Chasing the Channel- Blog No. 34

2025, Legislature, and Forward Progress

Friends…welcome to 2025 at Friends of the Kaw.  The end of the year marked great progress in our work for the Kansas River, thanks to you!  We successfully helped people discover the Kansas River while providing educational and outdoor experiences.  It was a successful year and we are proud of our accomplishments that included 31 river and cleanup trips with 4,581 volunteer hours, 15 restoration events with 305 volunteer hours, 106 water quality education classes to 2,523 students, 17 media opportunities, 10 events to 10,313 people, and 30 presentations to 2,630 people….whew!  All of this with four full time staff, thirteen board members, 705 volunteers, and YOU!  Thank you for the gift of your time, membership, and donations that make all this work possible for the Kansas River. She deserves our efforts!

I spent my time as Chair of the Kansas Water Authority (KWA) in 2024 working towards an implementation framework for the Kansas Water Plan.  Together with the water related agencies, Kansas Water Authority, Regional Advisory Committees and YOU, we showed up for public meetings and shared our perspective about how water touches our everyday lives.  I am proud to share that the KWA’s final report was delivered to Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Legislature in January.  You can read the final report here.

The Kansas Water Authority also completed our statutory requirement to complete the Annual Report and it was also delivered to Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Legislature in January.  I also presented this report to three committees during our legislative visits.  You can read the Annual Report here.

In the KWA’s Annual Report, we made policy recommendations that include a request to increase funding to the State Water Plan.  If you support long term water funding, please reach out to your legislator, and share why it is important to you. 

I also was honored to attend the State of the State Address by Governor Laura Kelly.  We are grateful for her continued leadership on water issues, as outlined in her Address, which you can find here.

If you follow us on social media, you may have already seen that we did a river check in late December to check on the status of the illegal dump on the Kansas River with the contents of the former Docking Building.  We were very pleased to see and report that the debris had been removed.  We are thankful to the many agencies, neighbors, and FOK that advocated for the removal of this dump site. 

In late 2024, I was accepted to the newly formed Regional Advisory Board for the cleanup of the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant in De Soto, KS.  As many of you know, De Soto is my hometown where I was raised on the Kansas River.  The committee has met once and the meetings are open to the public.

Who is ready for spring?  I am not a snow fan, but I do love the moisture.  Some of my favorite parts of the winter season at FOK include planning for the coming year.  We have mapped out our entire 2025 calendar, which you can find here, so start planning how to make 2025 your RIVER YEAR!

Just yesterday, I loaded all our Beginner Wednesday Paddle events as well as one Beginner Camping event.  Signups are open, so get your reservation and reserve your spot here!

We have six big cleanups planned this year, with four offering public opportunities to participate.  Those details and signups are coming soon, but for now you can mark your calendar by getting the dates from our calendar: https://kansasriver.org/eventcalendar/. We hope you can join us – we have some big work to do together.

We are bringing back our educational event series this year so stay tuned for more information.  Topics this year include Climate Change and the Kansas River, Water Quality in the Kansas River and more!  These fun and informative educational events are a great way to socialize and learn more about the river that we all love!

If you have ever wanted to join our Kaw River Guide Program, our workshop will be coming up in early May.  We hope you will consider joining our inclusive group of river rats that love to get dirty, pull-out tires, help me with river checks, and help the public.  Even if you can only volunteer once or twice a year, it is worth it to spend a day on the water with these river stewards and become a part of the group! 

Kim and Joey have been busy with our water quality education program.  They are working on curriculum for our online program including creating a groundwater module with the Kansas Geological Survey.  We can’t wait to share this new program with all of you when it is finished.  In the meantime, they are also getting ready for the spring season in the schools.  Joey can’t wait to get back into the classroom and along the local stream to teach students about macro-invertebrates! 

Thank you to each one of you that supports our work for the Kansas River.  We could not accomplish so much with so few staff without your support and the 700 volunteers that commit to the Kansas River every day.

Join me to slide into spring…sunny days ahead and warmer temperatures make for beautiful river days. 

