Newsletter
Issue 44
December
2013
From SAKW, Best Wishes for a Prosperous New Year
What is in this issue?
SAKW 2014 Board of Directors
Message from the Executive Director
SAKW 2014 Annual Meeting News Article
SAKW 2014 Annual Meeting Program
KDA/DOC Dam Cost Share Policy
Sec. Rodman Retirement and New Sec. McClasky Appointment
KACD 2013 Annual Conference
Governor's 2013 Water Conference
2014 SAKW Membership Listing
ASDSO Poster Award Letter
Events to Consider
2014 SAKW Board of Directors
Barb Oltjen-President
PO Box 216
Robinson, KS 66532
785-544-6821 Home
785-544-6686 Work
785-741-0162 Cell
wrws@rainbowtel.net
John Cowley-Vice President
1076 River Road
Eureka, KS 67045
620-583-7251
pcowley67@yahoo.com
Ron Pfenninger-Secretary
3040 X Road
Nekoma, KS 67559
620-527-4456
pfenning@gbta.net
James Bradley-Director
13840 Highway 99
Westmoreland, KS 66549
785-457-3579
jbrad723@bluevalley.net
Gary Regehr-Director
548 3rd Avenue
Inman, KS 67546
620-585-2471
cloverdalefarms@ourtownusa.net
Marisa M. Johnson
Executive Secretary
1509 Canterbury Drive
Hays, KS 67601
785-650-0517
callmj4mk@yahoo.com
Robert Glanville-Director
2182 a 200th Road
Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845
620-273-8405
Lynn Wobker-Treasurer
38090 W. 323rd Street
Osawatomie, KS 66064-9624
913-294-2988 Home
785-448-3642 Work
90watershed.lw@gmail.com
Jeremiah Hobbs - Director
300 West Hwy 4
P.O. Box 207
LaCrosse, KS 67548
785-222-2812 Work
785-222-6180 Work Cell
620-560-7050 personal cell
wetwalnutjhobbs@gbta.net
Bob Love-Director
1676 Express Rd.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
620-547-2596
clove@ckt.net
Herbert R. Graves Jr.
Executive Director
2830 Rain Road
Chapman, KS 67431
785-922-6664
785-263-6033 Cell
785-922-6080 Fax
sakwwatersheds@sbcglobal.net
Message from the Executive Director
Another year ready for the history books. I guess overall it has been a pretty good year, but still a
long way from what one would consider as perfect. Many challenges lie ahead.
Kind of lost count, but what year do you attach to the debated Farm Bill? 2012, 2013, 2014, or
maybe it will be the 2015 version. Any account it just needs to get the attention it deserves and a
passage that is laughingly overdue.
Another challenge that is receiving allot of attention in Kansas at least is this state's future water
resource needs. Drought like conditions of recent years seem to go hand in hand with everyone
debating how best to preserve the Ogallala and at the same time how best to restore capacity to
federal reservoirs. Both initiatives are extremely important with far reaching impacts on economic
and humanistic well being.
Not wishing it on anyone, but we are nearing the historic 20-25 year cycle for major flood events.
Wonder if the next flooding event will address how regulations intended to protect the environment
has also lead to the near shutdown of the very program created to minimize flood impacts.
Environmentalists will claim flooding is a natural occurring phenomena and we all should just stick
our heads in the sand until the water recedes. I predict the return of 1951 level floods will result in
renewed flood control efforts with a real train wreck brewing with current environmental controls.
This prediction kind of relates to the following paragraph.
Near and dear to each and every watershed district with new dam construction aspirations is the
debate over conservation easements needed to mitigate stream, woodland and wetland impacts.
One more effort is underway to present some basic questions to the Corps. I am referring to a series
of teleconferences whereby differing agencies, legislators, and agriculture impacted organizations
desire to communicate directly with the Corps. Questions like: Why was it necessary to go to third
party conservation easements in Kansas?; If a watershed dam has a finite life, then why would not
a conservation easement term of "dam life" not result in the same long term management of the
conservation easement as one extended to perpetuity?; and Do all Corps districts use the same set
of mitigation rules? Might also be an opportunity to ask once more about the KWO proposal
submitted to the Corps over a year ago for consideration of some revisions to the Kansas Stream
Mitigation Guide.
That last issue has completely stymied our efforts to work with the KWO to consider watershed
dam project benefits as mitigation credits. We agreed with the KWO presenting another KSMG
revision proposal dealing with benefit credits before hearing back from the Corps on the latest
proposal would just complicate the reply process. We need the assistance of the KWO to provide
leadership and guidance for such an effort.
Hope everyone that attended one of the O&M workshops came away with a bit more knowledge
and feeling of time well spent. Even though NRCS was not able to participate in person due to the
government shutdown, much of what was presented was NRCS material. NRCS prepared handout
materials, as-built drawings, and power point presentations, allowed others to make substitute
presentations. NRCS was missed, but rumors have it that NRCS plans to work with SAKW and
KDA on additional workshops.
