Lead Mine Waste In Our Ozark Streams?

[SilverMallard]

OK, after researching this very thoroughly for the past several days and talking to more experts with the state and with EPA it looks like the only REAL step backwards in terms of protection proposed in these rule changes is that industries like mills and quarries could be allowed to discharge water into Ozark streams just like mines and wastewater treatment plants are allowed to under the current regs. These discharges are only allowed if there is "minimal risk of harm" to the stream in question. The opposition to this change is based on the assumption that MDNR does not possess sufficient resources to properly monitor said discharges, so opponents would like to see the total ban remain in effect.

On the issue of the e. coli levels and such, this is actually an IMPROVEMENT in protection levels because secondary use waters are currently UNPROTECTED. And the proposed contaminant levels are well within the standards set by other states and the EPA guidelines.

So it seems there was some misinformation in the original bulletin published first on the Arkansas Canoe Club website...probably born of a misinterpretation of the proposed rule changes.

I stand with the naysayers still...on the issue of allowing other industries to discharge into our streams. They haven't been allowed to for years. Why change now?

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Fishing the Ozarks

[SilverMallard]

I received this email from MDNR today...

"Thanks for your email comment. I wanted to take a moment to explain what the department is undertaking in the proposed water quality standards.

There are many issues that we are revising. All have been through many public meetings and discussions. None of them will lower the water quality protections from what it presently is. It is against the law to lower the water quality standards unless new peer-reviewed science justifies the lowering of the standard while at the same time providing the same protection granted to the designated use. The only provision in the proposed standards that has been lowered is the new ammonia criteria. In this case, some of the criteria have a lower standard while others have a higher standard, depending on the stream type. However, the level of protection for aquatic life remains the same. This is based on new and improved science. The ammonia criteria was developed by EPA and peer-reviewed by many scientists. All the criteria went through public comment. Most, if not all, of the standards the state is adopting are federal standards.

The issue of lead mine water dumping into Ozark streams is not really addressed generally. Specifically there was a provision in the standards that allowed mine dewatering to be discharged into the Outstanding National Resource Waters. These waters include the Jacks Fork, Current, and Eleven Point Rivers. This provision has been deleted. As proposed, there will be no new or expanded discharges allowed in the outstanding resource water itself. There is a grandfather clause that include those facilities discharging before June 1974 or at the time of designation if a water is newly designated in the future. Discharges into the tributaries of outstanding resource waters must ensure that the water quality in the outstanding resource waters are protected. This means that the department will calculate water quality based effluent limits for anyone who wishes to discharge into the tributaries that must protect the water quality in the tributary as well as the more strict standards in the outstanding resource water. All this information can be found at 10 CSR 20-7.015(6). "


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Fishing the Ozarks

There is a legal precedence to stop this from happening, have a Internet search, regarding Reserve Mining and their tailings into Lake Superior. The mine was force to stop dumping their taconite tailings into Lake Superior, because of asbestos.

[blue gill]

what about the white river system and the growing population of Branson Springfield Mountain Home and so on what about the waste water and run off from the city and from the chicken farms that are polluting the water. I know we can try and get them to do something about it but if they do how or where will the funds come from and is it to late. Just a few thoughts thats been on my mind it is making me more and more furious every time I go fishing.

[SilverMallard]

Bluegill,

Search through some older threads here on this forum on those subjects. You can also look thru the old "Ozark Angler" columns here on FAOL for some info. We've been talking about this quite a bit over the past several months. There's actually quite a bit going on on the MO side of the border to combat pollution in the Upper White River Basin. The problem is getting the state of AR to cooperate. If you want to discuss this further feel free to email me.

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Fishing the Ozarks

[blue gill]

Silver Mallard I have sent you an email.

[SilverMallard]

Email me at silvermallard@cox.net I didn't get it.

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Fishing the Ozarks