DEQ seeks representatives for Bear Lake Watershed Advisory Group

February 28, 2025

Contact:  Jessica Anderson, TMDL analyst, jessica.anderson@deq.idaho.gov 

POCATELLO – The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking representatives to fill vacancies on the Bear Lake Watershed Advisory Group (WAG). 

The Bear Lake WAG is a group of citizens from a diverse set of interests dedicated to successful restoration and protection of the health of the watershed. This watershed covers Caribou and Bear Lake counties, from which the WAG seeks to have diverse representation. 

The WAG is currently seeking representatives from the following areas: 

– Livestock 
– Agriculture 
– Logging, timber, small business, industry, or hydropower 
– Tribal representation 
– Mining 
– Water-based recreation or environmental interests 
– Municipalities, land planning or local government 
– Environmental interests 

The group meets quarterly, but sometimes more frequently, to advise DEQ on the following matters:  

– Advise Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) authors at DEQ on matters of concern to the community. 
– Contribute to the education of watershed residents on water quality issues. 
– Help identify contributing pollution sources in the watershed. 
– Advise on pollution reduction allocations among contributors.  
– Recommend specific actions needed to effectively control sources of pollution. 
– Help develop and implement water quality improvement projects. 

Anyone interested in serving on the Bear Lake WAG as a representative of the above interest groups should contact Jessica Anderson at (208) 236-6160 or jessica.anderson@deq.idaho.gov  on April 1, 2025, by 5 p.m.