Speaking up for Missouri...."The Great Rivers State" | | |
This Week's Water News: DNR director appointed as commissioner of the Missouri Office of Administration, history and future of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, exploring a cave on the Current River, addressing the impending global
water crisis, conceptual development plan meeting at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, black bears return to lower Mississippi River basin, NFWF announces forest and wetland restoration grants, MO American water working in Ironton, San Diego
moves to halt river sewage pollution, Alligator gar restoration efforts in southeast MO, sewage spill in Arkansas River raises concerns, and fish DNA revealing geologic history in Ozark streams
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Help us keep our Vibe on the Road!
Our Stream Teams United Vibe is in need of a new set of tires. Economy Tire in Ozark, MO has generously donated 2 tires as a match. Help us raise the cost of two more tires! Donate here! Thank you for your support of our work!
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This fall we will focus on Macroinvertebrates for our
"Critter of the Week"! Check out our
first macroinvertebrate of the fall!
Crane Fly Larvae, order Diptera, family Tipulidae
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Crane flies are widespread throughout North America, and they make up the largest family of Diptera, or true flies, due to their number of species. In North America, there are 34 genera of crane fly and 577 species!
Crane flies may be aquatic, semi-aquatic, or terrestrial. The crane fly larvae pictured above were found in a slow-flowing stream with debris. The possible habitat of crane flies is very diverse, as they may be found in standing-water habitats in rich mud and decaying vegetation, in swift riffles among stones, leaf packs, and woody debris, and in algal scum on rock outcrops that receive barely a trickle of water.
These macroinvertebrates are important shredder-detrivores, facilitating nutrient cycling in their ecosystems. Crane flies have a wide range of pollution tolerance levels due to the diversity of the crane fly family, ranging from somewhat sensitive to somewhat tolerant. If you find this macroinvertebrate while conducting Missouri Stream Team sampling, it belongs to the Group Two taxa!
Source: Voshell, J. Reese, Jr. A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. The McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company, 2011.
| | Lifejackets save lives! Wear a lifejacket on the rivers and lakes! | |
- September 5 - Honeysuckle Hack at St. Vincent Park, St. Louis, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 5 - Revamp the Riverfront at North Riverfront Park, 9 AM - 11 AM
- September 8 - Big Muddy Speakers Series: Tracking the Shifting Sands of the Missouri River, Columbia, MO, Riechmann Indoor Pavilion in Stephens Lake Park, or by Zoom, 7 PM
- September 8 - No Trash Tuesday Challenge
- September 9 - Grow Native! Webinar: Tools for the Native Plant Advocate: How Native Gardeners Can Change Communities, 4 PM - 5 PM
- September 10 - Virtual Stream Team Orientation & Onboarding Session, 7 PM - 8 PM
- September 11 - Stargaze the Blue, Alex George Wetland, Kansas City, MO, 7:30 PM - 10 PM
- September 12 - Native Plant Sale, Anita B Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, Kansas City, MO, 10 AM - 2 PM
- September 12 - Monarch Migration Family Day, Boonville Katy Depot, Boonville, MO, 10 AM - 12 PM
- September 12 - Women's Free Fishing Day, Maramec Spring Park, 7:30 AM - 7:15 PM
- September 12 - Stockton Lake Annual Cleanup Event, 8 AM - 12 PM
- September 12 - Love Your Park Cleanup Day, Fairground Park, St. Louis, MO, 9 AM - 11 AM
- September 12 - MO River Cleanup at Glasgow/Stump Island, Big Muddy Clean Sweep, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 12 - Native Garden Event at Lakeside Nature Center, Kansas City, MO, 9 AM - 11 AM
- September 12 - AmeriCorps Seniors 9/11 Day of Service Current River Cleanup, Watercress Recreation Area, Van Buren, MO, 10 AM - 4 PM
- September 12 - Plastic Brand Audit, Stump Island Recreation Park, Glasgow, MO, 1 PM - 4 PM
- September 12-13 - Conservation EXPO 2026, Coopers Landing, Columbia, MO
- September 15 - Stream Teams United Strategic Planning Open House - Advocacy, via Zoom 6:30-8:30 PM
- September 15 - No Trash Tuesday Challenge
- September 16 - River Soundings, St. Louis
- September 16 - Big Medicine: York Outdoors Movie Screening and Keynote Address by Hassan Davis, 24:1 Cinema, St. Louis, MO, 6 PM - 8 PM
- September 19 - Native Plant Sale, Bass Pro Shops, Columbia, MO, 10 AM - 1 PM
- September 19 - Monarch Tagging Event, Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Columbia, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 19 - MO River Cleanup at Boonville/Franklin Island, Big Muddy Clean Sweep, Franklin Island Conservation Area, Boonville, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 19 - Recycling Center Volunteer Event, Kansas City 9 AM-5 PM
