Bourbon County commissioners terminate outdated Elm Creek grant; state fisheries offers technical help

Bourbon County commissioners voted to terminate a five‑year grant related to Elm Creek Lake after a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks official told the board the grant's cost estimates were no longer valid.

Don George, district fisheries biologist for KDW&P, told the board the agency has invested in Elm Creek through stocking and small grants and that the county had not engaged actively with the grant in recent years. "I make a recommendation to the county that you turn that grant away," George said, explaining that the figures used five years ago do not reflect present costs and advising the county to reapply next May with updated estimates and engineering assessments.

George recommended the county pursue an engineering evaluation of the dam before asking for major repair funds; he said longer delays can make repairs more expensive. He described prior estimated county participation at roughly a third of past project costs under an earlier proposal and said Wildlife and Parks can advise on scope and potentially help with partial funding or technical assistance if the county brings forward a viable project.

After discussion, a motion to terminate the existing grant passed. Don George provided his contact information and offered to assist the county in preparing a new application for the next grant window in May 2027.

Officials said all future stocking or fish purchases are coordinated with Wildlife and Parks and that restoration or dam repair would be necessary to ensure reliable water levels before major restocking.

The board directed staff to record the termination and to consider engineering options should the county decide to pursue a new grant cycle.