Before I forget, best wishes for the New Year and keep up the faith that conservation efforts are
worth the efforts.
Here is the news article sent to several news papers for publication.
SAKW to Hold 63nd Annual Meeting in Topeka
“Watershed Districts-What Lies Ahead?" is the theme for the 63rd Annual Meeting of the
State Association of Kansas Watersheds (SAKW). This year's meeting is to be held in the
Topeka Ramada West on January 21-22, 2014. Barb Oltjen, President of the State
Association of Kansas Watersheds from Robinson will preside over the meeting that will
bring together representatives of the 85 watershed districts in Kansas, many state and
federal agencies, organizations, and individuals.
By sticking with the theme of the meeting, watershed districts will hear all sides of the
challenges facing them. Watershed districts must comply with environmental mandates as
established by the Clean Water Act administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Mitigation of impacts to the waters of the US can be handled through local means or
through recognized mitigation agents.
The annual meeting will kick off by having Jim Michael, CEO, Sunflower Land Trust give
the key note address titled "Third Party Conservation Easements, Manage for Success”.
Third party conservation easements strive to assure mitigation is successful in offsetting
impacts to the environment.
Besides the keynote address, a presentation entitled "Mitigation Management for
Compliance" will be presented by Tom Schumann, Kansas State Program Manager, US
Army Corps of Engineers that will look at how mitigation plans must be monitored for the
long term for best results.
Reports from several agencies (Kansas Water Office, KDA Division of Conservation,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, and KDA Division of Water Resources, will also
be heard. The final session for the afternoon will be a legislative update by State
Representative Tom Moxley and State Senator Forrest Knox.
The evening session of the first day's activities will be the annual Legislative Banquet where
watershed districts can dine and converse with legislators as they begin their challenging
task of creating policy to guide Kansas through the next fiscal year.
Day two of the annual meeting will begin by hearing from Marlin Petermann, Nebraska
Association of Resource Districts of Omaha, NE on the topic of “Making Environmental
Challenges Work for You". This will relate to working with the Omaha District of the US
Corps of Engineers. As second presentation of morning session will hear from Frank
Austenfeld, Executive Director, Watershed Institute, Inc. covering an alternative to local
mitigation.
Information on annual meeting registration, motel reservations, resolutions listings, and
the meeting agenda can be found on the SAKW website at www.sakw.org. Additional
questions about the annual meeting can be directed to Herbert R. Graves Jr., SAKW
Executive Director, Phone: 785-922-6664, Fax: 785-922-6080 or by e-mail at
sakwwatersheds@sbcglobal.net.
Take a look at this year's program!
SAKW 63nd Annual Meeting.
January 21-22, 2014
PROGRAM
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. -----------Registration
9:00 a.m. --------------------------Call to Order – Salon C
9:05 a.m. ------------------------- (Door Prize Drawing)
9:10 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. ---------- Keynote Address-Salon C
"Third Party Conservation Easements,
Manage for Success"Jim Michael, CEO, Sunflower
Land Trust, Wichita, KS
9:45 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. ------- Salon C
"KWO Update"
“Kansas Water Needs, A Look to the Future"
Tracy Streeter, KWO Director
10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. ------ Salon C
"KDA/DOC Update"
Greg Foley, KDA/DOC Executive Director
10:30 a.m. - 10:45a.m. ------Break-Salon C
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ------ Salon C
"Horsethief Reservoir, More Than Floodcontrol,
Josh Hobbs, Horse Thief Manager
12:15 p.m. -------------------- (Door Prize Drawing)
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ------- Lunch on your own
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. --------- Business Meeting– Salon C
Minutes, Treas. Report, Resolutions, Comm. Reports,
Nom., Election, Old & New Business
2:30 p.m. – 2:55 p.m. ---------- Break-Salon C
(Door Prize Drawing)
2:55 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. ----------Salon C
"NRCS Update"
Eric Banks, NRCS State Conservationist
3:20 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. -------Salon C
"Legislated Regulation Changes",
Chad Voigt, DWR
3:40 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. ---------- Salon C
"Mitigation Management for Compliance",
Tom Schumann, Kansas State Program
Manager, US Army Corps of Engineers Corps
4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ----------Salon C
“Kansas Legislative Updates”
House- Tom Moxley, Senate- Forrest Knox
Legislative Banquet
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ----------Social Hour – Salon A/B
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ----------Invocation, meal
8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. ----------“Challenges and Opportunities”,
Herb Graves, SAKW Executive Director
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
8:00 a.m. -------------------------Early Bird Door Prize Drawing – Salon B
8:05 a.m. ------------------------Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. ----------Keynote Speaker-Salon B
"Making Environmental Challenges Work for
You", Marlin Petermann, Nebraska
Association of Resource Districts, Omaha, NE
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ---------Salon C
"Mitigation Options”,
Frank Austenfeld, Executive Director,
Watershed Institute, Inc.
