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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded $30,000 to the Northeast Missouri Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc. to develop a watershed management plan for the Black Creek Watershed.
The overall goal of the watershed management plan is to take a holistic approach to improving water quality by reducing pollutant runoff entering the Black Creek Watershed. The plan will describe various strategies and objectives to achieve the overall goal.
The Black Creek Watershed is a tributary to the North Fork Salt River and is part of the Mark Twain Lake Watershed in Shelby County. Mark Twain Lake is a drinking water source for the Clarence Cannon Consolidated Water District, providing 3 million gallons of drinking water daily to approximately 42,000 customers.
Black Creek is listed on the state’s proposed list of impaired waters, for unknown pollutants. The primary water quality concerns in the watershed are soil erosion, nutrients, pesticides and pathogens. Because of the proposed impaired waters listing, the Northeast Missouri Resource Conservation and Development Council will coordinate a stakeholder-driven watershed management plan for the Black Creek Watershed, addressing the critical elements of a watershed management plan identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Contributing partners in this collaborative effort include, but are not limited to: landowners, University of Missouri Extension, Shelby County Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service and other local and state entities. The project is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2014.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, has provided partial funding for this project under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The Department of Natural Resources’ Water Protection Program will administer the grant funds. The department is committed to working closely with communities and businesses to assist with funding efforts that improve water quality in Missouri.
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