{"id":307372,"date":"2025-11-21T00:16:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/american-history\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T00:16:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:16:17","slug":"water-and-the-suburban-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372","title":{"rendered":"Water and the Suburban Landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Building the suburbs brought many changes to Johnson County\u2019s landscape. Homes, shopping centers, and roads all required changes in the natural topography, vegetation, and streamways. Creeks were straightened or buried in concrete, lawns replaced native plants, and heavy machinery reworked hills and valleys. These changes had lasting effects on the county\u2019s streamways. Read on to learn what happened to our streamways \u2013 and what you can do today to help protect them. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5479\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/1-jcm-1996-036-021-lawn\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png\" data-orig-size=\"1806,835\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"1 JCM.1996.036.021 lawn\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Like thousands of others, this suburban home was built in Johnson County in 1949. Planted with it were shade trees and a grass lawn. What landscape did the residential neighborhood replace \u2013 a farm? A forest? A prairie? A wooded creek? View image at JoCoHistory.org.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png?w=390\" width=\"1806\" height=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png\" alt=\"A faded, early color image of a suburban home with young tree and shrubs. The garage door is open.\" class=\"wp-image-5479\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.1629887054735013;width:725px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png 1806w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png?w=128&amp;h=59 128w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png?w=390&amp;h=180 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png?w=768&amp;h=355 768w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1-jcm.1996.036.021-lawn.png?w=1440&amp;h=666 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1806px) 100vw, 1806px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Like thousands of others, this suburban home was built in Johnson County in 1949. Planted with it were shade trees and a grass lawn. What landscape did the residential neighborhood replace \u2013 a farm? A forest? A prairie? A wooded creek? View image at<a href=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.org\/digital\/collection\/jcm\/id\/5089\/rec\/114\"> JoCoHistory.org.<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Building the Suburbs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After World War II, federal programs like the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Administration made homeownership more affordable, fueling suburban growth across the nation. In Johnson County, this era marked a dramatic shift from a rural, agricultural landscape to bustling neighborhoods and commercial developments designed to accommodate a rapidly growing population.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In the 1940s and \u201950s, developers utilized new machinery to extensively reshape the land. They flattened hills, filled valleys, and redirected creeks with concrete. Forests were cleared, plains were leveled, and construction surged; often encroaching upon wetlands, hills, and flood-prone areas. This rapid development changed the county\u2019s water systems in ways we still experience today.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Creek channels straightened and concreted<\/strong> \u2013 reduced local flooding but pushed flood risk downstream into Kansas City, Missouri.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Streamways buried underground<\/strong> \u2013 destroyed natural habitats for aquatic and plant life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Soil compacted and stripped of vegetation by bulldozers<\/strong> \u2013 caused erosion and increased sediment in creeks and storm sewers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lawns replaced native vegetation<\/strong> \u2013 shedding more runoff, carrying fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides into waterways.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hot runoff from pavement and lawns<\/strong> \u2013 sometimes 10 degrees warmer than streams, harming aquatic life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Faster, more forceful flows<\/strong> \u2013 scoured stream banks, deposited debris, and degraded habitats for fish and insects.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5482\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/2-jcm-1991-042-033\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png\" data-orig-size=\"1535,653\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2 JCM.1991.042.033\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Bare, bulldozed soil surrounded this new home start on 66th Street in Prairie Village. With hard rain or snow melts, soil and anything spilled on it could runoff into nearby creeks and storm drains. View image at JoCoHistory.org. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png?w=390\" width=\"1535\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png\" alt=\"A black and white image shows a bare cinderblock foundation and short wooden walls among a foreground of empty, bare dirt.\" class=\"wp-image-5482\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.3508472971693646;width:708px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png 1535w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png?w=128&amp;h=54 128w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png?w=390&amp;h=166 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png?w=768&amp;h=327 768w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2-jcm.1991.042.033.png?w=1440&amp;h=613 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1535px) 100vw, 1535px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Bare, bulldozed soil surrounded this new home start on 66th Street in Prairie Village. With hard rain or snow melts, soil and anything spilled on it could runoff into nearby creeks and storm drains. View image at <a href=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.org\/digital\/collection\/jcm\/id\/3103\/rec\/2\">JoCoHistory.org. <\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5483\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/3-jcm-2016-032-003-ranchmart-57\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png\" data-orig-size=\"1806,800\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"3 JCM.2016.032.003 ranchmart 57\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Likewise, bare soil around the Ranch Mark Shopping Center construction site in 1957 posed runoff risks for nearby streamways. View image at JoCoHistory.org. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png?w=390\" width=\"1806\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png\" alt=\"An aerial image shows bare dirt around a large construction site at a street corner.\" class=\"wp-image-5483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png 1806w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png?w=128&amp;h=57 128w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png?w=390&amp;h=173 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png?w=768&amp;h=340 768w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3-jcm.2016.032.003-ranchmart-57.png?w=1440&amp;h=638 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1806px) 100vw, 1806px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Likewise, bare soil around the Ranch Mark Shopping Center construction site in 1957 posed runoff risks for nearby streamways. View image at <a href=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.org\/digital\/collection\/jcm\/id\/16740\/rec\/4\">JoCoHistory.org. <\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>The Cost of a Perfect Lawn<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The lush, green lawn \u2013 long a symbol of the American Dream \u2013 comes with hidden environmental costs.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Chemicals and care<\/strong>: Lawns often require fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and constant upkeep. Many grasses aren\u2019t suited to Kansas\u2019s climate, leading to soil erosion and vulnerability during droughts. HOAs often enforce lawn standards, further encouraging unsustainable practices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Runoff and pollution<\/strong>: Lawns behave more like concrete than sponges, sending runoff with fertilizer and chemicals into creeks. This pollution fuels harmful algal blooms, depletes oxygen in water, and endangers aquatic life. Even grass clippings swept into storm drains add to the problem.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Water consumption<\/strong>: Sprinkler systems can use 12\u201316 gallons per minute. On hot summer days, WaterOne\u2019s daily usage jumps by 150 million gallons \u2013 mostly to keep lawns green. Overwatering also increases the risk of chemicals leaching into groundwater.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [image 4 and 5]<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5487\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/4-jcm-2004-013-001-yard\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\" data-orig-size=\"1806,835\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"4 JCM.2004.013.001 yard\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;In this 1957 photograph, the Stafford family enjoys their backyard. A lot of work went into the lawn seen there. Fun fact: the house you see is the All-Electric House, the largest artifact in the Museum today! View image at JoCoHistory.org. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png?w=390\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1806\" height=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\" alt=\"A black and white image of two young children and their parents and dark shaggy dog on the patio behind a ranch style home. In the foreground is a lush grass lawn.\" class=\"wp-image-5487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png 1806w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png?w=128&amp;h=59 128w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png?w=390&amp;h=180 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png?w=768&amp;h=355 768w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png?w=1440&amp;h=666 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1806px) 100vw, 1806px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>In this 1957 photograph, the Stafford family enjoys their backyard. A lot of work went into the lawn seen there. Fun fact: the house you see is the All-Electric House, the largest artifact in the Museum today! View image at<a href=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.org\/digital\/collection\/jcm\/id\/6951\/rec\/2\"> JoCoHistory.org.<\/a> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5488\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/5-jcm-1998-010-004-lawn\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png\" data-orig-size=\"1806,835\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"5 JCM.1998.010.004 lawn\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;In this adorable photo, Norman Edmonds and his daughter Carol are on lawn duty at their Prairie Village home in 1949. Lawn care routines were a key part of suburban homeownership in the postwar era. View image at JoCoHistory.org. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png?w=390\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1806\" height=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png\" alt=\"Black and white photograph of a man standing in white shorts and an undershirt holding the handles to a manual rotary lawnmower. To the right, his little daughter, barely hip high, stands in a white dress with her own small lawnmower.\" class=\"wp-image-5488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png 1806w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png?w=128&amp;h=59 128w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png?w=390&amp;h=180 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png?w=768&amp;h=355 768w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/5-jcm.1998.010.004-lawn.png?w=1440&amp;h=666 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1806px) 100vw, 1806px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>In this adorable photo, Norman Edmonds and his daughter Carol are on lawn duty at their Prairie Village home in 1949. Lawn care routines were a key part of suburban homeownership in the postwar era. View image at <a href=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.org\/digital\/collection\/jcm\/id\/6395\/rec\/1\">JoCoHistory.org. <\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>A Healthier Water Future<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The scale of suburban water challenges can feel overwhelming \u2013 but individuals can make a difference. Here are seven actions recommended by local water experts:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Plant native species<\/strong> \u2013 Deep-rooted plants prevent erosion, filter toxins, and withstand drought.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create a rain garden<\/strong> \u2013 Johnson County\u2019s <em>Contain the Rain<\/em> program offers 50% reimbursement for adding native trees, flowers, and shrubs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Install a rain barrel<\/strong> \u2013 Collect runoff for reuse and get 50% reimbursement through <em>Contain the Rain.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>Rethink your lawn<\/strong> \u2013 Swap some water-hungry Kentucky Blue Grass for native plants.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limit chemicals<\/strong> \u2013 Reduce fertilizers and pesticides, and try alternatives to sidewalk salt in winter.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clear your gutters<\/strong> \u2013 Keep chemicals, lawn clippings, and debris out of storm drains.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Protect the soil<\/strong> \u2013 Maintain groundcover in gardens, fields, or construction sites to reduce erosion.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5491\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"929,922\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"6 JCPRD Garrett, Butterfly milkweed, KCP\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Native plant species have deeper roots, and typically drought tolerant, and often attract the area\u2019s pollinators. Although this photo of Butterfly milkweed was taken in Kill Creek Park, even small patches of native gardens help prevent erosion and runoff, filter out toxins, and use less water. Courtesy JCPRD.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg?w=390\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"929\" height=\"922\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg\" alt=\"A modern color photograph showing a field of small white flowers with tall, bright orange milkweed flowers in the middleground. In the background, a wooded area and blue sky.\" class=\"wp-image-5491\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg 929w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg?w=97&amp;h=96 97w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg?w=390&amp;h=387 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6-jcprd-garrett-butterfly-milkweed-kcp.jpg?w=768&amp;h=762 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 929px) 100vw, 929px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Native plant species have deeper roots, and typically drought tolerant, and often attract the area\u2019s pollinators. Although this photo of Butterfly milkweed was taken in Kill Creek Park, even small patches of native gardens help prevent erosion and runoff, filter out toxins, and use less water. Courtesy JCPRD.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5492\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/2025\/09\/29\/water-and-the-suburban-landscape\/7-img_2117\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1990,3065\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.78&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 15 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1738834308&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.7649998656528&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;latitude&quot;:&quot;38.969341666667&quot;,&quot;longitude&quot;:&quot;-94.668136055556&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"7 IMG_2117\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;This rain barrel is on display in the Museum\u2019s special exhibit. Rain barrels come in all types of styles, colors, and designs. Learn more about Contain the Rain at: &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=390\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=390\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"390\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=390\" alt=\"Color image from the Museum's exhibit showing a bright blue rain barrel in the foreground, with exhibit displays in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-5492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=390 390w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=780 780w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=62 62w, https:\/\/jocohistory.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/7-img_2117.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 390px) 100vw, 390px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>This rain barrel is on display in the Museum\u2019s special exhibit. Rain barrels come in all types of styles, colors, and designs. <a href=\"http:\/\/jocogov.org\/department\/public-works-stormwater-management\/contain-the-rain\">Learn more about Contain the Rain. <\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Learn More \u2013 Visit the Special Exhibit!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Want to learn more about what in the area? Visit the Johnson County Museum to explore the Museum\u2019s special exhibit, \u201cRipples: Water, Community, and You.\u201d You can plan your visit at JCPRD.com\/Ripples!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thank you to our exhibit sponsors!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re grateful for the generous support of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bv.com\/en-US\">Black &amp; Veatch<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.burnsmcd.com\/\">Burns &amp; McDonnell<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hdrinc.com\/\">HDR<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jcprdfoundation.org\/\">The Parks &amp; Recreation Foundation of Johnson County<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.trekkllc.com\/\">TREKK Design Group<\/a>. Their partnership helps us bring the vital story of water to life \u2014 for you, your family, and our entire community.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building the suburbs brought many changes to Johnson County\u2019s landscape. Homes, shopping centers, and roads all required changes in the natural topography, vegetation, and streamways. Creeks were straightened or buried in concrete, lawns replaced native plants, and heavy machinery reworked hills and valleys. These changes had lasting effects on the county\u2019s streamways. Read on to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":307373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12032],"tags":[7490,49658,638],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-307372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-history","tag-landscape","tag-suburban","tag-water"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Water and the Suburban Landscape - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Water and the Suburban Landscape - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Building the suburbs brought many changes to Johnson County\u2019s landscape. Homes, shopping centers, and roads all required changes in the natural topography, vegetation, and streamways. Creeks were straightened or buried in concrete, lawns replaced native plants, and heavy machinery reworked hills and valleys. These changes had lasting effects on the county\u2019s streamways. Read on to [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-21T00:16:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"555\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371\"},\"headline\":\"Water and the Suburban Landscape\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-21T00:16:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\"},\"wordCount\":908,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Landscape\",\"suburban\",\"water\"],\"articleSection\":[\"American History\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\",\"name\":\"Water and the Suburban Landscape - Som2ny Network\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-21T00:16:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":555},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?bp_activities=1\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Water and the Suburban Landscape\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/\",\"name\":\"Som2ny Network\",\"description\":\"Daily Deals\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Som2ny Network\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":86,\"caption\":\"Som2ny Network\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Water and the Suburban Landscape - Som2ny Network","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Water and the Suburban Landscape - Som2ny Network","og_description":"Building the suburbs brought many changes to Johnson County\u2019s landscape. Homes, shopping centers, and roads all required changes in the natural topography, vegetation, and streamways. Creeks were straightened or buried in concrete, lawns replaced native plants, and heavy machinery reworked hills and valleys. These changes had lasting effects on the county\u2019s streamways. Read on to [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372","og_site_name":"Som2ny Network","article_published_time":"2025-11-21T00:16:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":555,"url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371"},"headline":"Water and the Suburban Landscape","datePublished":"2025-11-21T00:16:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372"},"wordCount":908,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png","keywords":["Landscape","suburban","water"],"articleSection":["American History"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372","name":"Water and the Suburban Landscape - Som2ny Network","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png","datePublished":"2025-11-21T00:16:17+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/4-jcm.2004.013.001-yard.png","width":1200,"height":555},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=307372#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?bp_activities=1"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Water and the Suburban Landscape"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/","name":"Som2ny Network","description":"Daily Deals","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization","name":"Som2ny Network","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png","width":300,"height":86,"caption":"Som2ny Network"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/fivemor.com"],"url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=307372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307372\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/307373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=307372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=307372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=307372"},{"taxonomy":"dealstore","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fdealstore&post=307372"},{"taxonomy":"offerexpiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fofferexpiration&post=307372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}