TMDL Information Sheets

Here are links to Total Maximum Daily Limit (TMDL) information Sheets on rivers, streams and creeks in the Spring River watershed.

Center Creek (Joplin, Jasper County) http://dnr.missouri.gov/env/wpp/tmdl/info/center-ck-info.pdf

Clear Creek (Monett, Barry & Lawrence Counties)
http://dnr.missouri.gov/env/wpp/tmdl/info/clear-ck-info.pdf

Lamar Lake (Lamar, Barton County) http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/tmdl/info/lamar-lk-info.pdf

Shoal Creek (Neosho & Monett, Newton & Barry Counties) http://dnr.missouri.gov/env/wpp/tmdl/info/shoal-ck-info.pdf

Turkey Creek (Joplin, Jasper County) http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/tmdl/info/turkey-cr-jasper-co-info.pdf

Lamar Watershed USGS No. 1107-0207-060-004

Tuesday, December 10, 2006, a group met at the Wolf Center University of Missouri Extension Center, for preliminary discussions regarding formation of a Lamar (MO) Watershed District. Representatives from the Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA), Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), City of Lamar and and the University of Missouri Extension (MU) discussed issues, including Wellhead Protection and Source Water Protection Plans, Total Maximum Daily Limit (TMDL) and identifying a Community Planning Team, to formulate the plan.

Wellhead Protection Plan
5-Steps to Developing a Wellhead Protection Plan
1. Form a Community Planning team
2. Delineate the Wellhead Protection Area
3. Identify and locate potential sources for contamination
4. Manage Wellhead Protection Area (regulatory and non-regulatory)
5. Plan for the future (contingency plans, identy future problems and solutiuons)
(Wellhead Protection: A Guide to Small Communities, EPA625/R-93/002)

Sourcewater Protection Plan
1. Delineate te Source water Assessment Plan
2. Conduct an inventory of potential contamination sources
3. Determine susceptibility of water supply for contamination
4. Release the assessment to the public

Define Water Quality Criteria
3-Types of Standards
1. Numeric (maximum concentrations and minimum/maximum acceptable levels)
2. Narrative (desirable biological conditions and "Free From" standards)
3. Antidegradation values

Developing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
1. Identify more data
2. Identify possible sources
3. Use data to model the stream
4. Calculate how much pollutant the stream can handle
5. Divide load among sources
6. Develop Plan

Comments made during the meeting:
1. TMDL's are a tool, not a weapon.
2. It is the right thing to do (restoring water quality using the watershed approach)
3. "A stream is a reflection of its watershed."
4. Nutients do not have standards.
5. Modeling will determine the target TMDL.
6. "If you are part of the problem, you must be part of the solution."
7. Agencies do not have all of the answers.
8. "If we don't start, we will never get there."

Watershed Management Plan
9-Critical Elements
1. Identify causes and sources/groups of similar sources of contamination
2. Estimate expected load reductions
3. Description of Non-Point Source management measures
4. Estimate of financial andtechnical assistance needed
5. Information/education to enhance understanding and encourage participation
6. Implementation schedule
7. Description of measurable milestones
8. Determine whether loading reductions are achieved
9. Plan monitoring, evaluation, revision.

USGS Hydrologic Unit Codes:
HUG-8 1107-0207 Spring River Basin
HUC-11 1107-0207-060 North Fork of Spring River Basin
HUC-14 1107-0207-060-004 Lamar Sub Basin
HUC-18 1107-0207-060-004-7356 Lamar Lake Sub Sub Basin

Resources available:
1. MDNR's TMDL Video "Keeping Your Waters Clean"
2. Information Sheets for 303D listed waters (impaired waters failing to meet quality standards)
3. Watershed Maps for individual Missouri counties

