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Water Quality

Water Quality. Water Quality. Means different things depending on use. Idaho, and other states, have established safety standards for the following uses: Domestic (home) usage Cold water fisheries Warm water fisheries Trout spawning Swimming Wading/ boating Irrigation

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Water Quality

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  1. Water Quality

  2. Water Quality • Means different things depending on use. • Idaho, and other states, have established safety standards for the following uses: • Domestic (home) usage • Cold water fisheries • Warm water fisheries • Trout spawning • Swimming • Wading/ boating • Irrigation • Livestock watering

  3. Factors Effecting Water Quality • Suspended Solids – sediments, can be filtered out • Dissolved Oxygen – all creatures must respire; normal range 8-15ppm

  4. Factors Effecting Water Quality • Pollutants – measured in ppm or ppb • Temperature – trout like 55; bass 70

  5. Factors Effecting Water Quality • Bacteria – fecal coliform most commonly tested. drinking – 1/ml swimming – 50/ml • pH – measures acidity, below 6.5 decreases productivity

  6. Factors Effecting Water Quality • Nutrients – stimulate plant/algae growth. Nitrogen/phosphorus most common, frequently from agricultural runoff, sewage • Above .1ppm unacceptable

  7. Factors Effecting Water Quality • Turbidity =‘Murkiness’ of water. Secchi disk used to measure • Toxicity – measure of lethal compounds that dissolve in water. Heavy metals, pesticides, insecticides

  8. Factors Effecting Water Quality • Macroinvertebrates – what lives in the one water is one of the best indicators of water quality! • Insects, crustaceans, snails, etc. • Caddisflies, mayflies indicate good water • Mosquito larvae, leeches not so good.

  9. Factors Effecting Water QualityReview • Suspended Solids • Dissolved Oxygen • Pollutants, ppm • Temperature • pH • Bacteria • Nutrients • Turbidity • Biological Indicators • Toxic solubles

  10. Water Quality and Forestry • BMP requirements: • Class 1 streams – used for domestic water or important fish habitat. • Class 2 streams – minor drainages not used for above.

  11. Water Quality and Forestry • Class I – Protected 75’ on either side of high water mark • Class II – Protected 30’ on either side of high water mark if close to confluence with class I, otherwise, 5’ • Poorly constructed roads and skid trails cause up to 90% of logging-related erosion

  12. Water Quality and Forestry • When streams crossed, bridges must be installed; you can not skid thru any stream, including intermittent and ephemeral.

  13. Water Quality and Forestry • Providing large organic debris (LOD) improves fish habitat, traps sediments and reduces stream velocity

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