Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 32

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! 

Kansas River through the Flint Hills, just past Ogden.

 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. 

Kansas River and the Flint Hills.

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.

Joey Shondell, Youth Outreach & Programming Coordinator for Friends of the Kaw

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.

Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper and Executive Director, and Susan Metgzer, Director of the Kansas Water Institute.

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. 

Kansas Water Authority Meeting in January 2024 in Topeka.

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.

Camping on the Kaw to watch the aurora lights on the Kansas River. Photo by Jane Liebert.

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.

Kayak Storage Locker Design. Image by Sain Works.

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! 

Evening fire with Kaw River Guides during a river check in the Flint Hills.

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

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. 

The Kansas River through the Flint Hills.

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? 

Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper, meeting Governor Kelly in celebration of the Clean Water Act.

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!

Jane, Kim and Dawn planning for the future.

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

2024 WISH LIST

FOK Board Member Lisa Grossman, digging a discarded tire out of the Kansas River.

2024 WISH LIST

Dear Friend of the Kaw,

As another year draws to a close, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and commitment to Friends of the Kaw.

Friends of the Kaw achieved remarkable milestones in our mission to protect, preserve, and advocate for the Kansas River… none of this would be possible without your support.

In the past year alone, your contributions enabled us to: 

  • Remove tires, battery cases, trash, etc.
  • Advocate for the rehabilitation of the Kansas River’s environs, including its water quality, water quantity, and wildlife habitat.
  • Promote compatible public recreational uses of the Kansas River and encourage the development of public access.
  • Educate the public and youth about the importance, benefits, and beauty of the Kansas River.
  • Cooperate with other people, organizations, and public agencies in support of a healthy Kansas River ecosystem.
  • Monitor, respond and mediate suspected pollution incidents.

Great things are in store for 2024, and I ask for your help to build a lasting future for the Kansas River.

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper® & Executive Director

PS: Giving online is simple. Make your gift today kansasriver.org/donation

Read all about our 2024 Wish List here!

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 30

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? 

L-R: Dawn Buehler, Chair of the Kansas Water Authority; Governor Laura Kelly; and Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office.

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! 

e Friends of the Kaw Staff and Board, Kaw River Guides, Lt. Governor David Toland, and Staff of the Kansas Department of Commerce

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!

Tires near Tecumseh on the Kansas River
LynnAnn and Kenney, Kaw River Guides, removing tires from the Kansas River.
So many tires! Greg Z., Kaw River Guide, loading tires into the FOK jon boat.
The AFTER: Kaw River Guides after removing tires from the Kansas River!
Have you ever seen so much plastic in one location? FOK Board Member and Kaw River Guide, Lisa Grossman, was one of a team that removed the plastic from this area during the Manhattan Battery Case Cleanup.

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!

The honeysuckle crew at the Topeka project site.

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!

Students learning about macro-invertebrates.

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! 

End of season trip with Kaw River Guides!
Gorgeous fall weekend!

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. 

Docking Building materials on the Kansas River sandbar, that belongs to the people of Kansas.
Docking Building materials, dumped on the bank of the Kansas River.
Docking Building materials, dumped on the bank of the Kansas River.

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

Beers of the Kaw

8TH ANNUAL BEERS OF THE KAW

Get Your 2023 Tickets: https://bit.ly/3PseNnb

Sunday, November 5, 2023

3:00 to 6:00 PM

Abe & Jake’s Landing, Lawrence, KS

Tickets $35 and supports Friends of the Kaw and our work for the Kansas River!

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 29

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!

Bill, Jane & Dawn – doing a photo session for the next Kansas Travel Magazine for 2024

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!

Dawn learning how to measure a well of the Ogallala Aquifer in southwest Kansas.

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!

Dawn speaking in front of a crowd at Symphony in the Flint Hills

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

Beginner Wednesday in Topeka – Sandbar Talk

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!

Volunteers spreading seed at our restoration work day in Topeka.

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!

Water quality education at a summer program. Education does not take the summer off!

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

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 28

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

Your Kansas Riverkeeper, attending Governor Kelly’s State of the State Address in her role as Chair of the Kansas Water Authority.

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.

