DEQ’s joint study provides the Bear River Commission with vital data to manage long-term watershed health and meet federal standards.
SALT LAKE CITY, Ut—The Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah Departments of Environmental Quality have released the results of the Tri-State Bear Survey (TBS) to map out the long-term shared water body quality. The survey found that overall water quality and health of the Upper and Central Bear River Basin positive and outperformed national averages. This collaborative, data-driven study establishes a critical baseline for the Bear River Commission to track long-term watershed health across borders and ensure compliance with the federal Clean Water Act.
This survey established the starting point for monitoring the watershed by experts examining benthic macroinvertebrates (small aquatic insects) and various water chemistry parameters. The results indicate that the Bear River Basin's biological condition is generally good compared to the rest of the country, with 37% of perennial stream miles classified as healthy. Generally, the streams also exhibited lower levels of nutrients such as total nitrogen and total phosphorus compared to what the US Environmental Protection Agency typically finds in its National Rivers and Streams Assessment.
While water quality is generally good, the report did find that physical habitat alteration is a problem. The most widespread issues are disturbances to the streambanks, which affect 42% of stream miles, and unstable stream channels, which affect 34% of stream miles. These physical stressors—which include having too few woody plants, disturbed banks, increased erosion, and high amounts of sediment—are the things most likely to impact the biological community. The survey results will be used to plan future conservation strategies and pollution reduction efforts to protect the highly valued natural resources that the basin provides.