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Jordan River TMDL

Jordan River at 13000 South

The Jordan River is a 4th order stream originating from Utah Lake, a shallow playa formed during the early Cenezoic era from seismic downward block faulting, and flows north to the Great Salt Lake. The river is approximately 44 miles long and travels across three counties and fifteen different ecological communities. Historically, the Jordan River had a substantial meander corridor with marshes, oxbows, sloughs and ponds; however, it is currently a highly channelized, highly developed and polluted river.

Wildlife Use: Bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyote, beaver, muskrat, jackrabbits, waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds have historically used the Jordan River corridor. However, the increasing pressures of urbanization along the river have decreased vegetation coverage, minimized mobility between upland and riparian habitats, and altered the water quality of the Jordan River (National Audubon Society 2000). In addition, invasive species such as raccoon, red fox, tamarisk, and warm water fish species have had significant impacts on the local ecological community.

Bird Use: The variety of bird species along the Jordan River has declined over the last 150 years due to the replacement of willow bottoms and wet meadows with xeric grass/forb species and Russian Olives. Currently, the ten bird species that dominate the corridor are habitat generalists and include: Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica), Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), Red Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustice), Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchas), and the American Goldfinch (Cardelis tristis) (National Audubon Society 2000). The extensive degradation and loss of wetland areas along the Jordan River make the enhancement of available habitat of increased importance for both residential and migratory bird species.

Fish: Channelization and dredging of the Jordan River has removed essential riparian vegetation, which provided cover for fish species and moderated water temperatures. Abundance of native fish species has been greatly reduced due to these changes. Channelization of the river has also removed wetlands, especially oxbow wetlands, which had significant impacts on water quality. The Jordan River is currently stocked with Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Channel Catfish (Ctalurus Punctatus).

Instream Flow

The Jordan River receives spring discharges from the Wasatch Front canyons, which are generally mesotrophic (moderately nutrient rich) to oligotrophic (nutrient poor). Shallow groundwater discharges to the Jordan during winter months and provides minimum, sustained instream flow estimated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at approximately 107,000 acre-feet per year. Higher quality flows from the canyons are often diverted for municipal water supply, resulting in lower quality exchange flows from Utah Lake diversions during the summer months. The Flood Control & Engineering Division of Salt Lake County monitors Jordan River flows on a daily basis at 500 North and 90000 South. These records can be accessed through Salt Lake County Streamflow and Rainfall Historical Data

Jordan River Water Quality

In 1975, an Area-Wide Water Quality Management Plan was completed, that resulted in regionalization of nine (9) wastewater treatment plants into three new plants. The water quality of the River has generally improved since implementation in 1978. Illicit discharges and stormwater runoff are the single remaining sources of man-induced contamination. In 1998, the State Division of Water Quality found that Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels in the Jordan River were not meeting the class 3B requirements. Subsequently, in the summer of 2004, the Salt Lake County Water Resources Planning and Restoration Program conducted a water quality assessment of the Jordan River to determine the sources and causes of the DO impairments. Data collected as part of this assessment indicate high levels of both pathogens and phosphorus in the Jordan River. This data, as well as conclusions drawn from this data, are found in the 2005 publication of the Jordan River Water Quality Total Maximum Daily Load Assessment (4mb pdf).

Jordan River TMDL

As can be seen in the following table, the Jordan River has been listed as water quality impaired for:

• Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
• Salinity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
• Chlorides
• Temperature

Sections of the River are anticipated to be listed for Pathogens and Total Phosphorus based on the 2004 Jordan River Water Quality Total Maximum Daily Load Assessment.

Schedule

The Utah Division of Water Quality (DWQ) has contracted with Cirrus Ecological (who has sub-contracted with Stantec Consulting) to conduct the TMDL for the Jordan River. Currently, EPA has granted the State Division of Water Quality until April of 2010 to complete the Jordan River TMDL.

Jordan River TMDL Update

The consultants are currently completing the water quality review for the Jordan River. Additionally, they are developing a flow model for the Jordan River which be used in determing pollutant loads and sources.

March 28th Jordan River TMDL Meeting Notes

• DO Linkage Presentation
• Pollutant Load Assessment Presentation
• Qual2K Model Presentation
• Jordan River TMDL Element 1