Lakeside Nature Center welcomes coyote
Most of us would be scared if a coyote started running our way, but not the folks at Lakeside Nature Center.
Kansas City Sewer History, presentation by John Dunn
Download Transcript:
“A History of Water Pollution in Kansas City,
by John Dunn, Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Cities interact with the Big Muddy (Missouri River) on a daily
basis through the infrastructure of pipes, pumps, and treatment
plants. This has been a constant dynamic in Kansas City from the
first drainage pipe in OK Creek to the recent decisions
concerning combined sewer overflows and stormwater
management. Kansas Cities uses of the river and our attitudes
have changed with time.
In this presentation John Dunn shares a short history of how our
Kansas City grew, and how our water infrastructure grew with it.
The Clean Water Act brought about big changes in the national
picture and Kansas City was no exception. He will talk about the
basics of our current water and waste water systems and the water
issues facing the KC Metro.
John Dunn, is an EPA Engineer with over 25 years of water
experience. The mission of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by Healthy Rivers
Partnership ( Lakeside
Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief ( at the Westport
Coffeehouse Theater (
Musical Credits:
Everybody Poops,
by Audionautix.
Creative Commons Attribution license
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
KC Campus for Animal Care Groundbreaking
Kansas City has broken ground on The Kansas City Campus for Animal Care, a public-private partnership that will represent the best practices in animal sheltering across the United States. Mayor Sly James, City Manager Troy Schulte, Kansas City Councilmembers, Parks Board Director Mark McHenry and Parks Directors, KCMO GO Bond voters, and generous civic and philanthropic leaders were all on the new shelter site today for the historic and exciting event.
The Kansas City Campus for Animal Care will be located in Swope Park at the corner of Gregory Boulevard and Elmwood Avenue. Construction will begin on the new state-of-the-art facility this week. It is expected to open its doors to the public in Fall of 2019. The construction project will adhere to the City’s minority hiring, workforce development and One Percent for Art programs. Local architecture firm HNTB is designing the Kansas City Campus for Animal Care; Grand Construction will serve as the construction manager for the campus project.
The facility will be operated by KC Pet Project, the organization responsible for the turnaround of what is the third largest no-kill, open admission animal shelter in the United States. This public-private partnership project will be built in Swope Park at the corner of Elmwood and Gregory, and will be owned by the City when completed (similar to the Kansas City Zoo and Starlight Theatre).
“We have before us a generational opportunity,” noted Kansas City Mayor Sly James. “The way in which a City treats its animals speaks not only to our humanity, but also to the experience of tens of thousands of Kansas Citians and their families. This public/private partnership ensures that the Kansas City Campus for Animal Care will serve as a beacon for the next generation of animal welfare in America.”
“The new Kansas City Campus for Animal Care will be a welcome addition to Swope Park,” said Mark McHenry, KC Parks and Recreation Director. “Situated between the Lakeside Nature Center and the KC Zoo, the Campus will be easily accessible from throughout the metro area,” he continued. “We look forward to bringing the Parks Board cooperative agreement to the City Council for approval soon.”
City Councilmember Teresa Loar noted that “this has been a Herculean effort for years by so many advocates in the community; it’s so exciting and rewarding to finally see it become real. The City owes a debt of gratitude to those who have worked tirelessly for both two and four-legged citizens of Kansas City. All of us on the City Council are particularly proud to have played a role in bringing such a critical institution come to life.”
For more information about the Kansas City Campus for Animal Care and the entire Raise the Woof campaign, visit raisethewoofkc.org.
Missouri River as a Wildlife Highway, by Todd Meese
Missouri River as a Wildlife Highway, Presentation by Todd Meese,
Wildlife Damage Biologist with Missouri Dept. of Conservation
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, August 25, 2015.
Rivers have always served as biological highways, connecting
together different locations in a kind of riparian web. As humans
continue encroaching on habitat throughout the Midwest, the
Missouri River has become an even more important corridor of
wildlife dispersal.
