Rain to Recreation

Recently I traveled out to Lake Lenexa in North East Kansas. Its a brand new lake that puts an interesting green approach to dealing with run off from rain in suburban Kansas City. Its called "Rain to Recreation". Lake Lenexa covers nearly 35 acres within 240 acres of parkland that includes preserved woods and stream ways. There are native grass plots being established, as well as waterfowl habitat that already had attracted geese and ducks on the cold morning we explored. The dam and spillway facility features three wetlands, trails, docks and a boat ramp, picnic areas, boardwalks and access to water’s edge for fishing.

According to the web site dedicated to the lake design and construction:

"Storm water runoff has traditionally been handled on a localized, piecemeal basis with the goal of minimizing localized flooding and erosion by moving the water down stream in as expeditious yet benign manner as possible. This approach has resulted in many concerns, ranging from localized "parcel level" problems of erosion and minor overflows to major regional flooding issues. This approach has resulted in large public expenditures, property damage, and even loss of life.

When rain water falls to the earth in a natural setting it typically hits "green surfaces" called non-impervious such as grass or other vegetative ground cover. In developed areas, it falls on green surfaces but also on hard surface (impervious) such as parking lots, rooftops, driveways and sidewalks. When it hits a "green surface" much of the water is absorbed into the ground. When water hits and then runs off hard or impervious surfaces, it picks up contaminants such as oils, grease and tire particles and then under the current approach is piped to nearby streams."

"Rejecting the common perceptions of storm water and runoff, Lake Lenexa successfully demonstrates the Rain to Recreation approach, transforming storm water from a potential nuisance as damaging runoff into an environmental and community asset. This progressive thinking delivered a four-way success at Lake Lenexa: flood control, improved water quality, natural stream preservation, storm water management and recreation and education opportunities."
The trails here in Lenexa are interconnected for miles and miles. We stopped at one park with a lake and watched a bald eagle. There are parks nearby that have plenty of wildlife, actually the white tail deer population has become so large that they have become an local issue that has folks at both ends arguing what to do. A friend I was here with explained that estimates were in the 1-2 hundred deer per square mile in this park alone.
Deer in fire break near power poles.

I have taken a break from posting lately, needed to recharge the batteries, get projects finished at home and on the job, tried to figure out the computer that crashed at home, learned how to use a new turkey call, and spent time with family. I have a new group of students this semester, a very challenging group, I enjoy teaching them but most nights I am brain-dead. Ah but spring is right around the bend and I can almost feel it, and the cardinals outside at the feeder have moments when they seem to agree and sing an early spring song.