Archive for June, 2008
What is Valley Water Mill?
So, just what is Valley Water Mill?
The Valley Water Mill area has had a long history of industry in the middle and late nineteenth century when it was used as a grist mill and pond, and then as a water supply for the City of Springfield in the early and middle twentieth century. Prior to that, the site was a homestead, and Indian campsite, and a place of brief pre-historic use. The grist mill was in service at least until 1898 and in 1908 the Springfield water Company constructed a new dam creating the lake you see today. (Information taken from an Intensive Phase 1 Cultural Resources Survey of the Valley Water Mill Area, Greene County, Missouri. Center for Archeological Research, Report No. 1278, May 2005. Missouri State University.)
It is a natural place
VWM contains a wide variety of natural and man-made features, including a seventeen-acre lake, wetlands, spring-fed stream, caves, sinkholes, glades and forests. To take advantage of these natural features, a 2 1/2 mile walking trail loops around the entire site, connecting the four major outdoor classrooms or “learning stations.”
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Watershed Committee at Price Cutter Charity Championship
The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks helps the Price Cutter Charity Championship go GREEN!
The Watershed Committee in cooperation with the City of Springfield Public Works, New American Recycle, and Southern Missouri Containers is providing recycling services during the week of the Championship July 16-July 20.
The Watershed Committee will also have a vendor booth at the Championship July 17-July20. Please stop by and see us while you are there!
During the Championship the Watershed Committee will be raffling a cayak donate by Dynamic Earth. It is a Wilderness Systems Pungo 120 valued at $750. The raffle tickets will be $1 each with no limit on amt. purchased. The proceeds will be split between the Watershed Center and a Charity invloved with the Championship.
We would like to thank Matt O’Reilly and Dynamic Earth for donating this amazing kayak.
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Our Blog
The Watershed Committee is entering the Blogoshpere! The Watershed Committee staff will begin blogging weekly starting July 1, 2008 to keep you up to date on our projetcts, events and water news.
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Watershed Committee Monthly Meeting
Join Us
Date: Friday July 11
Time: 7:30am
Location: Valley Water Mill Park, Lakeside Learning Station Pavillion (2450 E. Valley Water Mill Road)
Presentation: Ozarks Clean Air Alliance-Doug Neidigh
Department of Natural Resources Update-tba
catered by Panera Bread
Proudly serving Audubon Premium Shade Grown Coffee
To find out more about Audubon Premidum Shade Grown Coffee, click here
http://www.auduboncoffeeclub.com/shop/home.php
Lakeside Learning Station at Valley Water Mill
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Fishing Update
Fishing Information for Valley Water Mill Lake
Information provided by: Kara Tvedt, Fisheries Management Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation
UPDATE/CURRENT STATUS– CLOSED
Valley Water Mill Lake has been closed to fishing for some time, but each day we get one step closer to once again having a great fishing spot on the north side of Springfield. Read below for some information on the history and character of the lake, the fisheries management plan for the lake, and other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s). We are making every effort to provide a premier fishing destination for the Ozarks region.
What can anglers do? Please be patient as we let the new populations develop!! The lake renovation process has taken time, but we are almost to the finish line. Illegal harvest will reduce the overall quality of the new fishery, and if excessive, can derail the entire process. For more information on the developing fishery at Valley Water Mill Lake, please contact Kara Tvedt, Fisheries Management Biologist, at 417/895-6881, ext. 265.
FAQ’S
>When will the Lake be open to fishing?
–Once the newly stocked fish have been able to establish themselves and reproduce in the lake in a sustainable manner, the lake can be opened. The first surveying opportunities will occur in the fall of 2009 and early summer of 2010.
>How do I get there?
–Valley Water Mill Lake is on the north side of Springfield nestled in between Highway H and Highway 65 on Valley Watermill Rd. From Hwy H, take Valley Watermill Rd. to the east. From Hwy 65 take County Rd. 102 to the west. Look for Watershed Center and Valley Water Mill Park signs at the entrance to access the lake.
>Can I launch a boat or a canoe?
– NO. The lake is managed by City Utilities of Springfield as a drinking water supply reservoir and as such is under strict regulations related to human contact. If you see an un-authorized individual in a boat on the lake, please call the WCO office at (417) 866-1127 or the Missouri Department of Conservation at (417) 895-6880.
>What kind of fish are in the lake?
– Largemouth bass, Bluegill, and Channel catfish (See below for further information)
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