This week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources held a meeting in Lee's Summit to discuss the department's recommendations for swimming use designations and water quality criteria on area streams and rivers.

Jefferson City, MO - infoZine - At the meeting, department representatives met with local residents to discuss the department's recommendations on several waters in the northwest region of Missouri. The department is investigating whether these area streams have depth sufficient to support swimming and other recreational activities. At the meeting, residents presented information about where they swim and recreate in area streams. The department will use this information in its evaluation of recreational uses for these streams.

The department informed residents about federal and state requirements and how facilities located on a stream that is not designated for whole body contact recreation must continue to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act or the Missouri Clean Water Law. This includes federal and state wastewater discharge requirements that protect other applicable designated uses such as secondary contact recreation, aquatic life protection, livestock and wildlife watering or drinking water supply. Discharge of raw sewage is a violation of state and federal statute and will not be allowed.

The department is committed to protecting the public who recreate in Missouri streams while at the same time being careful not to cause small communities or ratepayers to pay higher fees to protect uses that do not exist. Residents can submit information to the department until Aug. 31 detailing their use of northwest Missouri streams. To review the Use Attainability Analysis information available online and submit comments via the stream use survey, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/wqstandards/uaa/uaa_county.htm or by mail to UAA Coordinator, Department of Natural Resources, Water Protection Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176.

For more information about the designation process or the department's Water Protection Program, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/index.html or call 573-751-1300 or 800-361-4827.