A public session will be held next month by members of a local watershed improvement group to collect input on ways of enhancing the water quality on Spring River running north of Carthage.

The meeting has been set for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at a location to be determined, members of the Spring River Watershed Partnership voted Tuesday afternoon. This input session will be open to Jasper County residents located on or near the Spring River as well as Carthage residents. Free ice cream, cookies and iced tea will be served.

Spring River is one of four “impaired” watershed areas identified a few months ago by the Jasper County Health Department. The group is hoping to secure grant money from the Department of Natural Resources to help clean up the stream, which in Jasper County runs roughly 10 miles, from County Road 100 east to County Road 200 in the west.

Any input from the public will help flesh out DNR requirements as the group works toward eventually submitting for monies from Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.

Section 319 makes grant money available for projects that attempt to reduce water pollution from agriculture, forestry and urban sprawl. Projects that have received funding have ranged from information and educational programs to the demonstration of innovative technologies and watershed-based approaches to solving water quality problems.


FYI

A watershed is a geographic area that is drained by a river, including tributaries and small streams that flow directly into the river.

Jasper County Eastern District Commissioner Jim Honey, the County Health Department Director Tony Moehr and Bob Nichols, Webb City resident who has spearheaded the creation of such groups as the Tri-State Water Resources Coalition, all said they are exploring ways to do something to improve the quality of the water in the Spring River.

Aside from next month’s public meeting, the group is also actively searching for a grant writer to help them flesh out their plan request for federal money. They have about $1,500 available for the job, and they have a list of four or five potential writers that will be contacted shortly.

On the bright side, Dan Downing, water quality specialist for the University of Missouri Extension, said “two-thirds of the work” is already in place, due to the information gathered and aired during previous committee meetings.

“It’s not simple work,” Downing said of the grant writing process, “but it’s not insurmountable work, either.”

Still, Downing stressed speed when it comes to working and completing the grant application process, since DNR-sponsored grant acceptance windows could open up at any moment. “You shouldn’t… panic write,” Downing said, “but you don’t want this to sit on the backburner, either.”

He said it would be better to have the grant researched and written and waiting when the window of opportunity does open up.

“The better off you all will be.”