Dr. Robert Pavlowsky, professor of geology, geography and planning at Missouri State University, received an $8,399 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in partnership with the James River Basin Partnership (JRBP) for his proposal entitled “James River Bank Erosion 319 Assessment Project.”

Pavlowsky, who is also the director of the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OEWRI), will be working to measure bank erosion rates, model land runoff water quality and monitor the effect of willow staking to protect banks and reduce channel instability in the James River.

“This project is important because it involves the voluntary use (of) private land to conserve wildlife and water quality with the help of state agencies, JRBP and OEWRI,” said Pavlowsky.

OEWRI helps to document conservation strategies and to educate the public and managers about better conservation practices that can lead to long-term protection of the Ozarks river system.

“Using this study as a pilot project can demonstrate how the process can work and be applied to other lands where landowners want to participate in water quality projects,” said Pavlowsky. “In my opinion, projects like this are an example of the university’s public affairs mission being applied within the environmental sciences.”

The grant will fund monitoring costs and the salaries of one graduate assistant and one undergraduate student.

For more information, contact Pavlowsky at (417) 836-8473