Phil Lilley

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EWS01/603010357 Little Sac may suffer from pet waste runoff Department keeps eye on animals as possible cause of water pollution. By Mike Penprase News-Leader It may take dogged perseverance to keep an area river clean. Yard by yard, say officials, pet owners should pick up the pace of picking up after their pets. Water quality experts say waste from pets and domesticated animals may be partly to blame for bacteria levels in the Little Sac River that are sometimes too high for activities such as swimming and wading. Some pet owners have a head start in preventing runoff pollution. Cleaning up after Chopper and Peanut is routine for Miccie and Michael Sylvester. They want to keep their yard an attractive and clean place for their children, so there's no room for dog droppings. Part of the couple's yard work involves scooping up after their dogs. The Sylvesters live on North Main Avenue, a section of Springfield where storm water flowing north ends up in the Little Sac River. Although the Sylvesters clean up after their dogs, there's suspicion people who don't may be contributing to high bacteria levels in the river. Levels are so high that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has formed a plan to make the river cleaner. City and state employees say there are no plans to force people to clean up after their dogs, but they hope that encouraging people to do so could keep the river cleaner. Dogs, though, may be only part of the problem. The river's watershed is also home to horses, but some of their owners aren't so sure horses are polluting the rivers. Genetic science may shed some light on who the culprits are. A study by the University of Missouri's Food and Agricultural Policy Institute used genetic testing to trace where the pollution originated. That study says that contaminated springs, septic systems, wild geese and horses all contribute to high bacteria levels. No testing was done on stormwater runoff from Springfield, however. City senior stormwater engineer Todd Wagner said that because the plan included reducing bacteria in runoff, that was one gap he'd talk about when he meets with DNR representatives. "They did a lot of work here, but there are some gaping holes, as you read that study," Wagner said. Just how much pollution is because of pets is open for debate. "If pets were only a very tiny percentage, I don't know if establishing an ordinance would make much of a difference," Wagner said. Instead of telling people what to do about their pets, the effort focuses on encouragement. One of the more visible efforts is in several Springfield parks, where "DogiPot" stations have been installed. So far, said Parks and Recreation Director Jodie Adams, the stations providing plastic bags and gloves that dog walkers can use to clean up after their animals have been patronized well. Because the first stations placed at Phelps Grove, Sequiota and another park are near creeks, the "neighborly" message is to keep droppings from washing into them. A total maximum daily load plan would set limits for pollutants going into the river and would outline how the river would be cleaned. The designation is intended to reduce pollution in a stream to levels that don't affect water quality. In the case of the Little Sac daily load plan, that would mean reducing bacteria to a level of 200 colonies per liter of water during a recreational season running from April to October. DNR water quality specialist Mary Clark is overseeing the Little Sac plan. She said horse owners might be expected to do more to keep the river clean. There's little room for arguing about the role horses play in introducing bacteria into the river, Clark said, because the Food and Agricultural Policy Institute's research is close to conclusive. The research concludes that the city's Northwest Sewage Treatment Plant contributes only a small percentage of the total amount of bacteria in the river. Some horse enthusiasts question the study, especially the finding that horses cause more contamination than cattle. "Empirically, it just doesn't hang right for me," said Gail Gartside, a horse owner and a board member of the Show Me Back Country Horsemen. "Yes, we think everybody should be conservation-minded, but we want to make sure we examine those items," she said of the testing. "We are interested in examining anything that indicts horses." Equestrians have sent in comments questioning the role horses might play in polluting the river, but Clark doesn't think there's much room for argument. "We got a letter from the horse people saying they just didn't think it was horses," she said. "The horse people, I think, they're a little naive." Just as parks play a role in encouraging people to clean after their dogs, a new park will play a role in educating people about keeping their horses environmentally friendly. The parks department is working with the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks at Valley Water Mill to include a water quality center where best management practices on preventing water pollution will be showcased. The purchase of a nearby horse farm will do the same for horse owners. Special programs director Marla Calico said that one of the equine center's roles would be to show how manure treatment and caring for pastures could