photo by: Journal-World

The Douglas County Commission will hold their Wednesday meeting at the Douglas County Public Works building, 3755 E 25th St.

A plan will soon be developed for conserving the Wakarusa River Corridor and protecting resources in the area for future generations, and Douglas County commissioners will hear more on Wednesday about how that effort is going.

The presentation from open space leaders will focus on the conservation of the Wakarusa River Corridor, from the Clinton Lake dam to Eudora. The conservation plan will be called the Corridor Vision Plan, and it will analyze the historical context of the area and future scenarios of flooding risks, water demands, nutrient flows, habitats and more to develop a program that will guide decisions over the coming years.

As the Journal-World has reported, the project — which county commissioners will receive an update on, but will not be asked to vote on during Wednesday’s meeting — is part of a broader county initiative to safeguard open spaces. In 2022, commissioners allocated $2.78 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to support efforts outlined in the Open Space Plan. This plan focuses on three main priorities: improving existing parks, funding private land conservation programs, and preserving the Wakarusa River Corridor.

The Open Space team is proposing to work with the environmental consulting firm Biohabitats Inc. to develop the plan, studying the landscape’s hydrology, ecology and the needs and resilience of the community that uses it, according to a memo in the agenda.

The plan says that Biohabitats Inc. is expected to provide an archeological evaluation of the entire river corridor; existing studies, reports and available geographical data; coordination and data sharing between the ongoing engineering and hydrology studies of the river corridor; and planning coordination for county meetings focused on floodplain management, stormwater and existing and proposed zoning and planning.

In other business, commissioners will:

• Hear a presentation on a project that documented and highlighted the stories of entrepreneurs in Douglas County who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color, aiming to influence local decision-making and resource allocation.

In February 2023, Douglas County participated in the Forward Cities’ E3 Nation Tour, which is a part of the organization’s efforts to create more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems across the United States. The engagement was funded by a $35,000 American Rescue Plan Act grant allocated by Douglas County, with additional funding from the City of Lawrence, the Douglas County Community Foundation, the Lawrence Chamber and Network Kansas, according to a memo in the agenda.

A key component of the tour was a video project that captured the stories of entrepreneurs’ experiences in the community through a video. The video, which includes translation of non-English speaking interviewees’ answers, is designed to spark discussions on systemic barriers and opportunities for real change. This video will be shared with commissioners at the meeting on Wednesday.

• Hear the results of a pilot watershed study of Washington Creek, located southwest of Lawrence. The Kansas Department of Agriculture partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to identify potential flood mitigation actions for further analysis.

The project analyzed the benefits of mitigation actions under current and future development conditions. These proposed actions may include stream buffers or flood storage areas, referred to as ‘nature-based solutions.’

• Review a drafted legislative statement ahead of the 2025 Kansas legislative session in January, which details a set of priorities and issues for Douglas County to circulate with legislators locally and across the state.

Some of the priorities include supporting local governance on land use, housing and taxation; improving behavioral health and human services; balancing service costs with the cost of living; regulating renewable energy and promoting sustainability; and addressing critical infrastructure needs like transportation, water systems and broadband.

• Receive an update on the American Rescue Plan Act and consider authorizing the county administrator to enter into contract extensions for awards of ARPA funding; create and sign an interagency agreement or Memorandum of Understanding that commits the funding from the ARPA to specific purposes or projects; and reallocate funds that can’t be used before Dec. 31, 2024.

• Consider approving the proposed amendments to the Douglas County Food Policy Council bylaws. The council aims to build a resilient and sustainable local food system by identifying opportunities, tackling challenges and advising officials on related policies.

The County Commission’s business meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Douglas County Public Works training room at 3755 E. 25th St. The meeting will also be available via Zoom.