Surf Your Watershed

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a web link called, Surf Your Watershed. This is a great resource for information about the Spring River Watershed.

USGS Data on Your Watershed

Here are the links to the USGS Spring River Watershed monitoring sites:

Spring River at Carthage, MO.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv?07185765

Spring River near Waco, MO.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv/?site_no=07186000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

Shoal Creek above Joplin, MO.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv/?site_no=07187000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

Spring River near Quapaw, OK.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ok/nwis/uv?07188000

Kansas Issues New Fish Consumption Advisory

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have issued new fish consumption advisories for 2005. Guess what? Spring River is on the advisory, recommending "that eating specified fish or aquatic life be avoided". http://www.marc.org/newsreleases/kdhe010705.htm http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishing/are_my_fish_safe_to_eat

Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recommends that the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) process be implemented on a local level by a Watershed Stakeholders Committee (WSC). The ultimate goal of the WRAPS process is to create and implement a plan to restore the health of water bodies that do not meet their water quality standards. The WSC would have the responsibility of working with local and state agencies to develop a WRAPS plan. This plan should identify the following: public outreach methods; required monitoring activities based on water quality goals and outcomes; specific water quality problems; watershed coordinator/evaluator; actions to be taken to achieve water quality goals and outcomes; schedule for implementation of needed restoration measures; and funding needs.
The Spring River, Cow Creek and Shawnee Creek in Kansas are the largest tributaries in this watershed. It should be no surprise that 71% of the total miles of water in the watershed are contaminated and do not meet State standards. Are you interested in changing this embarssing statistic? Let me know if you're interested in organizing a WSC. KDHE has already placed the Spring River watershed on their priority list for water restoration. We need to start organizing a WRAPS. Will you join me in getting one started?

How Are They Doing?

The Missouri Department of Conservation has published their goals for the Spring River Basin. They are:

Goal 1: Improve water quality and maintain or improve water quantity in the Spring River Basin so all streams are capable of supporting native acquatic communities.

Goal 2: Improve riparian and aquatic habitat conditions in the Spring River Basin to meet the needs of native aquatic species while accomodating demands for water and agriculture production.

Goal 3: Maintain diverse and abundant populations of native aquatic organisms while accomodating angler demands for quality fishing.

Goal 4:Improve the public's appreciation for stream resources and increase recreational use of streams in the Spring River Basin.

How do you think the Department of Conservation is doing?

What would you suggest needs to be done first?

What would you be willing to help with?

Is There Someplace Else That Needs to be Checked?

The following are locations of Stream Habitat Sampling Sites (SHAD) in the Spring River Basin: Asbury, Avilla, Carl Junction, Carthage, Chesapeake, Dudenville, Exeter, Fidelity, Golden City, Granby, Jasper, Joplin-East, Joplin-West, Kenoma, Lamar-South, La Russell, Maple Grove, Milford, Miller, Mindenmines, Monett, Mt. Vernon, Nashville, Neck City, Neosho, Neosho-East, Newtonia, Pierce City, Purdy, Reeds, Rescue, Rocky Comfort, Sarcoxie, Stotts City, Tipton Ford, Webb City, Wheaton.
Is there another location that you think should be checked?

Do These Sound Familiar?

The following lists are causes/sources of fish kills in the Spring River Basin, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Do these contaminants sound familiar? How many times does it have to happen before we say, STOP IT!

Barry County:Industrial waste, Hog manure, Poultry Process water, Ammonia, Sewage (3 times) , Agricultural manure.

Barton County:Toxins, Fertilizer, Spawning stress, Sewage, Petroleum, Animal fat spill, Landfill leachate, Agriculture byproduct, Ammonia phosphate, Ammonia.

Dade County: Truck spill.

Jasper County: Industrial wastes, Anhydrous ammonia, Ammonium hydroxide, Asphalt sealer, Potassium hydroxide, Hydrochloric acid, Urea ammonia(2 times), Acid Mine drainage, Sewage(5 times), Pipeline break, Truck spill, Ammonia, Acid, Sulfuric acid, Chemical spill (11 times), Petroleum, Kerosene, Acid/Alkali spill, heavy metal.

Lawrence County: Sewage effluent, Sewage(8 times), Food spill, Ammonia, Dioxin, Oil spill, Hog waste.

Newton County: Aquashade, Dursban, Bentonite, Municipal wastes, Diesel fuel, Aquatic habitat destruction, Pipeline break, Railway spill, Lindane, Demolition material.

Escherichia coli (E. coli 0157:H7)

Escherichia coli (also known as E. coli 0157:H7) is a natural part of a river ecosystem. It is the concentration of E. coli that is a health hazzard. The Carthage Missouri High School Stream Team reported the following levels on E. coli during the Public Hearing on February 16, 2005. The US Environmental Protection Agency has determined that if levels of E. coli exceed 235 organisms (Colony Forming Unit or Cfu) per 100 mL of water, a health risk to humans may exist and recreational waters should be closed to the public. In Vermont, the health protective level in recreational water is set at 77 organisms per 100 mL of swimming water. In Indiana the maximum level is 125. In Missouri, there is a proposal to lower the maximum level to 126; currently the maximum level in Missouri is 200. The average E. coli level in Spring River is 329.
Site #2
06/26/2004 235.9 E. coli, Cfu/100mL
07/24/2004 1,203.13
08/28/2004 231.0
09/18/2004 344.8
09/25/2004 166.4
10/01/2004 461.1
10/02/2004 920.8
10/07/2004 2,419.6
10/08/2004 1,413.6
10/08/2004 980.4
10/22/2004 196.8

Site #3
06/26/2004 290.9 E. coli, Cfu/100 mL
07/24/2004 1,986.28
08/28/2004 77.6
09/18/2004 172.0
09/25/2004 172.3
10/01/2004 461.1
10/02/2004 344.1
10/08/2004 816.4
10/22/2004 63.8

The high levels of E. coli can be due to leaking and overflowing of sanitary sewer systems, leaking septic tanks, effluent discharges from animal production facilities or the release of animal feces into the water. What do you think? Were you in Spring River on any of these dates?