May you always have sand in your shoes…

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper

Chasing the Channel- Blog No. 33

Advocacy, Beer, and Volunteers

Someone asked me the other day, “what have you been up to”?  That is a big question with a million answers and I would sum up the summer and fall of my work for Friends of the Kaw with “it has been BUSY”!

A good portion of my time this year has been spent working on the Strategic Implementation Plan for the Kansas Water Plan per Governor Kelly’s request to the Kansas Water Authority (KWA) back in January. The initial recommendations should include a large-scale, long-term investment framework around the five guiding principles of the State Water Plan before the 2025 legislative session.  I am pleased to say that we are well on our way and hope to have the plan delivered to the Governor later this year.

This is an important time for water in Kansas and I hope you will join me in talking to your friends and family about the importance of these issues. You can sign up for a virtual on-demand webinar and take a survey to record your priorities, as well as learn more on the Kansas Water Office website: https://www.kwo.ks.gov/news-events/kwa-strategic-planning

We enjoyed a beautiful summer and fall season on the Kansas River for Beginner Wednesday’s and our student educational paddle trips.  The early summer saw a great deal of rain and unpredictable river flows; however, we are right back into drought conditions in the fall.  We enjoyed taking many of you out on our beautiful river to learn more about this important natural resource in our state. Thank you for trusting us as your “go to” for all things Kansas River!

We kicked off another season of our Kids About Water classes and Joey has been busy educating the next generation about water quality.  These classes are so important to fostering an understanding of the issues that face our rivers and streams, but these classes also showcase that a career in the water field is an option that we hope students will consider. We also finished one grant and started another – all building towards an online educational platform that will make our programs more equitable.  Big congratulations to both Kim and Joey for their work on these important projects to ensure that students will be able to learn about these issues for generations to come.

The Kansas River Water Trail had a busy summer and fall also.  We were thrilled for the ribbon cutting for the kayak and canoe storage locker back in June. We are also working to finish the information kiosks at the remaining access ramps on the river trail.  We also won a grant to finish the safety kiosks.  When we are done with these two grants, we will have safety kiosks at all 19 access ramps.  These safety kiosks will include QR codes for river flows and reservoir releases, education about how sandbars form, and the free use of life jackets. We are so thrilled about bringing this important safety feature to the Kansas River Water Trail! 

We completed our project at Kaw River State Park in Topeka this year.  We are so proud of the work that we accomplished with our partners, volunteers, and YOU.  The space has a lot less invasive plant species and more native plant species. All that work means better water quality, habitat, and bank control. 

 This summer and fall we have also launched several new cleanups to reach of our goal of four major cleanups each year that include both land and river based cleanup teams.  The cleanups each year going forward are as follows:  Manhattan Little Apple Cleanup, Together Topeka Cleanup, Lawrence Earth Day Cleanup, and the One KC Cleanup.  Our calendar will be out in early 2025 with the dates, so stay tuned.

The inaugural One KC Cleanup was a huge success this year.  We had a great turnout with many partners and pulled historical trash from the Kansas River including a double axle trailer, part of an old boat, tires, and trash. 

We also hosted our annual tire cleanup earlier this month and volunteers pulled 544 tires out of the sandbars, of which 213 were taken off the river.  We will go back this winter to get the remaining tires and many more we did not get pulled out yet.  We are well on the way to our goal of having the big trash removed from the Kansas River by 2030.  If you would like to volunteer, please send an email to info@kansasriver.org.  Our annual Kaw River Guide Workshop will be next May and that is a great opportunity to learn more about that program. 

At the end of September, our team went to the Waterkeeper Alliance Conference in Milwaukee. We enjoyed learning about emerging issues, education, and ways to work for our river.  We also really enjoyed just spending time together without being pulled in different directions – team building!

My last update for this long overdue blog post is that recently we hosted our end of season Kaw River Guide camping weekend.  This is their weekend with no work to do, no tires to dig out….nothing but friendship around the campfire.  This is our very small way of thanking them for all they do to make the Kansas River healthier for all of us.  Please join me in thanking our Kaw River Guides, who give so much, and expect nothing in turn. 

