Wetland Easement -- Ever put one in?

KsHusker

Active member
Bought some farmland that we will build our house on that is continguous to the 6 acres we presently live on near Topeka - Our land goes all the way and butts up to Forbes Air Base/Air port --

It's been discontinued as a commercial airport for a # of years - but private aviation, the national guard and the air guard still utilize it. So not much plane traffic and frankly some of the stuff I enjoy watching - some crazy dudes flying F16's come in occasionally and take off and do maneuvers that would leave your guts in your ankles. Dont know how they do it.


Anyways there's a creek that feeds into the Wakarusa which is what feeds Clinton Lake running through the property, and a nature trail (rails to trails) cutting through it along with a mixture of hardwoods (which I will severely thin out if I can and get the motivation) and farmland.

A chunk of the farmland is in the flood zone and IMO (I'm not a professional ag producer) really needs drain tile to get the most productivity out of it - I dont want to do that and feel it would be best suited for a wetlands easement - you can see on google earth and the county GIS going back YEARS that the same areas have always held water and after my son got his UTV stuck in the swamp and I had to spend an hour getting it out and standing in it my suspicions were correct that is what it's best suited for. Along the same creek drainage about 7 miles away the KDWP had some land donated and they are presently working with DU to put in wetlands and restore the area.

Anyways talking with the NRCS yesterday it seems there is a 2 yr ownership period which is fine - but after many phone calls and attempts and feedback from others it seems they work at the speed of smell so it's good I will work ahead of time. The a large percentage of the land has no value for future development and either as waste, ag, or habitat is about it's only value. I was hoping to sell a permanent easement -

What may screw me is the NRCS said they have not developed any wetlands area within 5 miles of the air base - we are off the approach path and waterfowl already utilize the immediate area anyways - across the road from our house is a school with 20 acres of their own land and big lagoons - Geese and waterfowl live on it year round. Not sure if I can win that argument.

I've reached out to DU and the rep I was put in touch with said he'd help - and the NRCS person was familiar with him as well and spoke highly of him - so hopefully there will be a program.

Hoping to get some sort of marshy area set up and a fishing pond somewhere in there. The house we will build will be on high ground overlooking it.
 
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