News Release 523

DEPARTMENT HOLDS MEETING ON
STREAM USE DESIGNATIONS IN MACON

Volume 36-523

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, AUG. 29, 2008 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources recently held a meeting in Macon to discuss the department's recommendations for swimming use designations and water quality criteria on area streams and rivers.

Department representatives met with local residents, many of whom expressed an interest in protecting the water quality of Spring Creek in Sullivan County for swimming and other recreational uses. The department is investigating whether area streams have depth sufficient to support swimming and other recreational activities.  At the meeting, residents presented information about where they swim and recreate in area streams.  The department will use this information in its evaluation of recreational uses for these streams.

The department also informed residents about federal and state requirements and how facilities located on a stream that is not designated for whole body contact recreation must continue to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act and Missouri Clean Water Law. This includes federal and state wastewater discharge requirements that protect other applicable designated uses such as secondary contact recreation, aquatic life protection, livestock and wildlife watering or drinking water supply. Discharge of raw sewage is a violation of state and federal statute and will not be allowed.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to protecting the public who recreate in our streams while at the same time being careful not to cause small communities or ratepayers to pay higher fees to protect uses that do not exist. Residents can submit information to the department until Aug. 31 detailing their use of northeast Missouri streams. To review the Use Attainability Analysis information available online and submit comments via the stream use survey, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/wqstandards/uaa/uaa_county.htm or by mail to UAA Coordinator, Department of Natural Resources, Water Protection Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176. 

For more information about the designation process or the department's Water Protection Program, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/index.html or call 573-751-1300 or 800-361-4827.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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