As you can see from this long blog post, we have accomplished so much – and the year is not done yet.  All this great work only happens thanks to your volunteer efforts, sponsorship, support, and donations. We are hosting our biggest fundraiser of the year, Beers of the Kaw, this weekend on Sunday, November 3, 2024 from 3 to 6 pm at Abe & Jake’s Landing.  Please get your ticket and join us to raise a glass to toast this great year of work for the river!  If you cannot join us, please consider purchasing a ticket to support our work all year long:  https://tinyurl.com/yc7wn9he.  We are truly grateful for your support…without you, this work would not be possible.  These are your accomplishments!

As the season comes to an end, it is time for our fleet and staff to rest a bit for the winter.  I will still monitor the Kansas River all winter with the Kaw River Guides, but a little slower pace is needed for everyone to enjoy more time with family, enjoy winter paddling, and read a good book.

I hope to see you at Beers of the Kaw!  If you have read this far and make it to Beers, come and say hi!

May you always have sand in your shoes.

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper

Chasing the Channel- Blog No. 32

The Flint Hills are spectacular from the Kaw!

Last weekend we did a river check (looking for pollution and trash) on the upper end of the Kaw from Junction City to Manhattan. The river winds its way through the Flint Hills in a magical way.  Around most of the river bends you get a perfect view of the green rolling hills and the beauty of Kansas that most never see.  There is something about being down in the river valley and looking up in awe of Kansas…. definitely not what out of staters think of Kansas! 

 As your Kansas Riverkeeper, it is my job to patrol the entire Kansas River each year to report any findings and push to protect the river. I often get asked how many miles I paddle in a year and it is always 173, but often is it around 700 miles in a season. I love the field work – looking for pollution, trash, taking water samples, checking outflows for the color of the discharge and the temperature, and whatever else I find. If I find anything that is harmful to the river, then I report it to the appropriate agencies. 

Since I last wrote for Chasing the Channel…we have been extremely busy.  There are many good things happening at Friends of the Kaw and I am so proud of the team that we have assembled.  Back in March, we hired Joey Shondell as our Youth Outreach and Programming Coordinator.  Joey is a KU graduate and spent the last few years working with native plants, youth outreach and volunteer work days.  He has strong connections to our rivers and is a native Kansan with a passion for connecting young people to their neighborhood rivers and streams.  Along with myself, Kim, and Jane…we have a strong team to protect, advocate for and help people discover the Kansas River.

I spent the winter and spring working with Kim and Jane to plan for the future, expand our work with disadvantaged communities, increase our education around climate change and continue to finish the Kansas River Water Trail.  I have also been working with our Board of Directors to write advocacy policies that state our stance on issues that impact the Kansas River.  If you are interested in reading our advocacy policies, you can find them on our website here:  https://kansasriver.org/protect/advocacy/.  We have a strong board with deep experience related to the Kansas River, water and the environment.  You can learn more about them here:  https://kansasriver.org/about-fok/board-of-directors/

In late April, I was invited to present two lectures at the new Kansas Water Institute at Kansas State University. It was an honor to be on campus and present one lecture on water policy and the second on the Kansas River. We have been blessed by so many opportunities already this year to share our message.

My work as the Chair of the Kansas Water Authority (KWA) has been extremely busy – for a good reason!  In January, Governor Kelly tasked the KWA to work with key stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels, public and private, to develop a strategic plan, including funding, and to determine the state’s role in the next decades of water funding and management in Kansas. Governor Kelly asked the KWA to provide initial recommendations for a large-scale, long-term investment framework around the five guiding principles of the State Water Plan before the 2025 legislative session.  The recommendations should include policy changes, ways to improve state capacity and water management, measurable goals and timelines, and include input from various state and local stakeholders.

So, since January, I have been busy working with my fellow KWA members, the consultant, agencies, and the Governor’s office as part of this initiative.  It has been a very busy time, but also exciting to have a focus on water.  We have been advocating for this type of effort for a long time and I am proud to be working with Governor Kelly and the team on moving this forward. 

The cornerstone of this initiative is stakeholder outreach.  Every Kansan is a stakeholder!  We all use water and need it to survive. That is why I am asking that each of you take a moment to review what we have been working on and find a way to participate. 

