Publication Summary

Located in the South Puget Sound region, South Prairie Creek is a tributary to the Carbon River, which is a tributary to the Puyallup River.

The purpose of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is to determine contributors to the fecal coliform bacteria exceedences and to determine whether other nonpoint-source-related parameters meet water quality standards. Temperature, in particular, may exceed water quality standards.

Located in the South Puget Sound region, South Prairie Creek is a tributary to the Carbon River, which is a tributary to the Puyallup River. The watershed includes all or portions of the towns of Wilkeson, Buckley, South Prairie, and Burnett. Lower South Prairie Creek is the most important salmonid spawning area in the Puyallup River basin, with runs of fall chinook, pink, coho, chum, and winter steelhead.

Lower South Prairie Creek exceeded water quality standards for fecal coliform bacteria, based on Ecology monitoring data from 1992-93, and a segment was placed on the 303(d) list. Upstream sections are listed for temperature, based on data collected by the Muckleshoot Tribe in 1997.

The purpose of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is to determine contributors to the fecal coliform bacteria exceedences and to determine whether other nonpoint-source-related parameters meet water quality standards. Temperature, in particular, may exceed water quality standards.

The monitoring will be conducted in two phases. The purpose of the Phase I monitoring described in the present Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) is to assess conditions in the lower South Prairie Creek watershed during summer 2000. The results will be used to refine the sampling program that will form the basis of the overall technical study. A second QAPP, which will describe the Phase II 12-month monitoring program, will be prepared following completion of the Phase I monitoring.