affect water quality. Contaminated water from springs that flow into the river could be the hardest problem to address, Wagner, Clark and others say. Along with recommending reducing bacteria by controlling urban runoff and wild geese, the proposed cleanup plan based on the Food and Agricultural Policy Institute study would reduce pollution from springs. The difficulty is that although major springs in Greene County have been studied, not as much of that work has occurred in Polk County. "It's the spring issue that really needs to be resolved through testing," Clark said. The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks has used grant programs to finance work with landowners in Greene and Polk counties for several years on projects to reduce pollution. The committee wants to continue that cooperative approach, Watershed executive director Loring Bullard said. Enacting a daily load plan for the Little Sac is an opportunity for the organization to seek more grants, he said. But future efforts should concentrate on a small area to determine what pollution-control efforts are most effective, he said. The Little Sac watershed encompasses some 4,000 square miles, and it isn't practical to carry out projects covering the whole watershed, Bullard said. The daily load proposal is also being questioned in Polk County by people like 79-year-old Ralph Brumley. Brumley, who owns 800 acres bordering the river just south of Morrisville, has voluntarily fenced his land near the river to keep cattle out of the water. He is also leaving land bordering the river alone so trees can grow, and he has devoted some of his bottom land to a tree farm. He said he wanted to take care of the river, but on his own terms. That's likely a stance other Polk County landowners will take, Brumley said.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EWS01/602110346 Proposed sale of U.S. forest acres includes Missouri land Foes say timber companies will reap the most benefits. By Pamela Brogan and Doug Abrahms WASHINGTON — The Bush administration wants to sell more than 21,000 acres of the Mark Twain National Forest to pay for rural schools in Missouri as part of a national plan to sell 300,000 acres of national forest. Critics said the plan announced Friday is an unprecedented auction of public lands. Reliable Imports "It would seem this would be a ploy to feed the timber beast," said Ken Midkiff, conservation chairman for the state chapter of the Sierra Club. "It's silly," Midkiff said. "I can't imagine who would buy it except for people who want to harvest timber." The Mark Twain forest covers nearly 1.5 million acres in 29 counties. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Indian Point, said he's willing to consider the plan. "My first choice would be to reinstate responsible timber land management policies, but I'm willing to take a close look at the president's proposal," Blunt said. "We must do all we can to replenish funding for rural schools in Missouri and across the country." The proceeds from the land sales would fund a federal program that provides money to rural counties for schools and roads. Previously, that money came from the general treasury and timber sales, which have fallen off in recent years. Republican Sen. Jim Talent said he's not likely to support it. "I'm concerned about what Missouri stands to gain in terms of our schools and jobs for Missourians," said Talent, a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He said he was concerned about Missouri getting its share of the proceeds. "We are going to hold hearings on this proposal in the committee, and these are the questions I'm going to ask the administration," Talent said. Republican Sen. Christopher Bond could not be reached for comment. The Forest Service said it would review the plan for 30 days before sending it to Congress, which could approve, modify or reject it. The agency is considering selling 300,000 acres of land in 34 states, although the final amount will run about 175,000 acres, said Mark Rey, Agriculture Department undersecretary. The Forest Service expects to raise $800 million over five years from the sale. "The parcels ... are isolated, expensive to manage and no longer meeting National Forest Service needs," he said. "We'll revise the list one more time before transmitting it to Congress." Conservationists and some Democratic lawmakers called the sale unprecedented and said the federal government was auctioning off public lands to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. Many of the tracts are in Tahoe, Sequoia, Bridger-Teton and other well-known national forests. "In my view, selling public lands to pay down the deficit would be a short-sighted, ill- advised and irresponsible shift in federal land-management policy," said Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. "Our public lands are a legacy for future generations. We shouldn't liquidate that legacy." Rey said that many of the tracts lie outside federal forest boundaries and in some cases are surrounded by private landowners. The agency put information on its Web site about the tracts to be auctioned off to make it an open process, he said. "Our objective ... will be to give everyone involved the ability to look at each and every tract to satisfy themselves," he said. He also noted that the Forest Service purchases