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List of Subbasin Assessments, TMDLs, and Implementation Plans in Idaho

See Also

Overview of the TMDL Process

Upper North Fork Clearwater River TMDL Contact

John Cardwell

DEQ Lewiston

Regional Office

1118 F Street

Lewiston, ID 83501

ph: (208) 799-4370

fx: (208) 799-0154

john.cardwell@deq.idaho.gov

Surface Water: Upper North Fork Clearwater River
Subbasin Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Loads

> Link to document
 The Subbasin at a Glance
Hydrologic Unit Code 17060307
Size 1,294 Square Miles (828,000 Acres)
§303(d) Listed Stream Segments Sneak Creek, Tumble Creek, Orogrande Creek, Tamarack Creek, Sylvan Creek, Hem Creek, Middle Creek, Marten Creek, Gravey Creek, China Creek, Sugar Creek, Swamp Creek, Osier Creek, Laundry Creek, Deception Gulch, Cold Springs Creek, Cool Creek, Grizzly Creek, Cougar Creek
Beneficial Uses Affected Cold water aquatic life, salmonid spawning (Federal Bull Trout Protection)
Pollutants of Concern Sediment, temperature
Major Land Uses Roads, recreation
Date Approved by U.S. EPA December 2003
 
 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). Every two years, states and tribes must publish a priority list of impaired waters. For waters identified on this list, states and tribes must develop water quality plans known as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) that establish allowable pollutant loads set at levels to achieve water quality standards.
 
 Overview
Nineteen stream segments in the Upper North Fork Clearwater River Subbasin were listed on the 1998 §303(d) list. Eleven of those water bodies are federally protected as bull trout watersheds. Based on the available data, none of those water bodies meets the federal bull trout water temperature standard. Orogrande, Tamarack, Hem, Sylvan, Sneak, and China Creeks have populations of cutthroat trout but do not meet the state's water temperature standard for this species. Hem Creek, however, is in near pristine condition and it is concluded that the temperature regime in this creek is natural. Deception Gulch has rainbow trout but does not meet the state's water temperature standard for rainbow trout. Tumble Creek has a population of brook trout and it is concluded that the state's water temperature standard for salmonid spawning is being met during the brook trout spawning season.

All the water bodies are §303(d) listed for sediment (only Osier Creek is listed for temperature). However, analysis of the data indicates that only one of the listed water bodies, Deception Gulch, is water quality limited as the result of sediment. Except for Deception Gulch, it is recommended that all the water bodies be removed from the §303(d) list for sediment. A sediment TMDL was developed for Deception Gulch and temperature TMDLs were developed for every §303(d) listed water body except Hem Creek and Tumble Creek.
 
 Streams and Pollutants for Which TMDLs Were Developed
China Creek Temperature
Cold Springs Creek
Temperature
Cool Creek Temperature
Cougar Creek Temperature
Deception Gulch Temperature, sediment
Gravey Creek Temperature
Grizzly Creek Temperature
Laundry Creek Temperature
Marten Creek Temperature
Middle Creek Temperature
Upper Orogrande Creek Temperature
Lower Orogrande Creek Temperature
Osier Creek Temperature
Sneak Creek Temperature
Sugar Creek Temperature
Swamp Creek Temperature
Sylvan Creek Temperature
Tamarack Creek Temperature
 
 Subbasin Assessment and TMDLs
View entire document (pdf 5.4 mb, 384 pages)
Because of the large size of this pdf document, we have also divided it into sections for quicker download.
Prefatory Materials: Table of Contents; Lists of Tables, Figures, Maps and Appendices; and Executive Summary

667 kb, 18 pages

Chapter 1: Subbasin Assessment - Watershed Characterization 1.4 mb, 25 pages
Chapters 2 and 3:

Subbasin Assessment - Water Quality Concerns and Status and Pollutant Source Inventory

 690 mb, 23 pages
Chapters 4, 5, and 6, and Back Matter:

Subbasin Assessment - Summary of Past and Present Pollution Control Efforts, Water Body Summaries and Water Quality Conclusions, Total Maximum Daily Loads, References, and Glossary

 469 kb, 100 pages

Appendix 1:

Appendix 2:

Appendix 3:

Appendix 4:

Appendix 5:

Assessment Units

Data Charts

Stream Temperature Data

Orogrande Ck Watershed Temp TMDLs

Osier Ck Watershed Temp TMDLs

1.3 mb, 64 pages

Appendix 6:

Appendix 7:

Appendix 8:

Appendix 9:

Appendix 10:

Appendix 11:

Cold Springs Ck and Cool Ck Temp TMDLs

Grizzly Ck and Cougar Ck Temp TMDLs

Gravey Ck and Marten Ck Temp TMDLs

Middle Ck Temp TMDL

Sneak Ck Temp TMDL

Deception Gulch Temp TMDL

 995 kb, 50 pages

Appendix 12:

Appendix 13:

 

Appendix 14:

Appendix 15:

CWE Road Sediment Delivery Assessment Data

Comparison between Stream Temperature Prediction Models: SSTEMP, Heat Source, and Idaho Cumulative Watershed Effects

Response to Comments

Response to USEPA Recommendations for Revisions

1.2 mb, 110 pages



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