Publication Summary

This is the study plan for White Salmon River fecal coliform bacteria compliance monitoring.

The White Salmon River and its tributaries, Rattlesnake Creek, Gilmer Creek, and Trout Lake Ditch, are listed under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act as not meeting Washington State water quality standards for fecal coliform bacteria. Fecal coliform data collected by the Underwood Conservation District and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) from 1992 – 2001 were used for the listing.

Land use changes over the past decade have decreased potential agricultural sources of fecal coliform in the watershed. In 2007, Ecology established water quality monitoring stations on the White Salmon River and Rattlesnake Creek. Both stations met the fecal coliform water quality standard between October 2007 and September 2008.

The main goal of the study outlined in this Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plan is to monitor 303(d) listed waters within the White Salmon River watershed for fecal coliform bacteria. The data will be used to determine if these waters now meet water quality criteria.

The secondary goal is to collect data which will be used to recommend corrective actions, if needed, within the watershed. If data indicate water quality standards are still not being met, it is hoped that these actions will lead to water quality improvements that could be accomplished in place of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) effort. Each study conducted by Ecology must have an approved QA Project Plan. After completion of the study, a final report describing the study results will be posted to the Internet.

Link to EIM data for User Study ID SCOL0002