This aerial video shows about a 3.5 mile portion of the Neosho River located above the John Redmond Reservoir ending where the Neosho River and Cottonwood River join in Kansas. The video depicts (using a numbered “hot-spot”) priority locations that contribute significant amounts of sediment loading into the Neosho River. The Kansas Water Office (KWO) will soon begin a Stream Bank and Riparian Resoration Project at these sites. This is part of a KWO Stream and Reparian Restoration Study of the Neosho and Cottonwood Rivers located above John Redmond Reservoir.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has identified impairements to the ecosystem quality because of excessive sediment and nutrient loading into John Redmond Reservoir. John Redmond Reservoir was constructed in1959-1964 and it has lost about 39% of its reservoir water storage capacity due to sediment movement and silting.

The Grand Lake watershed is a large complex watershed located in parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Our watershed has regional and national economic importance. (Do You Know?) Yet it presently lacks the commensurate priority and financial commitment necessary to prevent further degrading of water quality.

This Foundation is dedicated to restoring good water quality and preventing further impairment of our watershed lakes, streams and rivers. Having good water quality is essential to protect our water supplies, to enjoy recreational boating, fishing, and swimming as well as protecting the water related environs.

The Nutrient/Phosphorous Pollution Risk
What is the pollution risk caused by elevated levels of nutrients/phosphorous?

Elevated phosphorus/nutrient levels cause algae blooms that can prevent sunlight from reaching underwater plant life which adversely affects other organisms. When the blooms decompose, they consume oxygen and create areas where dissolved oxygen levels are too low to sustain fish and marine life. Potentially, the water becomes unlivable for other organisms. Also algae blooms can create an unpleasant water taste that is a costly process to reduce in water treatment plants.

In some instances algae blooms can become harmful. About a dozen or so species can create toxins thereby causing health issues that impair recreational uses and impair water supplies. This is exactly what happened in 2005 in the Marion Reservoir (Map) which is located in Kansas within the Grand Lake watershed. Communities had to transport in potable water and Marion’s beaches had to be closed. Also algae blooms can create an unpleasant water taste that is a costly process to reduce in water treatment plants.

Foundation Focus
Our Foundation focus is to reduce this risk from elevated phosphorous/nutrient levels which fuel algae growth and rapid reproduction. In November 2007, the Foundation prepared an assessment of the watershed and published a Grand Lake Watershed Plan. (Grand Lake Watershed Plan). This documents the elevated levels of nutrients/phosphorus. Not only are our rivers and streams at risk but the four major watershed reservoirs Marion, Council Grove, John Redmond, and Grand Lake (Map) are at risk. Clearly, only a cooperative and collective effort between government, watershed stakeholders, and citizens within the watershed can reduce phosphorous/nutrient loads.

Sediment movement within the watershed only increases pollution risks because the sediment transports nutrients/phosphorus and bacteria. River and stream banks are prone to stream bank erosion which fosters sediment movement. Sediment also fills streams and reservoirs reducing their capacity.

Citizens Must Become Involved
Citizens and stakeholders must take an active role in shaping the future of their watershed. They must become energized, educated and involved.

Watersheds that have active citizens cause improvements to be made in their water quality. Citizens must insure their community leaders; local, state, and federal government leaders; and stakeholders are taking the actions necessary to protect water quality. This Foundation can help citizens become actively involved. There is a simple but direct question that must be asked of every state legislator, every community leader, every U. S. congressman, and every city and county government leader. “What are you doing to help restore and protect our water quality?”

Foundation Strategic Plan
In October 2009, the Foundation issued a Strategic Plan that serves as a water quality improvement roadmap. It presents necessary actions that must occur to better protect and improve our rivers, streams, and lakes. Foundation Strategic Plan There presently are many barriers preventing or hindering water quality improvements. This Strategic Plan presents solutions and courses of action that will result in improved water quality. Sadly, many citizens do no know about the pollution risks to their rivers, steams and lakes. Consequently, we believe public education is important to achieving improved water quality.

Improved Interstate Cooperation Is Necessary
There must be improved interstate communication and cooperation between our four watershed state governments of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. This is essential because there is no single governmental entity in charge of achieving water quality improvement in the total watershed. Each state often has different priorities, objectives and financial committment. Reducing pollution risks from elevated nutrient/phosphorus levels certainly will require a more coordinated state/federal effort. The Foundation is committed to help achieve interstate cooperation and coordination.

Presently, each of the four states makes their own independent decision about what, if anything, is done to improve water quality. Each state does not agree about the amount, if any, funds will be invested in their respective portion of the watershed. Consequently, there presently is not a unified, coordinated, and collective effort necessary reduce the pollution risks from nutrients/phosphorous. In the meantime, pollution risks are mounting.

