Missouri River

A beautiful sunset on the horizon over the Missouri River.
Bass Creek

This location is near the confluence with Turkey Creek.
Bass Creek

Bass Creek flows into the Three Creeks Conservation Area.
Rock Bridge

Located in the heart of the Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, the Rock Bridge was once part of a cave that collapsed into the stream between the bridge and the Devil's Icebox.
Three Creeks

Three Creeks Conservation Area features beautiful trails, including naturally formed rock steps.
Devil's Icebox Spring Branch

Most of the water in this stream is a mixture of ground and surface water is flowing directly out of the surrounding cave system.
Three Creeks

The streams in Three Creeks Conservation Area are Turkey, Bass, and Bonne Femme creeks. You will also find Hunters Cave located in the Three Creeks area.
Bonne Femme Creek

A lovely view of the Bonne Femme from the river bridge.
Native Wildlife

A handsome box turtle makes his way across the rugged forest terrain.
Three Creeks

An inviting landscape as you enter the Three Creeks south forest entrance.
Gans Creek

Fallen trees line the shady fringes of Gans Creek Wild Area.
Karst Window

A narrow karst window, located in Three Creeks Conservation Area, is a natural cavity beneath the surface of the earth. Karst windows are formed when sinkholes collapse.
Little Bonne Femme Creek

Extended boughts of dry weather cause water levels in the Little Bonne Femme Creek to drop, exposing more of the stream banks.
Missouri River, Easley

A beautiful blue sky hovers over the Missouri River near Easley.
Gans Creek

A tributary to Gans Creek runs through a valley along the Shooting Star Bluffs hiking trail.
Under the Rock Bridge

Below the Rock Bridge, water rushes over an old dam that supported a grist mill. Whiskey was manufactured in what is now Rock Bridge Memorial State Park.
Upper Side of Rock Bridge

The stream flows directly out of the Devil's Icebox Cave and down through the Rock Bridge.
Lower Side of Rock Bridge

Bright sunshine can be seen at the other end of the dark underside of Rock Bridge.
Gans Creek

This image was shot near the Shooting Star Bluffs hiking trail in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park.
Little Bonne Femme Creek

There is a story that what is now Gans Creek was once Little Bonne Femme Creek. A mapper misnamed Gans Creek after noticing the Gans Bridge across the stream.
Gans Creek Wilderness Trail

The Gans Creek Wild Area consists of a network of beautiful hiking trails throughout the area.
Little Bonne Femme

A slight late morning mist can be seen coming off of the Little Bonne Femme Creek, near Easley.

Greater Bonne Femme Watershed Initiative

We are now launching the Greater Bonne Femme Watershed Initiative (GBFWI), which takes a broad approach to restoration and protection of water quality in the GBFW. The overall goal of the GBFWI is to create a watershed management plan that will be adopted by Boone County, the City of Columbia and the City of Ashland. Working with project partners, we will integrate four conceptual pillars into the language of the plan.

Four Pillars of the GBFWI

Pillar One, Implementation of the Watershed Based Plan (WBP)

This involves voluntary installation of best management practices (BMPs), such as cover crops, by agricultural landowners in the watershed and installation of demonstration projects. BMPs will increase the amount of living vegetation on the ground to slow, spread, and infiltrate runoff. Demonstration projects will allow the public to view the best management practices in action.

Pillar Two, Creation of a Watershed-wide Wildlife Habitat Restoration Project

The County will collaborate with agency partners, including the Missouri Department of Conservation and private wildlife groups, to work with landowners in the watershed to improve wildlife habitat on their property. Wildlife habitat restoration is projected to have similar water quality benefits to installation of agricultural best management practices.

Pillar Three, Outreach and Communication

This element is more focused on residential landowners than the WBP, encouraging protection of riparian corridors and the use of more native vegetation in landscaping.

Pillar Four, One Health Integration

Human health (the benefits of spending time outdoors), environmental health (the benefits of eating local food) and animal and plant health (how is the ecosystem doing?) will be the focus of this element, incorporating a variety of concepts from regenerative agriculture to increasing health benefits from recreation in the GBFW.

graphic depicting the various relationships within the Greater Bonne Femme Watershed Initiative and its four pillars

Project Background

The Greater Bonne Femme Watershed, Watershed Based Plan was approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency on June 12, 2023.

The full text of the plan and its appendices are provided below.

We will be seeking public input for the implementation phase of the Watershed Based Plan. Please stay tuned for updates to this website as we move forward with plan implementation.

Explore the Greater Bonne Femme Watershed

The Greater Bonne Femme Watershed encompasses an area from South Columbia to North Ashland to the Missouri River. The watershed is home to many notable features, including Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Three Creeks Conservation Area, streams, and caves. Please watch the video below to learn more!

Mission

To inspire a community of like-minded individuals to restore, conserve and protect the resources of the Greater Bonne Femme Watershed, while having a mix of land uses and development types, and maintaining thriving agricultural activities.

Vision

In the year 2050, we envision a watershed where quality of life and economic vitality are fostered by maintaining or improving the current conditions of the water resources, having a mix of land uses and development types, and maintaining thriving agricultural activities.

For larger image, see our full page Bonne Femme watershed Project Area map.

Heroes of Watershed

The community plays an important role in protecting the Bonne Femme Watershed. Find out how some in the community have been deemed Heroes of the Watershed.

Upcoming Events

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Quarterly Spotlight

Check out our Quarterly Spotlight to see the latest feature in watershed conservation efforts.

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