(2015) South and Fassnight Creek - Water Quality Monitoring

Scope

The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, in cooperation with the James River Basin Partnership and the City of Springfield, implemented a Section 319 Grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency Region VII designed to reduce nonpoint source pollution in South and Fassnight Creeks located in south/central Springfield.

This project involved the implementation of several storm water BMPs with the goal of improving water quality. South and Fassnight Creeks are sub-watersheds of the Wilson Creek Watershed, and have a long history of water quality degradation from a variety of point and nonpoint pollution sources associated with urban development.

To better understand the present water quality conditions for both streams, water quality monitoring was necessary to quantify the existing loads. The Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OEWRI) at Missouri State University was contracted to perform the water quality monitoring component of this project. The purpose of this study was to determine nonpoint source loads of nutrients, sediment and chloride along South Creek and Fassnight Creek in Springfield, Missouri.

Objectives

1. Establish four water quality monitoring stations along South and Fassnight Creeks that include continuous stage recorders,
2. Collect and analyze base and storm flow water quality samples over a 38 month monitoring period for nutrients, sediment, and chloride, and
3. Quantify the nutrient, sediment and chloride loads at each site.

Partners

• City of Springfield
• Drury University
• Springfield Public Schools
• Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
• James River Basin Partnership

Documents

• Final Report

Funding

Missouri Department of Natural Resources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VII - Section 319