B.10. KANSAS AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN 
B.10.1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF KANSAS’S PLAN 
Kansas’s Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Management Plan was developed by the 
state’s ANS committee with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks taking the lead and 
approved in 2005 (available at 
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishing/aquatic nuisance species/ks nuisance species plan ). 
The purpose of the Management Plan is to guide state agencies, local governments, public and 
private organizations, and aquatic resource user groups in developing management strategies, 
designing public awareness and educational materials, and prioritizing aquatic invasive species 
(AIS) activities. The goals of the Plan are to prevent new introductions of AIS; to prevent the 
dispersal of established AIS; to minimize effects of AIS; to educate aquatic users about AIS 
risks; and to support research on AIS and develop systems to disseminate information. The 
Management Plan outlines several management objectives to achieve these goals and includes a 
discussion of existing problems with AIS; a summary of federal, regional, and state policies on 
AIS; a list of non-indigenous species in Kansas; identification of priority AIS; and a discussion 
of regional AIS threats. 
B.10.2. CLIMATE CHANGE AND AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES IN KANSAS 
Climate models predict that average temperatures in Kansas increase by as much 3°F 
(1.5°C) in the summer and 4°F (2°C) in the winter by 2030 (Covich et al., 1997). The increase 
in summer temperatures and increased evaporation may lead to lower stream flows and lake 
levels. Decreased water levels could affect biodiversity and lower flows and higher temperatures 
in the summer could concentrate pollutant levels, further impacting aquatic habitats (Covich et 
al., 1997). 
Climate change may negatively impact native species and allow invasive species’ ranges 
to expand across the Great Plains region (Joyce et al., 2001). For example, purple loosestrife, a 
priority species in Kansas’s Management Plan, can withstand shallow flooding, which may 
provide a competitive advantage over some native aquatic plants as flooding increases with 
climate change (NPWRC, 2006). Zebra mussels, another priority species, may also benefit from 
warmer temperatures. Zebra mussels begin spawning when water temperatures warm to about 
54°F (12°C) and continue spawning until water temperature drops below this threshold (KDHE, 
2007). Increasing temperatures may provide a longer spawning season for this species. 
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