Past Quarterly Meetings

Quarterly Membership Meeting, May 18, 2010, Pineville, Mo.
Drew Holt summarized work done on the watershed management plans being developed for the five HUC-10 sub-watersheds to address the 126 miles of impaired streams in the Elk River basin. His presentation included sub-watershed maps of Big and Little Sugar Creeks showing land use and soils hydrologic groups and explanation of how these maps correspond to the EPA-approved STEPL spreadsheet model for estimating nutrient pollutant loads and load reductions. Drew also showed the inputs worksheets for Big and Little Sugar Creeks and explained how the livestock numbers were distributed in pasture lands. He also showed best-management practices worksheets for these watersheds and explained how STEPL calculates nutrient load reductions based on different BMPs, such as riparian corridor restoration and vegetative filter strips. Guest speaker, Andrew Branson, Missouri Stream Team Program coordinator for southwest and southcentral Missouri, explained his duties in support of local stream teams and typical stream team activities. Andrew showed the 20th anniversary Missouri Stream Team video and then answered several questions from stakeholders. Linda Swaim, Eric Ferrell and other founders of the new SouthWest Ozarks Stream Team association (SWOST) next explained SWOST role in support of stream team efforts targeting the Elk and Spring River watersheds. Linda and Eric applauded ERWIA's efforts to improve and protect the Elk River watershed and explained that stream team activities are supported by state agencies with education and equipment, but that more people are needed who care and will some small part of their time to make a difference.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, Tuesday, February 16, 2010, Pineville, Mo.
Dr. Verel Benson , formerly with the University of Missouri's Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute-FAPRI, led a discussion on water quality modeling research being conducted as part of ERWIA's development of Watershed Management Plans to reduce nutrient levels in local stream. Those in attendenance provided feedback to Dr. Benson on optional locations within Indian Creek and Little Sugar Creek for selection as small sites for the APEX and EPIC water quality monitoring. Feedback was also provided to Dr. Benson on appropriateness of various BMPs (best-management practices) that landowners would be most willing to apply on the farmland and at their residences.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, November 17, 2009, Pineville Mo.
Mr. John Gillette, President of the Grand Lake Watershed Alliance Foundation (GLWAF) and Mr. Carl Metcalf, chairman of the board of directors, discussed water quality issues in the watershed of the Grand Lake O' the Cherokees. The 10,298 square mile Grand Lake watershed encompasses portions of northeast Oklahoma, southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. They discussed historic and current water quality conditions and issues throughout the Grand Lake watershed, as well as, the concerns and priorities of the GLWAF organization. For more information about the Grand Lake watershed, the GLWAF and its plans and projects, please visit the GLWAF website at http://glwaf.org/

Quarterly Membership Meeting, August 18, 2009, Pineville Mo.
Mr. Robert Nichols P.E., President of the Tri-State Water Resources Coalition discussed the long term water supply challenges facing southwest Missouri, particularly in the Joplin area. Bob highlighted the findings of various consultants' studies, including the site-selection and discuss short term priorities, including constructing a pipeline from an existing reservoir and aggressive water conservation.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, May 19, 2009, Pineville, Mo.
Darrell Bowman, Bella Vista’s lakes ecologist and fisheries biologist, gave an interesting educational presentation on some of the water quality and watershed management challenges in Bella Vista. Darrell discussed his activities and planned initiatives within this portion of the Little Sugar Creek sub-watershed of the Elk River basin, including possible partnership opportunities with ERWIA on water quality improvement projects in Bella Vista to repair streambank erosion problems along Little Sugar Creek and other highly-eroding areas in the upper Little Sugar Creek watershed.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, February 17, 2009, Pineville, Mo.
The newly released 30 minute DVD entitled "H2Ozarks" was viewed by ERWIA members in attendance at the quarterly meeting. The video profiles water quality and watershed management projects among southwest Missouri watershed groups, including ERWIA, Shoal Creek Watershed Improvement Group, James River Basin Partnership, Upper White River Basin Foundation, Watershed Committee of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake Water Quality. In other business, ERWIA provided special recognition to McDonald County Extension Center and Tyson Foods-Noel for support of the ERWIA.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, November 18, 2008, Pineville, Mo.
Ryan Mueller, P.E. Director of the Water Resources Center of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources discussed the Center's statewide initiatives and water planning opportunities, including water conservation and efficiency. Ryan also discussed the partnership with ERWIA in cost-sharing the costs of operation and maintenance of three of the five stream gages operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The various aspects of the Water Resource Center have a direct bearing on the ERWIA's Watershed Management Plans and projects.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, August 19, 2008, Bella Vista, Ark.
Mark Phillips, CEO I-Map Data Systems based in Springfield, provided a tutorial on the use of the ERWIA's new interactive, on-line GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping application. Mark's overview of the ERWIA's on-line GIS mapping system included its use in public education, as well as, its use as a tool for water quality improvements and watershed management within the Elk River Watershed.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, May 28, 2008, Bella Vista, Ark.
Nancy Busen, city of Bentonville Lab/Pretreatment Supervisor presented information on Benton County's new Pharmaceutical Collection/Disposal Program. Bella Vista Police Station is the first disposal site. The program will benefit the watersheds as wastewater treatment plants are not able at this time to remove pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals and related plasticizers are being blamed for damaging wildlife by disrupting reproductive cycles. Nancy said that since Little Sugar Creek begins in Benton County before entering Missouri and since Little Sugar Creek is a receiving water from wastewater treatment plants in Bentonville and Bella Vista, expanding this collection program will benefit water quality in the Elk River Watershed. She also said the Bella Vista police station would accept expired medications from McDonald County residents. The presentation is relevant to the ERWIA's 319 Subgrant project as it establishes a pilot program for collection of pharmaceuticals, thus helping to reduce threats to water quality and aquatic habitat, and will be included in sub-basin Watershed Management Plans for the Elk River Watershed.

Quarterly Membership Meeting, November 20, 2007, Anderson, Mo.
Brenda Smith and John Schumacher, US Geological Survey (USGS) Rolla, Missouri, presented the findings of the recently completed USGS study entitled Water and Streambed-Sediment Quality in the Upper Elk River Basin, Missouri and Arkansas, 2004-2006. Ms. Smith provided an overview of the study's four major work tasks that were undertaken: 1) basic stream gage and water-quality monitoring network and interpretation of all project data in a USGS report, 2) stream bed-sediment study, 3) seepage and water-quality studies along selected stream reaches, and 4) storm-event sampling at selected sites. She then explained the results of the stream bed-sediment study and seepage study components of the project, specifically the nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) loads within the main sub-watersheds of the Elk River basin. One general conclusion reported was that the Little Sugar Creek watershed is the largest contributor of phosphorus and sediment and Indian Creek watershed is the largest contributor of nitrogen within the Elk River system. The presentation is relevant to the ERWIA's 319 Subgrant project as it establishes the nutrient loads throughout the watershed for use in sub-basin Watershed Management Plans.