Todd Meese’s work with the Missouri Dept. of Conservation has
revealed this importance with several species, both those that
use the water itself as a highway and those that use the ribbon
of forest along the Missouri River as cover for their travels.
Meese will talks about tracking the movement of the
increasing number of mountain lions sighted in the state (55
confirmed sightings since 2002). By detailed DNA analysis, he and
his colleagues determine most of these are juvenile
cats that originated in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Evidence
points to the animals using the Missouri and Platte River (NE)
corridors as their dispersal highway.
MDC tracks the movement of otters and beaver,
both of which use the Missouri River and its tributaries to
expand their territory with growing populations. Using these and
other species as examples, Meese with talk about the unique
stories of these animals as well as the general concept of our
river valleys as important corridors of wildlife movement and
habitat expansion.
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
BRIDAL CAVE - a Full Tour Experience | w/ Tour Guide Commentary
BRIDAL CAVE - a Full Tour Experience | w/ Tour Guide Commentary
Link to Bridal Cave Website
#bridalcave #cave #cavetour #cakelake #bridallake
Bridal Cave is located just two miles north of Camdenton, Missouri, via Highway 5, then 1 1/2 mile scenic drive through the Thunder Mountain Park area, the highest point in Camden County.
Lake of the Ozarks’ #1 Year Round Attraction
Bridal Cave remains a constant 60° inside, so it’s a great activity, no matter what the weather!
Guided tours leave every few minutes and last approximately one hour. Tours are conducted over concrete pathways through the Cave’s refreshing 60 degree environment. Park interpreters will lead you and your family through room after room of incredible mineral deposits. Giant columns, delicate soda straws and massive draperies abound throughout the cave. Millions of years of struggle between water and rock have created this cavern with more onyx formations than any other known cave or cavern. In fact thousands of school children each year explore Bridal Cave as part of their educational program. A tour through Bridal Cave is a family adventure you will never forget. -Bridal Cave Website
Link to Bridal Cave Website
Wastewater 101 - Why are my bills so high? by John Dunn
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“Wastewater 101 - Why are my bills so high?,
by John Dunn, Tuesday, June 28, 2016.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the water that goes down
your drain after you use it? Where does it go, how is it
treated? With lots of pictures, we will take you from your
home, through the collection system, and to a treatment plant.
This will be an easy way to see a lot of treatment technology and
will explain how your sewer rates are used.
John Dunn, is an EPA Engineer with over 25 years of water
experience. The mission of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by Healthy Rivers
Partnership ( Lakeside
Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief ( at the Westport
Coffeehouse Theater (
Musical Credits:
Everybody Poops,
by Audionautix.
Creative Commons Attribution license
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
Kansas City's Discovery Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center opened its doors in April 2002. Its unique inner-city location allows visitors an opportunity to experience nature up close.
The Missouri River: Starting Point for the Western Trails, by Travis Boley
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The Missouri River: Starting Point for the Western Trails, by Travis Boley, Association Manager for the Oregon-California Trails Association - Tuesday, October 27, 2015.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
For many pioneers headed west, the Missouri River served as the
first leg in their journey to the Western Trails. Travis Boley,,
rethinks the Missouri River in terms of its unique status as a
waterway that doubles as a National Historic Trail.
He is already engaged in creating a 40 mile hiking/biking trail
in the shared historic corridor of the Oregon/California/Santa Fe
Trail from Sugar Creek, Missouri to Gardner, Kansas. It will
intersect with the Katy Trail Extension at 63rd and Blue Ridge
Blvd. in Raytown, Missouri making it possible for hikers and
bikers to easily access the Missouri River at the former Wayne
City Landing near present day Sugar Creek, Missouri.
His grander vision includes opening up wide swaths of the
Missouri River shoreline to allow similar non-motorized access to
our metro area’s riverfront, including trails that connect the
remaining historic sites from the Lewis & Clark Expedition and
the old riverboat landings for the wagon roads. This concept
would fully realize the idea that Congress established in the
1968 National Trails Act, which called for the building of
“retracement” trails in such corridors to forever preserve these
corridors.
