While local groups continue to work on identifying and reducing the pollution load on the Thompson River Watershed, the Department of Natural Resources announced the Grand River Watershed has reached the level of Impaired Use in three categories. The announcement is due to elevated levels of eColi Bacteria.
The announcement does not indicate the source of the pollutants.
Grand River Watershed covers an area 18 counties in Missouri, including Livingston County. Worth, Gentry, DeKalb, Clinton, Harrison, Daviess, Caldwell, Ray, Mercer, Grundy, Livingston, Carroll, Putnam, Sullivan, Linn, Chariton, Nodaway, and Andrew Counties. The watershed includes waters on the Grand River, Middle Fork Grand River, East Fork Grand River, Locust Creek, and East Fork Locust Creek
Impaired Use, Grand Watershed:
Whole body contact recreation in categories A & B – this includes swimming and similar activities where water ingestion could occur.
The third category is called “Secondary Contact Recreation:” includes fishing, wading, commercial and recreational boating, any limited contact incidental to shoreline activities, and activities in which users do not swim or float in the water.
KCHI attempted to contact the DNR for additional details but was unsuccessful.