Lower Shoal Creek Watershed Group.1

The Joplin Globe, Wednesday, June 14, 2006, reported that a steering committee was formed Tuesday night in cooperation with the Environmental Task Force of Jasper and Newton Counties (MO) to establish a watershed management plan for the lower Shoal Creek.

Those attending included Bob Kulp, Director of the Newton County Health Department; Mark Doolan, US Environmental Protection Agency; Drew Holt, a Watershed Management Coordinator with the University of Missouri Extension Service in Springfield; and Bob Nichols, Chairman of the Environmental Task Force of Jasper and Newton Counties.

Mark Doolan said that the EPA had "tested the Spring River Basin for 16 regulated heavy metals. More than 2,000 samples were collected over the course of three weeks from 250 sites. There were samples taken from 31 sites along Shoal Creek. The samples involved sedement, water in the sedement and surface water. The objective of the testing is to determine which tributaries are dispersing heavy metals from abandoned lead and zinc mining sites into the creeks, and ultimately Spring River and Grand lake in Oklahoma."

The proposed Lower Shoal Creek watershed will befrom the Newton-Lawrence County MO. line to the Empire Lake at Riverton, (Cherokee County) KS. Bob Nichols said that "the mission statement is to Protect, conserve and restore water quality and quantity through scientific and educational programs for all who receive the benefits of Shoal Creek."