Pollution campaign stirs up river issues
Commission posts warnings, increases water tests.
Pollution campaign stirs up Illinois River issues

By John David Sutter

Published: July 3, 2008

Two new state programs are drawing attention to bacteria pollution on the Illinois River, one of Oklahoma's most popular recreation spots for the holiday weekend.

Both moves by the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission have sparked controversy:

•For the first time, the commission is putting up signs in public recreation areas and businesses to teach tourists how to protect themselves from bacterial pollution.

•And an intensive summer water testing program is designed to tell tourists whether it is safe to swim and canoe on the river, said commission administrator Ed Fite. Those results will not be fully available until August, he said.

Some people are calling for signs urging awareness of water pollution to be put up near all of the state's rivers and lakes. Others say more state funding is needed to test and clean up polluted rivers.

The state Department of Environmental Quality issued a news release this week urging people to take precautions when swimming in any of the state's rivers or lakes. Those precautions will not be posted near state waters, said Skylar McElhaney, the department's spokeswoman.

Commissioner Rick Stubblefield has said the signs near the Illinois River amount to "an act of economic terrorism” because they are killing local businesses that feed off of tourism at the river.

Casey Peyton, manager of Peyton's Place, a campground and canoeing operation in Tahlequah, said business has dropped because of news about bacterial levels. He said he gets two to three calls a day about the issue.

The Illinois River is being singled out for pollution that's present all over the state, Peyton said.

"They're good recommendations,” Peyton said of those on the signs, "but again, it ought to be done everywhere, not just here.

"It's common sense stuff. If you've got an open wound, don't swim. Don't drink the water, don't inhale it.”

Stubblefield, who represents a part of northeast Oklahoma that includes part of the Illinois River, said similar signs should be posted near all state waters.

Nearly all rivers and lakes the state tests do not meet water quality standards, according to a recent report by the state Department of Environmental Quality. Most aren't tested at all.

A 2007 monitoring report by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board indicates the Illinois River failed to meet water quality standards for swimming.

Usually, water quality tests are taken once a month, Fite said. That doesn't give people a way to determine whether the Illinois River is safe for swimming, he said.

The summer testing program, which is funded through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will sample the river twice per week and in eight locations, he said.

Fite says he hopes eventually to have real-time pollution data for the river, so swimmers can make informed decisions about the risks of swimming in the Illinois River.

Sometimes bacterial levels are high, he said, particularly after heavy rain. Other times, the river meets swimming standards, he said.

Stubblefield praised the testing efforts, but said conclusions about the safety of the river shouldn't be made until all of those results are in. He criticized Fite for creating a media stir over some samples with high levels of bacteria.

Fite said he only wants to give people an accurate picture of the risks associated with water pollution.

Common sense precautions will protect people from infections and stomach illnesses, Stubblefield said.

It is "beyond ludicrous” that bacterial water pollution isn't being considered as a statewide issue, he said, adding the Legislature needs to fund more testing and cleanup efforts.

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