Missouri Senate leader proposes bill to preserve area groundwater

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The leader of the Missouri Senate is pushing for a bill to preserve Southeast Missouri's water supply for local farmers and residents. Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, sponsors a bill that would give the state authority to block major water producers from pumping water out of the Southeastern Missouri Water District if it posed a threat to the water users in the district, with an intent to help preserve water supply for agricultural operations in that part of the state. "Aquifer levels generally rise and fall over the seasons, however an aquifer may be tapped to an extent that it is unable to recover or replenish itself," Mayer said as he introduced the bill Wednesday before the Senate's agriculture committee. Ryan Mueller, director of water resources for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources also testified in favor of the law, saying it would encourage major water users -- defined as entities that pump more than 100,000 gallons of water daily -- to register with the state, enabling DNR to better plan water management strategies.