Beaverhead TMDL Planning Area


Beaverhead TAG Documents Page


 

Beaverhead TMDL Planning Area

 

OVERVIEW

 

The majority of the Beaverhead TMDL Planning Area (TPA) is located within Beaverhead County, with a small portion in Madison County and includes the towns of Dillon and Twin Bridges. The Beaverhead TPA encompasses the Beaverhead River watershed, which begins at the outlet of the Clark Canyon Reservoir and flows northeast 79.5 miles before joining the Big Hole River to form the Jefferson River. The TPA coincides with the 10020002 fourth-code hydrologic unit code (HUC), and is bounded by the Pioneer Mountains on the west, the Ruby Range to the east, and the Snowcrest Range and Blacktail Mountains to the south.

 

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has identified 16 streams with water quality impairments in the Beaverhead TPA. They are shown in the table below. Impairments include sediment, temperature, nutrients, and metals. The TMDL planning process for this TPA incorporates a combination of water quality sampling and hydrologic modeling to further identify and quantify sediment, temperature, nutrient, and metal contributions from all significant sources.

 

The table identifies which streams have sediment, temperature, nutrient and/or metals listed impairments. For complete information on each stream's probable impairment causes and sources, see DEQ's Clean Water Act Information Center. Click on "Search" and then choose the "By Location" tab. Select the TMDL Planning Area (TPA) drop-down list, click on "Beaverhead," and then click "Search."

 

 

PROJECT SCHEDULE FOR SEDIMENT, TEMPERATURE, NUTRIENT, AND METAL TMDLS

 

Sediment TMDLs were completed in July of 2012 and the final document can be found on DEQ's Final TMDL Documents webpage (click on the Upper Missouri basin tab).

 

Temperature TMDLs are currently under development in the planning area and are projected to be complete in 2014. The nutrient and metal TMDLs are not scheduled for completion until after 2014. 

 

DEQ has completed several years of water quality sampling for sediment, temperature, nutrients, and metals in cooperation with the Beaverhead Watershed Committee and others, primarily in 2003/2004 and 2008/2009. Additional assessment work for sediment was completed in September 2010 and April 2011. Sediment data can be found in the appendices of the "Beaverhead Sediment Total Maximum Daily Loads and Framework Water Quality Protection Plan" document on our Final TMDL Documents webpage (click on the Upper Missouri basin tab).

BEAVERHEAD DOCUMENTS

As part of this TMDL and in an effort to better understand the water quality of the watershed, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality is collecting sediment and temperature data. Pollutant source assessment tools will consist of water quality data analysis and water quality models depending upon the pollutant. Draft documents available for review by the Beaverhead technical advisory group (TAG) are available on the TAG Documents page.

 

Information will be posted on this page when the draft temperature TMDL document is available for public review (estimated to be sometime in 2014).

Information on public meetings will also be posted.

 

CONTACTS

BEAVERHEAD

TMDL AFFILIATION

NAME & EMAIL PHONE

DEQ Contact for Sediment & Temperature TMDLs

Kristy Fortman (406) 444-7425

DEQ Metals & Nutrients Project Manager

Eric Trum (406) 444-0531
Beaverhead Watershed Committtee Coordinator Jamie Cottom (406) 683-3802

 

 

Page Released: May 25, 2010

Last Updated: March 14, 2016