The Problem of Fragmented Piecemeal Watershed Management
The watershed is indeed a complex watershed because of many different governmental boundaries and entities. Add to that mix the fact our watershed is located within two separate U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regions with each Regional office responsible for their separate sections of our watershed. This Foundation believes the EPA must manage our large watershed through the use of a single unified and coordinated watershed improvement plan that will address the nutrient/phosphorous risk. This will achieve a unity of effort, priority and increase the financial investment made by state and federal government. The Foundation believes divided and uncoordinated watershed management responsibility is not conducive to achieving water quality improvement. In fact, it is an impairment.

Agriculture Plays An Important Role
Our watershed is largely agricultural having a population of about 500,000. One key element in achieving water quality improvement is for agriculture stakeholders, including the poultry industry, to adopt best land management practices. This will reduce pollution from nutrients/phosphorous and sediment movement.

It is recognized that agriculture interests historically want to be good stewards of the land. However, implementing voluntary water quality improvement projects necessary to reduce risks from nutrients and reduce stream bank erosion are often costly. Therefore, the Foundation believes that financial incentives must be offered to agriculture landowners to achieve their voluntary support to institute measures that will result in improving our water quality.

Waste Water Treatment Plants
Historically, discharge of nutrients/phosphorus from community wastewater treatment plants into the watershed is a source of pollution. While these plants are normally regulated by state permits and state laws/regulations, their total impact on water quality in this watershed remains unknown. Further impact study and analysis is required in our watershed.

Local Citizen-Based Organizations Are Necessary
Both the U. S. Environment Protection Agency and state governments encourage the participation of citizens in the management of their watershed. While some citizen-based organizations have been formed in the Grand Lake watershed, much of the watershed lacks local citizen-based organizations. This Foundation has pledged its support to local citizen-based organizations. It encourages citizens to join and support their local watershed organizations and become involved.

Private Funding
The Foundation believes private funding must supplement and support the water quality improvement efforts. This is especially important for funding educational efforts throughout the watershed. That is one reason this Foundation was created to provide stakeholders, business interests, and individuals an opportunity to financially assist improving water quality.

Individual SubWatershed Plans Are Required
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires separate, individually tailored subwatershed plans be prepared and accepted by the EPA for rivers, streams, and lakes within our large Grand Lake watershed. This is a necessary step before federally funded projects to improve water quality can be funded and started. Citizen-based groups are required to be involved in the preparation of these individual subwatershed plans. This is a very lengthy and cumbersome process that often takes 7 to 10 years from the time citizen-based groups are formed to the time watershed plans are accepted and federally funded by the EPA. The Foundation believes this process takes too long and most importantly will not result in the collective and cooperative effort necessary to reduce nutrient/phosphorus. Another more effective approach must be taken to combat the risks associated from elevated nutrient/phosphorous. The Foundation believes the EPA must adopt a more expedited, focused, and simplified approach to reducing the pollution risks caused by elevated levels of nutrients/phosphorous within a watershed of this size and economic importance. This Foundation believes any delay and failure to adopt a unified and collective watershed wide solution that will result in reducing the nutrient/phosphorous risk in our watershed only adds to mounting pollution pressures facing the Grand Lake watershed.

Protecting water quality is serious business that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Polluted waters can affect the quality of your life. I and citizens in my community know first hand what happens when your reservoir waters become polluted to the point of concern about public health risks.

Yes, it can also harm your local economy and businesses. I want to share with you the Marion Reservoir story. It’s about what can happen when excessive amounts of nutrients enter your steams, rivers, and lakes. We became the “poster child” for blue-green algae outbreaks.

Marion Reservoir, completed in 1968, is located near the headwaters of the Cottonwood River in Marion County Kansas. Marion’s 200 square mile watershed is part of the Grand Lake watershed. Marion Reservoir is a United States Corps of Engineer lake under the supervision of the Tulsa District Corps of Engineers. (Map)

Marion Reservoir provided flood control for the Cottonwood River Basin, but it is also, an important economic resource for the people of Marion County. The picturesque setting of Marion Reservoir is an open invitation to the more than 350,000 visitors that enjoy excellent opportunities for fishing, swimming, hunting, camping, hiking, boating, skiing and other recreational activities. It is the public water source for three cities of Marion County: Hillsboro, Marion and Peabody and potential rural water districts. Most of the ground water in the county is not potable.

In June of 2003 a phenomena occurred to the waters of the reservoir that caused the shut down of the two water treatment facilities in the county, Hillsboro and Marion, and closed the swim beaches and other recreational water activities. It was the first occurrence of heavy concentrations of blue-green algae.

It started innocently with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers noticing the waters of the reservoir were clearer, for that time of year, than what was expected. The waters of the reservoir turned a beautiful turquoise green like the pictures you see on a travel brochure. Usually, because of heavy spring rainfall events and strong southerly winds the reservoir turbidity (sediment & other particles in the water) levels are high.

The Corps notified the community water treatment facilities of what was occurring when certain areas of the reservoir showed this different form of blue-green algae on the surface and nearing the water intake for both cities. The cities notified state and federal entities about the phenomena looking for answers to potential public health concerns. Numerous meetings were held seeking answers. It was determined the blue-green algae bloom (cyanobacteria bloom) emitted toxins when it died.

