Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Spring River Watershed Partnership

A group of 15 concerned citizens met in Carthage (Jasper Co.) MO, October 14, 2008, for what was referred to as an "organizational meeting of the Spring River Watershed Partnership". Those individuals making a presentation to the group included Jasper County Commissioner Jim Honey; Environmental Task Force of Jasper and Newton Counties, President, Bob Nichols; Tony Moehr, Jasper County Health Department; Dan Downing, Water Quality Associate, Water Quality Program, University of Missouri Extension; Carl Hayes, Spring River Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (Kansas); and Drew Holt, Elk River Watershed Group.

Commissioner Honey explained that the purpose of the group was to form a committee that would undertake to develop a watershed plan and then carry out the implementation of the plan. The Spring River Watershed Partnership will operate within the Environmental Task Force of Jasper and Newton Counties organizational structure. The next planning meeting will be in December 2008.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Body Contact NOT Reccomended 10/17/2008

The Jasper County Health Department has posted the results of their 10/17/2008 water quality testing at seven locations on Spring River. Specifically, this is the number of Escherichia coli colonies per 100 milliliters of river water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that swimming and body contact is NOT recommended when the sample exceeds 235 E. coli colonies per 100 ml.

The 10/17/2008 test results (E. coli colonies per 100 ml) and locations are listed below:

Swimming and body contact is NOT recommended at these sites.
313.0, Spring River at County Road 3
298.7, Spring River at County Road 85
365.4, Spring River at Kellogg Lake
365.4, Spring River at Francis Street
260.3, Spring River at County Road 270

The following 2 locations were reported below the 235 limit.
77.1, Spring River at Quaker Mill, County Lane 216
95.8, Spring River at Kafir and State Line

For further information, contact:
Jasper County Health Department
105 Lincoln
Carthage, MO 64836
417/358-3111
417/358-0494 (fax)
moehra@lpha.dhss.mo.gov (e-mail)
877-879-9131 (toll free)
8:30 - 4:30 (hours)