The Republican River-Kansas River Project

   There are large amount of bird that depend on the river. There are large flocks of turkeys along the river as well as Canadian geese that nest on the sand bars in the river.  The river is also home to hawks, owls and bald eagles.  Egrits, blue heron and sand hill cranes can also be found along both rivers. 

  In presettlement times there where vast herds of bison numbering over a million that migrated though the area and crossed the republican river in the Junction City area. There where also large herds of elk and pronghorn antelope. All these are gone now except a couple of bull elk wondering away for the Fort Riley elk herd.  The river valley was home to large prairie dog towns. The Junction City area was the eastern limits of the prairie dogs distribution.  The prairie dog is now gone from this part of Kansas.  There where both grizzly bears and black bears along both rivers but they to are both gone from Kansas.  There where also large packs of wolfs and cougars here to. The wolfs have been wiped out but some cougars have recently come back to the area.

  The river habitat is currently home to large numbers of beaver that make the homes in the banks of the river at water level.  There are also small mammals like raccoons,  skunks and possums.  There are many deer that came be seen along the river as well as many species of rodents.

   The rivers need to be cleaned of the trash in them as well as having backfill along its banks removed. The original prairie habitat needs to be restored so that farm field erosion and farm animal waste does not go into the river causing the large mats of algae that are now there particularly on the republican river.  You can help restore this special habitat that so many animals depend on by volunteering to help with trash pickup or by donating money for cleanup efforts

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