The 74th Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, January 28 & January 29, 2025, at Hotel Topeka at City Center, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS.  We are planning to follow the same format as in 2024 with a Watershed event at the Capitol Building. Without legislative support, our watershed program will not be as effective.

The meeting will begin at Hotel Topeka at City Center on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 with registration from 8-9 a.m., Keynote Address, and a presentation from 9:10 a.m. to 10:10 a.m. At 10:30 a.m. shuttle coaches will transport attendees to the Capitol Building for a meet and greet with your legislators. Lunch will be provided and is included in the registration fee. The shuttle will pick up from the Capitol Building at 2:00 p.m. and return to the hotel. The meeting presentations will reconvene at 2:30 p.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The 74th SAKW Annual Meeting Program will be posted on the web site at www.sakw.org soon.

SAKW and its members represent an important segment of the state’s natural resource protection initiative.

Want to be a Sponsor for the SAKW 74th Annual Meeting. Please see the 2025 Annual Meeting Sponsorship Levels below.

Thinking about getting more involved and serve on the Board of Directors. Please reach out to any one of our board members to inquire.

Nearly 40 conservation, agriculture, business and education organizations reiterate the importance of a state-based conservation fund.

MANHATTAN, KS – December 5, 2024 –The Kansans for Conservation coalition gathered at the recent Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas in Manhattan, Kansas – representatives from nearly 40 groups from the conservation, agriculture, water, business, and education sectors attended the meeting. This was the second consecutive year that the coalition met during the annual water conference.

In addition to continuing discussions surrounding options for dedicated state-based conservation funding in Kansas, the group also heard from Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office. Ms. Owen provided an update on the State Water Plan, and the ongoing efforts of the Kansas Water Authority’s Strategic Implementation Planning.

“Water quantity and quality are critical to the future of Kansas, and Kansans for Conservation has consistently supported the Kansas Water Plan. We appreciate the Kansas Water Office

agreeing to once again allow us to convene within the conference, which provides an opportunity for a wide range of people to get to know the coalition a bit more,” said Nick Levendosky, Executive Director of Kansas Farmers Union.

“Kansas is one of only 15 states that do not have a state-based conservation fund, and water is just one of the areas that could benefit from this important investment,” said Levendosky. “Kansas is at a crossroads, and the choices that we make today for long-term investments in quality-of-life infrastructure for water, working lands, wildlife and outdoor recreation will define our legacy.”

About Kansans for Conservation

We are 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. Visit www.kansansforconservation.org for more information.

Dear Kansans for Conservation Partner,

Many of you attended the recent Kansans for Conservation coalition meeting at the Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas in Manhattan, KS on November 13. At the meeting, a “Communications Toolkit” was previewed. This is a collection of documents, digital images, templates, fact sheets, logos and other assets for use by the coalition in communicating with elected officials, current and potential coalition members, and others about the coalition and its efforts to secure dedicated conservation funding in Kansas. Here is a link to a Dropbox folder with the toolkit for your use as you promote the coalition’s efforts within your organizations and communities.

Some particularly useful items include a general factsheet about the coalition, a legislative factsheet discussing proposed legislation, images and logos for social media use. Also included and attached to this email is a press release on the recent coalition meeting—feel free to share with media contacts and post on your organization’s website or other digital platforms.

The toolkit will likely continue to evolve as our efforts progress—please reach out if you have comments or suggestions. We hope you will share these materials with your audiences and ask for their continued support. You and your brand are critical to this important effort.

Roles and Responsibilities in the USDA NRCS

Watershed Program Partnership

Greetings!

Plan to join the National Watershed Coalition webinar to learn the latest information on new program opportunities, project applications, requirements, sponsor and NRCS responsibilities for three NRCS Watershed Programs.

When: January 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Current information on NRCS Watershed Programs regarding the Emergency Watershed Program, Watershed Operations, and Watershed Rehabilitation Watershed Program applications, requirements and responsibilities for sponsors and NRCS.

Register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_evUgRteRT52Mpk2x1xVaCw

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Roles and Responsibilities in the USDA NRCS Watershed Program Partnership. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Current information on NRCS Watershed Programs regarding the Emergency Watershed Program, Watershed Operations, and Watershed Rehabilitation Watershed Program applications, requirements and responsibilities for sponsors and NRCS. Participants will learn about updates on the sponsor responsibilities for real property rights, permits and licenses, authority to levy taxes, land treatment above reservoirs, public participation, cost-share, watershed management, operation, maintenance, and repair. The presenters will also outline the NRCS responsibilities for watershed program projects and answer questions about sponsor and NRCS responsibilities.

us02web.zoom.us

Description: Participants will learn about updates on the sponsor responsibilities for real property rights, permits and licenses, authority to levy taxes, land treatment above reservoirs, public participation, cost-share, watershed management, operation, maintenance, and repair.  The presenters will also outline the NRCS responsibilities for watershed program projects and answer questions about sponsor and NRCS responsibilities.

Our presenters will be April Burns, NRCS National Dam Rehabilitation Program Specialist, Bronson Smart, NRCS National Dam Rehabilitation Program Manager,  Gene Saurborn, NWC Interim Executive Director as host/speaker, Ray Ledgerwood as moderator and logistics manager.

Register in advance for this webinar | after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Dear Watershed Districts and Officers,

In order to afford one final opportunity for public input prior to the Kansas Water Authority’ final review and FY2026 budget recommendations, the Governor’s strategic planning team has created a summarized virtual consult meeting website about the current state water planning & funding process.

You may access the webinar and related materials here : https://burnsmcd.mysocialpinpoint.com/kansas-water-planning/home .

A proposed 10-year legislative funding proposal will result from this strategic outreach effort which will certainly involve concepts about streamlining State Water Plan Fund program delivery and outcome-based performance expectations for related organizations. In my opinion, it is very important that watershed districts have a strong presence in this conversation.

As always, we look forward to working with you in the future, and please write or call if …

Steve

Steven K. Frost, Executive Director

Kansas Department of Agriculture

Kansans for Conservation Day at the Capitol-- February 25, 2025 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Kansas State Capitol Building.

Kansas Department of Agriculture Dam Safety Conference— March 20, 2025