The Environmental Department can provide Tribal members with information regarding water quality, air quality, illegal solid waste dumps, recycling, Tar Creek site issues (including some chat sales information), and other environmental issues affecting Quapaw Tribal lands and Northeast Ottawa County.

Tribe, State Reach Agreement For Additional Tar Creek Superfund Clean-Up Projects: June 4, 2014  Click here for the additional information.

EPA Lead Yard Clean Up

The last chance residents of Ottawa County residents for EPA lead yard clean up has been announced. The EPA will complete its final efforts and plans for the remaining residential yard cleanup with the main focus on chat driveways and alleyways located within Ottawa County in the next few months.

Information and contact numbers are listed on the EPA Yard Clean Up information sheet.

05/29/2015

High E. coli levels in Spring River and Beaver Creek near Quapaw, OK

The Quapaw Tribe Environmental Office is warning tribal and community members about high levels of E. coli at Spring River near Quapaw, OK and Beaver Creek south of 50 Rd. The Environmental Office collects monthly water samples at two locations along Spring River (Blue Hole and Devil’s Promenade) and Beaver Creek (Catholic 40 and Powwow Grounds).

Due to high levels of bacteria in the water, swimming is not recommended along these reaches of Spring River and Beaver Creek. High levels of E. coli bacteria in the water can increase risk of gastro-intestinal illness. Levels of E. coli sampled during the month of May collected by the Quapaw Tribe Environmental Office exceeded Water Quality Criteria Thresholds for Spring River and Beaver Creek.

These elevated levels are evident of warming temperatures, both ambient air and water, and can also prevail from potential non-point sources including agricultural runoff and increased precipitation.

The Quapaw Tribe Environmental Office will begin hauling chat at the Catholic 40 site beginning December 17, 2013 and continue until the Christmas holiday week of December 23, 2013.  Cleanup activities will resume after the Christmas and New Year's holidays.  General hours of operation will be from 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Saturday.

The Catholic 40 site is a culturally and historically significant site to the Quapaw Tribe as it contains evidence of important events in the history of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma.  Due to the sensitive historic and cultural nature of the Catholic 40 site, the tribe feels it is best suited to protect cultural and historical features at the site during remediation and mitigate the potential for accidental damage or removal of any structures or associated items which may help the Quapaw Tribe come to a better understanding of their history.

The Quapaw Tribe Environmental offices asks that citizens of the community be cognizant of additional trucks on the road due to excavation and hauling of chat from the Catholic 40 site to the repository.  The haul route for trucks to the repository from the Catholic 40 site include: exiting site onto East 57 Road, traveling west to County Road 137, north on County Road 137 to East 50 Road, west on East 50 Road to Highway 69 A, west on High way 69 A to South 560 Road, north on South 560 Road, merging onto South 565 Road to East 40 Road, east on East 40 Road to repository.  The haul route for trucks to the Catholic 40 site from the repository include:  exiting repository onto East 40 Road traveling east to Highway 69, south on Highway 69 to Highway 69 A continuing onto East 50 Road (Future Farmer Road), south on South 620 Road to East 57 Road to entrance of catholic 40 site.

If you have questions or concerns in relation to the Catholic 40 Remedial Action Activities, please contact only the POINT OF CONTACT listed below:

Point of Contact:
Craig Kreman, Assistant Environmental Director
Quapaw Tribe Environmental Office
(918) 542-1853

Environmental Director Tim Kent received an award from the Environmental Protection Agency for his outstanding work for the tribe’s environmental program, including the tribe’s exemplary work on the Catholic 40 cleanup and Nelson property.