Agency finds river pollution after off-road event

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A recent investigation by Missouri Department of Natural Resources officials found suspected violations involving the Little Black River and Beaver Dam Creek occurred during the Trucks Gone Wild event at Brick's Off Road Park.

Arthur Goodin, chief of DNR's water pollution control unit in its Southeast Missouri Regional Office, sent a certified letter dated June 18 to Brick's owner Jay Brickell detailing the investigation, findings and recommendations.

Brickell, according to the letter, has 30 days to respond, indicating what changes he plans to make to prevent water pollution during his September event and whether he will allow state officials to access his property to collect water-quality data from Beaver Dam Creek during the event.

In that letter, Goodin wrote of the investigation that led him to visit Brickell's facility June 8 "in response to multiple concerns this office had received about pollution to the Little Black River over the previous weekend."

"The concerned parties alleged that the Little Black River had turned brown and murky and that a large amount of trash and oily sheen were noted in the water," the letter stated.

The complaints reportedly were made after an estimated crowd of up to 15,000 attended the Trucks Gone Wild event June 4 to 7 at Brick's.

Goodin said he met with Brickell and his son, Scott Brickell, to discuss concerns and tour the facility.

"During our tour of the facility, I observed two designated crossings of Beaver Dam Creek," Goodin said. "These crossings were marked with signs and equipped with concrete low-water bridges.

"Water flowing over the upstream crossing was fairly clear and without sheen. Aquatic life was observed in this area and did not appear stressed."

Goodin described the water flowing over the downstream crossing as being "light brown in color and fairly turbid."

Goodin said DNR officials were told the color and turbidity in the water was due to the "dewatering of the jet boat race track."

"We were shown the track and the dewatering operation, and it did appear that this activity was causing the color and turbidity in Beaver Dam Creek."

Goodin said they also saw the Little Black River at its confluence with Beaver Dam Creek.

Water in the Little Black, he said, was fairly clear and did not appear to be carrying a significant amount of sediment.

"There was an obvious contrast between the dewatering-impacted Beaver Dam Creek and un-impacted Little Black River," Goodin said.

During the tour, Goodin said, officials said there did not appear to be any areas where a large amount of in-stream vehicle operation occurred.

"We did note a few locations where it appeared that one or two vehicles entered the stream outside of the designated crossings," Goodin said.