WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -25- 023-1289-003.3040
3.2.7 WQUAL-5
Problem Statement: The 303(d) list identifies impaired waterbodies and requires Washington State
to work towards clean up of impaired waterbodies and establishing TMDLs. However there is a need
to identify an appropriate process to protect unimpaired waters in WRIA 62 that meet or exceed
applicable water quality standards.
Goal: Maintain compliance with state and tribal (where appropriate) water quality standards and
prevent degradation of waters that meet or exceed state water quality standards in WRIA 62.
Statute Justification: RCW 90.82.005; RCW 90.82.040 Notes: Findings-2003 1 st sp.s.c 4; RCW
90.82.090(2)&(7).
Management Action(s):
WQUAL 5-1 The Watershed Planning Implementing Body will review Ecology’s current
water quality assessment and identify waterbodies within WRIA 62 to implement
projects as appropriate and coordinated with other efforts, including:
a. Projects that review and collect water quality data on WRIA 62 streams
where data is lacking or needed;
b. Projects that identify and assess point and non-point sources of
impairments, develop and implement restoration / mitigation plans and
monitor effectiveness of efforts; and,
c. Projects that protect unimpaired / healthy streams.
WQUAL 5-2 The Watershed Planning Implementing Body will provide support and seek
funding for projects that promote the protection of unimpaired and improvement
of impaired water bodies, including:
1. Support projects that review and collect water quality data on WRIA 62
streams where data is lacking or needed;
2. Support projects that identify and assess point and non-point sources of
impairments, develop and implement restoration / mitigation plans and
monitor effectiveness of clean up efforts; and,
3. Support projects that protect unimpaired / healthy streams.
WQUAL 5-3 The Watershed Planning Implementing Body will identify support and funding to
continue operation of pressure transducers and field water quality monitoring
within Calispell, Davis, Skookum and Kent sub-basins. The Kalispel Tribe will
take on the responsibility of maintaining and downloading the flow information
from the seven stream gages that were installed in the Calispell, Davis, Skookum
and Kent sub-basins during Phase II of Watershed Planning.
WQUAL 5-4 The Watershed Planning Unit recommends that the Implementing Body
implement the water quality monitoring plan developed in the Phase II Level 2
report. The recommendations of this plan are:
1. Coordinated TMDL development and implementation in WA and ID;
2. Conduct biological and baseline monitoring in WRIA 62 sub-basins that
drain from WA into ID;
3. Conduct temperature studies on the Pend Oreille River between Box
Canyon and Canada;
WRIA 62 WMP 032305