Mid-Continental Geology, by William Gilliland.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership ( in cooperation with
Missouri River Relief and Friends of Lakeside Nature Center
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, June 22, 2015.
Biography: William Gilliland
William Gilliland is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Geology,
teaching Kansas Historical Geology. He is a Licensed Geologist in
the States of Kansas & Arkansas. He has worked for 35 years in
Kansas as a geologist in a variety of fields. He is currently an
Environmental Scientist Division Of Water Resources,
Kansas Department of Agriculture. He writes Throughout my
professional career, I have been interested in the interaction
between the people of the State of Kansas and the land that they
have settled. As a part of the Kansas Studies Center, I will have
an opportunity to share with students how geology has developed
and shaped the land that became Kansas, and how plants, animals
and humans have utilized it.
Email: will.gilliland@washburn.edu
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Presidential Certificate of Merit
William J. Gilliland, 1987
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Index of the Big Muddy Speakers Series:
Upcoming Presentations
“Missouri Mudbuggers an Introduction to Missouri’s Crayfish, by Chris Riggert
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““Missouri Mudbuggers an Introduction to Missouri’s Crayfish,
by Chris Riggert, Tuesday, May 24, 2016.
Crawdads, crawfish, freshwater lobsters, river lobsters,
mudbuggers, and even ditch crickets…all have been used to
describe the fascinating crayfish, Missouri’s state invertebrate.
Crayfish species fill niches all over Missouri, from the gravel
of our smallest streams to mud banks in our biggest rivers. Some
even live on dry land, in holes on the prairie.
Chris Riggert, biologist with the Missouri Department of
Conservation, will scratch the surface on all things “crawdad.”
He will cover such topics as distribution, morphology, life
histories, ecology, conservation status, and more! Chris Riggert
Chris Riggert is the Stream Team Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring Coordinator for the Missouri Department of
Conservation in Jefferson City.
Chris Riggert is the Stream Team Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring Coordinator for the Missouri Department of
Conservation in Jefferson City. He began working with MDC’s
Stream Unit since 1999 and has worked on various crayfish issues
for nearly 20 years, including publishing the updated “Guide to
Missouri’s Crayfishes” published this year by MDC. Chris has
worked in his current position since 2007 administering the
Missouri Stream Team’s Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program
statewide.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by Healthy Rivers
Partnership ( Lakeside
Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief ( at the Westport
Coffeehouse Theater (
Musical Credits:
YouTube Audio Library:
Swamp Stomp, by Silent Partner
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
Life in Kansas City 300 Million of Years Ago, by Richard J. Gentile, Ph.D.
Life in Downtown Kansas City Million Years Ago.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, July 28th, 2015.
Dr. Richard Gentile takes us for a peek beneath the surface
and back in time to help us comprehend the geologic forces
that determined the destiny of Kansas City: the effect
geology had on the Cities development, and our lives today.
Illustrations by John Babcock
(
Millions of summers ago, Kansas City was beachfront property:
oceans, rain forests, palm trees and giant ferns. Not to mention
a strange array of giant creatures — mastodons, mammoths,
grizzly-sized sloths — stomping through town. Cruise even further
back in time – oh, say 300 million more years, and the area was a
shallow sea teeming with aquatic life. Now, fast forward to the
start of summer of 2015, when the geology of Kansas City is
hidden by a forest of buildings and rivers of concrete and
asphalt.
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
Where’s the Mud? Understanding Sediment, by Dave Heimann, U.S. Geological Survey
Download Transcript:
Where’s the Mud? Understanding sediment sources and
storage in the Big Muddy
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
The movement of sediment plays a huge role in the
ecology and hydrology of the Missouri River.With bank
stabilization and massive upstream reservoirs blocking
sediment flow, the Lower Missouri River carries about
1/5 of the sediment load that it did historically. Dave
Heimann will look deeper at where that sediment is in
the system, and how that effects other aspects of the
river.
