Connection and Reflection on Dock 66
On a crisp October morning, we gathered for the monthly meeting on Dock 66 at Fellows Lake. With warm pancakes served lakeside, it was the perfect setting to connect, share stories, and celebrate our collective progress as a community since Watershed’s early days in 1984.
Our Executive Director, Mike Kromrey, kicked off the meeting by welcoming everyone and thanking the Fellows Lake team and chefs for preparing the delicious breakfast. We also celebrated a special milestone as Kelly Guenther, our Business Director, marked her 18th anniversary with the organization. Kelly’s dedication has been instrumental in Watershed’s growth, and we are so grateful for her continued leadership.
Inspiration from the Water
Dan Hoy noted that some of the best ideas come from the water, recalling
a fishing trip at Fellows with Mike Kromrey when the idea of Watershed managing Fellows came about. David Coonrod, our very first Director, took us back to Watershed’s early days with story.
Ongoing Projects and Efforts
We heard updates on projects throughout the James River watershed. Adam Coulter from the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Mark Owens from the Ozarks Environmental Water Resources Institute (OEWRI) shared their work on identifying pollutants, monitoring bank erosion, and partnering with landowners through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). OEWRI is also collaborating with the James River Basin Partnership (JRBP) on microbial source tracking in Pearson Creek to pinpoint the source of E. coli. Todd Wilkinson from JRBP invited attendees to join their macroinvertebrate sampling at Pearson Creek to monitor the creek’s health.
Nicole said that local rancher, Jacob Moreno was invited to gain Understanding Ag mentorship because of connections at the recent 319 conference where 319 grant recipients toured his rotational grazing operation that is supported by the RCPP program with NRCS, Watershed, JRBP, and more.Â
Upcoming Events and Partnerships
We are excited to announce our Partners Open House at Watershed Natives Nursery on October 23rd, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event will showcase the progress made possible through their partnerships and cooperative agreement with the Missouri Department of
Conservation (MDC).
Christy Wilder also shared insights from her recent MDC-sponsored trip to The Wild Mile floating wetlands in Chicago with Jeff, Marra, and MDC staff. Marra Holt said that they were able to compare the systems to the ones MDC and Watershed Natives are working on locally, pointing out the one by the Fellows Lake dock. She said Wild Mile’s design and outreach methods inspired discussion about possibilities in the Ozarks. Marra also gave a heads-up about our upcoming Watershed x Illumine limited edition clothing line, available October 11th-21st. A portion of the proceeds will support Watershed, so be sure to follow along on our social media for updates!Â
Community Interest and Green Infrastructure
The daylighting of Jordan Creek has sparked significant community interest. Todd Wilkinson shared that there have been 25 people at  Jordan Creek Tours each night this week. Community interest is rising as the daylighting process nears, with 165 more people on the waiting list. Mike Kromrey added that 25 years ago, daylighting of Jordan Creek seemed like a long shot, but our work is a long-game, and the daylighting shows awesome progress for our community.
Speaking of milestones, Saki Urushadani from the City of Springfield announced an upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 17th for a green infrastructure project at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. This $1.7 million project is dedicated to improving water quality, and OEWRI is already sampling the water to measure its impact.
Federal and Local Partnerships
Chris Stockdale with the United States Forest Service said that Vince Keeler is the new Forest Supervisor. The Eleven-Point Comprehensive Management Plan, which is the only wild and scenic riverway plan. It includes seven pages written by Native Americans.
Our partners from Missouri State University were also acknowledged, with Bill Cheek highlighting the ongoing support from MSU through the vision of leaders like Milt Rafferty. Fundraising continues to be a key part of our growth, with Kelly noting that 18-20% of our budget comes from these efforts. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support from our partners and community members that makes all of this possible. Special thanks were extended to Bass Pro Shops for their generous donation of boats, which has allowed the Fellows Lake team to expand recreational opportunities for everyone in our community.
Looking Ahead
John Montgomery of Ozark Greenways closed out the meeting by emphasizing the power of collaboration in making our community’s dreams a reality. Ozark Greenways has been hard at work maintaining the trails around Fellows Lake and developing the Chadwick Flyer Trail from Ozark to Springfield.
As the meeting wrapped up, Fellows Lake staff invited attendees for a motorboat ride around the lake—a perfect way to cap off a morning filled with collaboration, reflection, and inspiration.