at least 100,000 acres a year from conservation funds and that will offset the agency's land sales in two years. The Bureau of Land Management has sold land around Las Vegas and used the money to buy other environmentally sensitive properties in Nevada, said Nicole Anzia of the Wilderness Society, a conservation group. And last year the Forest Service sold off a small amount of land, she said. "But this sale of forest service land is unprecedented," she said. "I just don't think the American public will go along." Tallent's home page - http://talent.senate.gov/default.cfm?CFID=...FTOKEN=46586220 Bond's contact page - http://bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EWS01/603020360 Fishing tradition resumes with a blast Eager anglers line up shoulder to shoulder as trout season begins. By Steve Brigman SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-LEADER ROARING RIVER STATE PARK — As the first blush of dawn began to paint the eastern sky, rods bent and fish leapt. All was well with the Missouri trout-fishing nation. It was 6:30 a.m. when horns sounded at the state's four trout parks, ushering in Wednesday's opener. The anglers stood shoulder to shoulder, representing all ages and skill levels, eager for that bite from the big one. Reliable Imports Kenny Sharon of Diamond got such a bite. "He's going on the wall," Sharon said of his 3 1/2-pound rainbow. "I told the guy who showed me how to catch it that I would name it after him ... Terry." The presence of Terry on the walls of the Sharon residence is likely to urge Kenny and his 14-year-old daughter, Cassie, back for their third opening day. After all, it not only means a day of fishing, but permission to skip school. Cassie wasn't at all worried that her teachers might read in the newspaper of her angling expedition. "A lot of them skip to go fishing, too," she explained. Perhaps the Sharons would make opening day a tradition, as Fred and Misty Butler had with their family. Fred was fishing his 13th opening day and had Blake, 8, and Miranda, 9, along on their third. Two-year-old Dylan, who sat in his mother's lap, will have some catching up to do. "It's a good tradition to get started so that I know when they grow up at least one day a year they will hook back up with Dad," Butler quipped. For many present, fishing was but a small part of the day. The camaraderie, carnival atmosphere and just getting outdoors were more important issues. "You are around a lot of people who would like to catch fish, but that is not their main objective," said Anne Tunnell of Springfield. "If you come down and you don't catch fish, you are only missing the icing; you've got the cake." No lack of icing for Miranda Butler, who in her three years of attending has developed into quite an angler. "This is the third year that she has out-fished all of us," her father said. "I don't know if she is the best fisherman, but she is the luckiest." Miranda may just end up like Linda Redford, who was sitting on a nearby bench with a friend. Redford will be fishing on this year's professional Women's Bassmaster Tour. Though the Blue Eye angler is a bass fishing specialist, she is sure to make the trout opener each year. Still others stood in the shade and shared stories about the big one that got away. "It hit, and I was letting it play," Tunnell told friends. "Then it tail walked and said, 'not this time.' But I've got four pretty good ones." Some didn't even fish. Connie Adamson of Monett held the leash of her 10-month-old poodle, Mickey, as her son and his friends fished. "It's his first fishing trip," Connie joked about her pooch. "He hasn't caught anything, but he is having a good time." Groups of thickly clad figures huddled around campfire barrels as in the past were not part of this year's opening day. The record warm temperature prompted many to wear shorts. "Usually you want to catch your fish and hurry to go get some coffee," Redford said. "But today I thought I would just stay and see who is catching what." Also different this year, the Roaring River had a bit of new look. "Man, you come to this place this year and it's like, 'I don't know if I've been here before,'" Redford said. "With all the improvements, it's really wonderful." New walkways and rails have also been added to help handicapped and other people access various sections of the stream. By 9 a.m., bumper-to-bumper traffic wound through the park, fishermen with limits headed for a late breakfast and fish bound for the skillet. Still, the banks were lined with hopeful anglers. "At midnight we had about 1,100 tags sold, and typically we'll double that," Badgley said. "This morning at the buzzer we had 1,600 sold, so we will probably have 2,200 to 2,400 throughout the day." Between 4,000 and 4,500 fish were released into the stream from the hatchery for opening day, including 50 "lunkers" of at least three pounds. "There are some out there that are quite bit larger than that," Badgley said. "Of course, some have made it through the catch-and-release season. There are definitely some fish that are over 10 pounds in the river right now." The trout season runs until Oct. 31. Fish are restocked at a rate of 2.5 fish per tag sold on the previous day. "You can enjoy your time and have a real lot of fun," Blake Butler said. "You see a lot of people here, and you get to catch fish."

