2005 Idaho Code - 39-3607 — MONITORING TO DETERMINE SUPPORT OF BENEFICIAL USES

                                  TITLE  39
                              HEALTH AND SAFETY
                                  CHAPTER 36
                                WATER QUALITY
    39-3607.  MONITORING TO DETERMINE SUPPORT OF BENEFICIAL USES. The director
shall conduct a beneficial use attainability and status survey to identify
appropriate designated uses and to determine the status of designated
beneficial uses in each water body.  Measures to determine appropriate
designated uses and the status of designated beneficial uses shall include
appropriate water quality standards as identified in the rules of the
department in conjunction with biological or aquatic habitat measures that may
include, but are not limited to: stream width, stream depth, stream shade,
sediment, bank stability, water flows, physical characteristics of the stream
that affect habitat for fish, macroinvertebrate species or other aquatic life,
and the variety and number of fish or other aquatic life.
    Previous assessments of beneficial use attainability and status which are
of a quality and content acceptable to the director shall constitute the
baseline data against which future assessments shall be made to determine
changes in the water body and what beneficial uses can be attained in it. In
addition, the director, to the extent possible, may determine whether changes
in the condition of the water body are the result of past or ongoing point or
nonpoint source activities. The director shall also seek information from
appropriate public agencies regarding land uses and geological or other
information for the watershed which may affect water quality and the ability
of the water body in question to fully support or attain designated beneficial
uses.  In carrying out the provisions of this section, the director may
contract with private enterprises or public agencies to provide the desired
data.