Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Coordinated Efforts Reduced Sediment Input and Restored Waterbody /
Waterbody Improved f^^""'"^^^? fhnd
Smiths Fork degraded the habitat to the point that the
streams could no longer achieve their designated use of aquatic life. Landowners, federal
grazing permit holders and state and federal agencies collaborated to implement various
best management practices (BMPs) that reduced sediment input. As a result, water quality
improved, and Wyoming removed both waterbodies from its 2004 303(d) list of impaired
waters for sediment.
Problem
East Fork Smiths Fork (27 miles long) and West
Fork Smiths Fork (9 miles long) combine to form
Smiths Fork, which in turn flows into Blacks Fork.
The Blacks Fork subbasin is located near the mouth
of the Green River Basin of southwestern Wyoming.
Wyoming placed both East and West Forks of
Smiths Fork (Figure 1) on its 1998 Clean Water Act
section 303(d) list because excess sediment physi-
cally degraded the stream channels and impaired
aquatic life use support. Excess sedimentation
negatively affected the streams' biota by blanket-
ing gravel and cobble streambed substrates, often
reducing important habitats and algal food resourc-
es for many benthic macroinvertebrate groups and
limiting the reproductive success of fishes such
as the endemic Colorado River cutthroat trout.
Sources of sediment included grazing, vehicle
traffic on nearby roads, recreational use, logging,
irrigation return flows, riparian area deterioration
and streambank destabilization.
East and West Forks of Smiths Fork are classified
as a Class 2AB waters, which are those known
to support game fish. Excess sediment impaired
aquatic life by degrading in-stream habitat, violat-
ing the state's narrative standard, which states,
"floating and suspended solids attributable to or
influenced by the activities of man shall not be pres-
ent in quantities which could result in significant
aesthetic degradation, significant degradation of
habitat for aquatic life, or adversely affect public
water supplies, agricultural or industrial water use,
plant life or wildlife."
Figure 1. Photos showing East Fork Smiths Fork (top)
and West Fork Smiths Fork (bottom)
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Project Highlights
Results
To improve water quality in these two streams,
the Uinta County Conservation District (UCCD)
addressed some of the pollution sources using
funding from a Clean Water Act section 319
nonpoint source control project. UCCD worked with
farmers to reduce sedimentation from streambanks
by repairing or replacing livestock water tanks that
provide off-channel water sources. The farmers also
constructed snow fences to divert spring snow melt
to these tanks and lessen sediment input to the
two streams from overland flow. The Uinta County
government improved the surrounding infrastruc-
ture by repairing aging roads and bridges adjacent
to the two streams. Volunteers planted assorted
trees, shrubs and forbs in riparian zones to help
stabilize stream banks and create a sediment buffer.
Farmers constructed fences along the streams to
protect these newly establishing plant communi-
ties, stream banks and channels from the effects of
livestock grazing. The farmers also adopted grazing
BMPs that both promote the recovery of these two
streams and allow for continued grazing.
The project efforts were successful. Physical,
chemical and biological data collected by Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality in 2003
indicate that sedimentation was minimal and that
riparian vegetation was thriving. Both the East Fork
Smiths Fork and West Fork Smiths Fork are fully
supporting their designated uses, and their water
quality threats have been mitigated. Wyoming sub-
sequently removed these two pollutant/segment
combinations from its 303(d) list in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The project's funding included $123,300 from the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, $66,333
from a nonfederal cash match and $16,000 from
an in-kind nonfederal cash match. The project
was successful in large part because of the close
cooperation of a diverse Coordinated Resource
Management Team including local landowners,
federal grazing permit holders, U.S. Forest Service,
the Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming Game
and Fish Department, and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001R
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Jack Smith
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
307-673-9337 • jsmith@wyo.gov
Kerri Sabey
Uinta County Conservation District
307-787-3794 ext. 102 • Kerri.Sabey@wy.nacdnet.net
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