Colorful discovery

This blue tailed skink was located under one of the watering cans. It quickly moved into the adjacent grass.

Water Chemistry Survey #6

The La Russell Stream Team 2945 completed our 6th Volunteer Water Quality Chemistry Survey, Sunday, July 26. Here are the results.
Air temperature - 30C
Water temperature - 24C
pH - 8.7
Alkalinity - 390
Dissolved O2 (11+1=12)
130% dissolved oxygen
Nitrate - 4
Turbidity -17.5

Vandalism or Embarrassment?

Here are a couple of recent pictures of the bridge supports. Obviously vandalism, we wondered if someone was embarrassed that their name was spray painted and they tried to cover it up with mud. Why do guests to the La Russell Access Point feel that they need to vandalize the site? It is ugly and certainly not respective of others.

Body Contact is NOT Recommended 07/23/2009

The Jasper County Health Department has posted the results of their 07/23/2009 water quality testing at the La Russell Access Point on Spring River. Specifically, this is the number of Escherichia coli colonies per 100 milliliters of river water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that swimming and body contact is NOT recommended when the sample exceeds 235 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) recommends a maximum of 126 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. as the limit for "recreational" swimming and whole body contact, annually between April 1 and October 31.

The 07/29/2009 test results (E. coli colonies per 100 ml) indicated a level of 325.5.

For further information, contact:
Jasper County Health Department
105 Lincoln
Carthage, MO 64836
417/358-3111
417/358-0494 (fax)
moehra@lpha.dhss.mo.gov (e-mail)
877-879-9131 (toll free)
8:30 - 4:30 (hours)

Vandalism June 2009

PLEASE call the Jasper County Sheriff's Department at 417-359-9100 to report suspicious or unlawful activity, curfew violations and vandalism. The Missouri Department of Conservation also has a HotLine to report illegal activity, 1-800-392-1111 which is manned 24 hours a day. You may remain anonymous, and you may ask to be considered for a reward if you wish. When you call, you will be asked simple questions, the answers to which will be vital to the investigation. Here are a few things to remember when you witness a suspected violation.
* Nature of suspected illegal activity
* Date and time of violation
* The suspect’s identity, if possible
* Description of the suspects and vehicles

Recent vandalism at the La Russell Access Point includes off road vehicular activity. As you can easily see the truck tires cut into the grass, leaving ruts, which now are contributing to erosion. The 1" rain received this week has already begun washing the gravel off the roadway and into the turf. You can see that the vehicle drove north through the grass.



Some vandals (in the last 120 hours) took it upon themselves to create a camping shelter, by cutting the trees, native plants and flowers along the parking area, next to the river. The cut foliage damages the natural riparian corridor and now exposes the area to erosion. [click on photographs to get close-up view of damage]

Body Contact is NOT Recommended 07/01/2009

The Jasper County Health Department has posted the results of their 07/01/2009 water quality testing at the La Russell Access Point on Spring River. Specifically, this is the number of Escherichia coli colonies per 100 milliliters of river water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that swimming and body contact is NOT recommended when the sample exceeds 235 E. coli colonies per 100 ml.

The 07/01/2009 test results (E. coli colonies per 100 ml) indicated a level of 1203.3.

For further information, contact:
Jasper County Health Department
105 Lincoln
Carthage, MO 64836
417/358-3111
417/358-0494 (fax)
moehra@lpha.dhss.mo.gov (e-mail)
877-879-9131 (toll free)
8:30 - 4:30 (hours)