I checked - $59.95 in our shop.

Where exactly were you? Not being from there I'm alittle confused. Wish I could run over but too many irons in the fire here.

Yes- Marsha said I just missed you as I came back from town. I'll have to drop your place next time.

26 Illegal 7 No Change

Not much has changed... fishing is real, real good (can't say excellent). Lots of midge hatches esp in the evenings. On the boat ride back tonight, it was like summer. The midges were hitting us in the face and the trout were all over the surface of the water feeding. Jig and float using either micros in sculpin, brown, black or olive- very good. Also use marabou 1/125 oz jigs in same colors plus using an orange head- very good. Fish them close to the bottom in 3-6 feet deep and fish them 5-6 feet deep in deeper water. Also use red or black #14 zebra midge shallow or deep with a fly rod or spin rod- same areas. Use 2 lb line for more strikes but 4 lb seems to be fine, esp on stocker rainbows. That's about the best technique I can report on. If it's not something you do usually, you need to try it! The wind has been alittle tricky but not impossible... and you need some wind- better fishing when there's a chop on the water. Hold the rod low, close to the water if it's windy so the line won't blow around.

Need I say... this was an unusual day in the midwest. The temp neared 90 degrees bringing out the shorts and sandles. But first a word about the previous few days. John Johnson, a very good friend from Kingfisher, OK brought a group of great guys over for a 3 day fishing trip, an annual trip for them. They boat- don't wade- and most like to fly fish. They fished primarily above Fall Creek and use either scuds or jigs and occassionaliy a zebra midge. John told me today they caught and released hundreds of trout- by far the best trip of all time. They just bit all the time. John caught an 18 inch brown on the last morning of the trip Tuesday that was fat-fat and beautiful. Caught it on a olive micro jig. Good for you guys, John. Now for our short trip this afternoon. Megan called me as Bill Babler and I were driving back from KC. We were asked to speak at the Missouri Trout Fisherman's monthly meeting last night, which was a real treat for us. Had 62 in attendance- food, fellowship and the people were great. Anyhow- Megan wanted to go fishing... how can a proud dad say no!? So we headed out by boat about 4 pm up past Fall Creek almost to Lookout. I threw an anchor out because the wind was alittle tough out of the south- we were on the shallow side of middle of the lake- 2-3 feet of water. I tied on a black #14 zebra onto Meg's fly rod and I did the same to mine, setting the palsa indicator at 16 inches deep. There were midges all over the place and the trout were very active on the surface. For the next 90 minutes is was non stop action, interrupted only by our conversation and taking fish off our barbless hooks. The largest were a couple of 16 inch rainbows- most were under 12 inches. No browns.

BH- is that Zach's video? Didn't know he was offering video on his site... I recognized the url. I've been wanting to get into video on OA but TIME- I don't have enough of. I've done a few stream videos but I'm not happy with the quality- yet. But soon I hope.

This is my all-time favorite reel. Peter Matheison sent it to me to do a field test on it for BASS magazine and I fell in love with it. http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/products/pr...nning-reel.html I sell them in the shop but they are hard to come by. I think I have a couple. Price- I'd have to look but I'm thinking $65. For the little extra money, they are far above anything I sell. PS- any of the Shimano's are good reels for the money.

