Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:
“From Farmland to Floodplain – Restoring Benedictine Bottoms”
Original Presentation by Dr. Daniel Bowen, professor emeritus of Biology, Benedictine College, Atchison, KS.
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
528 Walnut St. – Kansas City, MO (in the River Market)
Since the 1970s, when Dr. Dan Bowen became a professor at Benedictine College in Atchison, KS, and began studying birds along the Missouri River, he’s been restoring river habitat at Benedictine Bottoms. Today, all along the river, people working in restoration look to the work done by Bowen and his cohorts as a model for their efforts; and the Bottoms continues to be a laboratory for understanding how river habitat should work and for developing techniques to make that a reality.
Dr. Bowen told the story of bringing the Benedictine Bottoms back to life as a functioning river habitat – what worked, what didn’t, what changes have been made over those 35 years and what lives there now.
Benedictine Bottoms is currently managed by the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
Meet Your Presenter
Dr. Daniel Bowen
, rofessor emeritus of Biology
Related Presentations
Resources & Links
Resources and Links
- Presentation flier (pdf)»
- Benedictine College website»
- Benedictine Bottoms website • brochure with map (pdf)
- Benedictine Wildlife Area Waterfowl Report (updated weekly)»
- “Students research Corps of Engineers effect, Benedictine Bottoms” article in student newspaper “The Circuit” – Feb 27, 2012
- KDWPT video on Benedictine Bottoms»
The Big Muddy Speakers Series in Kansas City
is hosted by Friends of Lakeside Nature Center, Little Blue River Watershed Coalition, Missouri River Relief, Friends of Big Muddy and Healthy Rivers Partnership with the following list of partners. All speakers are presenting for free. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us!
Click here for a list of upcoming presentations»
The Big Muddy Speaker Series is also held in Rocheport.
Series Partners
Hickok’s Grill
Friends of Lakeside Nature Center
Little Blue River Watershed Coalition
Missouri River Relief
Friends of Big Muddy
Healthy Rivers Partnership
Columbia Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office (USFWS)
Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge
Upcoming Presentations
Missouri River Relief: 25 Years on the Big Muddy
November 10, 2026Columbia, MO
Join us for a journey through time celebrating 25 years of Missouri River Relief's work on the Big Muddy.
See Event
Plastic Pollution, Gulf Hypoxia, and Water Quality
November 11, 2026St Charles, MO
Jennifer Wendt from MidAmerica Clean Future guides us through understanding regional water quality challenges.
See Event