Exhibition Rain Garden at Kellogg Lake Park



Rain Garden ready  for plantings

City of Carthage (Parks & Recreation Department), Jasper County (Health Department), Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, University of Missouri Extension and Missouri Master Gardeners have developed an Exhibition Rain Garden for the City of Carthage and Kellogg Lake Park visitors. The Rain Garden is part of the Carthage-Spring River Watershed 319 Grant project.





Preparing the natural rock edging/weed barrier

Rain Gardens collect storm water like rain barrels, but the water is absorbed into the ground. They reduce storm water runoff, reduce erosion and filet out pollutants. They also create an attractive landscape and natural habitat.








Site excavated, boulders in place and topsoil amended 

The Rain Garden in the Kellogg Lake Park is designed to inspire, educate and teach important Best Management Practices in the Spring River Watershed. It is an exhibition garden for residents and guests alike. Missouri Native plants are used that are adapted for Missouri weather and climate. Their deep root systems facilitate the absorption of large amounts of storm water.




Rain Garden is backdrop for Outdoor Educational Classroom

The Exhibition Rain Garden site was selected and is located adjacent to the Carthage Public School's Outdoor Educational Classroom. Signage describes the design elements and  selections for the all Missouri Native plants. Visitors can admire and study the numerous plant species for planning their own Rain Garden.

Spring River Proud Watershed Exhibit



Rain Barrel Demonstration

Southwest Ozarks Stream Team Association,  Jasper County Health Department,  Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, La Russell Stream Team #2945, City of Carthage, City of Joplin and the Missouri Southern State University Environmental Club, all came together to demonstrate Best Management Practices in the Spring River Watershed, on April 8th, for the Annual Kellogg Lake Kid's Fishing Day educational exhibits.

What is a Watershed activity

 The Water Festival  focused on Nonpoint Source Pollution, emphasizing the character of a watershed, the water cycle, the serious affects of polluting carried out by human activities, without any regard for consequences to the watershed and positive solutions for watershed health. The first three stations demonstrated the interaction of the watershed and the water cycle, the impact of the potential pollution sources and a personalized watershed address for each festival participant. Stations 4 and 5 focused on positive water management solutions.

 

Rain Garden demonstration

Volunteers helped in all five separate educational exhibit stations: (1) The Interaction of the Water Cycle and Watershed.  (2)  My Watershed Address. (3) What are some Non-Point Polution Solutions that you can do in the Watershed. (4) What are Rain Barrels and (5) What are Rain Gardens.



Spring River Proud of our Watershed

The Spring River Proud of our Watershed exhibit was one of the educational exhibits at the 12th Annual Kellogg Lake Kid's Fishing Day in Carthage, MO. The Carthage Press reported that Kellogg Lake Park was expecting 2000 people on April 8, 2013 for the event.

E. coli Weekly Test Results for 2013

The Jasper County Health Department began testing for E. coli bacteria in Spring River in May 2007. They selected seven sites for weekly testing, including: Spring River at County Road 3 (referenced as SR1), Spring River at County Road 85 (SR2), Spring River at Kellogg Lake-Carthage (SR3), Spring River at Francis Street-Carthage (SR4), Spring River at Quaker Mill on County Lane 216 (SR5), and Spring River at Kafir and State Line (SR7). The following are test results for 2013.


The test results are shown as # of colonies of E. coli bacteria per 100 milliliters of river water. The data in Bold indicates that the # of colonies are in excess of the maximum recommended by the US EPA for bodily contact, which is 235 colonies of E. coli per 100 milliliter of water sampled. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) recommends a maximum of 126 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. as the limit for "recreational" swimming and whole body contact, annually between April 1 and October 31. The data is arranged by sampling site, with the latest data 'on top'.

Spring River at County Road 3 (SR1)
07/23/2013, 816.4
07/16/2013, 68.9
07/09/2013, 49.7
07/03/2013, 117.8
06/20/2013, 275.5
06/11/2013, 167.4
06/04/2013, 396.8
05/30/2013, 167
05/22/2013, 1299.7

Spring River at County Road 85 (SR2)
07/23/2013, 1553.1

07/16/2013, 68.3
07/09/2013, 71.7
07/02/2013, 104.9
06/20/2013, 241.5
06/11/2013, 188.2
06/04/2013, 547.5
05/30/2013, 290.9
05/22/2013, 1413.6

Spring River at Kellogg Lake-Carthage (SR3)
07/23/2013, 1299.7
07/16/2013, 65
07/09/2013, 66.3
07/03/2013, 48
06/20/2013, 435.2
06/11/2013, 101.2
06/04/2013, 461.1
05/30/2013, 272.3
05/22/2013, 1732.9

Spring River at Francis Street-Carthage (SR4)
07/23/2013, 1119.9
07/16/2013, 54.6
07/09/2013, 53.8
07/03/2013, 71.2
06/20/2013, 410.6
06/22/2013, 260.3
06/04/2013, 387.3
05/30/2013, 613.1
05/22/2103, 1986.7

Spring River at Quaker Mill on County Lane 216 (SR5)
07/23/2013, 325.5
07/16/2013, 68.3
07/09/2013, 71.7
07/02/2013, 99.5
06/20/2013, 248.9
06/11/2013, 107.1
06/04/2013, 461.1
05/30/2013, 461.1
05/22/2013, 1553.1

Spring River at County Road 270 (SR6)
07/23/2013, 172.2
07/16/2013, 36.8
07/09/2013, 35.9
07/02/2103, 72.2
06/20/2013, 648.8
06/11/2013, 104.6
06/05/2013, 435.2
05/30/2013, 1732.9
05/22/2013, 920.8

Spring River at Kafir and State Line (SR7)
07/23/2013, 107.6
07/16/2013, 57.3
07/09/2013, 48.7
07/02/2013, 64.4
06/20/2013, 517.2
06/11/2013, 128.1
06/05/2013, 410.6
05/30/2013, 2419.6
05/22/2013, 1732.9

For further information, contact:
Jasper County Health Department
105 Lincoln
Carthage, MO 64836
417/358-3111
417/358-0494 (fax)

Body Contact is NOT Recommended 06/20/2013

The Jasper County Health Department has posted the results of their 06/20/2013 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 Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) recommends a maximum of 126 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. as the limit for "recreational" swimming and whole body contact, annually between April 1 and October 31.

The 06/20/2013 test results (E. coli colonies per 100 ml) indicated excessive levels of E. coli bacteria at each site on Spring River tested in Jasper County.

The sites are identified as:
Spring River at C. R. 3, 275.5 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. river water
Spring River at C.R. 85, 241.5
Spring River at Kellogg Lake, 435.2
Sprig River at Francis Street, 410.6
Spring River at Quaker Mill C.L. 216, 248.9
Spring River at C.R. 270, 648.8
Spring River at Kafir and State Line Road, 517.2








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)