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List
of Subbasin Assessments, TMDLs, and Implementation Plans in Idaho
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Overview
of the TMDL Process
Big Wood River Watershed TMDL
Contact
Balthasar
"Sonny" Buhidar
DEQ Twin Falls
Regional Office
1363 Fillmore Street
Twin Falls, ID 83301
ph: (208) 736-2190
fx: (208) 736-2194
balthasar.buhidar@deq.idaho.gov
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Surface Water: Big Wood River
Watershed Management Plan
> Link to document
> Link to draft addendum
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| Big Wood River Watershed Management
Plan at a Glance |
| Hydrologic
Unit Code |
17040212 |
| Size |
1,496 square miles (957,495 acres) |
| §303(d)
Listed Stream Segments |
Big Wood
River (5 segments), Horse Creek, Owl Creek, Baker Creek, Eagle
Creek, Lake Creek, Placer Creek, Cove Creek, East Fork Wood
River, Greenhorn Gulch, Quigley Creek, Croy Creek, Seamans Creek,
Rock Creek, East Fork Rock Creek, Thorn Creek |
| Beneficial
Uses Affected |
Cold
water aquatic life, salmonid spawning, primary and secondary
contact recreation, special resource water, drinking water supply
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| Pollutants of
Concern |
Sediment,
nutrients, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, temperature, bacteria,
flow alteration |
| Major Land Uses
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Range, forest, agriculture |
| Date
Approved by U.S. EPA |
May 2002 |
| Draft Addendum
Public Comment Period |
February 22 - March 30, 2007 |
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| Background |
The
federal Clean Water Act requires that states and tribes restore
and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of
the nation's waters. States and tribes must adopt water quality
standards necessary to protect fish, shellfish, and wildlife while
providing for recreation in and on the waters whenever possible.
Section 303(d) of the Clean Water
Act establishes requirements for states and tribes to identify and
prioritize water bodies that are water quality limited (i.e., water
bodies that do not meet water quality standards). States and tribes
must periodically publish a priority list of impaired waters, currently
every two years. For waters identified on this list, states and tribes
must develop water quality improvement plans known as total maximum
daily loads (TMDLs) that establish allowable pollutant loads set at
levels to achieve water quality standards. |
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| Overview |
The
overall purpose of this subbasin assessment and TMDL is to characterize
and document pollutant loads within the Big Wood River Subbasin.
Twenty stream segments on the §303(d) list were evaluated;
an additional four stream segments that were not on the §303(d)
list were also evaluated.
The
document recommends that four streams (Horse Creek, Owl Creek, Baker
Creek, and East Fork Wood River) be removed from the §303(d)
list. These streams are meeting their beneficial uses and/or state
water quality standards.
The
document also recommends two additional streams segments be listed
on the next §303(d) list. The first is in the Big Wood River
mainstem from Base Line to Magic Reservoir.
The second is in the Big Wood River mainstem from Interstate 84
to the Snake River (or the Malad River).
TMDLs were established for sediment,
nutrients, and bacteria. Flow alteration will be evaluated further.
A TMDL was not being established at this time for streams polluted
by nitrite + nitrate. Temperature and dissolved oxygen TMDLs will
be deferred until 2003 pending collection of more information. A TMDL
was not established for turbidity at this time since the sediment
TMDLs will create reductions in turbidity. The TMDL recommends that
ammonia be delisted as a pollutant of concern. |
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| Streams and Pollutants for Which TMDLs Were
Developed |
| Big Wood River |
Sediment, nutrients, bacteria |
| Eagle Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Lake Creek |
Nutrients |
| Placer Creek |
Nutrients |
| Cove Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Greenhorn Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Quigley Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Croy Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Seamans Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Rock Creek |
Sediment, nutrients, bacteria |
| East Fork Rock Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
| Thorn Creek |
Sediment, nutrients |
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| Subbasin Assessment and TMDLs |
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| Draft Addendum: Proposed Temperature TMDLs |
Recent studies of Big Wood River and Rock Creek indicate that stream temperatures in the water bodies are above desired levels to protect the health of coldwater fish such as rainbow trout. To address this problem, DEQ is proposing an addendum to the Big Wood River Watershed Management Plan to establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to restore the temperature of Big Wood River and Rock Creek to potential natural vegetation conditions. Implementation of the TMDLs would reduce solar loading and manage temperature in effluent discharges from wastewater treatment plants owned by the cities of Ketchum and Hailey and the Meadows LLC, a private mobile home park south of Ketchum. A public comment period on the draft addendum concluded on March 30, 2007.
› View Proposed Addendum to the Big Wood River Watershed Management Plan
(pdf 2.3 mb, 85 pages)
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