Dawn Buehler, your Kansas Riverkeeper, attending Governor Kelly’s State of the State Address as the Chair of the Kansas Water Authority. Alongside Dawn is Pete Loecke, a member of the Kansas Water Authority.

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. 

The Kansas River through the Flint Hills (Ogdent to Manhattan)

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 14th 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!

Join us this year for Beginner Camping on the Kaw!

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

Plan your next adventure! (Women’s Science Paddle 2023)

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

2023 Kayak Raffle!

2023 Kayak Raffle!

The kayak raffle is back for the 2023 Wild & Scenic Film Festival! Get your tickets today and don’t stand in line! You do not need to be present to win – we will contact you! Thank you to The Pathfinder in Manhattan and the FOK Board for the kayak!

Members Only Raffle Ticket $10: https://www.paypal.com/instantcomm…/checkout/M68NGMLPFVP6S

Renew Membership or Become a Member and Get a Raffle Ticket $45: https://www.paypal.com/instantcomm…/checkout/NG25538L4P8L6

Chasing the Channel – Blog No. 27

Winter season is here….hopefully spring comes early!

Like all of you, I am spending some time getting ready for the incoming arctic blast that will sweep across not only Kansas, but the nation.  It is going to get real cold folks….so you definitely will not find me out on the river this week.  However, we do check the river throughout the winter as much as we can.  I have a few rules for winter paddling, such as sunshine, rising temperatures and little to no wind.  Winter paddling can be so beautiful, but you must have the right gear and ALWAYS have a second set of your entire outfit in the dry hatch along with a fire kit. 

Kansas River near Wamego. Photo by Lisa Grossman, FOK Board Member

This fall has been very busy with advocacy work.  I know that most people in Kansas see Friends of the Kaw as a paddling group, but we do so much more than that.  I often remind people that the paddle program consumes about 20% of my time and advocacy consumes 80%.  Advocacy takes many forms and does not just include work at the State Capitol to try to advance water issues.  Much of the work that we do involves working with cities and counties on projects that can impact the Kansas River, education about the river, conservation practices that protect water quality and holding our communities accountable for the health of the river.

I have spent most of the last few months working on advancing water policy with the Kansas Water Authority (KWA).  This role has been one of my most important roles.  I am lucky to be surround by a wonderful group of passionate water advocates on the KWA.  To learn more about recent work at our December meeting to sustain the Ogallala Aquifer, you can read these articles in the Kansas Reflector and High Plains Public Radio

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, speaking at the Kansas Governor’s Water Conference.

I also was honored to be on the stage with Governor Laura Kelly during the Governor’s Water Conference in Manhattan, Kansas. Governor Kelly has stated that she will make water a priority in her second term. We look forward to her leadership and stand ready to help however we can. Watch her interview with KCUR.

Kansas Riverkeeper, Dawn Buehler and Kansas House Representative, Lindsay Vaughn, on a bridge over Mill Creek just downstream of the Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill

If you follow our social media, you already know that we have been busy staying up to speed on the Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill.  This pipeline break spilled into Mill Creek near Washington, Kansas.  As your Kansas Riverkeeper, it is my duty to be a non-government public advocate for the Kansas River and its watershed.  My duty includes investigating issues in the watershed and this is a big one.  I drove to the site about 5 days after the spill and took some water quality measurements and put eyes on the creek bvoth up and downstream of the oil spill.  I have full faith in the EPA Region 7 and the Kansas Department of Health & Environment to clean up the spill.  I am less enthusiastic about holding TC Energy accountable for the full cleanup costs.  We will continue to keep you informed via our social media and we will stay engaged to make sure the cleanup is complete and that it does not fall to Kansans.  You can read up on our visit to the site on our Facebook page here.

Jet ski abandoned on Kansas River.

We did a river check on Sunday, December 4th from Seward to Lecompton.  We were checking a recent outflow update by one of our river partners, as well as looking at the sandbar that we cleaned up this fall.  We found a lot more tires, trash, and debris so look for another cleanup in this area soon. If you don’t know, jet skis don’t do well on the Kansas River as the sand gets into the water intake. We find a lot of abandoned jet skis. By the way, that is polluting also! Once the arctic blast lifts, we will do another river check if the weather conditions are right.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support in 2022.  It is because of you, that we can do our work to protect and preserve the Kansas River.  Great things are in store for 2023 with more river cleanups, more advocacy with local/state leaders, more education, more restoration, and more paddles. I ask for your help to build a lasting future for the Kansas River.  If you can, please consider a donation so that our work continues. You can also mail a donation to PO Box 1612, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Our Education Team, led by FOK Education Coordinator, Denise Kidder. These folks educate the next generation about water quality!

