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Greetings!
After input from community leaders and experts as well as individual citizens, the first draft of the watershed plan is ready for your review and comment. Also in this issue are tips for removing snow and ice from your driveway and walkways in a manner that is safe for humans, pets, and wildlife. Additional opportunities to get involved in taking care of your watershed include participating in The Native Plant School hosted by Missouri Botanical Garden's Shaw Nature Reserve staff.
Stay warm!
Rick Holton
Chairman, Deer Creek Watershed Friends
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First Draft Watershed Plan Complete
Citizen Comments and Feedback Requested
 | | Soil Types in the Deer Creek Watershed |
Thanks to extensive community input, a first draft of a Deer Creek Watershed plan has now been completed. Community leaders, technical experts, and individual citizens have all shaped the formation of this plan, which relies heavily on voluntary measures, according to the willing participation of individual landowners and municipalities.
You can view the Executive Summary for a synopsis, or review the entire document on our website. Check out the many players and contributors who helped shape this document in the Forward.
There is a public comment period prior to formal acceptance of the plan by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Your comments and feedback welcome!
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High Levels of Chloride, a Component of Salt, Found in Urban Streams
Visit Our Website for Alternatives to Salt Use for Deicing The use of salt to deice pavement can leave urban streams toxic to aquatic life, according to a new U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) study on the influence of winter runoff in northern U.S. cities. During this study, many urban streams across the northern U.S. were found to have elevated levels of chloride which is a component of salt. "While winter driving and walking safety are the priority in treating pavements, this study suggests the need for advancements that will reduce salt loads to surface waters without compromising safety," said Matthew C. Larsen, USGS Associate Director for Water. |
| | A St. Louis County salt truck in action ensuring that local roads are kept safe during our most recent round of winter weather. |
In this study published in 2010 in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, fifty-five percent of the northern streams sampled during winter months had chloride levels exceeding the USEPA chronic water-quality criteria of 230 mg/L. Similarly in our own backyard, fifty percent of chloride samples taken by the USGS from two sites on Deer Creek from 2001 to 2004 were in excess of 230 mg/L. Chloride found in surface waters originates from a number of sources. In addition to road deicing, salt is also used to deice driveways, parking lots, and walkways by many individuals as well as private and public organizations. You can make a difference! For information on alternatives to salt use for deicing and for other deicing tips, visit our website. |
Your Backyard: Upcoming Events In Your Area
Native Plant Educational Series |
| | A butterfly drinks the nectar from an Aromatic Aster which is a native plant to Missouri |
Shaw Nature Reserve is offering a variety of courses on sustainable landscaping as part of their Native Plant School series. Courses include native plant installation, natural garden design, and native seed collecting and storage, to name just a few. The cost per class is $10 forMBG/SNR members and $15 for non-members.
The next class being offered is Native Plant Propagation from Seed on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 10-11 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For a complete list of classes or to register, visit the Shaw Nature Reserve Native Plant School page. |
Join Us on Facebook
The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance is now on Facebook. We welcome your posts and would love to hear more about what citizens are doing to improve the Deer Creek Watershed.
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"To stick your hand into the river, is to feel the cords that bind the earth together."
- Barry Lopez, Author
About the Deer Creek Watershed Alliance
Our purpose is to assess and improve the Deer Creek Watershed, with a focus on plant-based solutions. Please forward this email newsletter to your friends and encourage them to get involved. The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance is a project of Missouri Botanical Garden and its partners. This project is funded by project partners, the Mabel Dorn Reeder Foundation, and US EPA Region 7 through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (subgrant number G09-NPS-13), under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.
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