December 11, 2023
Contact: Tasha Owen, Water Quality Analyst 3/319 Coordinator, Tasha.Owen@deq.idaho.gov
TWIN FALLS – The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking representatives to serve on the Wood River Watershed Advisory Group (WAG).
The Wood River WAG is a group of citizens from a diverse set of interests dedicated to successful restoration and protection of the Big Wood River, Little Wood River, and Camas Creek watersheds. These watersheds cover Blaine, Camas, Gooding, and Lincoln counties, from which the WAG seeks to have representation.
The WAG is currently seeking representatives from the following interest areas:
– Logging, timber, small business, industry, or hydropower
– Flood control
– Municipalities, land planning, or local government
The group meets quarterly, and members are asked to serve at least two-year terms. Responsibilities include working with DEQ on the following deliverables:
– Developing water quality improvement plans known as total maximum daily loads 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 as a representative of the above interest groups should contact Tasha Owen at (208) 736-2190 or tasha.owen@deq.idaho.gov by April 30, 2024, at 5 p.m. MDT. The next WAG meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 5, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. MDT at the Wood River Canal Company (409 N Apple Street, Shoshone, Idaho). Anyone interested in joining the WAG is encouraged to attend.