Surface Water and Recreational Contact

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Beyond supplying drinking water to residents in Latah County, surface waters throughout Latah County need to be protected for occasional recreational use.  Waters in Latah County are used for fishing, swimming, wading and boating.  The water quality parameters showing the greatest impact on public health issues are public health pollutants that are considered limiting factors to recreational water quality in local streams and lakes.

 

The Potlatch River Basin is impaired by a variety of public health pollutants including bacteria, nutrients, oil and grease, organics and pesticides.  In the Palouse River Basin, bacteria and nutrients impair waters.

 

Each public health pollutant grouping is considered a limiting factor to water quality and a ROCC work plan has been developed for each of the following:

 

• Bacteria

• Nutrients

• Oil and Grease

• Organics and Pesticides

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See the Latah SWCD Resource Conservation Plan more detailed information about the work plans and strategies that Latah SWCD is engaged in for addressing water quality issues that impact surface water and recreation in Latah County.