As I close out my 2022 blog, I feel very optimistic about the future.  Yes, we have many challenges from climate change to education, but we have a dedicated team that is passionate about advancing our work.  While I work to advocate, monitor pollution and cleanup our river; Kim will be leading our programming efforts, Denise will be educating the next generation, Macy will be maintaining the FOK ship, and Jane will help us secure the tools to get it done.  I feel very grateful as the year comes to an end.  What a beautiful resource that we protect….and what a beautiful community of volunteers, staff, Board Members, educational team members and Kaw River Guides we have on our team to get it done.

With Gratitude.

For the river,

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper® & Executive Director

Please donate today, for the health of the Kansas River.

Friends of the Kaw Responds to Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill in the Kansas River Watershed

Photo of a site on Mill Creek (Kansas), downstream of the Keystone Pipeline Oil Spill.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRIENDS OF THE KAW RESPONDS TO KEYSTONE PIPELINE OIL SPILL IN THE KANSAS RIVER WATERSHED

LAWRENCE, KS (December 9, 2022) – Friends of the Kaw (FOK) was notified that the Keystone Pipeline spilled about 14,000 barrels or 600,000 gallons of crude oil into the Kansas River watershed on Wednesday evening, December 7, 2022, at about 8:00 PM CST.  The Keystone Pipeline spilled into Mill Creek, just north of Washington, Kansas.  This creek drains into the Little Blue River, then to the Big Blue River where its waters are held in Tuttle Creek Reservoir before being released to the Kansas River.  We do not yet know how many miles of river this covers.

Commissioned in 2010, the Keystone Pipeline carries oil in Canada and the United States, and is owned by TC Energy and the Government of Alberta.  The pipeline travels across the entire state of Kansas from near Washington, Kansas in the north to just west of Arkansas City, Kansas in the south. It crosses many rivers and streams along its path.  The spill occurred very near Mill Creek and has completely inundated the creek with oil.  We suspect many fish and wildlife have been lost as this creek is host to numerous concentrations of birds, fish, eagles, and other wildlife.  This is of particular concern during the fall migration season.  Fish and wildlife are important to Kansans for the quality of life that they bring to our state and the roles they play in our native ecosystems.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a stream advisory for Mill Creek.  Both KDHE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) remediation teams were deployed immediately to the oil spill site.  Earthen berms have been constructed and oil booms installed to try to prevent the oil plume from migrating downstream. The Kansas Water Office is monitoring the situation and it appears at this time that no public water systems have been impacted. 

Over 61,000 square miles of watershed in Kansas, southern Nebraska, and eastern Colorado drain to the Kansas River, the drinking water source for over 800,000 Kansans and a vital natural resource.  This area includes the creek, rivers, and reservoir potentially impacted by this Keystone pipeline spill.  While Washington County is seemingly far away from the Kansas River, disasters like this one illustrate how connected the people and places in our watershed truly are.  

For the sake of the people and wildlife in Washington County and those living downstream who could be impacted, we urge TC Energy to clean up the entire spill and to take action on any later impacts that may occur as a result of their actions.  Thank you to the dedicated teams at KDHE and EPA for responding swiftly. 

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Friends of the Kaw serves the Kansas River, the largest prairie-based river system in the world. The Kansas River originates at the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers near Junction City, Kansas and runs 173 miles east to meet the Missouri River at Kaw Point in Kansas City, Kansas.

Friends of the Kaw is a member of the global Waterkeeper Alliance.  Waterkeeper Alliance strengthens and grows a global network of grassroots leaders protecting everyone’s right to clean water. Our goal is drinkable, fishable, swimmable water everywhere.

For Media Inquiries Please Contact:

Dawn Buehler

Kansas Riverkeeper® & Executive Director

Friends of the Kaw

785.312.7200