In July 1994, State Water Plan determined that the directed the Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources to aid in development of further water resource management in the Pawnee River Valley. The Basin Management Team was established in the Pawnee-Buckner subbasin in 1996.

The Pawnee-Buckner-Sawlog subbasin is located in south central Kansas. The primary stream system is the Pawnee River. Buckner Creek and Sawlog Creek are the two major tributaries. The subbasin includes all or part of the following counties: Edwards, Finney, Ford, Gray, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness, Pawnee and Scott counties. Project representatives are from Hodgeman, Ness and Pawnee counties.