Elk River Watershed Management Plan Advances Nutrient Reduction

Guest Writer-Drew Holt, Executive Director, Elk River Watershed Improvement Association

During the 1990s, persistent algal outbreaks occurred in several streams within the 1,032 square miles Elk River basin making streams unfit for designated uses under state law. This led the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to place a total of 126 miles of streams and stream-segments on the 303(d) list of impaired waterways in 1998.

Elk River's sub-watersheds & MO impaired streams. (Source DNR)

In 2003, DNR began developing an "11 in 1" Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to address excess nutrients for the 126 miles of impaired streams in the Elk River basin. During TMDL development, DNR helped create the Elk River Watershed Improvement Association (ERWIA) for community-based watershed management planning to assure attainment of state water quality standards. The TMDL established numerical limits for nutrients for Elk River, specifically 1.0 mg/L nitrogen and 0.06 mg/L phosphorus. A study by U.S. Geological Survey indicated that Indian Creek sub-watershed contributed the greatest proportion of nitrogen and the Little Sugar Creek sub-watershed contributed the greatest proportion of phosphorus to the Elk River basin.

The ERWIA's main focus has been on education and outreach activities. These activities include in-classroom presentations for elementary school students, annual watershed awareness festivals, annual watershed scholarship essay contests, Girl Scout patch project, as well as, support of stream team cleanups, riparian tree plantings and riparian/landowner training meetings. 

Riparian Corridor module at Watershed Festival, Anderson, MO

In 2007, DNR awarded a 319 grant to ERWIA to develop community-based Watershed Management Plans (WMPs) and to implement water quality best management practices (BMPs) and stakeholder educational programs. ERWIA conducted quarterly stakeholder meetings and targeted landowner meetings to identify appropriate BMPs and key stakeholder input for the WMPs' recommendations. The landowner meetings discussed pasture fertility, soil and litter testing, landowner incentives for stream protection and urban/suburban BMPs. 

Reducing Nutrients in Local Streams-Riparian Landowner Meeting, Pineville, MO

ERWIA partnered with the McDonald County Soil and Water Conservation District for the Indian Creek Ag NPS SALT program which implemented 24 agricultural BMPs covering 1,292 acres. These BMPs included Stream Protection (76 acres), Nutrient Management (555 acres), Use Exclusion (111 acres), Riparian Forest Buffers (4 acres), Composting Facilities (40 acres) and Poultry Waste Management (506 acres). 

Landowner Points where cattle used to access Elk Rover before stream protection.

Also during ERWIA's 319 grant, three urban stormwater control projects were implemented, including rain gardens at Elk River in Pineville and Indian Creek in Stella and a rainXchange/rain garden at Crowder College in Neosho. In addition, two septic system remediation projects and two more stream protection/livestock exclusion projects were implemented.

The extensive algal problems experienced in the Elk River watershed's streams in the 1990s have been virtually eliminated. Most of the credit for this goes to improvements in soil and water conservation practices by agricultural producers. Prior to ERWIA's formation, beginning in 2000, the DNR targeted substantial 319 funds for landowner incentives for agricultural BMPs.

These targeted projects included over $1.6 million in 319 grant funds for comprehensive nutrient management plans, poultry litter storage-sheds, soil and litter sampling, livestock exclusion/stream protection, alternative watering sources, poultry litter exporting, proper pasture management and riparian corridor management. These 319 projects were sponsored by the Newton-McDonald County Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Southwest Missouri Resource Conservation and Development Council .

The ERWIA continues to encourage all who live, work or visit the Elk River watershed to improve, protect and conserve our shared water resources. We are committed to working with diverse stakeholders to further refine and implement communinty-based WMP's recommended actions. Another ERWIA priority is to continue fostering cooperation in the four-state region among state/federal agencies and other water resources organizations for a more coordinated approach to protection of surface and ground water resources. 

Drainage area of the Grand Lake O' the Cherokees

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Dust Bowl Looms if US Southwest Drought Plans Fail 

NewScientist - November 2011 by Peter Aldhous

THEY like their beef in Texas. So when Texan ranchers started offloading their cattle at bargain prices because pastures were parched - as they did this summer - it was a clear sign that this was no ordinary drought.

While rains in October brought some relief, further drought is forecast, which will add to losses already exceeding $5 billion. The bigger question is whether the Texan rancher's pain is a harbinger of things to come for the entire Southwest - and if so, what the broader impact on Americans living in the region will be.

Climate models indicate that the Southwest will get drier in the coming decades, threatening water supplies already under pressure from a growing population and ageing infrastructure.

Interactive graphic: "Parched future for the Southwest"

The most alarming projections come from a team led by Richard Seager of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York. They ran 19 climate simulations, averaged out across the entire Southwest, and came to a stark conclusion: that conditions matching the 1930s Dust Bowl and the multi-year droughts of the 1950s "will become the new climatology of the American Southwest" within decades (Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.1139601). (more)

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Job Announcement / Executive Director

Posted November 14, 2011

The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, a Missouri 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation whose mission it to protect the sources of public drinking water for the Springfield-Greene County community, is seeking applicants for the position of Executive Director. The Watershed Committee is a mature watershed organization established in 1984. It is governed by a six-member Board of Directors and is financially sponsored by the city of Springfield, Greene County and City Utilities of Springfield, the municipal water provider. 

This is a highly responsible position requiring excellent written and oral communication skills. Responsibilities include managing a professional staff, budget preparation, public relations and developing and implementing a wide variety of programs related to watershed management, water quality monitoring, education and outreach and non-profit business administration. Applicants must possess a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in natural or environmental sciences (Master's Degree preferred) and five years experience in watershed management, water quality or a related field (work toward an advanced degree may be substituted for a portion of this work experience). Managerial experience is strongly recommended.

Salary for the Executive Director will be based on education and experience; minimum salary $45,000 per year. Excellent benefit package including retirement, health, dental, vision and paid leave provisions.