H2Ozarks Hosts Informational Meetings about Water Quality

H2Ozarks is inviting residents, landowners, and local business owners to a series of informal discussions on September 3rd and 5th to share their thoughts and concerns about water quality in the Table Rock Lake watershed. This is part of a broader public outreach effort to support the Table Rock Lake Watershed Management Plan, a roadmap for protecting and improving water quality across the region. Attendees can enjoy complimentary items in appreciation of their participation.

“Our goal is to hear from anyone and everyone we can,” said Carin Love, CEO of H2Ozarks. “A watershed management plan should be a community-led project that represents the concerns and priorities of us all. We want to hear from the people who live, work, and recreate around Table Rock Lake, because their experiences are critical to developing a plan that we are all on board with.”

The Table Rock Lake Watershed Management Plan is being developed by H2Ozarks in partnership with the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OEWRI). This community-based plan will identify impairments to water quality and outline strategies to reduce nonpoint source pollution like stormwater runoff, failing septic systems, and streambank erosion. Although this plan is nonregulatory and all practices are voluntary, having a formalized plan opens the door for grants and federal funding to implement the plan's solutions, improving long-term water quality for the region. The plan is funded by a $190,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources through the Federal Nonpoint Source Section 319 program.