Sedimentation Issues in Clinton Lake

· The amount and rate of sedimentation in Clinton Lake is directly related to its watershed and activities occurring in it.  In addition to sediment, runoff from the watershed contains other constituents, such as nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers.

·  Excess amounts of these chemicals can cause algae blooms and result in the development of taste and odor problems in drinking water.  Reduction of sediment load can also reduce the amount of these related pollutants. 

· The Clinton Lake watershed is the area above the lake that is drained by the Wakarusa River and its major tributaries, Rock and Deer Creeks.  The watershed area is 367 mi² in size.  The watershed is also called the Upper Wakarusa Watershed. 

· The watershed includes parts of four counties:  Douglas, Shawnee, Osage and Wabaunsee.  Current activities in the watershed are largely agricultural.  Growth from the cities of Lawrence and Topeka is gradually resulting in the conversion of rural agricultural land to urban/suburban uses. 

· This growth will present new challenges for control of the rate of sedimentation and maintenance of lake water quality.  An effort has been initiated to promote cooperative efforts between counties in the watershed to address these challenges.  Residents in three of the four counties that are in the watershed also receive drinking water from the lake.

· A Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) for the Upper Wakarusa Watershed has been developed by a committee of local stakeholders, sponsored by the Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance.  The protection and restoration plan has been endorsed by the Water Office and the Department of Health and Environment.  Contributors to the plan include the City of Lawrence, county conservation districts, the Natural Resources and Conservation Service, K-State Extension, Health and Environment, and the Biological Survey. 

· The plan contains recommendations to reduce sediment and associated pollution from both agricultural and urban sources.  The City of Lawrence will have a continuing role as the plan moves from development to implementation.

· A current activity of the WRAPS committee is development of a plan to identify and restore eroding stream banks in the Deer Creek watershed immediately above the lake.  Successful stream bank restoration will reduce sedimentation into the lake. 

· The city is encouraged to incorporate the WRAPS plan into continuing planning processes in order to extend the life of the reservoir and to protect water quality for water supply and recreational purposes.