United States Department of Agriculture
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Lower Big Blue Watershed

Watershed Description

The Lower Big Blue Watershed is located in northeast Kansas and is comprised of portions of Clay, Marshall, Nemaha, Pottawatomie, Riley and Washington counties.  It also has portions in Nebraska.

Land features range from rolling plains dissected with narrow drainage ways to nearly broad level plains.  Soils range from silty clay loams with limestone underneath and shale to deep clay loams.

Predominate land use is rangeland consisting of tallgrass prairies. Plant health is a key resource concern.  Primary crops include corn, sorghum, and soybeans with resource concerns consisting of soil erosion, soil compaction, and poor soil condition due to low organic matter.

Key wildlife habitat includes cropland, rangeland, weedy and brushy fence rows and ungrazed areas, riparian areas, streams, and wetlands.  Key wildlife species include ring-necked pheasants, greater prairie chicken, bobwhite quail, and whitetail deer.

Watershed Statistics

The total estimated area in the watershed is 1,091,067 acres.  Cropland covers about 450,476 acres, and grassland covers about 576,738 acres.

Land Use Acres Land Use Acres
Cropland 450,476 Quarries/Mines/Pits 194
Grass Lands 576,738 Trees 29,669
Misc. Lands 3,276 Urban Build Up 5,394
Open Water 25,320    

Local Contacts

County District Conservationist Phone Number
Clay Lynn Thurlow 785-632-3550
Marshall Daniel Faulkner 785-562-3133
Nemaha Lee Copeland 785-336-2186
Pottawatomie Edward Erickson 785-457-3398
Riley Kevin Religa 785-776-8595
Washington Dee Minge 785-325-2321

Initial Questionnaire and Inventory Worksheets

These documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentInitial Questionnaire (19 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentCropland - Nutrient Management Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (50 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentCropland - Pest Management Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (35 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentCropland - Waste Utilization Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (52 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentIrrigation - Irrigated Cropland, Pasture Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (27 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentOther Lands Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (19 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentPasture - Grazing Plan Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (39 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentPasture - Nutrient Management Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (50 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRange and Pasture - Pest Management Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (35 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRange - Grazing Plan Benchmark Inventory Worksheet (38 KB)

Self-Assessment and Other Documents

Stewardship and Conservation Payments

Maps and Watershed Information

These documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentFact Sheet - Lower Big Blue Watershed (88 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed Area (433 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed, Clay County, Kansas (43 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed, Marshall County, Kansas (73 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed, Nemaha County, Kansas (78 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed, Pottawatomie County, Kansas (78 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed, Riley County, Kansas (79 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap of Lower Big Blue Watershed, Washington County, Kansas (52 KB)

Public Information Meetings

Date Time Town, State Place
March 10 9:30 a.m. Olsburg, KS American Legion Hall, downtown Olsburg
March 10 1:30 p.m. Axtell, KS American Legion Building, 207 5th Street
March 10 6:00 p.m. Marysville, KS Marysville High School Cafeteria, 1111 Walnut Street
March 11 6:00 p.m. Frankfort, KS Frankfort High School, 604 N 8th

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