Sewage being dumped

[Rusty]

Has anyone heard anything about a town on the Kansas side of Spring River dumping sewage into the river? I was talking to a person yesterday and he said he saw and heard that they were dumping sewage into the river and health officials were saying not to eat the fish caught in Spring River. Supposedly, they do not have the capasity to support the town and are dumping raw sewage into the river. Can anyone confirm this. I tried searching the web last night and could not find anything.

Rusty

[MoCarp]

yes, just below Baxter dam, they drain settling ponds into the river.

mO

[Bill Butts]

For the state of KS to allow this sucks.

It becomes Oklahoma's problem just a short distance downstream.

Someone from OK needs to get on that situation.

The Spring River is a beautiful resource and it needs to stay that way.

Russ, there must be a state Environmental Quality agency that can be contacted.

I wonder if the MAKO Flyfishers club in Joplin is proactive in conservation matters? If they're not, this is a good opportunity to start.

[Rusty]

Bill~ They are very proactive in situations like this. We need to find positive proof that this is happening. I think I will email the Joplin Globe and see what type of a response I get. My question is, if the health officials know about this, then the State knows about this. Why are they not stepping up and doing something.

[Rusty]

I just got off the phone with the ODEQ. Their reply was, if the discharge is happening in Kansas, it could not be handled by ODEQ. I then asked if the ODEQ could run water quality test down stream from the discharge, and that is when I was given another number to contact. Here we go on the marry-go-round. Also, the states allow emergency discharges if the lagoons are over capacity. I guess you can build your sewage systems to the minimum standards, then if it rains, you can pollute surrounding areas. My understanding was Baxter Springs sewer system is outdated and they do not have the funds to meet standards. So they get a free pass on polluting a very good fishing river. Hey, it has worked for Arkansas for years, why not Kansas now. Maybe by the time it is on the EPA's most polluted rivers, it will be addressed. BTW, if you can't tell, this really ticks me off.

Rusty

[Danoinark]

. Hey, it has worked for Arkansas for years, why not Kansas now. Maybe by the time it is on the EPA's most polluted rivers, it will be addressed. BTW, if you can't tell, this really ticks me off.

Rusty

Hear, Hear and an Amen!

[MoCarp]

I will Take some Pics next time I see it dumping

[Rusty]

I talked to an Indian agency this morning, and you would not believe how much information he had. For starters, he said that the state of Oklahoma is in contact with the office of the Governor of Kansas. And, Baxter Springs, Ks. is not the only one allowing contaminates into the river. It was his understanding that the other entinty is as bad or worse than the waste being dumped be Baxter Springs. It looks like the issue is being addressed. How long it will take to come up with a solution, is anyone's guess. More, later.

Rusty