-Benjamin Franklin Greetings! I’m Derek Haines, the current Watershed Coordinator for Toronto and Fall River reservoirs. I wanted to introduce myself and my organization to inform you about resources available to everyone within the Toronto and Fall River watersheds.
I work for KAWS, short for Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams. KAWS is a nonprofit group who partnered with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to help implement their Watershed Restoration And Protection Strategy, better known as WRAPS. The WRAPS program offers outreach, education and cost-share opportunities targeting livestock and row-crop practices impacting water quality. That dense mouthful of an intro boils down to this: I’m here to help improve, maintain and protect the water in Toronto and Fall River reservoirs as well as the streams and rivers that flow into them.
It sounds like an ambitious goal because it is. Just as a journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step, the process to reach that goal starts with every producer and landowner in the watershed. Whether the concern is nutrient runoff, soil erosion, water sources for livestock, soil health or grazing and forage concerns,Watershed Coordinators have the freedom to work with individuals one on one in order to meet them where they are in their operation and develop a plan based on their specific needs. By working closely with landowners the Coordinator can provide advice through experts and specialists from various local, state, federal and university agencies. This helps the landowner find the best way to positively impact the health of their watershed while improving the capabilities of their operation.
I would be remiss not to include some examples of the types of projects already in place in the Toronto and Fall River watersheds.They include: Development of alternative water sources for livestock, Riparian area fencing , Paddock grazing, Native grass planting, Gully erosion control, Cover-crops and Soil Samples.
If you’ve stuck with me this far I thank you for your time. For more information please reach out through the information provided or contact your local conservation district, watershed or extension office. Find us on Facebook at Toronto- Fall River WRAPS. [email protected] 785-2191855,.WRAPS is funded by Section 319 of the Water Plan Fund.