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. -------Break-Salon C
(Door Prize Drawing)
10:15a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – ------Salon C
"KDA/DWR Update"
Dave Barfield, KDA/DWR Chief Engineer
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. -------Salon C
"O & M Workshops in Review", DWR, DOC,
NRCS and SAKW
11:45 p.m. - ----------------------Wrap-Up and Adjourn
KDA/DOC has adopted the following policy relating to continued cost-share assistance for
all watershed dam projects. SAKW supports this policy that will maintain sound technical
input to the design and construction of all watershed district dams.
Watershed Dam Construction Cost-Share Assistance
In light of the changes in the Streams Obstructions Act (implementation of House Bill
2363) the Division of Conservation is adopting the following policy for Watershed Districts
seeking cost-share assistance for the construction, rehabilitation or inundation mapping for
flood control structures.
A flood control structure that will not be jurisdictional (no DWR dam safety permit will be
required), will be eligible for state cost-share assistance if the structure meets the following:
 As proposed in the General Plan or subsequent amendments (location, hazard and
class),
 Detention storage computation should be:
1. Low Hazard, Flood Control 4% chance
2. High or Significant Hazard, Flood Control 2% chance
 Permanent pool capable of storing the 50 yr. sediment load.
 Drawdown pipe should evacuate 90% of the volume of the permanent pool in 14 or
fewer days.
 Principal spillway pipe should evacuate 95% of the of the detention storage in 14 or
fewer days.
The funding priority ranking of structures shall include:
 Structure designed with sound engineering principles and practices by a Kansas
Licensed Professional Engineer.
 Water Right Permit if the sediment pool storage is greater than 15 ac-ft.
 404-permit or a Non-Jurisdictional Determination.
 Breach Inundation Map.
Prior to funding approval, the District must certify to the Division of Conservation that the
structure will be constructed under the supervision of a Kansas Licensed Professional
Engineer.
A certificate of completion signed by a Kansas Licensed Professional Engineer will be
required prior to final payment reimbursement.
SAKW wishes the best for Dale Rodman as he enters into retirement once more. We also
wish the best for Jackie McClaskey as she takes the reins of the Kansas Department of
Agriculture. We look forward to working with Jackie and all our KDA partners.
Rodman to step down as Kansas agriculture secretary
Agency's deputy to assume top spot in state department
Gov. Sam Brownback decided to promote Monday the deputy secretary of the Kansas
Department of Agriculture to replace the outgoing secretary.
Jackie McClaskey, who has worked for the state's agriculture department since 2011, will
replaced Secretary Dale Rodman on Dec. 10.
"Jackie has been a wonderful asset," Brownback said. "Her extensive broad-based
experience, along with her hard work ethic makes me confident she will do an outstanding
job."
Rodman, a former Cargill executive, has been Brownback's agriculture secretary since the
beginning of the governor's administration nearly three years ago.
In July, Rodman was elected to be chairman of the Kansas Bioscience Authority's board of
directors. He will remain in that position.
"I am grateful for his service to Kansas and to my administration," the Republican
governor said. "Dale’s personal commitment to Kansas agriculture and extensive
knowledge of agribusiness has helped grow our agricultural economy."
Rodman was the governor's point man in two unsuccessful policy objectives. He led a
charge to repeal limits ion corporate farming in Kansas, but the 2013 Legislature declined
to endorse the move. He also was a key player in a strategy to seek federal reform of
immigration policy to grant states more flexibility to fill hard-to-fill positions in
agriculture.
McClaskey, of Manhattan, grew up on a small family farm in Girard, Kan. She started as
an assistant secretary of agriculture, but was appointed the agency's deputy secretary in
July.
Before joining the agriculture department McClaskey was an assistant dean in the College
of Agriculture at Kansas State University.
Another outstanding KACD Convention, Pat Lehman and the entire KACD Board of
Directors are commended for efforts. Many challenges confront KACD and the
Conservation Districts of Kansas from budget cuts to conservation programs to sustaining
aid to conservation districts from local county commissions.
The main focus of this year's conference was to focus on where Kansas needs to be 50 years
from now. Federal reservoir water storage restoration to the preservation of the high plains
Ogallala aquifer will be the key components of water resource planning efforts for the
foreseeable future.
