Rapid Watershed Assessment
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Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service Rapid Watershed Assessment Upper Black River Sub-basin HUC # 11010007 Missouri Natural Resources Conservation 601 Business Loop 70 West Parkade Center, Suite 250 Columbia, MO 65203 Phone: 573/876-0901 USDA-NRCS Fax: 573/876-0913 Rapid Watershed Assessment Content 1.0 Introduction 1.0 Introduction 4.2 Agricultural 4.2.1 County Statistics 1.1 Scope and Purpose 4.2.2 General Statistics The Upper Black River sub-basin, located in the southeastern region of Missouri, conveys drainage 4.2.3 Forestry Statistics from its headwaters in the Ozark Highlands southward to its outlet in the Mississippi Embayment 1.2 Major Realizations region in Arkansas. This sub-basin encompasses 1,756 square miles and covers portions of 8 4.3 Resource Producer Factor Missouri counties as well as 3 Arkansas counties. Black River is the largest receiving stream in this 2.0 Physical Description sub-basin. The headwaters originate in Reynolds and Iron counties in Missouri where the East, 5.0 Status of Resources 2.1 Land Use/Land Cover Middle, and West Forks of Black River converge. Gravel comprises stream bed loads in the 2.1.1 Crop History 5.1 PRS headwaters and stream flows are regulated by dams, the largest of which forms Clearwater Lake 2.1.2 Grassland near Piedmont, Missouri. As Black River flows south into the Mississippi Embayment, bed loads 5.2 Watershed Projects transition into finer sediments, a function of the physiographic and associated land use change. 2.2 Public Land 5.3 Farm Bill Program Lands This sub-basin has diverse land uses that include grasslands to support livestock production, 2.3 Soil Capacity woodlands for forestry products, cropland for food and fiber, and mining. The majority of the 2.3.1 Prime Farmland 5.4 MDC Watershed Management Goals upper sub-basins have experienced geologic uplift and subsequent erosion has left a landscape of 2.3.2 Land Capability Class 6.0 References hills, plateaus and deep valleys. Weathering of limestone and dolomite parent material has 2.4 Common Resource Areas produced a network of underground solutional cavities characteristic of karst geology. Highest summits are located in the St. Francois Knobs where relief can be as great as 1,000 feet. Forestry 2.5 Hillshade Relief land uses are common while grassland and cropland production are limited to depositional areas along narrow floodplains in the Ozark Highlands. As the sub-basin descends from the Ozark 2.6 Streams escarpment to the Mississippi embayment, relief averages less than 50 feet. Historical wetland 2.6.1 NHD, Biological Reference Streams drainage, timber clearing, and flood control projects have converted the lower sub-basins into a 2.7 Wetlands vast row crop agricultural area. Abundant, shallow groundwater has made irrigation feasible to the area, and when coupled with drainage, farmers are capable of producing excellent yields of rice, 2.8 Geologic and Karst features cotton, soybeans, corn, and wheat. 3.0 Resource Concerns 3.1 Soil Quality and Quantity 1.1 Scope and Purpose 3.1.1 Soils Rapid watershed assessments (RWA) provide initial estimates of where conservation investments would 3.1.2 Erosion best address the concerns of landowners, conservation districts, and other community organizations and 3.2 Water Quality and Quantity stakeholders. These assessments help landowners and local leaders set priorities and determine the best actions to achieve their goals. The information contained in this RWA summarizes readily available data 3.2.1 303d Listed Water Bodies 3.2.2 Riparian Corridor and provide a snapshot of natural resources, concerns, and conservation opportunities. 3.2.3 Drinking Water Resources 3.2.4 Wells 3.2.5 Underground Tanks 1.2 Major Realizations 3.2.6 Sites with Hazardous Waste Permits The Upper Black River sub-basin faces unique management challenges including sensitive karst geologic 3.3 Threatened and Endangered Species features (e.g. caves, sinkholes, fens and springs) that offer little opportunity for pollution attenuation in the uplands, areas within the watershed that possess significant population below poverty levels, urban 4.0 Census and Social Data water quality issues from population concentration in the southern section, and shallow groundwater protection concerns in the row crop production areas of the Mississippi embayment. Dam safety is 4.1 Census Bureau another concern. A sinkhole found in 2003 in the dam embankment of Clearwater Lake has led the U.S. 4.1.1 Per Capita Income Army Corps of Engineers to classify the structure as ‘High Risk’ and initiate a major Rehabilitation 4.1.2 Employment in Agriculture, Project. Additionally, in December, 2005 a hydroelectric storage structure failed near Lesterville, MO Fishing and Forestry releasing a significant sediment load into the headwaters of the Black River. Reclamation projects have 4.1.3 Percent Living on Farms been initiated, but the long term effects on water quality have yet to be determined by scientists. 