Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS)

WRAPS is a planning and management framework that engages stakeholders within a particular watershed in a process to:

• Identify watershed restoration and protection needs and opportunities
• Assess the watershed and establish management goals for the watershed community
• Create a cost-effective action plan to achieve goals
• Implement the action plan

WRAPS represents a shift from "top-down" government intervention in watershed issues, to a more citizen-stakeholder approach, in which funds, guidance and technical assistance are provided for stakeholders to reach consensus on issues of relevance in their watershed, and then design and execute a plan to address those issues.

The WRAPS program is unique because the natural resource agencies of Kansas, supported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are working together to seek local input on how to best manage and protect our watersheds. The program is administered through the Kansas Department of Health & Environment Watershed Management Section.

* A Watershed is an area of land that drains to a common point such as a lake or stream.

WRAPS in the Neosho Headwaters

The Neosho Headwaters Watershed (HDW) includes the area from John Redmond Dam up to the confluence of the Cottonwood River Watershed, and up to the Council Grove Lake Dam with the exception of Eagle Creek Watershed.  The Cottonwood and Eagle Creek Watersheds are separate Watershed Restoration and Protection (WRAPs) projects. The Neosho HDW watershed is 659 square miles in size or 421,946 acres.  The area includes nineteen sub-watersheds.  The Neosho HDW is primarily grassland (68%) with cropland (20%), woodlands (6%), water (3%), and other (3%) making up the watershed area. The area includes land in five counties: Coffey; Lyon; Morris; Wabaunsee, and Chase.

WRAPS in the Neosho Headwaters

The major water quality concerns are sediment, nutrients (P & K), fecal coliform bacteria, and dissolved oxygen.  Of the 19 sub-watersheds, 7 are target watersheds.  Targeted watersheds are those in which it has been determined would benefit the most from the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).  Five of the seven are targeted for nutrients; two are targeted for the reduction of fecal coliform bacteria (Allen & Dow Creeks).  A ten year implementation WRAPs plan has been written by Kansas State University to address the pollution concerns.

The major water body of concern is John Redmond Lake.  The lake is eutrophic which means it has excessive nutrient loading.  In addition, sedimentation into the lake is a concern in that the sediment reduces the water storage capacity into the lake, and sediment is a carrier of nutrients that contribute to eutrophication.

John Redmond Reservoir was completed in 1964.  Its designated uses are: flood control; water supply; recreation; water quality; and fish and wildlife.  The lake’s surface area is 8,156 acres and can store 53,927 acre-ft of water. The lake has lost 36% of its original storage capacity.  The lake is operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers.   The lake is fully appropriated for water use with its major use the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant below the dam.

The Neosho Headwaters WRAPS is administered by the Flint Hills Resource Conservation & Development Council in Emporia, KS.  The Project Coordinator is Paul Ingle.  He can be reached at 785-640-2645 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Financial assistance is provided through an EPA Section-319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant administered through a KDHE.   USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.