THE SAKW BOARD OF DIRECTORS WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A BIG THANKS TO
THE FOLLOWING THAT HAVE RENEWED THEIR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2014
WATERSHEDS DISTRICTS:
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS:
ALLEN CREEK WS. DIST. # 89
BEE CREEK WS. DIST. # 15
CEDAR CREEK WS. DIST. # 97
CHERRY-PUM CREEK WS # 17
CROSS CREEK WS. DIST. # 42
DEER CREEK WS DIST. # 55
DOYLE CREEK WS. DIST. # 86
DRY CREEK WS. JT. DIST. # 57
DUCK CREEK WS. JT. DIST. # 59
GRANT-SHANGHAI WS. # 14
LAKIN WS. DIST. # 49
LITTLE DELAWARE MISSION CREEK WS. # 5
LYONS CREEK WS # 41
MARMATON WS. JT. DIST. # 102
MILL CREEK WS. DIST. # 85
PAWNEE WS. DIST. # 81
POTTAWATOMIE CREEK WS. DIST. # 90
ROCK CREEK WS. DIST. # 45
SALT CREEK WS. DIST. # 46
SALT CREEK WS. DIST. # 104
SAND CREEK WS. DIST. # 68
SPRING CREEK WS. DIST. # 16
SWITZLER CREEK WS. DIST. # 63
TURKEY CREEK WS. DIST. # 32
TURKEY CREEK WS. DIST. # 103
TWIN CANEY WS. DIST. # 34
UPPER BLACK VERMILLION WS. DIST. # 37
UPPER LITTLE ARKANSAS RIVER WS. DIST. # 95
UPPER MARAIS DES CYGNES WS. DIST. # 101
UPPER VERDIGRIS WS. DIST. # 24
UPPER WALNUT WS. DIST. # 33
VERMILLION CREEK WS. DIST. # 70
WAKARUSA WS. DIST. # 35
WALNUT CREEK WS. DIST. # 1
WALNUT-WEST CREEKS WS. # 72
WET WALNUT CREEK WS. # 58
WHITEWATER RIVER WS # 22
WOLF RIVER W.S. JT. DIST. # 66
BRUCE ALGRIM
KEITH BRACK
TOM COWAN
TONY DUEVER
WELDON EPP
SHARON FRAZIER
LARRY FRUSHER
TIM GIBBS
KEITH GREINER
BILL HAMM
BRIT HAYES
JEREMIAH HOBBS
JOSH HOBBS
NICHOLAS JEFFERSON
VERN KOCH
LORI KUYKENDALL
MALM CONST. CO. INC
BARB OLTJEN
RON PFENNINGER
TERESA CHRISLER REIMER
JERALD ROBINSON
JIM RYAN
MARK SAUERWEIN
GERALD SCHLERETH
EMIL SCHMIDT
LARRY SCHMIDT
ARLYSS SCHROEDER
DOROTHY STAGNER
ED STAHL
JOHN UNRUH
DAN WEHKAMP
DON WITTE
LYNN WOBKER
DUSTY WOODS
AFFILIATE MEMBERS
COMPANIES
EBERT CONSTRUCTION CO., INC
KLA ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
AFFILIATE MEMBERS
CONSERVATIONS DIST:
ANDERSON COUNTY
ATCHISON COUNTY
BARTON COUNTY
BOURBON COUNTY
BROWN COUNTY
COWLEY COUNTY
CRAWFORD COUNTY
DICKINSON COUNTY
FINNEY COUNTY
GEARY COUNTY
HARVEY COUNTY
JEFFERSON COUNTY
LANE COUNTY
LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
LINCOLN COUNTY
MARSHALL COUNTY
MCPHERSON COUNTY
NESS COUNTY
RENO COUNTY
RICE COUNTY
SEDGWICK COUNTY
WASHINGTON COUNTY
WILSON COUNTY
Recently heard a historic presentation on how Turkey Creek WJD No. 32 came to be.
Included was the all so familiar alternative option to federal reservoirs. Not one but three
planned Corps reservoirs affecting much of Dickinson County spear headed to initiative for
a locally lead watershed district for Turkey Creek. This 1964 letter to the patrons of the
district encouraging attendance at an upcoming annual meeting still has merit for all
districts to consider.
This is the revised listing for KDA/DOC funding of rehabilitation projects requested for
FY 2014
Events to Consider
SAKW Annual Meeting, January 21-22, 2014, Topeka
No-Till on the Plains Winter Conference, January 28-29, 2014, Salina
KWA Meeting, January 29-30, 2014, Topeka
DWR Dam Safety Conference, February 13, 2014, Lawrence
SCC Area 1 Spring Workshop, March 11, 2014, Hays
SCC Area 2 Spring Workshop, March 12, 2014, Garden City
SCC Area 3 Spring Workshop, March 13, 2014, Salina
SCC Area 4 Spring Workshop, March 4, 2014, Topeka
SCC Area 5 Spring Workshop, March 5, 2014, Fredonia
Please join us for the 63rd SAKW Annual Meeting, January 21-22, 2014, in Topeka. Go to
our website at www.sakw.org for motel and meeting registration information.