| Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Hydrologic Unit Codes | 17050104 |
| Size | 2,163 square miles (1,384,288 acres) total 1,582 square miles (1,012,411 acres) in Idaho |
| Water Bodies with EPA-Approved TMDLs (Category 4a) | Battle Creek, Beaver Creek, Blue Creek, Blue Creek Reservoir, Camas Creek, Camel Creek, Castle Creek, Deep Creek, Juniper Basin Reservoir, Nickel Creek and tributaries, Pole Creek, Red Canyon Creek, Smith Creek, Thomas Creek |
| Beneficial Uses Affected | Cold water aquatic life, salmonid spawning, primary and secondary contact recreation |
| Major Land Uses | Rangeland, riparian, forestry, irrigated agriculture |
| Date Approved by EPA | March 2000 EPA Approval Letter |
| Date Addendum Approved by EPA | July 2012 EPA Approval Letter |
Subbasin Characteristics
The Upper Owyhee River subbasin encompasses a large area in southwest Idaho. The headwaters for the Owyhee River (East Fork) originate in northeast Nevada in the Independence Mountains.
2003 Subbasin Assessment and TMDL
Through the Upper Owyhee River subbasin assessment process, it was determined that most streams in the subbasin on Idaho’s 1998 §303(d) list have cold water aquatic life and salmonid spawning as existing uses. In some cases, data show these uses are not supported due to exceedances of the Idaho water quality standards temperature criteria. In other cases, biological information showed impairment to cold water aquatic life and salmonid spawning.
Two streams were listed as not supporting primary and secondary contact recreation due to the presence of bacteria. However, monitoring has indicated those streams are in full support of the recreation beneficial uses.
A TMDL has been developed for each stream determined to be not fully supporting beneficial uses in accordance with Idaho water quality standards. The TMDLs address temperature reductions required to meet Idaho water quality standard criteria and/or instream sediment goals to maintain or restore cold water aquatic life and salmonid spawning. The TMDLs use management objectives dealing with riparian conditions to obtain these goals.
2003 TMDL: Streams and Pollutants for Which TMDLs Were Developed
| Stream | Pollutants |
|---|---|
| Deep Creek | Sediment, temperature |
| Pole Creek | Temperature |
| WCastle Creek | Sediment, temperature |
| Red Canyon Creek | Sediment |
| Nickel Creek | Sediment |
| Blue Creek Reservoir | Sediment |
| Juniper Basin Reservoir | Sediment |
2012 Addendum
| Subbasin | Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) | Assessment Units with New TMDLs | Assessment Units with Updated TMDLs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Owyhee River | 17050104 | 11 | 10 |
| South Fork Owyhee River | 17050105 | 0 | 2 |
| North and Middle Fork Owyhee River | 17050107 | 0 | 13 |
2012 Addendum: Assessment Units and Pollutants for Which TMDLs Were Developed
Upper Owyhee River Subbasin
| Description | Assessment Unit | Pollutant |
|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek upstream of Antelope Flat | ID17050104SW023_02 | Temperature |
| Battle Creek between Antelope Flat and Big Springs Creek | ID17050104SW023_03 | Temperature |
| Battle Creek between Big Springs Creek and Owyhee River | ID17050104SW023_04 | Temperature |
| Deep Creek between Hurry Back and Nickel Creeks | ID17050104SW026_04 | Temperature (updated) |
| Deep Creek between Nickel Creek and Owyhee River | ID17050104SW026_05 | Temperature (updated) |
| Pole Creek upstream of Mud Flat | ID17050104SW028_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Pole Creek between Camas Creek and Mud Flat | ID17050104SW028_03 | Temperature (updated) |
| Pole Creek between Camas and Deep Creeks | ID17050104SW028_04 | Temperature (updated) |
| Camas Creek between Big Springs Butte and Pole Creek | ID17050104SW029_03 | Temperature |
| Camel Creek upstream of Sunshine Valley Creek | ID17050104SW030_02 | Temperature |
| Nickel, Smith, and Thomas Creek headwaters | ID17050104SW031_02 | Temperature |
| Nickel, Smith and Thomas Creeks 3rd order | ID17050104SW031_03 | Temperature |
| Nickel and Smith Creeks 4th order | ID17050104SW031_04 | Temperature |
| Castle Creek upstream of Skunk Creek | ID17050104SW032_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Castle Creek between Skunk and Deep Creeks | ID17050104SW032_03 | Temperature (updated) |
| Beaver Creek upstream of Carter Creek | ID17050104SW033_02 | Temperature |
| Beaver Creek between Carter and Trap Creeks | ID17050104SW033_03 | Temperature |
| Beaver Creek between Trap and Deep Creeks | ID17050104SW033_04 | Temperature |
| West Fork Red Canyon | ID17050104SW034_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| East Fork Red Canyon and Red Canyon upstream of Petes Creek | ID17050104SW034_03 | Temperature (updated) |
| Red Canyon between Petes Creek and Owyhee River | ID17050104SW034_04 | Temperature (updated) |
South Fork Owyhee River Subbasin
| Description | Assessment Unit | Pollutant |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Owyhee River upstream of Little Owyhee River | ID17050105SW001_06 | Temperature (updated) |
| South Fork Owyhee River downstream of Little Owyhee River | ID17050105SW001_07 | Temperature (updated) |
North and Middle Fork Owyhee River Subbasin
| Description | Assessment Unit | Pollutant |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Fork Owyhee River upstream of Summit Springs Creek | ID17050107SW004_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Middle Fork Owyhee River downstream of Summit Springs Creek | ID17050107SW004_03 | Temperature (updated) |
| North Fork Owyhee River upstream of Big Springs Creek | ID17050107SW008_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| North Fork Owyhee River between Big Spring and Pleasant Valley Creeks | ID17050107SW008_03 | Temperature (updated) |
North Fork Owyhee River between Pleasant Valley and Juniper Creeks, and Juniper Creek between Cabin Creek and North Fork Owyhee River | ID17050107SW008_04 | Temperature (updated) |
| North Fork Owyhee River downstream of Juniper Creek | ID17050107SW008_05 | Temperature (updated) |
| Pleasant Valley Creek upstream of East Fork Pleasant Valley Creek | ID17050107SW009_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Pleasant Valley Creek between North Fork Owyhee River and East Fork Pleasant Valley Creek | ID17050107SW009_03 | Temperature (updated) |
| Noon Creek | ID17050107SW010_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Cabin and Corral Creek headwaters | ID17050107SW011_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Cabin and Corral Creeks 3rd order | ID17050107SW011_03 | Temperature (updated) |
| Juniper Creek upstream of Buck Creek | ID17050107SW012_02 | Temperature (updated) |
| Juniper Creek between Buck and Cabin Creeks | ID17050107SW012_03 | Temperature (updated) |
Subbasin Document(s)
- Upper Owyhee Watershed Subbasin Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load Owyhee County, Idaho (January 2003)
- Upper Owyhee Watershed TMDL Implementation Plan for Agriculture (October 2004)
- Upper Owyhee River TMDL Five-Year Review (June 2009)
- Owyhee River Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load Temperature Addendum: North and Middle Fork Owyhee, South Fork Owyhee, and Upper Owyhee (June 2012)
- Owyhee River Watershed TMDL Temperature Addendum: North and Middle Fork Owyhee, South Fork Owyhee, and Upper Owyhee Agriculture Implementation Plan (May 2017)
This accordion will not appear on the screen