Raw sewage leaking into Buffalo River

[dogpatch]

News article from Harrison Daily Times, Dec 5-6.

http://www.harrisondailytimes.com/artic ... 097776.txt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any ideas on how to get some action on this?

[waterhog]

who owns dogpatch these days or better yet who is the responsible party

[DeBo]

Water treatment at Marble Falls has been an issue for a long time; not just since the ice storm although that event pushed it to critical. They have no resources to get the repairs that are needed. No one wants to be the bad guy and just shut off water to the community but no one seems able to help them get the repairs they need either.

One person from that area that I talked to said that people in the service area have been very complacent about it. He said that they called an emergency meeting several months ago, when ADEQ threatened to cut off their water, to discuss options and no one came.

I hate to sound harsh but maybe if they did get their water cut off someone would get motivated to find a solution!

Our friends at the Ozark Society have been working on this one with the NPS and I have talked to ADEQ and Kevin Cheri at the BNR about it a while back. It is a delicate situation. The NPS has been working hard to repair their relationship with the local communities and don't want to be heavy handed but they really are in a stuation where they may need to use their authority to protect the Buffalo River.

[Clif]

where's economic stimulus when you need it??

[Sparky]

Dogpatch and I are neighbors near Mill Creek and long time users of the BNR. My idea is to try and keep The Harrison Daily Times involved. I posted a reply on the link to the article.

Lake of the Ozarks had a too high for human contact e-coli for Memorial Day weekend last year, it wasn't reported. The tourists came, what you don't know won't hurt you, right? It was months before Missouri DNR reported it. Will the BNR close the river below Pruitt when unsafe for human contact?

As we hiked the Mill Creek Trail this past weekend our 5 year old granddaughter commented that she smelled "poop." Until the sewage stops, I will cease contact with the Buffalo Below Pruitt.

It might do us all well to contact the authorities at BNR. I'm not sure contacting the state polititions will do any good until the river is closed and the economic impact is felt.

This is the jewel of Northern Arkansas.

Brent

[Prairie Tater]

This is very Sad. It seems that it is the ADEQ's responsibility to take action. I know that in Missouri, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) does not hesitate to levy fines on violating municipalities, businesses, and developments such as Marble Falls. A hefty fine from the ADEQ, if they have that kind of power, would motivate the home owners association to take care of the problem.

I was a wastewater treatment operator for several years and can say that lift stations are very susceptible to these kind of problems. I can easily see in the photo that the station entrance is flush with the surface of the ground. The entance should be two to three feet above surface to prevent run-off from entering. It will probably need to be completely rebuilt including a new pump and electrical components. This will be expensive, which I'm sure is why nothing has been done.

BTW, I just emailed KY3(TV station here in Springfield) and asked them if they would be interested in covering this. Seems they have always made enviromental concerns a priority in the past, especially when the Buffalo was involved.

Terry Prater

[DeBo]

Good idea Terry.

It looks like part of the problem is that no one really knows who owns the land that the treatment facility is on and no one will take responsibility. I think it might help to contact state legislators for the area. This should be an embarrassment to them. It is their responsibility to help their people straighten out this mess and get clean water.
And, as Cliff said, there is stimulus money for just this kind of thing. Call or write your letters to:

Representative Roy Ragland:
http://www.state.ar.us/house/details.php?district=90" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Senator Randy Laverty:
http://www.state.ar.us/senate/details.php?district=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wikipedia has all you would care to know about Dog Patch USA. They even mention the trip that the Herpetological Society of Arkansas took there a couple of years ago and discuss the current situation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogpatch_USA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sparky]

Hey Terry,
Can you post the link to KY3 that you used. They gave OMP good coverage on Cane Creek (by Hercules Glades) in days gone by. We were able to keep sewage from a developement from going into Cane. At the time Cane Creek tested clean enough to drink....imagine that in the Ozarks.
Brent

[Prairie Tater]

Hey Brent. Sorry I'm so late with my reply. I'm working evenings now. Here is the page:

http://www.ky3.com/about/contact" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dwilson]

I am a city employee from Oklahoma and know how the financial state of small comunities dictate what they can afford to do. I also frequent the Buffalo and don't care to be in someone elses crap. If anyone knows names or numbers of the Marble Falls fathers that I could get with maybe we have some spare parts that could stop this contamination issue. I have always felt that cities should try to help each other out if possible. I don't know if this will help but I can try.

[Susan]

I just finished talking to a friend that works for the Buffalo NPS. The NPS is talking with ADEQ, Attorney General’s office etc…But it’s like Debo said they have to maintain their relationship with the community as well as they don’t have any federal authority to protect the watershed outside of the park boundary. It would be hard for the park service to actually come in and takeover and fix the Dogpatch water system it’s outside of their jurisdiction. The NPS doesn’t so much want to heft a huge fine on the property owner as just get the problem fixed but the NPS main recourse is to sue. The small number of residence using the Dogpatch system can’t afford to fix it themselves. They need support this needs to become political. KY 3 is headed over to the Buffalo Headquarters today to talk to them. So now is the time to get the word out. Follow Debo’s links and complain to state representatives, and anyone else you think of, maybe even raise it to your congressmen after all the Buffalo is a National River.

[Butch Crain]

http://ns13.webmasters.com/*arkansascan ... 29&start=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"...be used for projects recommended by local resource advisory committees to maintain infrastructure, improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems..."

Newton County: 2008-2011 - $ 2.98 million

[Prairie Tater]

After doing some on-line research, I really do believe it is the ADEQ's responsibility to take action on this. And yes, they do have the power to enforce with fines (up to $10,000 per day) any violations of Arkansas's anti-pollution laws. The NPS should not be involved since the point of pollution is outside the park's boundries.

Links:

http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/default.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/regs/files/ ... 920831.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/h ... law_05.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I do like the ADEQ's logo:

[dwilson]

Good bit of info about all this can be found at ADEQ website then go to permit #AR0034088. Then decide who should be fined. Also some sample result info can be found there.

[Tim Eubanks]

The issue made the local NPR new in Little Rock. From what I gathered, the sewage district's presidents (or whatever) have all resigned and there is no one on whom ADEQ can serve the papers.

The "threat" being reported is being downplayed, IMHO. I'm suprised the NPS is not worried about the nutrient load as well as the bacteria. Haven't heard anything about that.