The local buoy is one of seven buoys placed in various places along the Mississippi River housing water quality and weather monitoring equipment. The Cape Girardeau buoy is monitored by Molly Sobotka, MDC resource scientist.
“This buoy allows us to monitor the water for oxygen, temperature, nutrients, and clarity and collects data on wind and sunlight,” Sobotka said. “All of this information helps us understand the water quality in the river, regional differences in river reaches, and how sediments and nitrogen flow through the system.”
Sobotka said data from the buoy will help scientists understand how major events like floods impact the river in real time.
“It takes hourly water quality and weather data and transmits it to the project server,” she said. “By using the buoy, we can collect data during floods or storms when we would otherwise have trouble collecting it ourselves.”
Ultimately, the GREON project has a goal of establishing a network of identical water quality monitoring buoys in great rivers around the world. The work in Cape Girardeau is an important preliminary step in establishing this network.
The monitoring station is marked with reflective tape and lights for nighttime visibility. The monitoring equipment is fragile and difficult to replace and the scientists request that boaters, anglers and hunters avoid disturbing this equipment.
For further information, contact Sobotka at the Big Rivers and Wetlands Field Station, at Molly.Sobotka@mdc.mo.gov or (573) 243-2659, extension 1048.
Dexter, Missouri - U.S. Senator Roy Blunt’s staff will host a Mobile Office on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, from 10:00am to 11:00am at the Dexter Chamber of Commerce.
Mobile Offices are opportunities for Missourians to discuss their questions or concerns with the federal government one-on-one with members of Senator Blunt’s staff.
Senator Blunt’s Columbia office also extends one-on-one service to all Missourians who have an issue with a federal agency or need additional assistance.
To reach the Senator’s Office of Constituent Services, please call at (573) 442-8151 or send a letter to 1001 Cherry Street, Suite 104, Columbia, Missouri 65201.
What: Senator Blunt's Staff Hosts Mobile Office
When: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 from 10:00am to 11:00am CT
Where: Dexter Chamber of Commerce
515 W Market St #B
Dexter, MO
Dexter, Missouri - Bulk trash pickup is being offered by the City of Dexter each Friday in April.
"Red Tags" may be purchased at City Hall or Harp's Grocery Store for furniture or other bulky items for $1.00 each.
Major appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, and hot water heaters require a "Blue Tag" and can be purchased at City Hall or Harp's Grocery Store for $10.00. There is a limit of four (4) items to be picked up.
"Red Tags" may also be purchased at City Hall or Harp's Grocery Store for YARD WASTE pickup.
You MUST call the Water Department at (573) 624-5527 by Thursday of each week to schedule either the bulk trash or yard waste pickup (please one call per household).
Columbia, Missouri - Janet Johns of Stoddard County, Missouri was named a 2016 Frank Graham 4-H Volunteer Leadership award winner by the Missouri 4-H Foundation on March 18th. Janet was recognized for her commitment to the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Youth Development Program.
“It is our great pleasure to honor Janet with the Frank Graham Volunteer Leadership Award for her dedication to Missouri 4-H,” said Dr. Marla Tobin, chair of the Missouri 4-H Foundation board of Trustees. It is volunteers like Janet who have made Missouri 4-H the quality experience for which it is so well known, and we are indebted to Janet for her service.”
Johns has served Stoddard County 4-H for 18 years, working with members of the Star Banner 4-H club and assisting the Stoddard County Extension Center with school field trips and events. She helps with donations for Ag Day at the county fair and 4-H and FFA Farm Safety Day. Johns has also hosted exchange students from Japan and Armenia through the 4-H International Exchange program. In addition, Johns helps with community service outings, recognition banquets, Show Me Wares projects, and more.
The Frank Graham 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award recognizes volunteers who work to guide our youth. The award is named for Frank Graham, who served as director of the MU Extension 4-H Center for Youth Development from 1958 to 1975. During his 33 years of service, Mr. Graham was an avid supporter of volunteer leadership, believing that volunteers are the foundation of the 4-H program.
About the Missouri 4-H Foundation: for more than 65 years, the Missouri 4-H Foundation has been managing funds for the MU Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, providing higher education scholarships and recognizing 4-H volunteers. MU Extension 4-H is a community of more than 260,000 youths from across Missouri learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.
“Believe it or not, once I shot the giant, I didn’t know it was that big of a fish until it started swimming back to the boat,” Cardona said. “Believe you me, after it swam towards the boat the fight was on.”
Cardona added that it took a total of four arrows to get the behemoth in the boat.
“It was a five minute battle that seemed like an eternity,” he said.
The new black buffalo broke the previous alternative-method state-record of 59-pounds-8-ounces taken on the same body of water three days prior by David Burle of Bloomsdale.
“The month of March has been full of potential record-breaking fish caught throughout the state,” said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “This just goes to show you that conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish.”
MDC staff verified the new record-weight fish using a certified scale in Fenton.
“Once my friends and I got the fish in the boat, we knew that it was a state-record fish,” Cardona said. “This is by far the biggest fish I have ever caught in my life, and I still can’t believe it!”
The longtime angler said that the fish is in the freezer and will be sent off to be mounted very soon.
“I already have a place on the wall picked out for this once-in-a-lifetime fish. Now I’m ready to get back out on the water and try to take another giant,” he said.
Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Bowfishing is considered an alternative method and consist of a bow or crossbow that shoots arrows attached to a string so that the fish can be retrieved after they’re pierced. Other alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, and atlatl.
For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/state-record-fish.
Shown in the photo: Travis Cardona of Hillsboro shot this 74-pound state-record black buffalo on a lake at Duck Creek Conservation Area on March 14, 2016.