So please join Friends of the Kaw and others across the State of Kansas for local consult meetings to share your thoughts and concerns for water in Kansas as part of the Kansas Water Authority Strategic Planning Process. You can learn more here: https://www.kwo.ks.gov/news-events/kwa-strategic-planning

Meetings will include facilitated discussion of goals and priorities for three of the Guiding Principles of the Kansas Water Plan related to aquifer, reservoirs, and water quality issues. RSVP here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WaterLC

You can join any meeting across the state.  If you cannot make these meetings, there will be another opportunity this fall for stakeholder participation.  We want to hear from YOU!  This is our opportunity to provide input to shape our water story for the future.  Remember that all of the issues for water in Kansas are issues for the entire state.  We must think about the state as a whole and how we can make sure that every Kansan has a secure water future.

Now on to Friends of the Kaw events…we have many Beginner Wednesday’s coming up: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/friends-of-the-kaw-17751155327.  We also have restoration work days:  https://kansasriver.org/get-involved/volunteer/riverbank-restoration-volunteer-opportunities/.  And even if you missed the Kaw River Guide Workshop, you can join at any time by contacting me.  Learn more:  https://kansasriver.org/get-involved/volunteer/kaw-river-guide/

We have also been working on a kayak storage locker idea for the Kansas River Water Trail since 2017! Our long desire to bring this to the river is coming to fruition. We partnered with Sain Works, Kansas Department of Commerce, City of Wamego and Wamego Chamber of Commerce to bring a pilot project of our kayak storage locker to the river town of Wamego! The fabrication is complete and the ribbon cutting will be Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 4:30 PM at the Wamego Access Ramp on the Kansas River. We hope you can join us to celebrate the hard work of our team, especially Sain Works for the design and fabrication, along with the help of our Kaw River Guides for installation.

Lastly, and certainly not least, we are gearing up for some major cleanups this season.  Join us for our Topeka Cleanup on June 15, Manhattan on August 27, and our new inaugural event in Kansas City….One KC Cleanup on September 7.  Follow our newsletter, social media, and website to stay up to date. Cleanup Schedule: https://kansasriver.org/cleanup-schedule/ .  If you wish to join our cleanup newsletter, please let me know and I will add you to it! We are looking for sponsors for these cleanups (they are expensive!), so if your company can participate, please reach out to Jane at jane.liebert@kansasriver.org.  We could use your help! 

I hope you can find one of these great events that work for your schedule and join us.  As always, if you are planning your own river trip and need any information or assistance (including River Angels), please reach out.  We are happy to help you discover the Kansas River.

May you always have sand in your shoes. See you on the river! 

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 31

Is 2024 Your Year to Discover the Kaw?

Let this be your year to find your outdoor adventure right here in Kansas, literally in your backyard.  We have this beautiful resource with golden braided sandbars for you to explore!  As always, let me now how I can help you discover the Kaw. 

Well…I did not get my end of year blog post done but I have a good reason.  My little 16-month-old grandson was running through the house!  I got him a toddler tower this year so that I could get him near the kitchen sink to start playing in water!  And yes, it was a big hit!  I look forward to many outdoor adventures to teach this next generation all about the beauty of our world beyond the kitchen window.

Each December, our team meets to discuss planning for the new year. In January, our Board of Directors does the same.  We set goals for the both the Board and the Staff and the fun part is seeing all that we have accomplished from the past year.  While I do enjoy the occasional look back, I am more of a “here in the moment” person.  What am I doing today to move the needle? 

On Monday, the Kansas Legislator will gavel in and the session will begin.  Expect a great deal of the water conversations to continue in both the Statehouse and with my work with the Kansas Water Authority.  I will be at Governor Kelly’s State of the State Address this week at the Statehouse to listen to her vision for the year.  I hope you will tune in to listen on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 6:30 PM.  You can stream the State of the State Address here. 

We have drafted our river calendar for 2024 and will be announcing it soon.  We are bringing back Beginner Wednesday’s, Members Events and MANY big river cleanups.  We look forward to sharing more details!

