About Us
The mission of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks is to preserve and improve the water supplies of Springfield and Greene County through education and effective management of the region’s watersheds
Click the image to the left to view a map of the drinking watershed we protect.
History of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
25 years ago, the Chair of the Board of Public Utilities, N. L. “Mac” McCartney, sent a memo to Springfield Mayor Harry Strawn. The memo began: “With your concurrence, I have appointed an ad hoc task force to develop a program for the protection of surface and subsurface watersheds which supply Springfield and the surrounding area with drinking water.” It was a prophetic statement and a visionary approach. Development was encroaching into the drinking watersheds and officials worried about whether public policies and programs would effectively protect our precious drinking water supplies.
In November 1983, the Task Force issued its report and recommendations, many of which are pertinent and instructive even today. One recommendation centered on the need for a permanent body whose primary purpose would be oversight and protection of public drinking water sources. From this recommendation, the Watershed Management Coordinating Committee was established. In 1989, the organization became a non-profit corporation and changed its name to Watershed Committee of the Ozarks. The Committee adopted a six-member board, comprised of three citizen appointees representing the respective sponsors and three at-large positions.
The Watershed Committee holds its public meetings on the first Friday of every month at 7:30 a.m. at the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library. At these meetings watershed issues and concerns are discussed by a wide variety of stakeholders.
Approximately 80 percent of Springfield’s drinking water comes from surface waters (lakes, rivers) and the rest from ground water (wells, spring). City Utilities’ Fulbright and Blackman Water Treatment Plants use a combination of sources for water treatment, including both surface and ground water. Fulbright is located on the northern edge of Springfield and is served by Fulbright Spring, the original source for the city, along with a deep well and McDaniel Lake. The Blackman plant is in the southeastern corner of the city and receives water from Fellows Lake, Stockton Lake and/or the James River. Both Fellows and McDaniel Lakes can be supplemented with water from Stockton Lake. Also, three deep wells are located in the distribution system and are used as additional sources when needed. City Utilities works in conjunction with the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks to preserve and protect our watersheds . (Information obtained from City Utilities Water Quality Report 2008)
Missouri is part of the largest watershed in the United States, the Mississipi River Basin. The Missouri River is the largest watershed in the Mississippi River Basin. The Sac River Watershed lies in the Missouri River Basin just above the Arkansas-Red-White River Basin. The Sac River Watershed is number 34 on the Missouri Watershed Map . (click on map) To learn more about the Sac River Watershed, click HERE
