WSP01088 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I I (':) I l\j w I co en 'I I II' I I ',I I I ,I I I II I II, I . I I I I I plants, when operated correctly, are designed to provide at least secondary treatment under normal flow conditions. Industry is a major wastewater contributor. Industry with the most effect on the water ~~ality of the Spring River Rasin is in the Joplin-Carthage area. Center Creek receives most of the industrial waste discharged to the Spring River Basin. Waste dis- charged from chemical industries to Center Creek have been and are creating water quality problems in Center Creek. The large quan- tity of ammonia which is discharged has, in the past, been respon- sible for toxic conditions in the creek and are thought to be the primary cause for oxygen deficits which are commonly found. The water quality problem in Center Creek is quite complicated. Gen- erally, though, only minor water quality control problems occur from municipal and industrial effluents on interstate and intra- state tributaries to the Grand (Neosho) River. Agricultural wastewaters are not a significant basin wide prob- lem but local complaints have been made to the Missouri Clean Water Commission. In the Spring River Basin alone, annually more than 180,000 ca28le are grazed and some 35,000 tons of fertilizer are used on lands. Irrigation is the major use for water in the region, es- pecially in stock production in the area, and it has been reported that appropriate water quality control is being initiated in areas which are creating, or seem likely to create, pollution problems. For example, under Public Law 566 (U.S. Department of Agriculture) several small watershed projects have been initiated whiSB should help to alleviate sediment problems in the region's streams. Silt is not a significant water pollution problem in }tlssouri's interstate tributaries to the Grand (Neosho) River. Problems of pollution affecting both surface and groundwater have persisted for many decades in the mined areas around Joplin. The study in progress (Section 208 of P.L. 92-500) finds heavy metal content of mine waters to exceed permissible levels for viable life functions of aquatic organisms. Leachats from tailing piles have heavy metal content many fold greater than that of the mine waters. Water from both sources discharge to streams, Center Creek being an example. Stream bottom sediments are being investigated and high levels of heavy metals are being found along some stream segments. Improperly constructed deep wells and ~ells which have become faulty, permit polluted shallow groundwater to enter the deep aquifers. A federally funded project of the 1930's was the plugging of all deep, abandoned wells, which could be found. This has done much to guard the quality of the deep ~foundwater. Unfortunately, not all abandoned deep wells were located. With larger populations and growing'industrial centers and the demand for water becoming greater, a number of alternatives exist for the increase in the supply of water for the Newton- 102