Home

As with many waters in the Midwest the minimal amounts of structural habitat we have in our community waters lessens our ability to grow and support some species of fish. With more structural habitat we can increase number and health of the fish in our community waters. Another side effect of structural fish habitat is increase angler satisfaction with the increased numbers and health of the fish.

We are hoping to purchase $80,000.00 dollars of modular habitat supplies for all Kansas FOR Chapters waters to help improve structural habitat. The groups will work with their District Fisheries Biologist to identify types of modular habitat and areas to place habitat according to the established habitat plan. The FOR Groups will then help assemble and place habitat in their waters. With the 24 groups that we have now we will work to set one to two large "Cities of Habitat" to demonstrate the process and procedure to complete a project like this, in hopes to give them the skills to do similar projects on their own as funds become available to them in the come years to improve habitat in the local waters. An emphasis will focus on community stakeholder involvement to help complete project. Bring in groups such as local youth groups, High School Shop classes, Local clubs, local fishing groups, and other diverse interest group to help bring in as much community involvement as possible. The goal is energizing our Kansas FOR Chapters to start to work on projects like this on their own with less agency involvement.

Many of these waters have worked with the agency in the past to do large scale projects to improve access by foot and boat. Projects such as graveling road, parking lots, restrooms, docks and fishing piers are among the project the agency has worked on to improve fishing experience around our community waters. The agency is hoping to improve on the many project of the past by also improving structural habitat in these waters.

This project will mitigate the effects of climate change by supplying habitat in deeper water to give fish refugia during drought or high temperatures. This will improve the waters ability to support more fish even with the problem’s climate change can bring to small impoundments.

1. Enchance recreational Fishing opprotunities in Kansas Friends of Reservior Chapters Lakes by improving structure habitat in listed waters.
2. Improve community involvement in habitat projects by raising awareness with the introduction of new modular habitat in Friends of Reservior Chapters' communities waters.
3. Follow present habitat plans to work torwards reaching habitat goals.
4. Focus on Community Stakeholder involvment to help complete habitat projects.

1. Region and District Fisheries Biologist as well as State Habitat Coordinator will work with FOR local chapters to identify the type of modular structural habitat, they want to use to accomplish part of the goal of the lake’s habitat plan.
a. Modular habitat could include commercially available options or using wood or plastic construction materials depending on the decisions of the FOR group and other stakeholders.
2. FOR Chapters will work with District Biologist to identify location of the structural habitat location.
3. State Habitat Coordinator will order habitat supplies for use in identified projects.
4. FOR Chapters will work with District Biologist to assemble Modular Structural Habitat.
5. District Fisheries Biologist will work with FOR Chapter members to deploy habitat to desired locations.
6. Creel surveys will be used to assess angler’s success and usage.
7. Number, size and location of habitat will be measured and published for the public to use.
8. Measure the number of habitat projects that continue after the completion of this initial project.
9. Include new habitat locations on our on-line Fishing Atlas: https://ksdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3e0ba6a852d2479aa6e384b4f87a0c2b

Goal of project is to energize FOR Chapters to do more habitat projects.
1. In a two-year period have our present 24 FOR Chapters work towards doing a modular habitat project with supervision of agency staff.
2. Supply our Chapters the knowledge to do this work on their own.
3. Encourage FOR Chapters to get more community involvement by bringing in local school groups, local clubs, etc. to get involved in habitat projects.

Monitoring Plan
1. Evaluate the number of FOR Chapters participating in the first year.
2. Identify groups that are ready for second year of grant.
3. Use creel surveys to see usage and satisfaction after projects are completed
4. Identify the extra in-kind match that the FOR Chapter and other local stakeholder have provided
Target
1. target goal is to get 20 FOR Chapters to participate in Modular Structural Habitat building Project
2. increase the number of new Kansas FOR Chapters by 5 each year of the grant.

The Objective of this project is outreach using Modular Structural Habitat to energize our present FOR Chapters to engage in the process of working together to improve structural habitat in their local waters. FOR Chapters will be encouraged to bring other members of community in to help with the work of doing a habitat project on their local water. Having a diverse group of local stakeholders will be stressed as the best route to complete a habitat project.