Excellent advice. I'd only add one other thing. Jigs- throw 1/16th oz jigs using 2 lb Trilene, green XL line and a medium action spin rod, 6 ft ideal. Hold the rod pointing high in the air and jig it jig up and let it fall, while reeling. Try different speeds and don't be afraid ot let it go to the bottom- most of the bottom is gravel and you won't get snagged. If you do, it's just a $1 lure. Try black, brown, sculpin and even white.

Take a serious look at Cricket Creek Corp site... very nice campground, excellent fishing, close to all kinds of fishing- bass, crappie, white bass. Excellent bait shop at the marina there- a place to keep your boat in a stall. Mark (owner) will put you on fish.

85 here today and 90's in Oklahome... my, my, my. I bet it was in the 70's in Iowa- short sleeve ice fishing! Welcome to summer in March.

Looks like he'd been eating alot of sculpin from the looks of his belly.

I want to fish it cause I think I know where some bass are and they aren't that far away... gotta think- creeks, cuts, coves.

What?!?!?

OFF Members, It is IMPORTANT that as many respond to these bills as possible. As is becoming customary, notice of these hearings was not announced until late yesterday, making it difficult for us to have representation at the hearings. That means that we need YOU to make as many phone calls as possible to let these committee members know our position! Emails can be sent, but likely will not be read in time for the hearings. You can let the legislators know that notice of these hearings were announce very late, which did not allow an earlier response. Please leave a message with your name and organization with the staff if you are not able to contact the legislators in person. They will pass on the information! Remember - your voice DOES count - but only if you make the phone calls!!! SCR29 - Senator Graham - Bill OPPOSES the sale fo national forest land in Mark Twain National Forest. - we SUPPORT this bill! Even if you can't make the 12:00 deadline for the SCR29 bill (SUPPORTING Senator Grahams bill!!) your calls will still be on record and acknowledged. HB 1761 - Tom Loehner/ Mike Dethrow - we OPPOSE this bill!! The rules for sand & gravel mining have not been given a chance to work. We do not want the stream protections rolled back. A simple call identifying yourself with OFF - OPPOSING this legislation will at least have another voice on record. There is a hearing at 6:00pm Wed, March 1 - please call as many on the committee as possible. A brief summary of the changes in the rules are outlined below for your reference Following is a summary of the changes being proposed in this bill, and why we OPPOSE it!! Parts of the bill are, frankly, difficult to decipher. In general, the gist is that the bill will 1) exempt many more operations from the permitting requirement; 2) reduce the stream-side buffer requirement for these exempted operations to five feet; 3) specifically allow for equipment to be in the water; and 4) allow local governments to contract with others to mine gravel for government use without a permit. (5) exempts landowners who remove streamside trees to mine gravel from the permit requirement. The bill also repeated refers to "department guidelines" without specifying what those guidelines are. We can assume it means the guidelines that existed before the new rule took effect, but it is unclear. The bill further waters down regulations on gravel mining and therefore should be opposed in my opinion. By exempting operations from the permit requirement, it both makes it more difficult to track the operations and deprives DNR of funds to enforce the law. Brief Analysis of HB1761 (2006) 444.765(12): Adds definition of "noncommercial operator". This is a very loose definition that encompasses anyone who mines gravel from 1) farmland; or 2) other property used primarily for purposes other than mining. The definition states that the mining must be conducted in accordance with "department guidelines" but does not specify what those guidelines are. 444.766: Exempts the removal of trees for "land improvement", despite their location, from the permit requirement; this would allow landowners, for example, to clear a gravel bar of a maturing stand of trees without a permit. 444.770: (1): Exempts noncommercial operators from the permit requirement. (1): Exempts all operators from obtaining a permit when the mining is done at the request of a property owner for the "primary purpose of managing seasonal gravel accretion on property not used primarily for gravel mining." This is a very broad exemption from the permit requirement. I would expect that this would be used to exempt most operators from the permit requirement. The language restricting the exemption to the management of "seasonal gravel accretion" is so broad and vague and to allow this exemption to be applied in almost all situations. (5): Broadens the exemption from the permitting requirement for local governments to allow them to contract with mining operators to obtain gravel for their own use. Under existing law, local governments have to use their own equipment and personnel to claim such exemption. This will expand the number of mining operations that are exempt from the permit requirement. (6): The intent of this new section is not entirely clear. It begins with a reference to the section addressing the local government exemption. It then states, however, that landowners or operators who are otherwise exempt from the permit requirement must still conduct their mining in accordance with department guidelines if they are going to sell the gravel. The intent of this provision is seemingly to require all mining operations that sell gravel to comply with department guidelines. The section is vague in that it refers back to the local government section and in that it does not specify which "department guidelines" must be complied with. I believe the reference to the prior subsection (5) refers to the exemption therein for private individuals mining for personal use. In other words, this new section would allow those private landowners mining for "personal use" to sell their gravel and still remain exempt from the permit requirement. (7): This new section prohibits noncommercial operators from mining from March 1 through the end of May. This would seem to be the result of lobbying by some entity concerned with fish spawning. (8): This new section specifically allows noncommercial operators to drive their equipment through streams to conduct mining activities. (9): This new section requires noncommercial operators to leave a stream-side buffer of five feet. This is smaller than the ten foot buffer requirement in the new rules. And much smaller than the 25 or 30 foot buffer that I believe was required in the original guidelines. Edward J. Heisel Executive Director Missouri Coalition for the Environment 6267 Delmar Boulevard Suite 2E St. Louis, Missouri 63130 314.727.0600 (office) 314.401.6218 (cell) 314.727.1665 (fax) www.moenviron.org State Committee Members Hobbs, Steve, Chair 573-751-9458 fax 573-522-4969 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem021.htm Day, David, Vice Chair 573-751-1446 fax 573-526-0761 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem148.htm Brown, Jason 573-751-6593 fax 573-522-9278 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem030.htm Darrough, Bruce 573-751-9760 fax 573-526-1393 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem075.htm Dethrow, Mike 573-7581-1066 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem153.htm Franz, Ward http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem151.htm Liese, Albert Joseph http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem079.htm Lowe, Jenee' M. 573-751-2437 fax 573-526-5759 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem044.htm May, Bob http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem149.htm Weter, Raymond 'Ray' 573-751-5713 fax 573-751-0733 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem142.htm Witte, Terry L 573-751-9614 fax 573-526-0905 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem010.htm Wood, Dennis 573-751-2492 fax 573-526-9794 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem062.htm Young, Terry 573-751-9851 fax 573-522-8172 http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem049.htm