This blog post is going to be short, because I will have much more to report after the Legislative session gets started.  For now, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that donated to Friends of the Kaw for our end of year giving.  This is one of the most important times of the year for us because it helps to set the foundation for the coming year.  Your gift allows us to focus on the important work of protecting the Kansas River.  Your gift also allows your Kansas Riverkeeper to remain a non-governmental public advocate.  If you would like to give, you can send a check to P.O. Box 1612, Lawrence, KS 66044 or you can donate online. If you would like to see our Wish List for 2024, you can see it on our website.  Thank you for making our work possible!

I wish each one of you a healthy and adventurous 2024!  Will this be your year to discover the Kaw?  Let me know how we can help.  We are your oldest resource for the Kansas River!

May you always have sand in your shoes in the coming year!

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 30

Dumping, Advocacy and Some Good News!

Friends….how can it already be November?  The way that the days and months click on by leaves me wondering where summer went, and where is fall going so quickly? 

Our busy summer season ended with many public events including Beginner Wednesday’s, Beginner Camping, the signing of the water bills with Governor Kelly and a special trip on the river with Lt. Governor David Toland and his staff from the Kansas Department of Commerce.  We received great news that we have been awarded a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce to pilot our kayak storage locker design with Sain Works Architecture at the Wamego Access Ramp!  We are thrilled to finally get this project off the ground and we hope to create some videos about the project to use to fundraise to get these installed at every Kansas River Access Ramp! 

Fall is officially cleanup season at Friends of the Kaw!  The weather is cooler and our partners and volunteers do not need a hot Kansas summer to remove tires from sandbars.  We had several big cleanups including tires and trash from the area downstream of Seward Access Ramp.  This area has been on our list for a few years and we were waiting for the right conditions (a drought year) to get it done.  We also had a very successful Manhattan Battery Case Cleanup.  Until we have a big flood push on this end of the river, we have removed everything in sight!  We have done this cleanup for 6 years.  I never thought there was enough for 13 cleanup events but here we are.  We know there are likely battery cases in the channel, so we will monitor it for future cleanups…but for now, the river is clean of battery cases!

We finished many restoration work days this fall and our team removed so much honeysuckle!  We have the spring season left at Topeka, so be sure to join us to finish out that project.  We have a lot of work ahead at both Lawrence and Eudora, so we hope to see you at those sites in 2024!

Our Kids About Water classes kicked off in late August and our Youth Education Coordinator has been busy educating the next generation.  There is nothing better than taking kids stream side to learn about water quality testing and seining for macro-invertebrates!  We also just won a grant to expand our program offerings to more students in the watershed.  Stay tuned to learn more about that!

We ended our public river season with our annual Kaw River Guide weekend.  We paddled from Belvue to Topeka on the most gorgeous fall weekend we have had in a long time!  We enjoyed each other’s company, a beautiful river, changing leaves and gorgeous weather.  What a great way to end the season! 

I will monitor the river all winter with our Kaw River Guides because pollution does not take the winter off.  Speaking of pollution and dumping, have you seen the news?  Read up here on the story that we participated in about dumping into the Kansas River:  https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/docking-building-rubble-dumped-into-kansas-river/.  We walked the site and it is heartbreaking to see how much construction debris is now on the sandbar.  It will take just one big rain event to wash all that concrete rubble down the river.  It is common sense to look at it and realize that those small rubbles of concrete are not going to hold the bank.  Why is this still allowed?  I do not think we have to remind all of you, but for anyone else reading, know this:  you cannot dump into the Kansas River and get away with it.  There are too many of us now…we monitor the river for pollution, so don’t even try.  As for this site, we will continue to push for it to be cleaned up. 

As we wind down into winter plans, let me take a moment and say THANK YOU to everyone that donated to our Day of Giving.  It is because of people like you that love our river, that we can continue this work.  I always say that we know how to stretch a dollar a long way – we are the masters of it – but we also have increased expenses as the cost of everything rises.  So, thank you, for supporting our work! 

This coming Sunday, November 5, 2023 is our biggest fundraiser of the year:  Beers of the Kaw!  We use beer from the Kansas River watershed to teach people about our work.  It also happens to be a great fundraiser; however, we need your help.  The only way this is a big fundraiser is to sell out of tickets.  So even if you don’t drink beer, or you can’t join us on Sunday, or you live in another state, please consider buying a ticket to support our work:  https://bit.ly/3PseNnb  You can also bid on items from our Silent Auction because you don’t need to be present ….check out the great items that we have this  year:  https://www.32auctions.com/BOK2023.  Please give special attention to our Fund-A-Need opportunities – these are the major projects that we need help with in 2024!  THANK YOU for your continued support….we are grateful! 

