Watershed Committee of the Ozarks

Building Project Update

Loring — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:13:38 +0000

Construction of the main Watershed Center Education Building has begun!

In order to keep within the project budget, the Watershed Committee has deleted the following components from the initial phase of construction. Each of these items is important, and the intent is to add as many of them back into the project as additional funding will allow. Each of these components could also represent a naming opportunity. Click HERE to see how you can help.

The Story of Bottled Water

Kelly G — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:20:01 +0000

This is a great video on YouTube abou the Story of Bottled Water.

Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se12y9hSOM0

Save water by watering less

Matt K — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:23:56 +0000

Thinking about watering that lawn this summer?? Turf requires 1-1.5 inches of water per week for optimal growth

– One inch irrigation = 624 gallons per 1,000 ft2

– A typical 1/3 acre lot with a 2,000 ft2 house footprint needs 7,812 gallons per week

Also, check out City Utilities new volunteer even/odd water days!

City Utilities is asking its water customers to participate in a voluntary odd/even watering program modeled after others in place across the country. The program is an effort to gain data on water savings possible if customers voluntarily alternate lawn irrigation. Visit http://www.cityutilities.net/newsroom/news03.htm for more information.

WQIP Update

Stacey A — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:44:54 +0000

The Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) has recently installed the 15th advanced onsite wastewater system! This project has helped provide cost-share for failing septic systems closely connected to surface and groundwater resources. This year the project will focus on utilizing these sites and the Onsite Wastewater Training Center at Valley Water Mill for demonstration workshops providing homeowner and installer training on advanced wastewater technology.

For more information on the connection between onsite wastewater and water quality, click HERE.

Tap water, please

Kelly G — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:41:53 +0000

Break the bottled water habit! Buy an eco-friendly water bottle, fill it at your tap and take it with you! Bottled water depletes our aquifers and fills our landfills with plastic bottles.

Food and Water Watch presents sound reasoning to support kicking the bottled water habit while you save money and the environment by drinking good ‘ol tap water. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled/

Watershed Festivals

Mike K — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:33:03 +0000

Tis the season of Watershed Festivals. The James River Basin Partnership is doing their annual series of festivals in Taney, Stone, Christian and Barry County.

The end result will be 1900 5^th grade students having an intense day of learning about water, and FUN. Watershed Committee supports the JRBP by helping train volunteer educators, and by providing one instructor for each festival.

Buying Locally Grown Food

Kelly G — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:08:00 +0000

With all the talk of buying and eating food grown close to home, we thought we would pass along a few places to purchase food grown close to Springfield, MO.

Millsap Farms

The Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market

Sunshine Valley Farms

To find a variety of farmers in your area visit localharvest.org and enter your zip code.

Need more inspiration to buy and eat locally grown and harvested food, watch the movie Food Inc.

Healthy Eating!

Interesting Article on NPR

Mike K — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:16:21 +0000

Check out this article on NPR titled “Will the Next War be Fought Over Water?”

Click HERE

Miller High School Visits the Watershed Center

Mike K — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:57:25 +0000

December 1, 2009, Miller High School Visits the Watershed Center.

It was another beautiful day at the Watershed Center…in December no less. None of us could believe the pleasant weather we were experiencing, and I found it ironic that I have had better luck with field trip weather in October, November, and now December, than traditional “good weather” months.

Erica Cox, the State Coordinator for Project WET, scheduled the event with an energetic and well informed group under the direction of Mrs. Teresa Johnson. The students stopped at the Watershed Center as part of a dynamic field trip—they were on their way from Fulbright Springs, and would visit the Southwest Treatment Plant afterwards. At the Watershed Center the students learned about types and sources of pollution in the Watershed, and did Water Chemistry testing at the Streamside Learning Station. Hopefully, after such a complete day of water education, the students picked up lasting lessons in water quality. Some of the students may get to brandish their new knowledge when they compete in the Envirothon competition, of which they had earned the privilege to compete at the State level.

YMCA Summer Odyssey

Mike K — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:17:46 +0000

The Ozarks Regional YMCA helped a lot of kids experience the Ozarks at the Watershed Center this summer through their “Summer Odyssey” program. Summer Odyssey is similar to a day camp and is based out of schools throughout Springfield. Many of these locations came to the Watershed Center for a field trip where the students experienced nature while learning important, age appropriate information about water.

The educational experience was facilitated by Missouri State students volunteering through the Citizenship and Service Learning (CASL) program. Some of the highlights for campers and volunteers alike were hiking trails, visiting the cool water of the South Dry Sac, and taking advantage of teachable moments along the way.