Shoal Creek Watershed

A group met Tuesday, January 10, 2005 to begin preliminary plans to form a Shoal Creek Watershed. Representatives from the Environmental Task Force of Jasper and Newton Counties; the Regional Economic Development Center (REDC) at Missouri Southern State University; and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) met at Joplin City Hall, approving a Memorandum of Understanding to pursue formation of a Shoal Creek Watershed Group. Specifically, the watershed will be designated 'downstream' on Shoal Creek from the Highway 60 bridge in Newton County. Tom Simpson, Director of the REDC, said that initially the project involves identifying stakeholders. They will include property owners along Shoal Creek, farmers, educators, recreational users, developers, public water suppliers, environmentalists, cities, counties and local health departments. The REDC will be facilitating a forum in April or May to begin educating area residents about the watershed. The Joplin Globe, Wednesday, January 11, 2006 http://www.joplinglobe.com/archives/story.php?story_id=120068

Lamar Lake / North Fork Spring River Watershed Plans

Notice of Public Meeting: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) will be holding a public meeting regarding the TMDL and Source Water Protection Plan for the Lamar Lake / North Fork of Spring River Watershed Project on Tuesday, January 10, 2006, beginning at 7:00 pm, at the Barton County Extension Office, 801 E. 12th Street, Lamar, MO.

Project Background:
1. Project is in the North Fork of the Spring River Basin.
2. NRCS has a CREP program for the North Fork Basin.
3. Barton County SWCD has a MDNR Agricultural Non-Point Source project for the North Fork Basin.
4. Lamar Lake has a 303 (d) listing for nutrients, nearly completed.
5. Lamar Lake, a public water supply, needs an updated Source Water Protection Plan.
6. North Fork has a 303 (d) listing for sediment, with a TMDL under development.
7. Focusing on the smaller Lamar Lake Sub-Basin first, and later expand efforts to develop Watershed Plan for the entire North Fork of the Spring River Basin.

New EPA Watershed Publications, Tools and Forums

There are some great new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) watershed publications, tools and forums. Here are the titles and links to each resource material.

1. Watershed Academy Webcast Seminars, http://epa.gov/watershedwebcasts/

2. Catalog of Federal Funding for Watershed Protection, http://cfpub.epa.gov/fedfund/

3. Region 7 Watershed Funding Workshop

4. Plan2Fund

5. W.A.T.E.R.S., http://epa.gov/waters/

6. EPA's Targeted Watersheds Program, http://epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative/

7. STORET, http://epa.gov/storet/

8. EPA's Wetlands Web Site, http://epa.gov/owow/wetlands/

9. Nonpoint Source Web Site, http://epa.gov/owow/nps/

10. NPDES Stormwater Web Site, http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6

11. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), http://epa.gov/owow/tmdl/

12. BASINS, http://epa.gov/waterscience/basins/

13. Watershed-Based Permitting Web Site

14. Adopt Your Watershed, http://www.epa.gov/adopt/

15. After the Storm, http://epa.gov/weatherchannel/

16. Getting in Step: A Guide for Conducting Watershed Outreach Campaigns, http://epa.gov/owow/watershed/outreach/documents/

17. Protecting water Resources with Smart Growth, http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/

18. National Costal Condition Report II, http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr/

19. Water Quality Trading Assessment Handbook, http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/trading.htm

20. Community-Based Watershed managament Lessons from the National Estuary Program, http://epa.gov/owow/estuaries/

21. Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place, http://epa.gov/ecocommunity/pdf/ccecomplete.pdf

22. Watershed-Based National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permitting Implementation Guidance

23. Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters, http://epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook/

There is a Watershed Discussion Forum at http://epa.gov/watershedforum. For more information you can also click on www.epa.gov.owow/watersheds (Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds). EPA publications can be obrtained for free by calling the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) toll-free at 1-800-490-9198, or by sending an e-mail to ncepimal@one.net.

Oklahoma Grand Lake Study

The Office of the Secretary of Environment (Oklahoma) and the Oklahoma Clean Water Forum have published the final report on the Comprehensive Study of the Grand Lake Watershed (per Senate Bill 408, 2003 Session).