Just wanted to announce a newly scheduled trout tournament Saturday, April 1 out of Lilleys' Landing Resort & Marina. I've had alot of people ask for another tournament so April 1st the best day for us and it should space the tournament days enough to be somewhat successful. Same entry fees, same format as the Masters and Team Tournaments. There will be a big fish pot of $5 per person. Details and flyers to follow.

Grif- I would not like to see the aftermath of you all's meeting... your big jon against his little jon. It would not be pretty. Hey- July's getting closer everyday!

Buster Loving or Bill Babler among others... but for white bass, you'll have to be flexible- go at a day's notice (or two). Buster has caught whites on TR the last couple of years on the main lake fairly consistantly. We'll see how the white bass season works out this spring.

Brian- this subject has been brought up earlier on another thread. The owners of K-Dock have been badgering anglers in boats for quite sometime. They've supposedly been warned by the water patrol and the sheriff for harrasing anglers in boats around their dock including people I know personally, first-hand. I've tried (used to) to get fishing reports from them and the gal who answers the phone has actually hung up on me. I don't mean to pick on them... I'm not stating second or third hand "rumors"... just what I know first hand. I have been in their shop, bought snacks and gas from them and they do seem like decent folk. I guess you just don't want to push their "buttons".

It would be great if he does some reporting on the forum... when I need a guide for Bull Shoals, I have had NONE to call because I don't know of any. I divert people to Table Rock all the time for bass, crappie, white bass and walleye.

No one is arguing with that... you're right as rain. We should discuss those issues- create another topic and go for it.