The Grand Lake Watershed, unlike many other large watersheds in the United States, does not have a centralized management organization in place that manages, funds, and makes coordinated, and collective decisions about the watershed.  Instead, decentralized decisions are made by each of the four watershed states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  Each state makes an independent decision of how much money to spend in their portion of the watershed, and importantly, and each ranks the Grand Lake Watershed resource priority in relation to other watersheds in their state. Consequently, different sections of the watershed are designated as having a higher priority than other portions.

The EPA is slowly moving to a total watershed-wide approach to resolving water quality issues and improving water quality.  But the Grand Lake Watershed, because of its size, its location within four states, and its being within two seperate EPA Regions, faces an especially difficult challenge ahead in reducing risks to water quality. The Grand Lake Watershed Alliance Foundation urges each of the four watershed states and both of the two EPA Regional Offices to embrace a collective, coordinated, and a centralized management of the total Grand Lake Watershed that focuses on a total watershed solution.

During 2009, this Foundation hosted two seperate Executive Conferences about the Grand Lake Watershed. Water quality related agencies from each of the four watershed states attended as well as representatives from both EPA Regions 6 and 7. This was a most encouraging  development because issues were identified and discussed. 

Historically, water quality improvement  projects within the Grand Lake Watershed are primarily funded with EPA grants often matched by state funds.  But the Foundation believes that EPA grants alone will not be sufficient to take the costly steps necessary to improve water quality and reduce pollution risks. Instead, increased federal funding must be directed and dedicated to the Grand Lake Watershed. That’s how other large watersheds are funded and that is what is needed to reduce mounting water quality risks in the Grand Lake Watershed.

SIZE OF THE GRAND LAKE WATERSHED

Each of the Four Watershed States Has the following percentage of the 10,298 square mile watershed:

ARKANSAS: 4 %

KANSAS: 57%

MISSOURI: 31%

OKLAHOMA: 8%

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Region 6, Oklahoma and Arkansas has about 12%  of the Grand Lake Watershed area.

EPA Region 7, Kansas and Missouri, has about 88% of the Grand Lake Watershed area.