(a) Pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-845, and amendments thereto, the Kansas department of wildlife and parks is hereby authorized to enter into a project cooperative agreement and related lease with the United States department of the army to modify and restore approximately 2,550 acres of permanent and seasonal wetland habitat located on the Republican River floodplain within the flood control pool of Milford Lake subject to the following: The proposed project shall be developed in the following three stages and moneys to pay the nonfederal share of project costs for each stage shall be secured before commencement of such stage:

(1) Stage 1, in the areas of Lower Refuge, Cane Creek, Mall Creek and Smith Bottoms, totaling approximately 1,030 acres;

(2) stage 2, in the areas of Quimby Creek, Smith Bottoms addition, Beichter Bottoms, East Broughton 1 and 3 and West Broughton 1 and 2, totaling approximately 895 acres; and

(3) stage 3, in the areas of West Broughton 3 and 4, Martin, East Broughton 2 and 4 and Sugar Bowl, totaling approximately 415 acres.

(b) The Kansas department of wildlife and parks is hereby authorized to assume costs associated with the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and rehabilitation of the area in each stage of the Milford Lake wetlands wildlife habitat restoration project after completion of such stage by the United States department of the army. Such costs shall be paid from wildlife-related fee funds of the department and from any nonstate moneys available for that purpose.