This Inventory and assessment has been a team effort extending back to 1989. Personnel from other current MDC divisions, including Forestry, Wildlife, Protection, Natural History and Design and Development have also provided invaluable assistance in this effort. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Agency, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also made many databases available and provided special assistance. Water quality and biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems are reflections of the environmental quality of the watershed, the subsurface geohydrology, and the atmosphere. Land use and land cover in the watershed, and terrestrial and airborne pollution problems all impact water quality.
Water is a universal solvent.
It carries dissolved gases, nutrients, and minerals, and at least trace amounts of almost every substance it comes in contact with, from the air to the ground, and into streams and groundwater aquifers. Although the primary focus of this inventory and assessment is aquatic habitats and communities, we have attempted to view the Niangua Watershed as an ecosystem. The land, air, and water are inter-connected and must be managed with mutual consideration. The creation of this document was considered a secondary objective of our planning effort for the Niangua Watershed. Databases were structured to be as compatible as possible with available source databases, yet satisfy our needs.