What is WRAPS?                                    brochure     brochure 2

WRAPS stands for Watershed Restoration And Protection Strategies; and according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment a WRAPS is a planning and framework intended to engage stakeholders in a process to: identify watershed restoration and protection needs, establish management goals, create a cost effective action plan to achieve goals, and finally to implement the action plan.  WRAPS efforts are needed to address a variety of water resource concerns, including water quality, public water supply reservoir protection, flooding issues, and wetland and riparian habitat protection and restoration statewide.  For more information on WRAPS and WRAPS projects across the state of Kansas log onto: www.KSWRAPS.org

 

How is WRAPS at work in the Marais des Cygnes basin?

Herschel George, Watershed Specialist for the MdC Basin and Keri Harris, District Manager for the Franklin County Conservation District began working together in the spring of 2005 on a grant proposal to obtain $200,000 in EPA section 319 grant funds through KDHE for use as Watershed Restoration And Protection Strategy implementation funding to address water quality issues in the Marais des Cygnes Basin.  Herschel and Keri have taken on this project which has been labeled “MdC WRAPS Grant: Livestock Projects” and they will continue to act as the project coordinators as the grant is implemented across the basin.

Grant dollars are available to producers within the MdC Basin, which spans 13 counties in eastern Kansas. The funds will be used as cost share assistance dollars for various water quality improvement projects directly related to livestock production.  Projects with best management practices that include relocation of feeding sites; waste collection, treatment and application; alternative water supplies; sediment basins; grass buffer areas; riparian fencing; spring development; along with others that will create a water quality benefit may be considered for funding.  Producers who are interested in applying for funds through the MdC WRAPS Grant: Livestock Projects may contact their local conservation district or county extension agent to complete a project proposal that will be submitted to the MdC WRAPS Grant Livestock Projects Ranking Committee for review and possible approval.  The grant utilizes a committee of members representing local Conservation Districts, Lake Region RC&D council and K-State Research and Extension to review applications on a monthly basis. 

First year funds were received in July 2006.  At the conclusion of our first year the committee has approved $138,097.21 in cost share to assist with 39 projects.  Applications for projects have included improvements to confined and non-confined feeding facilities; livestock stream crossing; alternate water supply projects which include cross fencing, pond fencing and solar pumping systems.  Projects have been approved in Osage, Franklin, Miami, Coffey, Anderson, Linn and Bourbon Counties. 

KDHE approved $53,000 for the MdC WRAPS Grant: Livestock Project to continue implementing projects in 2008.       

                             

Map outlining the Marais des Cygnes Basin in eastern Kansas

 

Marais des Cygnes WRAPS Livestock Projects Grant Committee

Aaron Dunbar, Franklin County

Bob Love, Bourbon County

Johncie Heise, Osage County

Larry Kinder, Linn County

Ona May Hunt, Anderson County

Vernon Bartlett, Miami County

 

Project Coordinator: Keri Harris

Marais des Cygnes Watershed Specialist: Herschel George

 

    Photo Gallery and Project Descriptions

Sunrise Dairy Field Day Photos of Solar Water Pumping System for Livestock

 

Do you have a water quality project at your livestock operation you are interested in applying for cost share assistance on?  Download an application form for the MdC WRAPS: Livestock Projects Grant. 

For more information on the Marais des Cygnes WRAPS Livestock Projects Grant email wraps@fccdks.org or contact  one of the following partnering agencies:

Allen County Conservation District 620-635-2901 Kelli Kramer, District Manager

 Allen County K-State Research & Extension 620-365-2242 Kathy McEwan, County Coordinator

Anderson County Conservation District 785-448-6323 Debbie Davis, District Manger

Anderson County K-State Research & Extension 785-448-6826 Shannon Blocker, Agriculture Agent

Bourbon County Conservation District 620-223-3170 Cheryl Bennett, District Manager

Bourbon County K-State Research & Extension 620-223-3720 Delta George, Agriculture Agent

 Coffey County Conservation District 620-364-2182 Kisti Vogts, District Manager

Coffey County K-State Research & Extension 620-364-5313 Cade Rensink, Agriculture Agent

Crawford County Conservation District 620-724-8231 Diana Hartog, District Manager

Crawford County K-State Research & Extension 620-724-8233 Dean Stites, Agriculture Agent

 Douglas County Conservation District 785-843-4260 SanDe Fishburn, District Manager

 Douglas County K-State Research & Extension 785-843-7058 Bill Wood, Agriculture Agent

 Franklin County Conservation District 785-242-1109 Keri Harris, District Manager

Franklin County K-State Research & Extension 785-229-3520 Darren Hibdon, County Director

 Johnson County Conservation District 913-764-1931 Gayla Speer, District Manager

Johnson County K-State Research & Extension  913-764-6300 Dan Lekie, Agriculture Agent

 Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment 785-532-7419 Dr. William Hargrove, Director

KDHE Bureau of Water, Municipal Programs Section 785-296-5537 Rance Walker

 KDHE Livestock Waste Management Section NE District 785-842-4600

KDHE Livestock Waste Management Section SE District 620-431-2390

 Kansas State Research & Extension Watershed Specialist Herschel George 785-229-3520 / 913-294-6021

Lake Region Resource Conservation & Development 785-242-2073 Rick Porter, Coordinator

 Linn County Conservation District 913-795-2317 Karen Tuggle, District Manager

Linn County K-State Research & Extension 913-795-2829 County Agent

 Lyon County Conservation District 620-343-2813 Debbe Schopper, District Manager

Lyon County K-State Research & Extension 620-341-3220 Brian Rees, Agriculture Agent

Melvern Lake Watershed Water Quality Project 785-640-2645 Paul Ingle, Project Coordinator

 Miami County Conservation District 913-294-3451 Jenny Jasper, District Manager

 Miami County K-State Research & Extension 913-294-4306  Mark Flory, County Agent

Osage County Conservation District 785-828-3458 Lori Kuykendall, District Manager

Osage County K-State Research & Extension 785-828-4438 Rod Schaub, Agriculture Agent

 Wabaunsee County Conservation District 785-765-3836 Roxann Maike, District Manager

Wabaunsee County K-State Research & Extension785-765-3821 Matt Pfeifer, County Director

 Natural Resources Conservation Service - Located in all 13 basin counties