to supporting aquatic life and recreational activities, the watershed is an important source of drinking water for area residents, Wilson said.

“There are 13 public water supplies in the watershed, many of which draw water from the Fall River and its alluvium (groundwater adjacent to rivers and streams).

While most of the surface water resources in the watershed support their designated uses, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has said that nearly 25 percent of the stream and river segments that are monitored by KDHE have consistently experienced poor water quality and require the establishment of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).

A TMDL is the maximum amount of pollution that a surface water body can receive and still meet predetermined water quality standards, Wilson said.

K-State Research and Extension, the Flint Hills Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Greenwood County Conservation District, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Fall River Watershed District will sponsor the program.

Complementary refreshments and dinner will be provided to all participants.

Funding will be provided by the KDHE’s Watershed Management Section.

Pre-registration is required to attend the workshop. Interested persons may register by calling the Greenwood County Extension office at 620-583-7455 by Jan. 30.

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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.

Story by:
Mary Lou Peter, News Coordinator
mlpeter@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News