We will spend the winter season planning for the coming year.  We have so many new projects coming your way and we cannot wait to share more soon.  In the meantime, we wish you a peaceful winter season ahead and may you always have sand in your shoes, even in the winter.

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 29

Spring, Summer and Kansas Water! 

Friends….it was a typical super busy spring and start to the summer at FOK.  If you follow us on social media, then you know!  Cleanups, beginner paddles, student paddle trips, restoration work days, Kids About Water classes, and my work advocating at the legislature.  We also added a couple of new members to our team – Jane Liebert, our new Director of Major Gifts & Planned Giving; and Macy Baumgartner, our new Administrative Coordinator.  These new team members have already hit the ground running and have met many of you at our events.  Macy is the new face of our membership and Jane will work with donors to help them meet their goals for the Kansas River.   We have such a bright future ahead for the Kansas River – thanks to this great team and people like YOU!

We had a very successful legislative session for water this year.  By end of April, Governor Kelly signed Senate Substitute for HB 2302, a bipartisan bill that increases funding for the State Water Plan.  The Governor also signed House Bill 2279, a bipartisan bill that requires Kansas’ five Groundwater Management Districts to submit annual reports to the Kansas Legislature with updated water conservation and stabilization plans for groundwater.  You can learn more here:  Senate Substitute for HB 2302: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2302/.  House Bill 2279: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2279/

I also took a trip to Dodge City for the Kansas Water Authority Meeting in June. Following that was the Kansas Geological Survey tour in southwest Kansas. I learned how to measure the wells of the Ogallala Aquifer, a program that is performed every January, usually in very wintry conditions!

We also were grateful to be invited to the Symphony in the Flint Hills this year as a speaker. I spoke under one of the big tents about the Kansas River and the importance of being a prairie based river. When we protect prairie, we also protect the Kansas River!

Just released this week, I joined the podcast in my role as Chair of the Kansas Water Authority. Along with Connie Owen, the Director of the Kansas Water Office, we discussed water issues in Kansas. Click below to listen to the podcast and you can learn about the State Water Plan, the role of volunteers and public outreach, and efforts to elevate water funding in the Kansas Legislature. This podcast has it all!  Listen here:  https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWP-Info/News/Flatlander-Podcast

We have many more Beginner Wednesday’s coming up, so be sure to join us for your first Kansas River paddle!  This is one of our most popular events and we love sharing what we know with you so that you can create your own river adventure.  You can see the dates and sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/friends-of-the-kaw-17751155327

We also have Beginner Camping – two more events with one in Edwardsville and one in Junction City!  https://www.eventbrite.com/o/friends-of-the-kaw-17751155327

Lastly, and very importantly, Friends of the Kaw is The Merc Co+op‘s, Change for our Community recipient for July! We are honored to be chosen and to represent our wonderful community. Every time you round up at checkout, you’re helping to protect the Kansas River! Thank you so much for your support!

We are getting ready for the fall season for both our Kids About Water (KAWS) Program and our Riverbank Restoration Program….so watch for more details coming soon.  Oh….and Beers of the Kaw is coming up Sunday, November 5, 2023 at Abe & Jake’s Landing in Lawrence!  Make sure you have the date on your calendar.  The tickets will go on sale just after Labor Day!

Thank you for supporting our work. We are truly grateful to have all of you in partnership! We hope to see you all on the Kansas River soon!

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Your Kansas Riverkeeper

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 28

Historic Legislative Bills…and fun on the river for 2023!

What a whirlwind start to 2023!  I hope that each of you have started off 2023 on a good note and that you are already making plans for spring on the Kaw!  I have so many things to update you about, so let’s get to it.

First, I would like to say what an honor it was to be invited to attend Governor Kelly’s State of the State Address at the Statehouse last month. It’s not very often that a small town farm girl gets the chance to do something like that. I soaked it all in, knowing that this is one of those rare opportunities that doesn’t come along every day. It was also wonderful to hear our Governor talk about water, how important it is to our entire state, and how her administration would make a water a priority in her second term.

