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ELK CREEK STUDY, IDAHO COUNTY IDAHO, 1979
Description:
In Water Year 1979, the American River, the Red River, and Elk Creek in Idaho County (17060305) were studied to determine their present water quality and to obtain background information on effluent limitations development for the Elk City sewage treatment plant. Quarterly monitoring was conducted on each stream for the following parameter categories: temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, bacteria, oxygen demand, solids, select ions, nutrients, heavy metals, and radioactivity. The study indicates that the water quality of the major streams is generally very high. However, several violations of the bacteria standard for primary contact recreation were recorded on Elk Creek and the American River, and nutrients on Elk Creek and below Elk City exceeded recommended trophic levels for free flowing streams on several occasions. Elk Creek above the Elk City lagoon discharge was shown to suffer from some organic contamination of an unknown source. Since the American River has been designated a Special Resource Water, Elk City may be prevented from increasing their discharge if growth in the area exceeds the present design capacity of their system. October 1980. Water Quality Summary No. 7. Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Environment, Boise, ID. 25 pp.