4.1.4 Population—1990 4.1.5 Population—2000 4.1.6 Population Change 2.0 Physical Description Federal land Land Use/ Conservation Non- Minor Developed Cultivated Pasture- Forest cover/use 2.1 Land Use/Land Cover Land Cover Reserve cultivated land Water Land Cropland land Land not NRI /1 Program Cropland cover/uses recorded 1982 Acres 33,700 201,800 0 13,900 84,100 507,400 6,700 9,800 234,500 % 3% 18% - 1% 8% 46% 1% 1% 21% 1987 Acres 35,900 200,100 900 12,300 83,700 509,500 6,800 10,000 233,700 % 3% 18% 0% 1% 8% 47% 1% 1% 21% 1992 Acres 36,500 190,000 900 17,600 82,200 510,900 9,700 11,000 234,100 % 3% 17% 0% 2% 8% 47% 1% 1% 21% 1997 Acres 39,200 180,100 0 39,200 69,200 507,200 12,100 11,800 234,100 % 3% 16% - 4% 6% 46% 1% 1% 21% Total Gain or Loss from 5,500 (21,700) 0 25,300 (14,900) (200) 5,400 2,000 (400) 1982 to 1997 % 0% -2% - 3% -2% 0% 0% 0% 0% /1 2.1.1 Crop History Close Grown Crops (acres) Row Crops (acres) General (acres) Double Non- Year Oats Rice Wheat Corn Sorghum Soybeans Cultivated Cropped Cultivated 1982 1,400 49,600 14,200 6,600 32,100 91,400 36,700 200,800 13,900 1987 900 40,600 23,200 2,500 38,400 59,700 0 200,100 12,300 1992 0 34,700 20,600 8,000 25,500 80,100 1,200 190,000 17,600 1997 0 53,100 7,900 9,600 13,800 81,400 4,000 180,100 39,200 /1 2.1.2 Grassland Grassland (acres) Hayland Pastureland Other Farmland Land Use/ Open Forest Land Cover Urban Cropland Grassland Barren Wetland Water Grass- Woodland Land Legume- MoRAP /2 Year Grass Legume Grass Legume Forbes- CRP Grass Legume Mix 2000 Acres 15,877 175,400.4 121,015.1 5,737.1 32,088.2 727,834.1 22,108.7 15,459.1 % 1% 16% 11% 1% 3% 65% 2% 1% 1997 255,000 1,400 13,700 47,600 0 21,600 0 2.2 Public Land /3 Public lands in the Upper Black River sub-basin account for approximately 38% of the total watershed. The Forest Service which holds the largest amount of publicly owned land originally acquired these areas for pine reforestation but currently manages for timber production and recreational opportunities. The Department of Conservation owns and manages conservation areas for wildlife management and hunting and fishing activities. However, they also manage a large number of privately held lands as arranged through lease programs such as Lower Taum Sauk Lake. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources owns state park land in this sub-basin, specifically Johnson’s Shut-Ins and Tom Sauk Mountain State Parks. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates land in and around Clearwater Lake for many purposes including flood control. Though a large number of acres are privately owned, these landowners lease their land to public agencies through cooperative agreements. This private-public relationship is important in protecting and sustaining the economic, environmental and social resources of the Upper Black River sub-basin. Public Land Ownership (acres) % of % of Owner Total Acres Public Lands Watershed Missouri Department of 45,505 9.4 3.7 Conservation Missouri Department of 9,382 1.9 0.8 Natural Resources U.S. Forest Service 217,247 45 17.6 (National Forest) Nature 20 < 0.1 < 0.1 Conservancy Other * 1,345 0.3 0.1 Private ** 189,630 39.3 15.4 U.S. Army Corps 19,318 4.0 1.6 of Engineers TOTAL 482,447 * Municipal facilities (parks, accesses and easements) ** Private/public land lease agreements /1 2.3 Soil Capacity 2.3.2 Land Capability /28 2.3.1 Prime Farmland Land Capability is a classification system used to identify the erosion potential of farmland. For over forty years Prime Farmland is land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for the USDA has used land capability classification as a planning tool in laying out conservation measures and producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops and is also available for these uses. It has the soil practices to farm without serious deterioration from erosion or other causes. The current system includes eight quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce economically sustained high yields of classes of land designated by Roman numerals I thru VIII. The first four classes are arable land--suitable for cropland--in which the limitations and the need for conservation measures and management increase from I crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods, including water thru IV.