PRWC October 8, 2015 1

Main Creek Water Quality Report

Sandy Wingert

UDWQ

PRWC October 8, 2015

PRWC October 8, 2015 2

Main Creek Water Quality Problem

Deer Creek Reservoir was listed on Utah’s 2000 303(d) list for failing to protects its cold water fishery designated use due to low dissolve oxygen (DO) and high water temperature.

Approved 2002 TMDL determined that low DO levels in Deer Creek Reservoir were caused by high TP concentrations.

Main Creek contributes 17 % TP load into the reservoir but only contributes 8 % of the flow.

Main Creek was also added to 2010 303(d) list for failing to protect its infrequent recreational use and cold water fishery due to elevated E. coli and water temperature.

PRWC October 8, 2015 3

Utah Sensitive Species

Leatherside ChubBonneville Cutthroat Trout

UPR

Columbia Spotted Frog

PRWC October 8, 2015 4

Wallsburg Coordinated Resource Management Plan – March 2007

Sponsored by NRCS

Voluntary natural resource planning process to enhance resource management and resolve resource issues

Locally led by Wasatch Conservation District

Listed water conservation and quality as top two resource concerns

PRWC October 8, 2015 5

Main Creek Restoration Video

PRWC October 8, 2015 6

Main Creek Restoration

Streambank restoration – lower water temperature and reduce E. coli & TP loading

Streambanks – highly erodible due to lack of vegetation & direct access by livestock

Lack of woody vegetation (shading) – higher instream temperature

PRWC October 8, 2015 7

Main Creek Restoration- September 2013

Best Management Practices Included:

Fencing

Soil lifts

Off-site watering

Native vegetation planting

Installation of hard structures (j hooks)

Water gaps

Riparian seeding

PRWC October 8, 2015 8

Main Creek Restoration

Over 4 river miles restored Over 5 miles fenced built

PRWC October 8, 2015 9

Main Creek Restoration Results

• Listed Assessment – 18% exceedance (2004-2008)

• Temperature exceedances at 4% (2010-2014)

• Main Creek is now considered to be fully supporting its cold water fishery use.

• It will be delisted in 2016.

PRWC October 8, 2015 10

TP Concentration in Main Creek Over TimeSlight decrease over time but concentrations are still above TMDL target of 0.03 mg/L

PRWC October 8, 2015 11

63% reduction in TP loading after Main Creek restoration efforts began

Before (2007 - 2012) After (2013-2014)0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900844

312

TP Loading in Main Creek Before and After Phase 1TP

Loadin

g (

kg/y

r)

PRWC October 8, 2015 122007 (n=12) 2008 (n=7) 2009 (n=2) 2010 (n=9) 2011 (n=10) 2012 (n=9) 2013 (n=3) 2014 (n=12) 2015 (n=7)

0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

Average Yearly E. coli Concentrations in Main Creek

E coli Water Quality Standard (206)

E c

oli,

MP

N/1

00 m

l

PRWC October 8, 2015 13

Pre Project (2007 - 2012) Post (2013-2015) 0.0

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0

350.0

400.0

24% in E. coli Concentration After Main Creek Phase 1 Restoration

E. coli Water Quality Standard (206)

E c

oli (

MP

N/1

00

ml)

PRWC October 8, 2015 14

Pre Project (2007 - 2012) Post (2013-2015) 0.00E+00

2.00E+10

4.00E+10

6.00E+10

8.00E+10

1.00E+11

1.20E+11

1.40E+11

1.60E+11

1.37E+11

2.93E+10

79% Reduction E. coli Loading After Main Creek Phase 1 Restoration

E c

oli L

oad

ing

(#

/d/1

00

ml)

PRWC October 8, 2015 15

E. coli Synoptic Monitoring Results

LH1 Rt Fk Little Hobble LH2 Lf Fk Little Hobble LH3 LH4 LH @ Round Valley0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

E coli Synoptic Results In Little Hobble Creek Subwa-tershed

Jul-14Oct-14Aug-15WQS (206)

E c

oli

(M

PN

/10

0 m

l)

PRWC October 8, 2015 16

E. coli Synoptic Monitoring Results

SC1 Spring Ck in Wallsburg

SC2 SC3 SC4 Spring Ck @ Mud Lane

SC5 SC6 SC7 Spring Ck AB Main Ck

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

E. coli Synoptic Results in Spring Creek Subwatershed

Jul-14 Oct-14 Aug-15 WQS (206)

E c

oli

(MPN

/100m

l)

PRWC October 8, 2015 17

E. coli Synoptic Monitoring Results

MC1 Main Ck AB

Church

MC2 MC3 MC4 Main @ Round

Valley

MC5 Main @ Roundy

Lane

MC6 MC7 Main AB Spring

Ck

MC8 MC9 Main @ 1st

driveway xing

MC10 Main AB Deer Ck Res

MC110

200

400

600

800

1000

E. coli Snyoptic Results in Main Creek Subwatershed

Jul-14 Oct-14 Aug-15 WQS (206)

E c

oli (

MP

N/1

00m

l)

PRWC October 8, 2015 18

Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products Sampling – Aug 2015• Sampled 8 sites in the

watershed• Analyzed 39 compounds• All samples came back non-

detects except 1• Spring Creek in Wallsburg• Carbamazepine – 7 ng/L• Detection Limit – 5 ng/L• MN Screening Value – 40

ug/L • Sample 3 more times before

fall 2016

PRWC October 8, 2015 19

Main Creek Fisheries Data

http://utahspecies.com/leathersidechub.html

Population densities are 7 x higher (2007-2010)

PRWC October 8, 2015 20

Main Creek Funding (through 2014)

Entity Funding AmountNRCS (EQIP + CRMP) $516,422

UDWQ NPS $238,000EPA Section 319 $150,000

UDAF Seed Money Program $100,000WRI $85,000

Landowners (In-kind) $57,527PRWC $50,000

UT Reclamation & Mitigation $45,000UGIP $25,874UACD $10,000

Wasatch County $3,000Wasatch CD $376

Total $1,281,199

PRWC October 8, 2015 21

Next Steps

Spring Creek Subwatershed Replace culvert at Mud Lane

Streambank restoration

Plantings along Spring Creek spring in Wallsburg

Monitoring Water Quality

Biological & physical (Aug 2015)

PPCPs

Fisheries