Dawn Buehler, Executive Director of Friends of the Kaw and Kansas riverkeeper, spotted otters on the Kaw recently. Buehler is one of only a few riverkeepers in the Midwest. Riverkeepers are committed to protecting and preserving the rivers and other waterways in a region.
Kansas waterways are in trouble due to sediment and harmful algal blooms (HAB), and the Kansas River is a prime example of the types of problems that are occuring. Tuttle Creek Reservoir is shrinking quickly, for example. Recent floods increased the sediments, and efforts are underway to stabilize stream banks, encourage no-till farming and cover crops, and establish buffer zones in order to avoid creating a whole new reservoir. Dredging is too expensive.
