River Basin to Reservoirs:

A Profile of the Kansas Republican River Basin and Reservoirs

 

Susan Davidson

Indian Junior High School

Olathe, Kansas

 

Overview:

The Kansas Republican River basin is a prominent feature in Northwestern Kansas. Students will examine first what role this river played in the settlement of towns in the basin. Then students will focus on the US Army Corps of Engineer lakes in terms of the impact they have on their lives today and in the future.

 

Grade Level:

This is designed as an interdisciplinary unit for the middle school.

 

Geographic Themes:

location, environmental, interaction, movement, region

 

Kansas Social Studies Standards for Benchmarks:

The student will understand the connections among people, places and environment in the local school and community, Kansas, the U.S. and different nations of the world.

 

The student will understand the role of culture in the local school and community, Kansas, the U.S. and different nations of the world.

 

The student will use problem solving and interdisciplinary making strategies to propose ways of addressing issues of problem situations in the local school community, Kansas, the U.S. and different nations in the world.

 

National Geography Standards:

#1	The geographically informed person knows how to use maps and other geographic representations tools and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.
#3	The geographically informed person will know how to analyze spatial organization of people, place and environments in the earth's surface.
#8	The geographically informed person will know the characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on the earth's surface.
#9	The geographically informed person knows the characteristics, distribution and migration of human population on the earth's surface.
#14	The geographically informed person knows how human actions modify physical environments.
#15	The geographically informed person knows how physical systems affect human systems.

 

Performance Objectives:

1. Identify major in Kansas
2. Identify the Kansas Lower Republican River Basin and name major rivers in this basin.
3. Locate five most populous cities with Kansas Republican River Basin.
4. Compare and contrast human uses of the Kansas and Republican River today with early Kansas settlers.
5. Locate and label the US Army Corps of Engineer Lakes in this river basin.
6. Gather data about each of these reservoirs. This data will be organized around the five missions of the Corps reservoirs.
7. Each cooperative group will discuss current non point sources and sedimentation problems affecting the reservoirs.

 

Vocabulary:

river basin	non point source pollution
flood plain	sedimentation

 

Materials:

• Maps of Kansas River basins, Kansas Republication river basin, population
• centers in Kansas Poster board
• Resource material; complete list in bibliography
• Video: "The flood of "93" available from project manager at Tuttle Creek
• Picture of Kansas wildlife and fish
• Overhead projector

 

Procedure:

1.	The scope and sequence of this unit is well suited for multidisciplinary core team unit.
2.	Make overhead projections and copies of "Major River Basins in (Kansas)," Rivers and Reservoirs, "Kansas River Basins and Federal Lakes", "Population Centers".
3.	Introduce unit with overhead projections superimpose on one another in order stated above.
4.	Distribute copies of maps. Ask students to label "Rivers and Reservoirs" map with the following information: a. b. c. d. Shade in Kansas Lower Republic River basin Locate and label major population centers in this river basin Locate and label major rivers and streams Locate and label Milford Lake, Tuttle Creek and Perry Army Corps of Engineer Reservoirs
5.	Ask student to brainstorm the reasons why early towns were located on the rivers.
6.	Read excerpts from Daily Union Junction City Guide-July 19, 1994 "Three Towns Fail Before City is Established" by Scott Price.
7.	List the five major missions for Army Corps of Engineer Reservoirs-i.e. water quality, recreation, wildlife navigation and flood control.
8.	Divide class into three cooperative teams. Each team will choose either Milford Lake, Tuttle Creek Lake, or Perry Lake.
9.	Students will prepare an oral presentation which highlight how "their" lake fulfills each of goals of the Corp. The presentation should include a map with physical data, a brief project history with time line and recreation opportunities available, also included should be a brief discussion of sedimentation and non point source pollution problems and proposed solutions.
10.	Possible modes to deliver this information could be: a. b. c. d. e. f. Design a tourism pamphlet promoting lakes. Newspaper articles authored by students reporting the 1993 flood and lakes successes in controlling floods. Model of dam design and spill way. Reading anecdotal accounts by local citizens as lake was being built. Picture collages of wildlife and fish found at each lake. Picture collages of recreation opportunities.

 

Assessment:

Scoring Rubric

Delivery:

3-Group shows pride and confidence during presentation.

2-Group seems uncomfortable during presentation (unsure, is confused about sequence).

1-Group shows extreme discomfort and confusion, and is very unorganized.

 

Fluency:

3-The group presents information effectively in a creative, unique, focused and organized manner.

2-The group presentation could benefit form more rehearsal (rambling, too short, confusing or unfocused).

 

Content:

Presentation includes:

a. b. c. d. e. f.

Maps of lake with physical features Brief history time line of project Recreational opportunities Wildlife species Sedimentation and non point pollution problems and solutions Discussion of success of Corps Mission

 

Length:

Presentation is between 12-15 minutes

Presentation is between 8-11 minutes

Presentation is between 7-10 minutes

Presentation is less than 3-6 minutes

Presentation is less than 2 minutes

 

Modes of Presentation:

a. b. c. d. e. f.

tourism phamplet model of dam picture collages of wildlife picture collages of recreation of opportunities anecdotal accounts video

 

Resources:

• Army Corps of Engineers. Milford Lake. Kansas City District.
• Army Corps of Engineers. Perry Lake, Kansas City District.
• Army Corps of Engineers. Tuttle Creek Lake, Kansas City District.
• Devlen, Daniel and G. Morgan Powell. "N on Point Pollution in Kansas", Cooperative Extension Service, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas; August, 1996.
• EPA Water Management Division. Non point Source Pollution, 1994.
• Kansas Geographic Alliance; Kansas Geographic Natural Resources Curriculum for K-12, version 1.2, June, 1995....Map II-I, II-2, II-21.
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Water Quality Handbook.
• Kansas Water Office. Appendix Kansas Water Plan Summary, Topeka 1997.
• Martin, Charles. "Kansas River Valley Field Trip". June 1997.
• Price, Scott. "Three Towns Fail Before City is Established." Junction City Guide-Daily Union, July 19, 1991.
• "Flood Control at Tuttle Creek." US Corps of Engineers Project Office, Manhattan, KS.
• Weidhass, Paul. "Tuttle Creek Project History". US Army Corps of Engineers.

 

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irc staff / jh 03/16/98 (updated kn 06/21/99)

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