We All Live Downstream From Someone!

We all live down-river, or down-stream, from someone. Have you ever thought about what someone does up-river from you, is affecting your water quality? Conversely, have you ever thought about what you are doing will affect a neighbor, a family member, a community or a friend, down-stream. Here are some of the communities that might be up-river or down-river from where you live. Are you eating fish from, swimming in, or drinking water from a portion of the Spring River Watershed that is being polluted, and contaminated by your 'neighbor' up-stream?

Aurora, Baxter Springs, Carl Junction, Carterville, Carthage, Exeter, Fairview, Galena, Granby, Joplin, Marionville, Miller, Mt. Vernon, Neosho, Newtonia, Picher. Pierce City, Purdy, Quapaw, Purdy, Ritchey, Riverton, Sarcoxie, Stotts City, Verona, Waco, Webb City, Weir, Wheaton, and Wyandotte.

What Do These All Have in Common?

Q: What do all of the following creeks, streams and rivers have in common?

Big Spring, Blackberry Creek, Brush Creek, Buck Branch, Buffalo Creek, Capps Creek, Cedar Creek, Center Creek, Clear Creek, Cow Creek, Dry Fork, East Cow Creek, Elm Branch, Elm Springs Branch, Glendale Fork, Hickory Creek, Honey Creek, Indian Creek, Jenkins Creek, Jones Creek, Joyce Creek, Little North Fork, Little Shawnee Creek, Long Branch, Lost Creek, North Fork, Pettis Creek, Shawnee Creek, Shoal Creek, Spring River, Stahl Creek, Taylor Branch, Truitt Creek, Turkey Creek, West Fork, White Oak Creek, Williams Creek and Willow Creek.

A: They are all part of the Spring River Watershed. [In fact, there are even three more, unnamed tributaries: T26N, R32W, S28-unnamed tributary to Cedar Creek; T28N, R33W, S15-tributary to Center Creek; and T29, R29W, S15-tributary to White Oak Creek].

Joplin Globe Articles about Spring River problems

Here are recent articles published in The Joplin Globe (Missouri), www.joplinglobe.com, about efforts to identify the environmental problem(s) in Spring River.

4/21/2004 Stream Team Reports Additional Findings, http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=53094

7/2/2004 Elevated Bacteria Cause for Concern, http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=62034

9/20/2004 Confluent Interests Staff Members, http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=71206

2/13/2005 Bacteria in River 'Off Scale', http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=87722

2/18/2005 County Panel Urged to Enter River-Bacteria Issue, http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=88209

We're Already on Someones Radar Screen.

In addition to identifying the problem(s), the challenge is identifying all of the resources available. Below is my attempt to begin gathering the information that already exists on Spring River and the problems that have been identified. The following links are from US Environmental Protection Agency.

http://oaspub.epa.gov/pls/tmdl/huc_rept.control?p_huc=11070207&p_huc_desc=SPRING

http://oaspub.epa.gov/pls/tmdl/waters_list.control?huc=11070207&wbname=SPRING%20RIVER&wbtype=STREAM%2FCREEK%2FRIVER

http://oaspub.epa.gov/pls/tmdl/waters_list.control?state=MO&cycle=2002&huc=11070207

http://oaspub.epa.gov/pls/tmdl/waters_list.control?state=OK&cycle=2002&huc=11070207

http://oaspub.epa.gov/pls/tmdl/waters_list.control?state=KS&cycle=2002&huc=11070207

Where do you start, upstream or downstream?

This is a first for me, getting innvolved for an environmental cause. It just seemed like the right cause, the right time and the right place. Apparently, I'm not the first one to think that there is a problem. Spring River is already identified as USGS Watershed No. 11070207. The Missouri Department of Conservation already has a file on it.

It has already been listed as a "impaired waters" in Missouri and Kansas. As with any project, awareness, resources, communication, volunteers, a Plan and enthusasm are what it takes to be successful. Regrettably, Spring River has been neglected, ignored, and taken for granted by many people, businesses, communities and 'neighbors'. I suppose that identifying resources and volunteers will be the first task. Awareness will be a close second.

Below is an excerpt from Spring River Watershed Inventory and Assessment, referenced above. The Spring River Basin is located in southwest Missouri in Barry, Barton, Christian, Dade, Jasper, Lawrence, Newton, and Stone counties. The basin lies along the border between the Osage Plains and Springfield Plateau physiographic regions. The Spring River originates along the Barry-Lawrence county line south of Verona, flows west-northeast to its confluence with the North Fork of the Spring River east of Asbury in Jasper County and then southwest into Kansas and Grand Lake of the Cherokees in Oklahoma. Major tributaries within the basin are the North Fork of the Spring River, Center Creek, Turkey Creek, and Shoal Creek. Numerous smaller tributaries flow throughout the basin.

Southwest Missouri, Southeast Kansas and Northest Oklahoma are all dependent on, and should be concerned about, Spring River. Help me get this started.