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Officials with Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance (LOWA) were excited to begin a shift into a more positive direction. The citizen-led organization, formed in 2006, is looking at clean water initiatives to maintain and improve the health of the lake and its watershed.
LOWA was recently awarded a $740,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The main focus of the grant will be on the Buck Creek and Lick Creek Branch hydrologic units, or sub-watersheds, located in the first 19 miles of Lake of the Ozarks, which has seen the significant population growth over the last 30 years.
At its March 21 meeting, LOWA officials talked about its watershed management plan, including the role the EPA grant would play in that effort.
Watershed Management Plan
1. Controlling Storm Water Runoff
The leading cause of non-point source pollution across the nation is urban and suburban storm water runoff, according to LOWA official and former high school science teacher Caroline Toole.
The federal 1972 Clean Water Act was originally initiated to stop point source pollution, which comes from a single identifiable source such as large-scale chemical dumping by factories.
That goal has largely been met, she said, but it has been found that there is still pollution affecting bodies of water around the country. This non-point source pollution, which means pollution contributed to by diffuse sources rather than a single one, brings too many nutrients, sediment and bacteria into our rivers and lakes.
Some nutrients, such as phosphorus, are needed but having a good balance of water and nutrients is key for maintaining a healthy environment, Toole said.
LOWA's goal for helping to control storm water runoff is to educate the public on low impact landscaping (LIL) techniques to slow down and catch some of the storm water runoff and the nutrients and bacteria it carries. LIL techniques include rain gardens and rain barrels, vegetative channels and buffers, terracing and pervious pavement.
With the help of grant funds and partnerships with area organizations, LOWA will be holding a series of LIL workshops, the first of which was March 26. The next will be this summer, according to Toole.
For citizens who don't attend a workshop, they can still contact LOWA for advice on implementing these techniques at home by calling 573-434-4400 or visiting www.sosLOWA.org.
2. Proper Waste Disposal
One of the biggest areas of concern regarding proper waste disposal is with wastewater collection systems. The lake area has a variety of types of wastewater systems currently in play, including septic tanks and small and medium scale centralized treatment facilities.
Officials with Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance (LOWA) were excited to begin a shift into a more positive direction. The citizen-led organization, formed in 2006, is looking at clean water initiatives to maintain and improve the health of the lake and its watershed.
LOWA was recently awarded a $740,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The main focus of the grant will be on the Buck Creek and Lick Creek Branch hydrologic units, or sub-watersheds, located in the first 19 miles of Lake of the Ozarks, which has seen the significant population growth over the last 30 years.
At its March 21 meeting, LOWA officials talked about its watershed management plan, including the role the EPA grant would play in that effort.
Watershed Management Plan
1. Controlling Storm Water Runoff
The leading cause of non-point source pollution across the nation is urban and suburban storm water runoff, according to LOWA official and former high school science teacher Caroline Toole.
The federal 1972 Clean Water Act was originally initiated to stop point source pollution, which comes from a single identifiable source such as large-scale chemical dumping by factories.
That goal has largely been met, she said, but it has been found that there is still pollution affecting bodies of water around the country. This non-point source pollution, which means pollution contributed to by diffuse sources rather than a single one, brings too many nutrients, sediment and bacteria into our rivers and lakes.
Some nutrients, such as phosphorus, are needed but having a good balance of water and nutrients is key for maintaining a healthy environment, Toole said.
LOWA's goal for helping to control storm water runoff is to educate the public on low impact landscaping (LIL) techniques to slow down and catch some of the storm water runoff and the nutrients and bacteria it carries. LIL techniques include rain gardens and rain barrels, vegetative channels and buffers, terracing and pervious pavement.
With the help of grant funds and partnerships with area organizations, LOWA will be holding a series of LIL workshops, the first of which was March 26. The next will be this summer, according to Toole.
For citizens who don't attend a workshop, they can still contact LOWA for advice on implementing these techniques at home by calling 573-434-4400 or visiting www.sosLOWA.org.
2. Proper Waste Disposal
One of the biggest areas of concern regarding proper waste disposal is with wastewater collection systems. The lake area has a variety of types of wastewater systems currently in play, including septic tanks and small and medium scale centralized treatment facilities.
After a recommendation from the state's attorney general for a large scale regional wastewater system, which has been criticized for its potentially high price tag and thus feasibility, LOWA plans to research the status of septic systems in the area. Centralized treatment facilities servicing businesses or multiple structures are more strictly regulated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
According to wastewater committee leader Jim Rogers, there have been studies that have recommended a regional system but nothing that has proven it is needed.
The next step LOWA is taking on this issue, he said, is to help with a proposed study of the status of all septic systems in the lake area. It would look at how many septics are failing or have the potential to fail to try to predict if, or when, a problem from these systems would occur. The study would be conducted by professors through University of Missouri Extension.
Camden County commissioner Kris Franken advised that DNR should be able to help with that information.
LOWA is also encouraging the public to report concerns about possibly failing septic systems. Complaints may be made to either a county health department or wastewater department, depending on the class of the county. After a complaint is made, officials from these departments investigate the issue. If there is an issue, property owners are given time to fix it. If it is not done, the prosecuting attorney's office may pursue the issue in court, according to Franken.
Other LOWA wastewater programs
Pump Out encourages people to properly maintain their septic tanks by testing the system, explaining how and why proper maintenance is important and providing a one-time discounted pump out of the tank.
Pump Don't Dump encourages boaters and RVers to pump out their wastewater holding tanks at pump-out stations located at marinas and campgrounds throughout the area rather than dumping the contents in the lake or on the ground.
Through another grant, LOWA is also encouraging participation in the 2nd Annual Household Hazardous Waste Reclamation. Hazardous waste will be collected for disposal from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at Camdenton High School. Most household hazardous waste will be accepted for free, but no waste from businesses will be accepted. Paint, paint thinner, nail polish, batteries, cell phones, TVs, computers, computer monitors, cleaning supplies, aluminum cans, scrap metal and old prescription medications are among items that will be accepted. Unacceptable items include asbestos, ammunition, radioactive materials, compressed gas cylinders, biological and medical waste and tires.
3. Water Quality Studies
Another part of the EPA grant is for a water quality study. LOWA is currently in the process for selecting the coves that will be tested.
How it will work
- Three reference coves: Locations where there is almost no development to try to create a base line for nutrient and bacteria levels.
- Three septic system coves
- Three centralized sewer coves
- Beginning sometimes in April, water will be sampled from the same nine coves once a week for 20 weeks. Then in 2013, those nine coves will be tested again in the same pattern. This is a non-scientific study, Toole said, but it will hopefully provide some information on water quality needs and effectiveness of the educational programs LOWA is working on now.
- In the meantime, DNR will continue its water quality testing. This summer it will move on to sampling lake water in 13 coves from around the 61 mile-marker to Truman Dam.
Contact WestSide Star Editor Amy Wilson at amy.wilson@westsidestar.net.
