By Cindy Davies

Guest columnist

Re: April 11 "Kudos to Stream Team" editorial.

Thank you for bringing attention to the efforts of Southwest Missouri residents in protecting water quality. On behalf of the Department of Natural Resources, I would like to provide a timeline of our efforts regarding the condition of the Spring River.

In 2005, the Stream Team notified us it had found high fecal levels in the Carthage spring. Our review of the data, as well as a meeting with the group to discuss its work, indicated that the Stream Team was not analyzing or interpreting the samples correctly.

Water-quality analysts must follow specific guidelines to ensure that the results of the analyses are accurate. This is an important issue because inaccurate data and incorrectly interpreting sample results can lead to wrong conclusions or solutions that may not improve water quality.

Even so, our Southwest Regional Office used the information for further investigation. The regional office was unable to find one particular pollution source during its initial review of the area.

The Stream Team held a public meeting in February 2005 to describe its findings. Bruce Martin, former director of the Southwest Regional Office, attended and noted that although there were issues with the integrity of the Stream Team's results, the department did not intend to ignore its findings.

The regional office set up a sampling protocol to try to pinpoint any sources of pollution and met with the Stream Team on March 11, 2005, to discuss the sampling plan and invited the team to sample side-by-side with department staff. The Stream Team did not sample with the agency, but regional office staff continued with the plan and narrowed the problem to one specific area of the stream. The department sent the results and initial findings to the Stream Team and informed the team that we would work to pinpoint the exact source of the pollution.

The Department of Natural Resources has conducted additional monitoring in an attempt to pinpoint the source of the problem, and is preparing to use a sewer camera to investigate the area. The agency will also perform dye tracing of sewer lines, if needed.

Once the source is identified, the department will require the problem be corrected. In addition, our regional office has done considerable work in the area that has resulted in improved handling of stormwater runoff pollution issues.

The Department of Natural Resources has a sincere appreciation of the Stream Team program and all of its members. The success of this program in Missouri is nationally recognized.

The continuation of this level of program success depends on a strong relationship between the responsible, hard-working residents of this state and state agencies, both of whom have responsibilities to work together to collect valid, scientifically defensible data. Water quality and the residents of Missouri all benefit from an effective association between government and residents through the Stream Team effort.

Cindy Davies is the director of the Southwest Regional Office for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.