Evaluation of Planning for Fish and Wildlife at Corps of Engineers Reservoirs, Council Grove Lake Project, Kansas.
Abstract
The lake impounded by Council Grove Dam, on the Neosho River, Kansas, flooded approximately 24 km (15 mi) of stream and river habitat. Terrestrial wildlife populations dependent upon 1,157 ha (2,860 ac), which were permanently inundated plus an additional 1,004 ha (2,480 ac) in the five-year flood frequency pool, were impacted by the Council Grove project. Upon initiation of water supply storage, an original though not yet contracted project purpose, the project will permanently inundate 1,327 ha (3,280 ac). Inter-agency coordination was poor during the critical early planning stages. Pre-construction fish and wildlife planning recommendations lacked detail and were not submitted in a timely manner. Several major planning recommendations provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with the Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Commission, were never implemented by the Corps of Engineers. Among these recommendations were acquisition of 293 ha (725 ac) of land above the five year flood pool, for wildlife mitigation purposes, and provision of a 15 cfs minimum water release downstream. Acquisition of the wildlife mitigation lands was requested very late in the planning process. This recommended land acquisition plan was rejected by the construction agency on the grounds that the cost: benefit ratio was unfavorable.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA061989