Update on seedlings, after flooding

This photograph, taken from the County Road U Spring River bridge (north side of river), indicates that the six, 3-year old wild plums are bent over, leaning downriver. [click on photographs for close-up view]



This photograph, taken from the County Road U Spring River bridge (south side of river), indicates that the 3-year old blackberries are bent over, leaning downriver. Some of the blackberry canes are broken and will need to be pruned. The 3-year old wild plums and newly planted witch hazel seedlings are OK.




Two of the new witch hazel seedlings were broken off in the flood. La Russell Stream Team #2945 members suspect that they were broken off by large floating debris. We are not sure what the growth pattern (or survivability) will be for injured seedling(s).





This is photo of the plantings along the south side of the access road embankment. You can see the 3-year old aromatic sumac plants, and new witch hazel seedlings covered with mud and soot from the flood water.

Recent Dumping Upstream

La Russell Stream Team #2945 members inspected the site of a former dump, upstream in Lawrence County. To our disappointment there was evidence of recent dumping, including tires, boxes and home remodeling debris. An inventory was taken for clean-up planning and prosecution.




We found multiple cardboard and wooden fruit/vegetable boxes that had been dumped.






Stream Team members identified multiple black trash bags as well as discarded home remodeling debris. This included wooden storm door with glass insert.

If you observe suspicious activity at, or along Spring River, write down the description (and license plate) of vehicle(s)and suspect(s), then please call 911 or the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department 417-466-2131. You can stop vandalism by being alert and reporting suspicious activity.

Flood Damage at Access Point

Excessive precipitation Thursday, October 8 and Friday, October 9 caused record flooding at the La Russell Access Point. The USGS water gage (at La Russell) indicated the river went from 2.18' @ 10:45am Oct. 8, to 14.62', cresting @ 12:00pm (noon) October 9. Newspaper reports in the area described precipitation amounts, ranging from 3 inches to 10.5 inches. [click on graph for close-up view]

To put this high water event in perspective, the USGS calculated the water (discharge) flow rate (a La Russell Access Point) on October 8, 2009, 10:45am was 249 cubic feet per second. 24 hours later, the flow rate was 13,500+ cubic feet per second.


Damage at the site includes major erosion. The parking and road gravel was all washed in a southwest direction from the bridge. Erosion pattern was identical to site damage during the March 18-20, 2008 flood.

Body Contact is NOT Recommended 10/01/2009

The Jasper County Health Department has posted the results of their 10/01/2009 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 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 10/01/2009 test results (E. coli colonies per 100 ml) indicated a level of 240.0.

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)