Missouri DNR to Host Meeting Oct. 29 on Plans to Protect Kansas City Waterways
OutdoorHub 10.19.12
Meeting to be held at department’s regional office in Lee’s Summit.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold a public meeting Monday, Oct. 29, to discuss draft plans to improve water quality in Blue River and Indian Creek in Jackson County.
The plans are part of a total maximum daily load study, which describes pollutant reductions needed to improve water quality in the targeted waterways. These waterways include four segments of Blue River extending from the Kansas state line to its confluence with the Missouri River, and Indian Creek from the Kansas state line to its confluence with Blue River. Both waterways are on the state’s currently approved list of impaired waters.
The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Kansas City Regional Office, 500 NE Colbern Road, Lee’s Summit.
Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires the department to establish a list of impaired waters and to develop improvement plans for those waters. A total maximum daily load document – sometimes referred to as a TMDL – is a study of the impaired water that establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant the water can absorb while still maintaining water quality standards. The study also includes an improvement plan for the waterway.
The opportunity for citizen involvement in TMDL development is provided through the public notification process, which is required for all TMDLs. This includes a 45-day public comment period, which was open from July 6 through August 20 for the Blue River-Indian Creek TMDL, and may also include public meetings, when appropriate. Public involvement can also occur through TMDL implementation, where local citizens may help develop management plans and other effective solutions for reducing water pollution in their watershed. Citizen participation and cooperation is crucial for successful watershed management.
Links to the studies and supporting documents are available online at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/tmdl. Copies can be obtained by calling the department’s Water Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-7428.
The public is encouraged to participate in this process if they have concerns regarding the content of the documents or if they would like to provide support for the process.
