Please note! The O&M training in Lincoln (initially scheduled for September 2) has been moved to October 1.

The location (Finch Theatre) and time will be the same. This is due to impeding weather over the weekend and wet conditions for the outdoor segment of the workshop on Tuesday.

Here is information about the upcoming O&M Workshops:

Contact Sarah Diamond with questions, executive.director@sakw.org.

Sept. 16, 2025 – Fisher Community Center, 201 E Iowa Street, Hiawatha, KS 66434 (Rolls and coffee provided for morning meeting, lunch on your own, bottled water provided for Dam Inspections)

October 1, 2025 – Finch Theatre, 122 E Lincoln Ave, Lincoln, KS 67455 (Rolls and coffee provided for morning meeting, $10 meal including sandwiches, chips, and dessert for lunch, and bottled water provided for Dam Inspections)

Nov. 3, 2025 – Butler County Conservation Office, 2503 Enterprise Ave., El Dorado, KS 67042 (Rolls and coffee provided for morning meeting, lunch on your own, bottled water provided for Dam Inspection

The Kansas Water Authority is currently accepting applications for all 14 Regional Advisory Committees. Committee members serve as a voice for water issues in their community. Applications can be found at kwo.ks.gov. 

Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) are composed of local stakeholders and water professionals from diverse backgrounds – including agriculture, industry, public water supply, conservation and more.

Each RAC meets to discuss local water issues and to advise the Kansas Water Authority and Kansas Water Office on the issues in their region. RAC members serve as local connections with the public and help to shape statewide water planning by identifying regional priorities and actions.

We would appreciate your help in sharing this information with anyone who may be interested. To apply, visit https://www.kwo.ks.gov/about-us/regional-advisory-committees. Applications are due September 30.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

10:30 AM

Kansas Department of Agriculture, RM 129

The National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA) and National Watershed Coalition (NWC) invite you to attend our 2025 joint meeting from October 26-29 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Radisson Hotel Fort Worth North-Fossil Creek
2540 Meacham Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX
76106
Book your stay

Please fill out the form below.
Instructions for registering multiple attendees in one transaction will be found at the end of this process.
Information for paying by check will be found on the payment page.

Registration deadline is Tuesday, September 30.

Standard registration ($495) will include:
All open sessions – October 26-29
Sunday’s Welcome Reception
Breakfast, lunch and breaks – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
Monday’s Field Tour (w/ group dinner)

One-Day registration ($295) will include:Access to open sessions and all meals/group events on the day of your choosing.

Guest/Spouse registration ($195) will include:

Sunday’s Welcome Reception

Breakfast – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Monday’s Field Tour (w/ group dinner)

The 2025 Governor's Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas will take place on November 12 & 13 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan.

Additional resources:

Draft Agenda

Submit an Abstract

Success Story & Water Legacy Awards

Student Posters

Photo Contest

Our 75th Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, February 3-4, 2026, at Hotel Topeka at City Center, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, Kansas. We are planning to follow the same format as in 2025 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, February 3, 2026, with registration from 8:00 to 9:00 am, Keynote Address, and a presentation from 9:10 am to 10:10 am. At 10:30 am, shuttle coaches will transport attendees to the Kansas State Capitol for a meet and greet with your legislators. Lunch will be provided and is included in the registration fee. The shuttle coaches will pick up from the Kansas State Capitol at 2:00 pm and return to the hotel. The meeting presentations will reconvene at 2:30 pm and conclude at 5:00 pm. The meeting will reconvene at 8:30 am Wednesday, February 4, 2026. The 75th SAKW Annual Meeting Program will be posted on the web site at www.sakw.org after December 1, 2025.

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

I look forward to seeing each of you at our annual meeting on February 3-4, 2026, in Topeka.

Registration Form

Hotel Registration Form

Scholarship Winners are:

John Aden Grathwohl, Hiawatha High School nominated by Wolf River WS # 66. He plans to attend Northwest Missouri State University and major in Agricultural Science.

Cade Gossen, Peabody-Burns High School nominated by Doyle Creek WS # 86. Cade plans to attend Kansas State University and major in Agricultural Economics or Animal Science.

The Spring Operation and Maintenance Workshop was held on April 29 - May 1, 2025 at the Decatur Conference Center - Decatur, Texas

The workshop included technical presentations and in-field demonstrations.

You can view the fact sheets at:

https://watershedcoalition.org/fact-sheets/

Watch videos of the January 15, 2025 Webinar: NRCS/Project Sponsor Responsibilities now available on the NWC YouTube Channel:National Watershed Coalition - YouTube

NWC News Release- Organization Changes 2025

Click here to view our 2025 newsletter and the membership form to become a NWC member!

2025 Newsletter and Membership Form

Sign Up Here

https://kswraps.org/kansas-healthy-watersheds-project/discussed this morning.

Unfortunately, some of the Youtube links were taking disabled, I have included the more important one for the topic. If you see something you are interested in on the list but can’t open it, email me and I will see what I can do.  There are 4 things I want to highlight: the Technical Report for the KS Healthy Watersheds project, two Youtube videos one from Union of Concerned Scientists (presenter who is now an assistant professor for the ag extension and research department at the University of Nebraska) “Soils to Sponges” https://youtu.be/5Xv6GRcZwgwand one from The Noble Foundation “How Does Soil Health Prevent Flooding and Drought? Rainfall Simulator “ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xv6GRcZwgw. These is also a double side fact sheet Healthy-Soil-makes-Healthy-Watersheds-both-pages-12-14-2022-wrapsweb.pdf. One can also find the above web link to the project on the front and my email address at the bottom.

Scott L. Satterthwaite

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Bureau of Environmental Field Services, Watershed Management Section

1000 S.W. Jackson St., Suite 430

Topeka, KS 66612-1367

EMAIL- Scott.Satterthwaite@ks.gov

Phone (785) 296-5573

Mobile (785) 480-9837

FAX- 785-559-4258

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