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Shrinking flood plains, declining water tables harm Kansas StatKansas Although the cottonwood has been Kansas' official state tree since 1937, its presence in the state has been declining for more than 25 years. According to the Kansas Forest Service, however, the biggest cause for that is probably not the forest-destroying factors seen in other states such as urban sprawl and the lumber industry. "What's most alarming about the cottonwood's decline here is the drop in the number of small trees. That can be a direct sign a species isn't reproducing well enough to maintain its role in a region's woodlands," said KFS rural forestry coordinator Bob Atchison. He suspects state water-use changes dating back to the 1950s can bear the brunt of blame for today's shrinking population of seedling-to sapling-size trees. For pioneers, cottonwoods were vital High Plains landmarks. The trees could grow more than 100 feet tall. Unlike tall oaks and elms, however, the cottonwoods generally marked a water source, too. "Established cottonwoods can survive almost anywhere in Kansas. In the wild, though, they need good moisture to reproduce," the forester explained. "Each year we're very aware of when the native trees disperse their huge number of 'cottony' seeds in the wind--about when spring's rains are winding down. "What most of us don't know, however, is that very soon after falling, those seeds must get to water. Or, they must fall on a freshly silted, wet shoreline or flood plain. Otherwise, they'll usually die." Such viable seedbed areas shrank through the second half of the 20th century, he said. Most Kansas dams went up in the 1950s, dramatically reducing spring floods and altering natural stream flows. "Of course, flooding can still occur occasionally. We've seen that this spring," Atchison said. In a separate development, newly affordable technology led to a rapid expansion in irrigated farming after World War II. Irrigation equipment appeared from the Dakotas to Texas--including western Kansas. And that, in turn, led to growth in the cattle industry. The real secret of all this progress, however, was one of the world's biggest underground water supplies, the Ogallala Aquifer. "Despite the Rockies' annual snow melts, the water level in the Ogallala was averaging close to a 1.5-foot drop a year by the 1970s," Atchison said. "Today, miles of dead, mature cottonwoods line the banks of the Arkansas River--probably as a direct result of the declining water table." The occasional cottonwood on the Arkansas, which flows through southwest and south central Kansas, often was the first sign early explorers and trappers had to know they'd entered what's now Kansas from the west. About 150 miles further on, they'd come to one of the then best-known woodlands of the Plains--the Big Timbers of the Arkansas River. Atchison thinks cottonwoods' fate now is tied to future decisions Kansans will make about water. The state already has a governor, legislature, water office, water authority, university scientists, and lots of associations and groups grappling with today's water issues and tomorrow's plans. "As socio-economic factors guide future decisions, it's my hope that the state tree and our other natural resources will somehow be figured into the equation," Atchison said. "To my mind, what's at stake is sort of symbolized by the cottonwoods that are the preferred perches and nesting sites of the bald eagle--our national symbol, which wildlife experts consider to be threatened." More broadly viewed, the trees are a basic part of the ecology that helps maintain the quality of life in Kansas, he said. If nothing else, they're good oxygen producers. They also help provide habitat for a wide range of wildlife species--including an array of butterfly and moth Caterpillars. "These same trees that need water to reproduce also filter pollutants from runoff before it reaches our water resources. They hold the soil during periods of high water, so our rivers don't get dirty and our lakes don't silt in," Atchison said. "Beyond that, they provide shade and shelter. Plus, they're a potential income source for the 117,000 families and individuals who own 91 percent of Kansas' woodlands." But, the income doesn't stop there. The most recent census indicated Kansas wood and lumber manufacturers employ more than 3,500 workers with a payroll that exceeds $93 million a year. Their work adds more than $208 million in value to Kansas' harvested trees. The cottonwood remains the No. 1 tree harvested and processed in the state, Atchison said, even though annual volume has fallen more than 100,000 cubic feet since 1981. Nowadays, the wood's main uses are in making furniture (core wood) and building pallets, boxes and crates. Kansas still has more than 100,000 acres of cottonwoods, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. But, that's roughly two-thirds of the acreage the state had during the Dust Bowl. And, the Dust Bowl count was just the cottonwood's part of what was left after wrenching reductions in the 1800s. Experts believe most Plains trees were gone by 1900--cut and used by horse-culture and resident Native Americans, gold seekers, soldiers, railroad crews, and both pass-through and permanent settlers. "Fortunately, where the cottonwood is able to reproduce, it's an easily renewable resource. It does all the work," Atchison said. "With adequate moisture, it also grows up to 8 feet per year. "Because it's in the poplar family, it's not necessarily a great choice for a backyard. It can lose limbs in the wind--which wild critters appreciate a lot more than our Kansas gardeners would. At the same time, the cottonwood may be among our best-looking natives. It has deeply ridged bark and big, shiny, almost heart-shaped leaves that flutter and quake, like an aspen's. It's a sight to see." Date: 8/9/07
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