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How's the water.... now?
David Casaletto
Just one week ago, I was sitting by a camp fire on the shore of Table Rock Lake with family and friends. There were a few dark clouds in the sky with some lightning visible. Who knew that only a few days later, I would be writing this article dealing with a record setting flood event!
 | | David's boat dock |
(View information and articles on the flood on our Facebook page.)
 | | David's neighbor on Table Rock Lake |
Each year, Ozarks Water Watch publishes a Status of the Watershed report designed to answer the question, "How's the water?" But after a severe flood many people, especially potential visitors to our area, wonder, "How is the water....now?", "Is the lake safe to swim in?", "Should we come to Table Rock, to Beaver, to Bull Shoals Lake on our family vacation?". I know they ask these question because 3 years ago after the 2008 flood event, my phone started ringing and these were the questions I was being asked. People called from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas City, St. Louis, just to name a few of the places I can remember. So to maybe get ahead of the game this time, I thought I would answer some of these questions now, before tourist season hits and maybe we can all be ready with the answers.
 | | Fountain at Branson Landing |
During a big rain event, Mother Nature performs the "big flush". All sorts of things that normally stay on land are flushed into our waterways and make their way down stream. A lot of these things are flowing past my house right now on Table Rock Lake near Cape Fair, MO. Many of them can easily be seen.  Trees, wood debris, trash (bottles, Styrofoam, and other junk) and soil. The lake is a very dark brown color due to the sediment carried into the water. Payton, my almost 3 year old granddaughter, says it is chocolate water. Many of the pictures on my organization's Facebook page of the flood were taken by my daughter Angela with Payton along for the ride. (You do not have to be a member of Facebook to view these pictures.)
Payton looking at "chocolate water"
But let's talk about the things in the water you cannot see. During the first big flush bacteria is carried into the water. I am sure you have heard of E coli whose sources include septic systems and animal waste. And there are chemicals washed off of parking lots and other areas.
 | | Quite a swim to the boat dock |
BUT HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS! While that first flush of water is not something you would want to swim in, Mother Nature has figured out how to clean our waters and she doesn't waste much time. Already the sediment is settling out, the sunlight is killing the E coli bacteria, and the chemicals are being diluted by the huge volume of water.
 | | Table Rock dam 68,000 cfs water |
In just a few weeks, just in time for tourist season, the lake will be ready for us. While there still may be high water, it will for the most part be safe water. And what I mean by "for the most part" is that everyone needs to remember, lake water is not treated with chlorine like a swimming pool. In any natural water there is always a chance of getting an earache or an eye infection. But the chance of that will be no greater a month after the flood than it was last year when you were swimming in the lake.
 | | Payton and Papa |
And I will be enjoying the water soon with my granddaughters Payton and Madison. But some may say, just because you are crazy enough to get in the water, do you really know the E coli levels are safe. So in 2008, a while after the big flood event but while the water was still very high, I went around to various locations on the lake and took water samples and had them tested for E coli at the local health department. Not one sample came back with unsafe levels of E coli. Again, with natural waters, you can never say never, but what I AM saying is that by the time the lake water warms up, it will be ready to dive in and swim just like it is every year. And my family will be one of the first ones to get wet!
 | | Madison enjoys the lake |
But I do want to say that our thoughts and prayers go out to those whose lives have been affected by this record setting flood event throughout Missouri and Arkansas and even nationwide. May God bless you as you begin the process to rebuild and restore.
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