Contact: Jake Barnes, Water Quality Analyst, Jake.Barnes@deq.idaho.gov
TWIN FALLS – The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking representatives to fill vacancies on the Walcott Watershed Advisory Group (WAG).
The Walcott WAG is a group of citizens from a diverse set of interests dedicated to successful restoration and protection of the health of the Lake Walcott, Goose Creek, and Raft River watersheds. These watersheds cover Cassia, Minidoka, Power, Lincoln, Butte, Blaine, Twin Falls, and Oneida counties, from which the watershed advisory group seeks to have diverse representation.
The WAG is currently seeking representation from the following interest areas:
- Dryland and Rangeland
- Local Governments
- Recreation—Public Interest
- Operators—Confined Livestock
The group meets quarterly, and members are asked to serve at least 2-year terms. Responsibilities include working with DEQ on the following deliverables:
- Developing water quality improvement plans known as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for streams, lakes, and rivers with degraded water quality conditions within the watershed.
- Helping identify contributing pollution sources in the watershed.
- Recommending specific actions needed to effectively control sources of pollution to the water bodies.
- Helping develop and implement a plan to meet water quality targets identified in the TMDLs.
Anyone interested in serving on the WAG should contact Jake Barnes at (208) 736-2190 or jake.barnes@deq.idaho.gov by 5 p.m. MT on February 13, 2026.
The next meeting is scheduled for January 2025 (exact date to be determined), at the Bureau of Reclamation Upper Snake River Field Office (470 22nd Street, Heyburn, Idaho). This meeting is open to the public.