I want to share with you the historic vote by the House Water Committee and the full Kansas House of Representative today in support of two water related bills.  One of the bills is House Bill 2279 and it is centered around the Ground Water Management Districts, their conservation efforts and reporting.  This bill should provide some help for the sustainment of the Ogallala Aquifer.  The second bill is House Bill 2302 which sets aside 1.231% of state sales tax revenue to support the State Water Plan, as well as provide support to municipalities.  We have been long time supporters for increasing the funds for water across our state.  We have been advocating for years for funding and are so excited to see this advancement of the funding conversation. This effort has been bi-partisan and had wide ranging support from conservation organizations, municipalities and agricultural groups.  It is great to see what we can do, when we do it together. 

We applaud the House Water Committee for their vision, the Kansas Water Authority and Regional Advisory Committees for their efforts over the years, and the water related agencies for all the great work they do in support.  You can learn more about these bills here:  http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_h_water_1/ .  The next step for these bills is the Senate, so we are not done yet!  Please write your Senator if you are in support of these water-related bills.  You can find your Kansas Senator here:  https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

You can learn more by reading this article today in the Kansas Reflector:  https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/theres-still-hope-kansas-house-advances-bills-to-help-save-ogallala-aquifer/

I also wanted to tell you today about Kansans for Conservation.   Kansas for Conservation is a coalition of diverse organizations working collaboratively to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for Kansas, focused on water, land, outdoor recreation, and environmental education resources for Kansans. Friends of the Kaw became a member of the coalition when it began in 2017, when the group of organizations gathered to address the growing need for dedicated funding aimed at conservation in Kansas. This group conducted a feasibility study in 2018, a needs assessment in 2019 and incorporated as a 501(c)4 in 2022.

Kansans for Conservation provided proponent written testimony for House Bill 2302 outlining the need for the increased funding as well as the fundamental benefits that water conservation has for all other realms of conservation, including agriculture, wildlife, and recreation.  You can read the coalition’s testimony on the website.  https://www.kansansforconservation.org.  We hope you will join us in supporting our statewide efforts to bring funding for conservation, focused on water, land, outdoor recreation, and environmental education for all Kansans. 

So, who is ready for spring on the Kaw?  We are!

To get ready for spring, we’ve got a few housekeeping things to do.  First, please make sure you have renewed your membership!  Members is due March 1 each year and is important to us for many reasons, including the financial support, your ability to get on the Kaw with us for FREE with your own boat, and to raise our voice!  We can do more, when we do it together and nothing says “together” more at FOK than membership! 

Second, join us for the 14^th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival this year on Friday, March 3, 2023 at Liberty Hall in downtown Lawrence.  We are thrilled to bring this event back year after year, so we can all gather and get inspired by these films.  If you can’t join us on March 3, please go ahead and buy a ticket through Liberty Hall and then you can watch the films “on demand” for the few days after the event.  We so very much appreciate your support for this event!

And…. we are getting river ready my friends.  We have finished our calendar, although we will not open our events until we are about 6 weeks out.  But mark your calendar for all of the great fun ahead including Beginner Wednesdays, Beginner Camping on the Kaw, and more! 

Our annual Kaw River Guide Workshop is Sunday, May 7, 2023.  If you have ever thought that this might be fun, come and join us.  You just need your own boat and life jacket and an attitude to volunteer!  We welcome everyone and hope you can join us for some fun this year helping others learn about kayaking the Kaw or helping us dig tires and debris out of our river!  No matter what, we have fun even if it’s hard work!  You can RSVP for the workshop here:  https://forms.gle/TuZic2RJws9zkzFH9

Well, I hope that all of you have a great remainder of the winter season. If you know me, you know that I very much dislike winter, so I can’t wait for the spring days to stay.  I look forward to seeing you all on the Kansas River this year.  If you need help planning your trip, please reach out and I would be happy to help.  You can also find a ton of information on our River Access Map.

Happy Paddling….and may you always have sand in your shoes.

For the river
Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper