From August 1991 – 1997 Friends of the Kaw (FOK) was formed by several residents of north Lawrence who successfully mounted public support and obtained denial of four proposed sand dredging permits in a pristine section of the Kansas River (also referred to as the Kaw) between the communities of Lecompton and Lawrence, Kansas. In the spring of 1995, FOK assembled over two hundred people to attend a hearing concerning an application for an in-river dredge permit north of Lawrence before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) at the Perry-Lecompton High School amid heavy rains and tornadoes. The COE denied the permit citing the recreational value of the Kaw in this reach as one of the primary reasons. Because of this success Friends of the Kaw gained more members and incorporated in 1997. We received our 501c3 status in 1998.

Friends of the Kaw will:

• Preserve and protect the Kansas River for present and future generations.
• Advocate the rehabilitation of the Kansas River's environs, including its water quality and wildlife habitat.
• Promote compatible public recreational uses of the Kansas River and encourage the development of adequate public access.
• To these ends we shall seek to cooperate with other persons, organizations and public agencies.