- September 20 - Monarch Tagging Event at Missouri Prairie Foundation's Snowball Hill Prairie near Harrisonville, MO, 10 AM - 12:30 PM
- September 21 - Monarch Tagging Event, Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Columbia, MO, 5 PM - 6:30 PM
- September 22 - No Trash Tuesday Challenge
- September 23 - Join the Route 66 Restoration Team, Eureka, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 23 - Heartland Tree Alliance Tree Planting Volunteer Event, Sheraton Estates, Kansas City, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 24 - Support Missouri Conservation Corps at Al-Pint Night at the Columbia Alpine Shop, 5 PM - 7 PM
- September 24 - Native Plant Sale, Roesliein & Associates Inc., St. Louis, MO, 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
- September 25 - 27 - 26th Annual Missouri Shoreline Cleanup, Table Rock Lake, Branson, MO
- September 26 - National Public Lands Day, cleanup on the Jacks Fork River with Ozark Riverways Foundation
- September 26 - Native Plant Sale, Mother's Brewing Co., Springfield, MO, 2 PM - 6 PM
- September 26 - Monarch Tagging Event, Big Muddy Wildlife Refuge HQ, Booneville, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 26 - Again Park Volunteer Event and Food Drive, Columbia, MO, 10 AM - 12 PM
- September 26 - Remove the Lakehouse Shrubs at Mallard Lake, Creve Coeur Lakehouse Bar & Grill, St. Louis, MO, 8:30 AM - 12 PM
- September 26 - Friends of Kaw Point Park Monthly Cleanup, Kansas City, KS, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 26 -Gateway Arch Riverfront Cleanup: National Public Lands Day, St. Louis, 9 AM - 12 PM
- September 26 - Plastic Pollution Community Workshop, Lake of the Ozarks Board of Realtors, Sunrise Beach, MO, 11 AM - 2:30 PM
- September 27 - Monarch Tagging Event at Private Planting Near Rolla, MO, 1 PM - 3 PM
- September 28 - Monarch Tagging Event, Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, Columbia, MO, 5 PM - 6:30 PM
- September 29 - Stream Teams United Strategic Planning Open House - Growth, Development, and Fundraising, via Zoom, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
- September 29 - Volunteer Honeysuckle Removal at Garth Nature Center, Columbia, MO, 4 PM - 6 PM
- September 29 - No Trash Tuesday Challenge
- September 30 - Heartland Tree Alliance Tree Planting Volunteer Event, Windtree Neighborhood - Northland, Kansas City, MO, 9 AM - 12 PM
- October 3 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Pesticide Collection Event, Houston, MO
| Check out these September events! | | Advocacy Updates and Opportunities | | |
October 23, 2026 - Comment period closes for 10 CSR 20-6.011 related to DNR fees. The Missouri DNR has filed a proposed rescission and re-adoption of 10 CSR 20-6.011 fees. There will be a public hearing on October 16, 2026, at 1 p.m. Comments can be made here, during the public hearing on October 16, 2026, or in writing at Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Water Protection Program, Attn: Susan Mills, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
Now through September 2027 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is collecting data for the 18th Clean Watershed Needs Survey (CWNS). The CWNS is led by U.S. EPA to document economic impact of the nation’s wastewater, stormwater, and nonpoint source infrastructure needs for the next 20 years. The department encourages communities, sewer and water districts, counties, and nonprofits with Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) eligible needs to begin developing and gathering documentation in support of the upcoming CWNS.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has published the Procedure for Applying Mussels Absent Ammonia Criteria in Missouri Surface Waters. This document describes the performance-based approach the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will use to determine the application of mussels absent criteria in Missouri surface waters (excluding the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers). This approach is designed to ensure appropriate ammonia criteria are applied to protect the aquatic life designated use in receiving and downstream waters. This document details the process, minimum data requirements, and decision-making framework.
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Check out our Annual Report!
Thank you to all the volunteers, supporters, and partners who make the work of Stream Teams United possible!
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New Missouri Stream Team Association forming!
Live in the Upper Meramec watershed or want to help with river stewardship of the Upper Meramec?
Contact Stream Teams United board member and Stream Team volunteer,
Rob Viehman at robviehman@mac.com or call or text Rob at 573-774-8611.
| | | | Support Stream Teams United as you drive. Don't have a Stream Team license plate? Anytime of the year is the perfect time to order one! Show your love for Missouri's streams as you drive, and support our stream advocacy efforts in Missouri! | | | | |
