The Toronto Reservoir / Fall River Watershed WRAPS (Watershed Restoration & Protection Strategy) program provides cost share assistance to producers for establishing best management practices (BMPs) to improve water quality in designated priority areas of the Toronto Reservoir / Fall River watershed.
Toronto / Fall River Watershed
work details
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Toronto / Fall River Watershed
About
Priority Areas
Our Work
Get Involved
Contact
About
The Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) offers planning and financial assistance to address water quality and soil erosion concerns on farms and ranches. Both Fall River and Toronto WRAPS have similar goals-reduce sedimentation and the nutrient load in streams and the two federal reservoirs.
Watershed Impairments we are currently addressing:
- Fall River: Nutrients and Sediment
- Homer Creek: Nutrients and Sediment
- Verdigris River: Nutrients and Sediment
Watershed Coordinators: Derek Haines & Keila Sherman
Stakeholder Leadership Team
- Preston Beeman, Greenwood County Producer
- Andrew Davis, Greenwood County Producer
- Glen Collinge, Greenwood County Producer
- Brance Boone, Greenwood County Producer
- Bob Brink, Greenwood County Producer
- Matthew Marshall, Greenwood County Producer
- Dale Kirkham, Greenwood County Producer
- Paul Dehn, Greenwood County Attorney, Mayor of Madison
- Luke Westerman, Supervisory District Conservationist, NRCS
- Keila Sherman, Greenwood County Conservation District Manager
- Jeff Davidson, Kansas State University Water Quality and Livestock Specialist
- Vickie Cikanek, Wildlife Biologist, KDWPT
Partners*
- Greenwood County Conservation District
- Kansas Department of Health & Environment
- Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS)
- Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism
- Lyon County Conservation District
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Greenwood County Extension Service
- Kansas State Forest Service
- Tallgrass Legacy Alliance (TLA)
- Kansas Water Office
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Sowder Seed/Ranchland Feed, Greg Davis
*This list is ever-changing as the Toronto / Fall River WRAPS develops
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency 319 funds. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
Priority Areas
The Toronto / Fall River Watershed has three priority areas:
- Fall River
- Homer Creek
- Verdigris River
Maps
Counties
- Butler
- Chase
- Greenwood
- Lyon
- Woodson
Our Work
Best Management Practices
Fall River Priority Area
– Alternative Water Systems
– Cover Crops
– Exclusion Fencing
– Feed Site Relocation
– Permanent Vegetation
– Repairing Brine Scars
– Vegetated Filter Strips & Buffers
Homer Creek Priority Area
– Alternative Water Systems
– Cover Crops
– Exclusion Fencing
– Feed Site Relocation
– Permanent Vegetation
– Repairing Brine Scars
– Vegetated Filter Strips & Buffers
Verdigris River Priority Area
– Alternative Water Systems
– Cover Crops
– Exclusion Fencing
– Feed Site Relocation
– Permanent Vegetation
– Repairing Brine Scars
– Vegetated Filter Strips & Buffers
Zuni Bowl in the Toronto / Fall River Watershed: Letting Water Do the Work: An innovative project was completed by in about 4 hours by volunteers who re-shaped a forming headcut and laid rock by hand. Zuni bowls are a way to stabilize a small, forming headcut to keep it from moving upstream, and can help with soil moisture retention and the establishment of vegetation for even more soil stabilization.
This technique was designed by Bill Zeedyk and the Zuni Pueblo people. Want to see a Zuni Bowl project in action? Check out this video!
Featured Projects
Get Involved
Workshops:
Public Meetings: Held quarterly. Please contact Derek Haines for information.
Volunteer Opportunities: TBA
Contact
Derek is the Watershed Coordinator for the in the John Redmond Watershed and Toronto Fall River Watershed and works closely with the John Redmond Watershed Technician and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Derek brings a unique blend of skills and experiences to his work at KAWS. He has over a decade of agricultural Co-op management experience, time with law enforcement and in fleet maintenance, and most notably served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force. He has transformed the Conservation Technician role into a full-service conservation program offering everything from brush clearing to interseeding cover crops. In 2023, Derek was promoted to Watershed Coordinator for the John Redmond and Toronto-Fall River WRAPS.
When not at work, you can find Derek with his family, working on the farm, or indulging in his love of classic cars.
Keila Sherman is the Outreach and Education Specialist for the John Redmond and Toronto-Fall River WRAPS programs.
Keila began working with the Conservation District for Greenwood County after 16 years as a librarian for the school and city libraries and a year for the county road and bridge and noxious weed departments. She has been with the district for more than 8 years. Keila has stayed busy volunteering most of her free time and received the Community Member of the Month in July of 2022 for her efforts to community events. She received the Kansas Association of Conservation & Environmental Education (KACEE) Award of Excellence in Conservation and Environmental Education Government in April of 2020.
FAQ
- How much of the project will WRAPS pay? Typically it is 70% on most projects based on the average cost of each practice in the county. WRAPS does not pay on the portion that is above the average cost.
- How long do I have to complete the project? The contract between the landowner and KAWS is in effect for one year from the day of signature. However, contracts can be extended due to weather extremes that prevent work being completed or other extenuating circumstances.
