Eating fish

[fish208]

I've always heard that you shouldn't eat the fish from Springfield lake, and part of the James river below it, but in another blog I saw a guy say that the fish he caught he was going to eat. So whats the verdict, eat or not to eat?

[Phil Lilley]

Not sure if the warning is still in effect for the James- I think it is but it's got to be better than is was...

Here's something interesting I found -

Southwest Missouri Water Quality Project, Betty Wyse, Environmental Resources Coalition

PowerPoint Presentation (Handout of presentation)

Betty said that several years ago, watershed managers in the outhwest area began to feel pressure in their area from urbanization and development. There are four major active watershed groups that have been working in this area. They include the James River Basin Partnership, Table Rock Lake Water Quality Initiative, Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, and the Upper White River Basin Foundation. These groups felt they needed assistance because of the development from tourism, from retirement, and from growth in agricultural

industries. They organized a Watershed Summit a few years ago. As a result of the Summit they came up with four concerns they felt needed to deal with in their watersheds. They approached their legislative and

Congressional delegation with their recommendation. Senators Bond and Talent came through with assistance in 2004--$10 million over five years with no match required. The money is just now becoming available for use. Betty began working on the project in May 2005.

Some of the goals include to protect water quality and maintain critical ecosystems; protect multi-billion dollar economic base generated by tourism, agriculture, and other industries in southwest Missouri; identify and address major water quality problems. Implement education and outreach, demonstrate effective water quality practices, and develop infrastructure. The project area includes the basins of James River, Table Rock, Upper White River, Elk River, Spring River, and Upper Sac River above Stockton Lake. This includes 14 counties.

The Environmental Resources Coalition is the neutral party to administer the funding. An Advisory Committee includes the four original watershed groups plus the managers of two other watershed groups, Elk River Watershed Improvement Association and Shoal Creek Watershed Improvement Association.

http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/wqcc/wqcc-m-111505.pdf

That's alot of money- I hope they do something constructive with it.

[fish208]

Thanks...that was pretty interesting, I guess you're right, they have the money, now lets just see how well they use it.....only time will tell