By ALICIA FEYERHERM
Tiger Media Network
Hays City Commission heard an update on the R9 property during its Thursday meeting.
The property, used primarily for water rights, enrolled in the Walk In Hunting Access Program (WIHA) this fall which allows hunters to access the program during certain periods.
Property manager Chris Smith said he witnessed a lot of individuals using the property and that the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is working to gather state-wide statistics on WIHA usage.
Not only did individuals express appreciation for being able to use the property, but Smith noted there was no vandalism or littering during the season. Game wardens also did not report any incidents or issue any citations on the property.
This year, a Mesonet Station was installed on the property through a partnership with Kansas State University. Devices have been set up across the state and can be viewed at https://mesonet.k-state.edu/
Over a mile and half of old fencing was removed this year and three and a half miles of new fencing was installed. In the coming year, there will be an effort to clear trees, shrubs and other obstructions around existing fence lines.
Project Manager John Brown went into detail about wellfield and pipeline design at R9.
Brown has submitted funding applications through various grants and funding sources including the Kansas Water Office’s Technical Assistance fund, BRIC Grant and Build Kansas.
Between July and September, Brown plans to purchase easements from landowners through the proposed pipeline route
Other meeting items included:
- Project update on the 13th Street renovation
- Hays progress update including a construction update on Fire Station #3 on 41st Street
- Overview of upcoming events in Hays
You must be logged in to post a comment.