Groups tout water conservation methods

Area organizations are offering several options for homeowners – and many practices can be applied to businesses – to improve both water conservation and water quality, and most are nothing more than new takes on time-tested techniques.

One possibility is the rain garden, which absorbs water during periods of runoff and releases it slowly and steadily during dry periods.

Adam Coulter, urban conservationist for the South Missouri Water Quality Project in Ozark, said the beauty of the rain garden idea lies in its simplicity, noting that a rain garden can be constructed in a depressed area that is filled with soil and mulch, or by constructing a retaining wall to collect runoff.

“Typically you put in a little soil and a majority of mulch, because it’s a good medium for retaining water,” Coulter said. “This basically creates a sponge where water can be absorbed, retained and slowly released.”

The advantages of the system are numerous, he added.

“There’s an environmental benefit, because it deters storm water runoff and therefore deters flooding, and it also keeps pollutants from entering the ground water,” Coulter said. “But there are economic benefits as well, especially if you have a commercial business. If the setting is right, it has an aesthetic benefit to the property.”

Coulter said the idea is gaining popularity – the city of West Plains recently installed a rain garden, and the Willow Springs R-IV School District is looking to create a similar garden for its campus.

Over a barrel

For homeowners who want to save water without a major landscaping project, Greene County, James River Basin Partnership and Springfield Public Works are teaming up to offer rainwater collection barrels at a discounted price.

The 55-gallon barrels are used to collect rainwater from building downspouts and gutters; the water can then be used for watering gardens, washing vehicles and other nonpotable uses.

Normally selling for more than $140, the barrels are available for $75 through the James River Basin Partnership; that price is reduced to $50 for Greene County residents.

Barbara Lucks, materials recovery/education coordinator for the solid waste management division of Springfield Public Works, said the drought conditions that gripped the area, combined with the failure of City Utilities’ water pumps at Stockton Lake last year, brought water conservation to the forefront.

“Last spring was a wake-up call for everyone in this area,” she said. “We’ve never seriously had to give attention to water quantity issues, though we’re beginning to see that now, not just due to the drought but also due to ground water issues.”

The little things

There are smaller things consumers can do to reduce their water usage, including installing low-pressure shower heads and low-flow toilets, and fixing any leaking pipes.

Another program to encourage water conservation is the city’s Show-Me Yards & Neighborhoods, an educational program designed to raise awareness about conservation and water runoff.

Individuals can choose from a list of approved practices for their yards and landscaping; each item is worth credits or “inches.” A yard is certified as a Show-Me Yard when the owner earns 36 inches – equivalent to one yard.

More information is available at www.springfieldmo.gov/community/SMYN.

Even though water supplies are sufficient for most of the Ozarks, James River Basin Partnership Executive Director Holly Neill said it’s important to plan before there’s a problem.

“Water is not a resource that’s endless, so it’s important that we protect it and conserve it,” Neill said.

“If we don’t protect it, we could face a larger issue of water depletion. We have a chance here in the Ozarks to be proactive and not reactive like other states have had to do,” he added.

Saving Water Wisely

• Fix dripping pipes.

• Install low-flow fixtures.

• Wash full loads of clothes and dishes.

• Take shorter showers.

• Don’t let the water run while brushing teeth or doing dishes.

• Sweep, don’t hose.

• Adjust your sprinklers.

• Catch rainwater and use it.

• Water lawns and plants in the morning.

Source: Watershed Committee of the Ozarks

Drought conditions

Water conservation is on the minds of many in the Ozarks, due in part to the historic drought that has gripped the region for nearly two years:

• Farmers in every county in Missouri are eligible to apply for low-interest emergency loans through the Farm Service Agency, due to the sustained drought conditions and corresponding agricultural losses.

• The state’s fishing industry, particularly hatcheries, have felt the effects. Operations such as Roaring River Hatchery in March 2006 were moving only 4 million to 5 million gallons of water, compared to the normal 20 million.

• City Utilities estimates its customers use about 32.4 million gallons daily, drawn from Fellows and McDaniel lakes – and from Stockton Lake and James River when needed. Levels at Fellows Lake in April were down to around 60 percent.