Agricultural News
Water Quality Efforts Pay Dividends
Wed, 03 Feb 2010 6:14:58 CST
In an ongoing assessment of more than 8,000 streams that monitored by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the federal watchdog says that water quality work done by Oklahoma farmers and landowners has shown results, with four streams removed from the EPA's 303(d) list of impaired streams due to various pollution factors.
The partnership of landowners and several Conservation agencies and groups has resulted in a reduction of nonpoint source pollution in the following streams: Wolf Creek in northwest Oklahoma, California Creek in northeast Oklahoma, Little Wewoka Creek in central Oklahoma and Little Elk Creek in southwest Oklahoma. In addition, another 170 streams have been looked at by EPA and will not be placed on the 303(d) list, as they have low to non existent levels of the pollutants that EPA is searching for.
Shanon Phillips, head of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission water quality division, told the media in a briefing at the state capitol that there are a growing number of streams where sound conservation practices by landowners are helping provide a sustainable living environment for fish and aquatic insects. The health of the fish is an important indicator of the health of that stream. Phillips adds that farmers have worked in these watersheds to control soil erosion, have used pesticides wisely and have made sure to not undertake other potentially damaging land use practices.
Clay Pope offered an overview to reporters about the types of practices that farmers and ranchers are doing voluntarily to help improve water quality- we have those comments for you below by clicking on the Listen Bar.
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