South Central District Office

The South Central District Office serves a 9 county area encompassing 8,938 square miles. The population served according to the 2000 Census data is 582,607. There are 3,924 miles of rivers and streams, and 48 square miles of public lakes and wetlands. The SCDO lies within the confines of four major river basins; the Lower Arkansas, Walnut, Neosho, and Verdigris. Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies are being developed and implemented in watersheds within each basin. The Cheney Lake Watershed program has received national attention for its conservation efforts. The diversity of south-central Kansas ranges from small Amish dairies to large aircraft manufacturers. Land use in this district varies from dryland agriculture in the western counties to the expansive Flint Hills in the eastern area of the district. Public water supplies for south-central Kansas rely on both surface water and groundwater. The SCDO is staffed with 13 environmental and administrative staff.