Twin Lake

The Twin Lakes Watershed encompasses both the Council Grove City Lake and the Council Grove Federal Reservoir.    It covers nearly 259 square miles in Morris, Geary and Wabaunsee Counties.  The WRAPS project was formed in 2004 to address impairments of fecal coliform bacteria in the Neosho Headwaters and siltation and europhication in the Reservoir.  This watershed sits at the very top of the entire Neosho River basin which eventually flows into the Arkansas River and down into Oklahoma.
The economic, ecologic and sociologic importance of both of the Twin Lakes cannot be over stated.  The City Lake is the primary water source for the City of Council Grove which lies 1 ½ miles to its south east.  Approximately 350 residents live either part time or full time in homes that surround the water body which was constructed in the early 1940s.  Construction on the Federal Reservoir was completed in 1964 and the structure was built with a primarily purpose of flood control.  Today, both lakes are used for recreational purposes.
A major project of the Twin Lakes WRAPS was the Water Festival held between 2005 and 2009.  The festival annual hosted approximately 1,000 5th graders from the surrounding six county area.  The day long event exposed the students to all types of natural resource conservation concepts packaged in a fun filled day at the Lake.

You can view some pictures of the water festival from 2009 here:

Clarks Creek

The Clarks Creek Watershed covers approximately 249 square miles in Morris and Geary Counties.  The headwaters lie near Delevan and the creek flows northward emptying into the Kansas River just east of Ft. Riley.  The Creek was placed on the EPA 303d Impaired Waters list in 1998 because of a TMDL for bacteria.  Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KDHE, has been monitoring the water quality since that time.  In 2010 e.coli bacteria counts dropped enough for KDHE to apply to EPA to have the creek taken off of the list.  Clarks Creek is one of only 3 water bodies in the state to ever be taken off the 303d list.

Even though improvements have been made, higher than normal levels of phosphorous, nitrogen and sediment still impair the stream’s water quality.  The WRAPS group is continuing to work to help landowners and producers find ways to control these impairments as well.

Angela Beavers
135 E. 8th St
Junction City, KS   66441

Cell:  785-210-4338
Office:  785-238-4251

e-mail