Because of the fear of the unknown the water treatment facilities elected to discontinue drawing water from the reservoir even though it was not required by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Local and state media grabbed the story of the crisis. Marion Reservoir was the top story on most 6:00 p.m. news shows for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Television camera crews were seen on a weekly, if not daily basis and community leaders, corps rangers and others found cameras and microphones in their faces. Possible solutions to prevent the blue-green algae bloom came from everywhere with one sent from Australia. But there really was no feasible action that could be taken. The mounting pollution pressures had brought us to this point.

Marion had an alternate public water source with a deteriorated infrastructure. Hillsboro had nothing. Marion transported water from a smaller lake approximately 2 miles from the city for 10 days until repairs to the infrastructure could be completed. Hillsboro transported water from a city 35 miles away for 5 weeks. The cities began drawing water from the reservoir again when it was learned activated carbon added to their treatment process could help in removing the potential toxin from the finished water going into their public systems. Because of the additional expense of adding activated carbon and the need to update their water treatment facility, Marion built a $1.84 million water treatment plant. Hillsboro decided to continue the use of activated carbon in their treatment operation, to remove toxicity levels.

To this date there has not been a fish kill on the reservoir caused by the blue-green algae. The Corps posted signs on the swim beaches warning the public about the existence of the blue-green alga and provided flyers explaining the possible health concerns ingestion of the lake water might cause. Even to this day, warnings to the public are posted at Marion Reservoir.

What caused the phenomena and could we see a re-occurrence? High concentrations of phosphorus attached to the sediment in the lake were perfect for the abundant growth of the blue-green alga. Atmospheric conditions were perfect, very little wind, abundant sunlight combined with the presence of high concentrations of phosphorus.

Experts said Marion Reservoir is Eutrophic, meaning excessive amounts of nutrients, cause high levels of organism productivity. This makes Marion subject to algae blooms. Heavy concentrations of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) have occurred every summer through 2006, and minor concentrations occurred during the summers of 2007, 2008 and 2009. July 2008, it is suspected that 3 dogs drank water from the reservoir and died. The dogs were examined by Kansas State University School of Veterinary. It was not conclusive the water from the reservoir was the cause of death. There was a small outbreak of blue-green algae when this incident occurred. Water bodies around the world have experienced the same outbreak causing health concern and in some instances death to animals and people. It was not something to be dismissed and precautions were taken.

Now what is happening at Marion Reservoir? The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has classified the reservoir as a “High Priority TMDL Lake” because of the high levels of phosphorus. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards, and an allocation of that load among the various sources of that pollutant. The reservoir is completely eutrophic. Nutrients of phosphorus and nitrogen are attached to the sediment that flows into the lake from the 200 square mile, 132,000-acre watershed. Of the 132,000 acres, 40,000 acres are designated as “highly erodible” and the erosion continues.

In Kansas, we have a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) program which is involved in improving our water quality. In 2003 a voluntary program of agriculture related Best Management Practices began to help reduce nutrient and sediment flow into Marion. We now are in the 6th year of this program which also includes educational activities. Over $1 million in federal, state, and local county taxes, and farmers and ranchers dollars have been spent to decrease the sediment and nutrients reaching the reservoir.

In 2007 Marion Reservoir WRAPS project received additional funding through the Kansas Water Office, Kansas Water Plan, to begin base line data collection of the watershed and reservoir. Marion County Commission saw the need for protecting the water quality of the reservoir for present and future economic growth. They have provided $150,000 in matching nonfederal funds to conduct the ongoing data collection and study.

Through the Marion Reservoir WRAPS project and its partners, water quality monitoring, conducted by Kansas State Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, began in 2007 and continues. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, through a Fish and Wildlife federal grant, are conducting a “rough fish” removal and study, removing the over-population of buffalo and carp, hoping this will help water quality. Kansas Biological Survey has conducted taste and order studies, sediment core and release of nutrients back into the water column surveys to establish data of the reservoir.

They also conducted a bathymetric survey in 2008. The last survey was conducted in 1982. The bathymetric survey results showed less sediment had entered the reservoir since its construction than what was originally thought, thus extending the life of the reservoir. The Watershed Institute has conducted a 2-year study on the potential of stream bank erosion contributing to the sediment and nutrient load of the reservoir. The study indicated very little stream bank erosion was occurring, but heavy woody debris in and around tributaries was critical and could create a problem in the future.

The implementation of Best Management Practices and data collection needs to continue, but with the growth of the WRAPS Program in Kansas and budget constraints, less funding is available. That hinders our efforts to reduce our risks from future algae blooms in Marion.

Water is not a renewable resource. Without water quality protection and water quality conservation what will the future hold? What happens in the headwaters directly affects water quality and quantity occurrences downstream. Everyone lives in a watershed.

How important is protecting your water quality? Our Marion Reservoir Story is one illustration of how important it is. Protecting your water quality requires a collective effort by citizens; local, state, federal governments; community leaders; and all watershed stakeholders. Failure to protect your water can have bad consequences.