As warmer weather returns to Utah, residents are advised to take certain simple steps to protect themselves from harmful algal blooms and waterborne pathogens while recreating on the water.
Read More The significant increase in recent years of nitrogen and phosphorus in water bodies across the country has intensified water quality problems. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus in Utah waters harm our streams, rivers, and lakes. The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) is currently at work on a nutrient reduction plan tailored to the unique needs …
Read MoreThe Utah Division of Water Quality conducted a study in 2010 to evaluate the ecological impacts of nutrient additions from POTWs on the State’s streams and rivers. The study was conducted on receiving waters above and below the discharges of eight mechanical treatment plants and one lagoon system. The Division studied these waters above and …
Read MoreThe Utah Division of Water Quality (DWQ) is funding a study to quantify the economic benefits and costs of implementing nutrient criteria for surface waters in Utah. Human-caused nutrient inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to the nation’s waters have been identified as significant threats to aquatic life and recreational uses. In response, the US Environmental …
Read MoreThe Utah Division of Water Quality conducted the 2009 Statewide Nutrient Removal Cost Impact Study to evaluate the economic impacts of potential new nutrient removal requirements for Utah’s publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). The study estimated economic, financial, and environmental impacts associated with a range of potential nutrient discharge standards for every discharging POTW in …
Read MoreNext Meeting N/A 2017 April 3, 2017 Agenda (243 KB) Meeting Summary (308 KB) Recording (166 MB) 2015 October 26, 2015 Agenda (543 KB) Meeting Summary (755 KB) March 30, 2015 Agenda (28 KB) Meeting Summary (158 KB) Presentation (7 MB) 2014 September 8, 2014 Agenda (102 KB) Meeting Summary (158 KB) Presentation (4 MB) …
Read MoreOn June 26, 2019, Utah’s Water Quality Board passed numeric nutrient criteria to protect aquatic life and recreation uses in headwater streams effective date: July 1, 2019. This page contains background information on this important water quality standard revision. Documentation includes a classification report (4 MB) that demonstrates that statewide nutrient-response relationships are likely to …
Read MoreStakeholder Group Representative Chair Erica Gaddis (egaddis@utah.gov), Director, Utah Division of Water Quality Agriculture Thayne Mickelson (tmickelson@utah.gov), UDAF’s Conservation ProgramsJay Olsen (jayolsen@utah.gov), UDAF Agriculture Producers Jim Webb (jimwebb@murphybrownllc.com), Circle 4 Farms DEQ Public Information Christine Osborne (cosborne@utah.gov), Alternate PIO Division of State Parks Jeff Rasmussen (jeffrasmussen@utah.gov), Deputy DirectorTy Hunter (tyhunter@utah.gov) Division of Wildlife Resources Craig …
Read MoreJump to: General Background Supporting Literature Nutrient Criteria Utah Investigations White Paper: Using Qual2K Modeling to Support Nutrient Criteria Development and Wasteload Analyses in Utah (552 KB) General EPA Promulgation of Nutrient Criteria in Florida This Website contains information surrounding EPA’s promulgation of numeric nutrient criteria in Florida. The background material, FAQs, etc. associated with this …
Read MoreNew 2016 Amendment The Water Quality Board approved rulemaking for an amendment to the 2015 rule that addresses comments received from the regulated community regarding the time line for rule implementation. The amendment also incorporates a voluntary wastewater treatment optimization element designed to encourage nitrogen pollution reductions. Additionally, the amendment provides clarification of the phosphorus …
Read MoreBy Suzan Tahir Some of you might have heard about harmful algal blooms (HABs), and some of you might not…yet. But HABs are happening nationwide, mostly in the warm summer months. As you know, we have trillions of bacteria (good bacteria and bad bacteria) living in our gut (gastrointestinal tract), and they coexist until something …
Read MoreBy Janice Brahney, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Dust is as old as dirt. Wind erosion and dust storms are natural phenomena in the semi-arid regions of the …
Read MoreBy John Mackey So what is it about nutrients in our water that’s such a big deal? The waters I recreate in aren’t green and soupy; in fact, they look pretty good and have plenty of fish. If I opened the tap and my water was cloudy or had a peculiar smell, I would be …
Read MoreBy Paul Krauth Typically, DEQ is at the forefront of efforts to make Utah more “green,” but when it comes to our state waters, being green isn’t good. That’s why we are proposing a new rule to limit the amount of phosphorus that wastewater plants can put into our waterways. Two pollutants that are really stressing …
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