The Marais des Cygnes Basin
covers 4,304 square miles in east central and southeast Kansas
(see Figure 1). The Marais des Cygnes River rises near Eskridge
in Wabaunsee County, Kansas and flows east and south to join the
Little Osage in Bates County, Missouri. Below this junction the
stream becomes the Osage River, which continues eastward through
Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks to its juncture with the
Missouri River a short distance below Jefferson City. Major
tributary streams include Pottawatomie Creek and the Marmaton
River. There were an estimated 125,000 residents in the basin
in the year 2000, and the population is projected to grow to
nearly 178,000 by the year 2040.
The Corps of Engineers operates
three large reservoirs in the Marais des Cygnes Basin. These
are Pomona Lake, Melvern Lake and Hillsdale Lake.
Surface elevations in the Marais des
Cygnes Basin range from about 742 feet to 1,475 feet. The
climate of the Marais des Cygnes Basin is humid, with average
annual total precipitation ranging between 35-40 inches.
Most water withdrawals for municipal
and industrial supply in the Marais des Cygnes Basin come from
surface sources. Municipal and industrial supply is the
predominant use of water. The State of Kansas has purchased
water marketing or water assurance storage in each of the
federal reservoirs in the basin. Two reservoirs Hillsdale and
Melvern contain state-owned water marketing storage. Two
multipurpose small lakes, Bone Creek and Xenia have been
constructed in this basin. Two additional lakes, Cedar Creek
and Little Sugar Creek are under development. Eight watershed
districts and one drainage district have been organized in the
Marais des Cygnes Basin, primarily for flood control.
Marais des Cygnes River Water Assurance District No. 2 was
organized in 1990 and became operational in 1995 with the
signing of a contract and operations agreement. Seven municipal
and industrial water right holders along the Marais des Cygnes
River are members. State-owned water assurance storage is
located in Melvern and Pomona lakes.
