OSRC’S Fite says people still care about the Illinois River

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) - Asking where the Illinois River is headed may be a request for directions to Lake Tenkiller, but for decades, the people of Cherokee County have posed the question in reference to what may happen in the future.

Locals still appreciate the Illinois River as an irreplaceable resource worthy of conservation, but they may not be as militant as they were in the 1980s and ‘90s during the sparring with Arkansas.

A recent online poll by the Tahlequah Daily Press indicated the waterway still receives consideration. More than 80 percent suggested they are extremely concerned or somewhat concerned about the future of the Illinois River. Only 14 percent said they were not very concerned; no one went so far as to say they had zero concern.

Yet a recent Saturday Forum about the Illinois on the TDP Facebook page drew only three responses.

“I think 95 percent of the people who visit the river care about it,” said Ed Fite, administrator for the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission. “There is that 5 percent with a total disregard for themselves and others, and there are adolescents who are still learning adult responsibility skills, and maybe they throw their trash down and don’t pick it up. But most people care.”

During the past three decades, the people of Cherokee County have become familiar with the challenges facing the river: wastewater, runoff, litter, rowdiness and sedimentation. The OSRC and Save the Illinois River Inc. have waged and won several battles to enhance water quality.

Ed Brocksmith of STIR said there is still work to do.

“I would urge people to be cautious about reports of improved water quality in the Illinois River for two reasons,” Brocksmith said. “Firstly, the amount of phosphorus coming across from Arkansas is still above the .037 milligrams-per-liter limit. Secondly, we haven’t had a lot of big rain events that result in a lot of runoff and sediment that contribute phosphorus.”

Fite agreed that continued efforts are needed to ensure wastewater treatment plants and poultry farmers within the watershed continue waste management protocols. But he added that $300 million has been spent in Arkansas to enhance wastewater treatment, and that the discharges maintain flow levels through the Illinois even during drought.

Fite also said poultry farmers deserve some credit for reducing fecal waste runoff by about 75 percent. He said that over the long term, the water quality has been enhanced.

“We still have some algae problems, but observing what I have since I started at the OSRC 32 years ago, the water is better,” he said. “It has been a collaborative effort among cities, landowners, agriculture, float operators and others. There will never be a point where our work will be finished. These wastewater treatment plants are doing a really good job, but as the population grows, they’ll have to build bigger plants with more capabilities.”

The .037 phosphorus threshold mentioned by Brocksmith was adopted by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board in 2001, to be phased in by 2012. Arkansas threatened a lawsuit once it became apparent the .037 figure would not be met. Legal maneuvering was averted when both states agreed to extend the deadline, and Arkansas put up the money for a study the states have agreed to let bind.

The study is led by Dr. Ryan King of Baylor University. The research team will take samples through mid-2016 from the Illinois, its tributaries and other area creeks to measure phosphorous levels, and determine at what quantity they encourage the growth of nuisance algae species. Analysis of the $600,000 study is expected to take several months once data collection is complete.

In the coming decades, the greatest stress to the Illinois will be people, regardless of whether they visit the river.

“The biggest issue is urban sprawl,” Fite said. “We are looking at a 100 percent increase in the populations of Adair, Cherokee and Delaware counties over the next 35 years. In Arkansas, Bentonville, Springdale and Rogers are expected to double. Urban sprawl results in land alteration and takes vegetation off the land. Thus, when the rains come, water will run off quickly. These create flash floods with a lot of energy, which results in erosion, sediment and water impediment.”

Trash is a persistent problem. Large diaper dumps have become a routine nuisance, and Brocksmith said any tips about offenders are appreciated.

The float outfitters and local organizations hold cleanups year-round, and weekly during the summer. Fite said the OSRC hands out trash bags by the hundreds of thousands each year, and that dozens of 65-gallon trash barrels will be deployed along the river before the summer rush.

“One of our jobs here at the OSRC is that every day except Christmas, someone is out picking up litter,” Fite said. “When we put trash barrels out, people use them. They need to be monitored, because the animals will get into them. Trash isn’t something you can let up on for a few days.”

A priority for the OSRC is to make the river more appropriate for family outings during summer weekends. Fite said the top complaint he receives about the Illinois is drunken behavior among floaters. Fite said, “I don’t have the answer” to reducing rowdiness, but said the commission plans to use all available resources.

The OSRC has just one ranger among its four full-time employees, but will hire 10 part-time rangers during the summer.

“We believe that if we could deal with [rowdy behavior], it would encourage family groups to come back,” Fite said. “I’m hopeful our law enforcement will help. They will not be as tolerant this year. They will be writing tickets.”

Fite closed with a comment on the impending demise of a river landmark.

“Combs Bridge is slated to be removed by the middle of May,” he said. “Anyone who wants to get a picture of the bridge, or a picture of themselves on the bridge, probably better make plans pretty quickly.”