Priest River Subbasin Watershed Advisory Group (WAG)
The Priest River Subbasin falls primarily within the northwest corner of the Idaho Panhandle in Bonner and Boundary counties. The headwaters of Upper Priest River originate within the Nelson Mountain Range of British Columbia; headwaters of major streams on the western side of the basin originate in northeast Washington.
Watershed advisory groups (WAGs) provide local public input and guidance to DEQ during the development of water quality improvement plans or "Total Maximum Daily Loads" (TMDLs) for water bodies that fail to meet water quality standards. TMDLs are designed to reduce the levels of pollutants, such as bacteria and sediment, in impaired water bodies.
The Priest River WAG was created to develop and implement TMDLs to improve water quality in the Priest River Subbasin. In 1994 and again in 1996, ten segments within the Priest River basin were classified as water quality limited under §303(d) of the Clean Water Act. All Priest River basin §303(d)-listed streams are listed for sediment (except Lower West Branch Priest River, which had no listed pollutants of concern, but sediment is implied). Nutrients are a listed pollutant for Tango Creek, and dissolved oxygen, temperature, and flow alteration are listed for East River. Habitat alteration is listed for Trapper Creek and Two Mouth Creek.
In March 2002, EPA approved sediment TMDLs for two water bodies: Kalispell Creek and Lower West Branch Priest River. Action on other segments was delayed at DEQ's request to allow for further data collection and analysis.
An addendum addressing Reeder and Binarch Creeks, the Lower Priest River, the East River main stem, Middle Fork East River, and North Fork East River was submitted to EPA for review in February 2003 and approved in June 2003.
- Priest River Assessment and TMDL Addendum (April 2003)
- Draft Lower West Branch Priest River Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plan (March 2004)
An updated addendum has been prepared which reflects the WAG's review efforts.
- Priest River Subbasin Assessment and total Maximum Daily Load: 2014 Addendum - Last WAG version draft (February 2014)
- Priest River Subbasin Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load: 2016 Addendum - EPA review (January 2016)
Next Scheduled Meeting Date
TBD
Documents for Review
- Priest River Subbasin Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load: 2016 Addendum - EPA review (January 2016)
- Priest River WAG Operating Procedures
- Integrated Report
- Information on Watershed Advisory Groups
- Idaho Water Quality Standards
- Idaho Water Quality Statutes (WAG and BAG)
Previous Meetings
- Date
- Materials
- July 22, 2013
- Agenda
- NRCS Role in the Priest River WAG (presentation)
- June 24, 2013
- Agenda
- Priest Lake Fires (Idaho Department of Lands presentation)
- Forest Practices Rule Revision (Idaho Department of Lands presentation)
- May 29, 2013
- Agenda
- April 22, 2013
- Agenda
- May 21, 2012
- Agenda
- Presentation by Tyson Clyne, Idaho DEQ
- Presentation by Mark Shumar, Idaho DEQ
- April 16, 2012
- Agenda
- Presentation by Tyson Clyne, Idaho DEQ
- March 19, 2012
- Agenda
- Presentation by Tyson Clyne, Idaho DEQ
- January 23, 2012
- Agenda
- Presentation by Tyson Clyne, Idaho DEQ
- Category 5 Temperature Criteria
- What exactly is a TMDL?
- November 14, 2011
- Agenda
- Presentation by Tyson Clyne, Idaho DEQ