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Ground Water Protection Awareness Program
The Meramec region includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps and Washington counties. Due to the karst geology of the region, ground water resources are very vulnerable to contamination from surface activities.
Threats to area water resources include: increased on-site-septic systems, construction site runoff and stormwater runoff due to increased development; livestock waste runoff to springs and streams; pesticide, herbicide and sediment contamination due to (limited) crop farming; contamination through numerous uncapped wells and continued and increased nonpoint source pollution from an overall lack of best management practices.
Most residents depend on well water for their drinking water supply, both private and public. On-site septic systems are the typical methods of managing household wastewater in rural areas and in many small communities. Many businesses depend upon quality water resources for tourism income.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The MRPC will develop and implement a ground water protection awareness program with the assistance of a regionally derived steering committee. The primary goals of this project are two-fold. The first goal is to inform the general public about water quality protection. The second goal focuses on middle school students specifically and includes the development and implementation of two ground water festivals with opportunities for teacher training. Throughout the project period, other funding opportunities will be investigated for the purpose of continuous implementation of these efforts.
The program is primarily an information/education project. The public education component of the project will include information on the basic principles of surface and ground water systems; threats of pesticides, livestock and agricultural applications to surface and ground water systems; on-site sewer systems and their potential effects on water quality; wellhead protection; stormwater runoff and construction site runoff concerns in urban areas; nature of karst geology, the combination of effects in a karstic environment and the associated best management practices that protect or improve those environments.
OBJECTIVES
1.To increase awareness in the six-county Meramec region (in the general public and in middle school students) about surface and
ground water protection;
2.To maintain the quality of surface and ground water resources in the Meramec region; and
3.To establish a self-sustaining water resource protection program in the Meramec region.
PRODUCTS
Pre- and post survey results will be studied for comparison of before-and-after knowledge of ground water protection in the Meramec region. Number of students and teachers involved in pre-project well water monitoring will be compared to the number involved at the end of project. Level of attendance and participation in the ground water festivals and science fair will be tracked. A comparison of in-place clean water curriculums before the project and after the project will be made. Number and types of requests for continued outreach efforts will be tracked. Summaries of these findings will be reported to MDNR.
PROJECT SPONSOR
Meramec Regional Planning Commission
COOPERATING AGENCIES
U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Division of Geology and Land Survey, University of Missouri-Rolla, Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District, Scenic Rivers Watershed Partnership, University Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Missouri Farm Bureau, county health departments in the region, all Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the region, Household Hazardous Waste Project, Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee, local landowners, local stream teams and local volunteer water quality monitors.
CONTACT
Meramec Regional Planning Commission
101 West Tenth Street
Rolla, Mo. 65401
Tamara Snodgrass 573-364-2993
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