|
|
|
|
|
Spring River Basin - Agriculture Most of Spring River Basin is located in Lawrence and Jasper counties. For an accurate interpretation of the basin statistics the southern half of Barton County, northern half of Newton County, northwest quarter of Barry County, all of Jasper County, and all but the northeast corner of Lawrence County are located in the watershed. Data from Christian, Stone, and Dade counties are not included in this section, as they contribute a very small portion of their land to the Spring River watershed. Statistics found in the tables of this section are from the “Missouri Farm Facts” website located at http://agebb.missouri.edu/mass/farmfact/. Additional statistics for Missouri are accessible at the Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA) website. Fertilizer | Agriculture & Water Quality | Keeping Local Waters Clean Fertilizer Information from 1998 shows that during one year, over 75,746 tons of fertilizer were purchased and spread on farms in Missouri counties of the Spring River Basin . Below is a table giving these statistics by county. Fertilizer use in counties of the Spring River Basin-1998
Source: University of Missouri Annual Fertilizer Tonnage Report Farms are of importance in the Spring River Basin - they provide jobs and food. Proper farm management is important to ensure water quality. When it rains, surface runoff picks up particles on the ground and transports them into the nearest stream. The largest pollutant in the basin is sediment. As water runs over bare soil, it suspends soil particles transporting them into the nearest stream. Sediment is deposited in stream areas where water moves slowly, such as pools or backwaters. This sediment settles between rocks and can eliminate habitat for animals that live on streambeds, such as insect larvae and mussels. If excess fertilizer is applied to farmland, it can be washed by rainwater into watershed streams. Excess animal wastes can also wash into the stream. Algae, found in many water bodies, provide food for small fish and other aquatic animals. Since algae are plants, they convert light energy into carbohydrates through a process called photosynthesis. Algal growth requires certain nutrients acquired from its surroundings. Two nutrients required for algal growth are nitrogen and phosphorus. When these nutrients are available in sufficient quantities, algae grow and become food for aquatic life. This relationship keeps the quantity of algae and consumers in balance. When excess nutrients are washed into a stream from fertilizer or animal waste, the algae can grow to larger quantities than consumers can eat. Upon death, the algae settle to the bottom of the waterbody and decompose. The process of decomposition requires dissolved oxygen from the water and can deplete the water of dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen is required by larger aquatic life forms like fish. Reduction of dissolved oxygen can cause large number of fish deaths, termed “fish kills”. Animal waste can also increase the amount of bacteria in streams. The primary bacteria that can be harmful to humans is Escherichia coli. Escherichia coli is discussed in the section: Harmful Bacteria There are many things that landowners can do to help keep the water in a river clean. Trees and other vegetation along riverbanks can help capture runoff flowing towards a river and help the water percolate into the soil before it enters the stream. The way animals get their drinking water can also affect a stream. If the animals walk into the river to drink water, they can cause erosion of the stream bank, or they can cause the amount of bacteria in the water to increase by defecating directly into the water. To stop this, farmers can set up watering tanks further away from the stream where their animals can get water to drink. The farmer can pump water from the stream through solar power or use a well to fill these tanks. Farmers can try to reduce the amount of fertilizers used on their crops. If they use chemicals, like bug and weed sprays, they should dispose of them properly and make sure that none of the chemicals are leak into the ground |
|
Elk River | James River | Sac River | Spring River | North Fork Salt River |
|
Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN) |
Page last updated August 26, 2008 |
