TOPEKA (KSNT) – A two-year restoration project in the Kaw River State Park is getting some help from the City of Topeka.
The Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project is a two-year project encompassing 22 acres of the 76-acre Kaw River State Park. The goal of the project is to remove non-native plants and invasive species from the area.
The city is joining in on the process by leading excavation work near a boat ramp located in the northeast corner of the park. This is being done to reduce erosion and sediment loss. The contractor hired by the city to conduct this part of the project will also be building some nested basins near the parking lot to promote water quality by infiltration and filtration. The work is expected to conclude within the next few weeks, weather permitting, according to the city.
Once the excavation work is complete, Friends of the Kaw and other project partners will work alongside volunteers to return native grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs to the area. With the return of native plants to the soil, it will help to stabilize it and improve drainage and the water quality of the river. It is important to note that all of the city’s water supply originates from the Kaw River.
The Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project is the culmination of the work of Friends of the Kaw, Native Lands LLC, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the City of Topeka Utilities Department and Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners. To learn more about the project, click here.