National Water-Quality Assessments in the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins
Status: Complete
Photo by Gregory Clark, USGS
The Northern Rockies (NROK) Intermontane Basins study area encompasses 31,500 square miles in western Montana, northern Idaho, and northeastern Washington. Resource managers have identified mining, forestry, agricultural-related activities, and the treatment of municipal and industrial wastes as possible water contamination sources. However, the effects of land-use and water-use practices on many rivers and groundwater resources remain a priority concern to resource managers, planners, State and local governments, and citizen groups.
The following water-quality issues have been identified by resource managers as high priority, regional-scale issues of concern:
- Toxic trace elements in surface water and groundwater
- Nutrients in surface water and groundwater from point and non-point sources
- Degradation of surface water and groundwater from urban areas and suburban development
- Sedimentation from timber harvesting and agriculture
- Effects of these inputs on aquatic biological communities
