The South Grand River Watershed Alliance presented a program on June 13th, 2005 given by Larry O'Donnell of the Little Blue River Watershed Coalition (a watershed education group) at the Lions Club Community Center in Peculiar, Missouri.  Most of Cass County is within the South Grand River Watershed

Attendees learned about the many changes that have taken place in the watershed over the last 200 years.  They also learned about actions that individuals can take to promote a healthier watershed in order to protect our vital water source. Those actions include controlling what runs off with the rain water into our streams. Such considerations as applying pesticides and fertilizers only at the recommended rate.  More is not better and ends up causing problems in our waterways, and planting native plants in our yards or acreage to help with filtration and absorption of rainwater into the groundwater are very important actions many of us can take.

Other actions involve those that our local governments can take.  Enacting ordinances that require development designs that protect the watershed is one of those steps.  THe design of a development can either contribute to the deterioration of water quality and flooding problems, or in can incorporate beneficial features such as buffer areas and rain gardens that will decrease the amount of runoff and filter sediments etc. before it reaches the streams.  pictures of some of the participants at the presentation