Watershed Council Accomplishments

During the past year, the Lower Boise Watershed Council accomplished the following:

• Finalized a workable phosphorous allocation to meet the Snake River-Hells Canyon TMDL.
• Began a 3-year 319 Grant bringing $250,000 of matching BMP grant money to the watershed for agricultural cropland assistance. Pursued other grant funding sources to assist with reducing loads from agricultural croplands.
• Continued a public outreach campaign to educate policymakers and the public on water quality issues in the watershed.
• Initiated a Boise River Observatory in partnership with the Boise WaterShed Education Center and Boise State University and the University of Idaho. The BRO has two primary goals: 1) map hydrologic data to improve general access to monitoring data collected within the Boise River watershed, and 2) identify educational opportunities for students that could be used in water quality policy and decision-making.
• Provided information and education about the TMDL through the technical advisory committee meetings, general committee meetings, and the web site. This information includes available fish data, water quality criteria, effluent trading, and other national and regional water quality developments.

Updated December 1, 2009