Marmaton Watershed dedication slated

The public is invited to a dedication ceremony hosted by Marmaton Watershed District at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, to celebrate the completion of four large flood control structures.

These four structures were recognized as high priority in reducing flooding on the Marmaton. The district is composed of approximately 208,000 acres of Marmaton River watershed above the confluence of Mill Creek on the north side of Fort Scott.

The district was organized in 1984 and developed a general plan to reduce flooding within the district and below. The plan called for the construction of 66 smaller flood control lakes which would control runoff from 63 percent of the watershed, a news release said.

In 2003, the district received some federal assistance to build these four large flood control lakes. To date, 23 structures have been completed, controlling about 24 percent of the watershed area.

Participants will meet at Agriculture Engineering, 1000 Promontory Drive, Uniontown, for part of the program and then proceed to the site of one of the larger flood control lakes, east of Petersburg.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, will be the featured speaker, and Herb Graves, executive director of the State Association of Kansas Watersheds, will also share remarks with the group.