Jordan River Watershed Council. Salt Lake County; Public Works Department Engineering Division Water Resources Planning and Restoration Program

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1 Jordan River Watershed Council Salt Lake County; Public Works Department Engineering Division Water Resources Planning and Restoration Program

2 OUTLINE Background Information Jordan River Watershed Council history Current watershed issues Impaired waters in the Jordan River Watershed TMDL explanation Watershed council goals and objectives Anticipated timeline of TMDL Riverbend Restoration Site

3 JORDAN RIVER WATERSHED Essentially same boundary as Salt Lake County Majority of surficial inflow to the Jordan River comes from the eastern tributaries and Utah Lake Development is converting lands historically used for agricultural purposes to residential use

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7 COUNCIL HISTORY Jordan River Sub-basin Watershed Council was reconstituted Water Quality Management Plan update TMDLs as well as other issues are the catalyst for re-vitalization Water Quality Council created as a result of the 208 process Lost funding, City/County health department picked up the program Stopped meeting as the group transitioned from planning to implementation

8 COUNCIL ORGANIZATION Parks and Recreation City parks departments and user groups Agriculture and Irrigation Canal and irrigation companies Industrial Discharge Permit Holders Wastewater treatment, Pacificorp, and Kennecott Core Council Stormwater Coalition Headwaters and Water Supply Forest Service, Ski resorts, municipal water suppliers Environmental Concerns nonprofit organizations Community Councils representatives from existing councils Planning and Real Estate City planning departments, Utah Board of Realtors and Homebuilders Association

9 CURRENT WATERSHED ISSUES Jordan River and Emigration Creek are both 303(d) listed as impaired water bodies Proposed new wastewater treatment facility Water reuse Headwater protection Tributary health Little Cottonwood, Bingham Creek In stream flow dewatering concerns Population growth projections water supply and demand Jordan River at 6400 South

10 IMPAIRED WATERS IN JORDAN RIVER WATERSHED Possible causes of impairment Jordan River; Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), stormwater, nutrients, avian use Emigration Creek; substandard on-site waste disposal systems, wildlife/domestic pet use Little Cottonwood; Columbus-Rexall mine drainage

11 JORDAN RIVER DO and TDS IMPAIRMENTS DO State standard is 5.5 mg/l Upper reaches of Jordan River have higher DO levels TDS State standard is 1,200 mg/l Upper reaches of Jordan River have higher TDS levels

12 JORDAN RIVER BACTERIAL IMPAIRMENT Total Coliform State limit is 5,000 CFU/100ml General downstream increase Most likely driven by August patterns Fecal Coliform State limit is 200 CFU/100ml General downstream increase Again driven by August patterns

13 JORDAN RIVER TOTAL P AND E. COLI Total Phosphorus State limit is 0.05 mg/l Jordan River levels range between 0.1 and 1.2 mg/l Upper reaches show the lowest levels State has adopted E. Coli as new pathogen indicator Variability is not as great as Total and Fecal coliform

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15 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) EXPLANATION DEFINITION: The sum of the nonpoint sources, (including natural background concentrations), point sources, and a margin of safety, so as to attain or maintain the water quality standards of a water body. PROCESS: Review existing water quality data Identify sources and causes of pollutants Identify water quality goals Establish the amount of pollutant that can be allowed in total Allocate allowable pollutant loads Identify and implement measures to achieve and maintain water quality standards Monitor to assure that goals are met WATERSHED COMMITTEE TO OPTIMIZE STAKEHOLDER INPUT

16 POLLUTANT ALLOCATION Nonpoint Sources Margin of Safety Point Sources TMDL = Load Allocation for NPS + Waste load allocation for point sources + Margins of Safety (MOS)

17 ISSUES TO INCORPORATE INTO JORDAN RIVER TMDL Jordan River at South Implications for large Wastewater Treatment Plants Future plans for water reuse Flow changes to the Jordan River Growth and development changes Increasing recreational focus on Jordan

18 WATER REUSE POSSIBILITIES Water reuse is using treated wastewater for beneficial purposes such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, toilet flushing, and replenishing a ground water recharge. Reuse options Landscape irrigation Industrial process water Wetlands Commercial toilet flushing Utah Requirements include: Description of the water Water Rights Operation and Management Plan Columbus-Rexall Drainage near Alta

19 TRIBUTARY HEALTH Little Cottonwood Creek 303(d) listed for Zinc and Total Dissolved Solids in 2000 Alta Fen pilot project Bingham Creek May be 303(d) listed for Zinc, Copper, and Total Dissolved Solids in 2000 Emigration Creek, 2004 Emigration Creek 303(d) listed for pathogens Most likely due to faulty on-site wastewater disposal systems

20 ROLE OF WATERSHED COUNCIL Serve as a forum for information dispersal and input gathering Conduct regular meetings to provide Input on TMDL Discussion of other watershed issues Provide status updates Solicit feedback Establish ad hoc stakeholder groups to promote communication and watershed planning Identification of issues Status updates Watershed Council Input from stakeholders Education and Information Outreach

21 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Establish leadership of sustainable, long-term river and stream stewardship in the Jordan River Watershed. 2. Provide a centralized arena where watershed concerns may be addressed. 3. Promote open discussion of watershed issues between stakeholders. 4. Create ad hoc groups for special interest concerns. These ad hoc groups are anticipated to represent: parks and recreation, planning and zoning, real estate and development, environmental concerns, water distribution, water treatment, and irrigation companies. 5. Provide technical support for TMDLs of the Jordan River and Emigration Creek. 6. Assist with the development of education and information activities in conjunction with Salt Lake City Watershed and the US Forest Service in the Wasatch Canyons. Jordan River at 5800 South

22 ANTICIPATED TIMELINE TMDL August 2005 Water quality analysis and data review October 2005 Assess Sources and Loads causing impairments March 2006 Develop Modeling Capabilities WATERSHED COUNCIL September 2005 Core council and advisory committee meetings for water quality review November 2005 Review of pollutant load sources April 2006 Review of water quality model

23 INTEREST GROUP CONCERNS? Emigration Creek, May 2002

24 MEETING SCHEDULE? Bingham Creek

25 QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS? Little Cottonwood Creek