The presentation will include a historical perspective
of sediment measurements on the Missouri River
beginning with those made by Lewis and Clark through
the present sediment monitoring conducted by the USGS.
A summary of a recent USGS-Army Corps of Engineers
study to develop a sediment budget of the lower
Missouri River will be discussed along with the use of
sediment information in the management and restoration
of the Missouri River.
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
Come to NIACC
North Iowa Area Community College sits on a 500-acre countryside campus that consists of modern facilities including the Student Activity Center, Recreation Center, Muse-Norris Conference Center and Murphy Manufacturing Technology Center, as well as lakeside student apartments. Students can also enjoy luxury living in our brand new student housing.
Visit
Ultra Marathon Paddling, presentation by Bryan Hopkins
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Ultra Marathon Paddling: Tips on preparing for the MR340 and other irrationally long races.
Presentation by Bryan Hopkins, MO. Dept. of Natural Resources and veteran kayak racer.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, November 24, 2015.
One of the premiere paddling race courses is right in Kansas City's
backyard – the Missouri River. This July will be the 11th Annual
Missouri American Water MR340 – a non-stop ultra-marathon paddle
race across the state of Missouri from Kansas City to St.
Charles. When the first MR340 was run in 2005, there were 16
boats. Last year there where over 400 boats in the race. In 2005
the MR340 was the first race of its kind on the Big Muddy. Since
then, there’s been an explosion of races up and down the Lower
Missouri and the Missouri River paddling community, once a bunch
of isolated groups of people crazy enough to paddle the big
river, has found a way to find each other.
Bryan Hopkins was in that first batch of racers 10 years ago, and
has grown to be a consistent contender in these long flat river
races. He shared tips on rigging your boat for distance racing,
nutritional strategies, training, and fundamentals such as boat
selection and race strategy.
He also discussed the unique challenges of racing the Missouri
River, such as dealing with night travel, wind, heat, insects,
fog, barges, jumping carp, wing dams and staying in the channel.
He will also discuss insider tips on how to reduce blisters on
your hands, seat comfort, reducing chaffing, pain management and
more.
Musical Credits:
SoundCloud
Artist:
Brock Davisson
Marietta, OH, United States
Title:
Eleven Rack Chickin' Pickin' With Rhythm
Visit them on the Web:)
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
Dunn Ranch Prairie
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
Our vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives.
nature.org
Canoeing the Great Plains – A Missouri River Summer, by Patrick Dobson
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership ( in cooperation with
Missouri River Relief and Friends of Lakeside Nature Center
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, May 26, 2015.
Tired of an unfulfilled life in Kansas City, Missouri, Patrick
Dobson left his job and set off on foot across the Great Plains.
After two and a half months, 1,450 miles, and numerous encounters
with the people of the heartland, Patrick arrived in Helena,
Montana. He then set a canoe on the Missouri and asked the river
to carry him safely back to Kansas City, hoping this enigmatic
watercourse would help reconnect him with his life.
Patrick will discuss his new book Canoeing the Great Plains: A
Missouri River Summer and a journey undertaken nearly 20 years
ago that proved to be transformative. Dobson, a novice canoeist
when he begins his trip, faces the Missouri at a time of
dangerous flooding and must learn to trust himself to the
powerful flows of the river and its stark and serenely beautiful
countryside. He meets a cast of characters along the river who
assist him both with the mundane tasks of canoeing—portaging
around dams and reservoirs and finding campsites—and with his own
personal transformation. Mishaps, mistakes, and misadventures
plague his trip, but over time the river shifts from being a
frightening adversary to a welcome companion.dobson
Patrick Dobson, PhD, is a writer, historian, and ironworker. When
not teaching at Johnson County Community College, where he is an
adjunct associate professor, he works as a bridge builder doing
structural, reinforcing, and ornamental ironwork.
