By Derek Spellman and Susan Redden
news@joplinglobe.com
Southwest Missouri has seen an expansion in the number of counties testing for bacteria in rivers and streams, and in the posting of advisories when the levels exceed safe standards.
Those tests consistently show that many bodies of water exceed state and/or federal standards for water quality.
But what happens next?
The Newton County Health Department, which is now gathering and analyzing its own samples, has gone about as far as it can go with current resources, said Bob Kulp, director of the Newton County Health Department.
“Right now, our biggest limitation is staffing,” Kulp said.
The Lawrence County Health Department is in a similar situation.
Lisa Brenneman, an environmental professional health specialist for the department, said testing a river to see if it is safe to swim in on a given day is not the same as testing whether a river has a persistent pollution problem. That would require more samples from more sites.
“We don’t have funding for that, frankly,” she added.
In Jasper County, water-testing efforts spearheaded by the Carthage High School Stream Team soon will get a boost from the county health department.
The high school stream team has been testing parts of Spring River for several years and high bacteria levels found by the group contributed to a state decision to declare part of the river “impaired” by the state of Missouri.
Now the county health department is starting its own testing to include other sites on Spring River, and Center Creek and Turkey Creek, according to Tony Moehr, county health director.
About 20 testing sites have been chosen, he said.
The results could bring more state and federal attention to pollution problems, he added.
“If parts of other streams are designated as impaired, I would hope we could get some resources allocated to address the cause,” he said. “I think the Spring River watershed already would qualify for some help because of its listing as an impaired stream.”
Several Newton County streams also were added to the state’s list of impaired waters earlier this year because of high bacteria levels.
Putting a stream on the impaired or 303 (d) list, which refers to a section of the federal Clean Water Act, requires the state to identify the source of the contamination and establish pollution controls.
Doyle Childers, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said once the stream is added to the list, a total maximum daily load estimate is drawn up to establish pollution limits.
But he wouldn’t be specific when asked for the time frame to develop a TMDL for local bodies of water on the impaired list.
“I just don’t want to tell you an exact time,” he said Friday. “I don’t think it will be factual.”
Other bodies of water in Southwest Missouri are on the impaired list for reasons other than E. coli, including heavy metal contamination and nutrient loading from phosphates and nitrates.
Officials also have said the E. coli in streams and rivers could come from multiple sources, including agricultural operations and farms, wastewater systems and septic tanks, and even wild animals.
Childers said that while his department has authority over the largest concentrated animal feeding operations in the state, it does not have control over smaller farms. Nor does it have control over septic systems, meaning there may not be much his agency can do about fecal bacteria in streams from subdivisions popping up in high growth areas in Southwest Missouri.
“We don’t oversee septic tanks. That’s done by county health departments. We literally do not have any authority to deal with septic tanks.
“It’s going to be difficult (to control) if we don’t have anything to do with it. That’s where some legislation could be beneficial — on dealing with non-point source (pollution).”
Local News
<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0>Bacteria testing gains momentum<font color="#ff0000"> w/ link to Carthage Stream Team's blog</font>
- Local News
-
-
City wants to buy weather radios for those without
Phil Jones had been working on a construction project outside his house all day on May 22 and was unaware that a tornado watch had been issued. Once he was inside, though, his weather radio went off, and he learned that a warning had been issued.
-
Architects present preliminary JHS plans at community meeting
Reaction appeared mostly supportive Thursday night among the roughly 50 people who attended a community meeting at which architects presented their preliminary site plans for the future combined Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center.
-
Confessed shooter testifies against co-defendants in Pittsburg murder case
Rickey Smith testified Thursday that as he came in the back door of Ryan Bailey’s home in Pittsburg with a 9 mm pistol in his hand, Bailey looked up from the couch in his living room.
-
School district’s proposed street-closing plan questioned
Plans to close some streets near the proposed Joplin High School drew questions, including a challenge from a former Joplin mayor, during a public hearing this week.
-
Neosho council approves new golf cart contract
The purchase of golf carts was back on the agenda this week for the Neosho City Council. City Attorney Steve Hays said there were errors in the financing terms that were part of a bid approved last month for the purchase of 55 gas-powered carts from E-Z-Go for $144,195, so the purchase of a new fleet was rebid.
-
Mike Pound: Spirit of competition evident during double-overtime game
When I played basketball in high school, I played in several very close games.
Now, some people who may have known me in high school are probably laughing right now and saying, “What Mike meant to say is that when he was in high school, he came very close to playing in some games.” -
Mo. optometrist filed $40 million refund claim
A southwest Missouri optometrist who filed a tax return claiming a $40 million refund has been sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison.
-
Okla. receives waiver from No Child Left Behind
Oklahoma’s top education official reacted with glee Thursday with the announcement that the state is one of 10 states being granted a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law that requires students be proficient in reading and math by 2014 — but focused on getting students to “just pass the tests.”
-
Kan. House approves bipartisan redistricting bill
Power in the Kansas House is likely to shift next year from rural parts of the state to the Kansas City area after members overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill Thursday for redrawing their districts.
-
Fugitive in 1993 British heist arrested in Ozark
A man suspected of stealing about $1.5 million from a security van in England in 1993 has been arrested in southwest Missouri.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
