Add Spring River to List of Impaired Waters

The Joplin Globe, Sunday, November 5, 2006 reported that The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is proposing that Spring River be added the the state's list of impaired waters because of high bacteria levels. The article reports that thirteen of 33 sites recently tested in Southwest Missouri, including Spring River, Shoal Creek and Little Sugar Creek, have bacteria levels so high they are unsafe for human contact. The article quotes (1) Renee Bungart, MDNR's Division of Water Quality, (2) Frank Martinez, Volunteer with a Stream Team in Carthage, (3) Bob Kulp, Administrator of the Newton County Health Department, and (4) Alethea Goodman, Administrator for Lawrwence County Health Department.

A majority of water quality samples collected on Spring River around Carthage in the last few years, whether done by state regulators or the volunteer Stream Team, have consistently found elevated levels of E. coli or another bacteria, enterococci, both of which can cause health problems for people who are exposed. Frank Martinez said that "By the criteria of the Environmental Protection Agency, this river (Spring River) should be put on a 303(d) list." The Stream team's latest tests on Spring River, done October 31 at five sites around Carthage, showed elevated levels of either E. coli, enteroccoi or both. Previous tests done on October 18 at the request of The Joplin Globe, on two sites downstream on Spring River, near Purcell and Waco, showed E. coli at levels considered unsafe.

Renee Bungart said 'only the area of Spring River near Carthage and two miles downstream are currently being proposed for the state's list of impaired rivers.'

The MDNR began testing in the Carthage area in the Spring of 2005, after the Stream Team identified high levels of bacteria and held public forums to educate the community about its findings. The MDNR initially began testing at several sites around Carthage, but has since scaled it back to an unnamed spring tributary near the Butterball Turkey Co. plant, where the Stream Team continues to find some of its highest levels of bacteria. MDNR testing resulted in the replacement of a city sewer line in that area earlier this year. Runoff from agricultural and/or human activity may still be contributing to overall elevated levels of E/ coli.

Water quality analysis in Newton County also indicates many streams and rivers there remain unsafe, too. Of 200 samples collected at 13 different sites around the county (April through October 14, 2006) 134 or 67% had elevated levels of E. Coli. Five of the 11 sites, last tested October 3 and October 18, 2006, by Newton County officials had elevated E. coli. Parts of Capps Creek, Clear Creek, Indian Creek, Lost Creek and Shoal Creek remained elevated throughout the year, regardless of rainfall or other changing stream conditions. Bob Kulp said that "eventually we are going to have to start posting some kind of advisories. If we are testing the water and the public is at risk, we want to get the word out."

The Joplin Independent, Wednesday, December 1, 2006 included an article about the Newton County Health Department's efforts to get a health tax levy passed in the November 7 election. Shocking statistics released by the department indicated that 100% of the rivers and streams tested in Newton County for E. coli bacteria were too high, with 72% of all samples at higher than minimum levels for safe body contact. They also found that one third of the water wells tested in the county were contaminated with bacteria. Dale Jobe, a member of the Newton County Health Department Board of Trustees said that "people don't like change. Everyone wants to blame everybody else. We need to identify it (the bacterial origin) beyond a shadow of a doubt." DNA testing would be able to definitely say whether contaminants in the water were from humans, chicken, cattle or any other livestock.

In answer to the critisism by some members of the Newton County Board of Commissioners, that water issues should continue to be handled on the state level, Bob Kulp pointed out that the MDNR does not function at the non-point source polution level.

Bacteria Levels (The Joplin Globe 11/05/2006)
The current health standard is 126 colonies of E. coli per 100 milliliters of water, according to the MDNR. The locations of sites tested and their bacteria levels are:
[Sampling done for The Joplin Globe by the Newton County Health Department on October 18, 2006]
Indian Creek at Anderson 56.3 colonies of E. coli/100 milliliters of water
Elk River at Cowskin Conservation Area (Highway 43 in McDonald County) 86.5
Elk River at Mount Shira Conservation Area near Noel 27.2
Elk River at River Ranch Campground Swim Beach near Noel 122.3
Elk River at Big Elk Camp Swim Beach in Pineville 77.6
Little Sugar Creek near Pineville 111.9
Little Sugar Creek near Caverna 866.4
Big Sugar Creek at Cyclone 15.4
Shoal Creek near Ridgely 2,419.6
Shoal Creek near Pioneer 110.0
Clear Creek west of Pierce City 224.7
Center Creek at Highway 43 79.4
Center Creek near Smithville 83.9
Spring River near Waco 435.2
North Fork of Spring River near Galesburg 30.5
Spring River near Purcell 272.3
Center Creek north of Fidelity 104.6

[Sampling done by the Stream Team #2416 on October 31, 2006]
Spring River near Morrow Mill 140.8
Spring tributary in Carthage for Spring River 2,419.6
Spring River at Francis Street 88.6
Spring River at Tucker's Ford 133.6

[Sampling done by the Newton County Health Department on either October 3, or October 18, 2006]
Hickory Creek east of Neosho 38.3
Hickory Creek on Business Highway 60 73.3
Indian Creek at Boulder City 111.2
Lost Creek at Racine 387.3
Shoal Creek at Tipton Ford 146.7
Shoal Creek north of Granby 121.1
Shoal Creek at Lime Kiln Conservation Area near Neosho 124.6
Shoal creek near Barry County line 1,553.1
Shoal Creek at Wildcat Park in Joplin 78.0