DEQ seeking data to evaluate water quality

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is seeking scientific data to help evaluate water quality in the state's rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs for the 2026 Integrated Report.

The Integrated Report, published every two years, describes the agency's efforts to monitor, assess, track and restore the chemical, physical and biological integrity of surface waters. The report classifies water bodies into at least one of five categories, ranging from meeting water quality standards to being impaired by one or more pollutants.

The department welcomes water quality data to assess water bodies for all report categories. Data collected from 2020 to present that have not been previously submitted are particularly useful. Submitters should provide a monitoring plan with quality assurance and quality control information.

Interested parties should review the department's Water Body Assessment Guidance, specifically Section 4.2: Existing and Readily Available Data Policy, to understand how external data is used for water quality assessments. Additional guidance for the 2026 Integrated Report is also available.

Data can be submitted through the Surface Water Monitoring and Assessment page.

The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. MST, Feb. 12, 2025. For questions, contact Dan Eardley at (208) 373-0147 or dan.eardley@deq.idaho.gov.