USGS report blames horses for river stink

EMINENCE, Mo. -- Horses, not people, are fouling a southeast Missouri river popular among canoeists and campers.

The Jacks Fork River draws thousands of visitors each year. But a seven-mile stretch below Eminence, about 120 miles southwest of St. Louis, suffers from poor water quality.

A report released Thursday by the U.S. Geological Survey found that E. coli and fecal coliform levels worsened during trail rides that have attracted as many as 3,000 riders at a time.

DNA testing concluded that horses -- either through direct deposits of manure or stirring of pre-existing sediment -- were a primary source of fecal coliform, followed by cattle and sewage.

"Basically, we determined for sure that boaters and swimmers are not the primary source of fecal coliform bacteria," said Jerri Davis, a USGS water quality specialist in Rolla.

Last year, the National Park Service, which manages the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, posted warnings in the Shawnee Creek campground after tests found levels of fecal coliform that exceeded state standards for recreational contact. The test also found high levels of E. coli bacteria in that creek, a tributary of the Jacks Fork.

The readings coincided with the well-attended 50th anniversary celebration at Cross Country Trail Ride in Eminence.

Jim and Jane Smith, owners of Cross Country, said at the time that they have taken steps through signage and verbal reminders to control the amount of horse waste going into the water.

Their attorney, Doug Kennedy, said Thursday the trail ride facility has never been out of compliance with environmental standards and "the Jacks Fork health is foremost in their mind."

Kennedy said he hopes to review the findings and the methods used in the study.

Gary Gaines, southeast regional director for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said the agency will review the findings and decide if anything needs to be done to protect water quality.

He said Cross Country has agreed to build concrete manure bunkers and remove horse waste immediately after rides. The Smiths also have agreed to hook up the facility to the city's sewage treatment plant, rather than haul sewage to the plant by truck.

Noel Poe, superintendent of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, said the park service is taking steps to educate horseback riders. He said there are a few other trail ride facilities in the park area, but none the size of Cross Country.

The environmental health of the Jacks Fork is a particularly sensitive topic for a region that relies so heavily on summer tourism.

"What we want to do is work together and try to figure out a way to resolve this problem," said state Rep. J.C. Kuessner, D-Eminence.