Oklahoma in the Top 5

Oklahoma in the Top 5

So many times Oklahoma ranks low on a lot of peoples’ lists. But I am a believer in spreading good news when you can. Oklahoma has a very high ranking this year in its ability in reducing pollution in streams and rivers. According to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis of nutrient and sediment reduction, Oklahoma accounted for more than 10 percent of all reduction of nitrogen from waterways nationwide in 2009. The report also showed that 16 percent of national reductions of phosphorus in water occurred in Oklahoma. That success proves the wisdom of using voluntary programs that allow the state to partner with Oklahoma farmers and ranchers instead of having a top-down mandate from bureaucrats.

State conservation leaders announced at a press conference at the capitol that the EPA has removed four Oklahoma streams from its impaired water list, also known as the 303(d) list. Efforts by farmers, ranchers and other land owners in cooperation with the Oklahoma Conservation Partnership to address non-point source pollution through voluntary, locally led means has resulted in the streams being removed from the federal list of impaired water bodies and in even more streams never even being placed on the list. Streams typically are put on the 303(d) list when they don’t meet water quality standards usually because they have too much soil, nutrients or bacteria in the water. Approximately 500 streams statewide are monitored on a rotating basis by the conservation commission. Recent monitoring in four of these streams, including Little Elk Creek in Southwest Oklahoma, has shown that because of the work done by the land owners in these water sheds, sections of these streams can be removed from the 303(d) list.

Now, let’s boil this down into layman’s terms. Basically what happens is these streams run off of agricultural land and the sediment, which may be soil or possibly fertilizer and in some cases even other pollutants, flow into the water unchecked. Through efforts by land owners and cost share programs through the Conservation Commission, farmers are encouraged to plant grass strips along these streams to help hold the soil and filter the runoff. Non-point source pollution is simply pollution, whether it is chemical or simply soil, that does not come from one spot like a factory that might discharge pollution into one stream through a pipe. In the old days that was fairly common as America became industrialized. In Northeastern Oklahoma, there has been a lawsuit in recent months claiming that poultry production was the reason for heavy phosphorus loads in many streams that flowed into Tulsa’s drinking water. It was heavily disputed by the poultry industry saying that there were many other culprits from development and many other non-point sources.

The bottom line is that phosphorus attaches to soil particles and if you can stop the movement of soil by planting grass along waterways, you can stop the flow of almost anything into a watershed. Grass is a great filter and simply speaking, that is really what this high-ranking by the EPA is saying. Oklahoma is one of the most improved states in the nation at reducing the flow of soil into waterways.

So, we may not be high on very many lists but we are high on the EPA’s list, which is a really good thing. I have always believed that land owners, especially farmers and ranchers, were the best stewards of land. It sounds like this EPA report bears that out. Good job Oklahoma Conservation Commission and Oklahoma farmers and ranchers.

If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov

And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“All the water that will ever be is right now.” -National Geographic