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Index of the Big Muddy Speakers Series:
Upcoming Presentations
On the River, Learning from the River: Discovering the Missouri in a Canoe, by Sara Dykman
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On the River, Learning from the River:
Discovering the Missouri by Canoe, by Sara Dykman
Tuesday, January 26, 2016.
In this video Sara Dykman, biologist, educator, & adventurer
shares stories from her recent source to sea, education-linked
canoe adventure on the Missouri River. Learn how she connected
the river to classrooms and conservation efforts, and what it is
like to travel with the river 3,500 miles from Montana to the
Gulf of Mexico.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
Musical Credits:
Walk In The Park by Audionautix is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution license
( Artist:
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
The Ins and Outs of Water at Power Plants on the Missouri River, presentation by Greg Howick
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The Ins and Outs of Water at Power Plants on the Missouri River,
presentation by Greg Howick, Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc..
Tuesday, December 22, 2015.
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
When people think about important uses of the lower Missouri
River, they often overlook the largest water user. The largest
use of water from the river is for steam condensation (cooling)
by power plants. Of the 15 active power plants on the river
between Sioux City and St. Louis, 14 withdraw large quantities of
water that are passed once through steam condensers then
discharged back to the river 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer.
The discharge of cooling water is regulated by state water
quality standards and criteria and Section 316(a) of the Clean
Water Act. The withdrawal of water by cooling water intakes is
regulated by Section 316(b). In addition to compliance with these
regulations, some power plant intakes are being impacted by a
degrading river bed that has lowered water levels.
Dr. Howick will present highlights of the rules for power plant
intakes and discharges, and describe the work he has done on the
Missouri River to help power plant owners comply with these
regulations.
Greg Howick is the Senior Aquatic Ecologist at Burns & McDonnell
Engineering Company, Inc. He received his Ph.D. in Biology with
a specialization in limnology and aquatic ecology from the
University of Kansas in 1981. He has 34 years of experience
ranging from baseline surveys to studies related to water
resources, power plants, and lake restoration. For Burns &
McDonnell, Dr. Howick is the technical and scientific lead for
providing services related to limnology and aquatic ecology
including: Section 316(b) compliance, discharge plume mapping and
modeling for water quality compliance, fisheries, water and
sediment quantity and quality, and bathymetry. Greg is also a
veteran volunteer boat driver for Missouri River Relief cleans
ups in the Kansas City area.
Musical Credits:
Running Waters (Full Band)
by Audionautix
licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution license
(
Artist:
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
How the Army Corps of Engineers Regulates Our Water Resources, by Justin Hughes
Download Transcript:
How the Army Corps of Engineers Regulates Our Water Resources,
by Justin Hughes, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, January 24, 2017 7:00 pm.
Kansas City District Regulatory Project Manager Justin Hughes
explains the many roles the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plays in
permitting, regulation and development mitigation throughout the
country and in the Kansas City area. Many development projects
involving our rivers and streams require permitting or approval
from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Photo courtesy of U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
Many development projects involving our rivers and streams
require permitting or approval from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Drawing for Titles & Credits:
Quixotic Army Corps, by George Martin,
Kansas City, Missouri
Music for Titles/Credits:
Dog Face Soldier Song
Photographs, Maps & Slides:
Courtesty of Justin Hughes
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit:
Drinking the Big Muddy, by Mike Klender
Download Transcript:
Big Muddy Speakers Series (Kansas City) hosted by
Healthy Rivers Partnership (
Lakeside Nature Center ( and
RiverRelief (
at the Westport Coffeehouse Theater (
- Tuesday, September 22, 2015.
Michael Klender (aka Michael H. Klender), Plant Manager for
Kansas City Water Services shares some of the unique engineering
and water quality challenges that Kansas City Water Services
faces on a daily basis turning the Muddy Missouri into quality
drinking water for their customers.The Kansas City water
treatment plant, transforms the silty Missouri River into
drinking water for a huge metropolitan area.
Videography by Kansas City Digital Video.
Live broadcast of Big Muddy Speaker Series:
Index of the Big Muddy Speaker Series:
For information about upcoming presentations visit: