News from Jordan River Commission

JORDAN RIVER COMMISSION NEWS & EVENTS March 2012

Welcome Salt Lake City!

We are pleased to welcome Salt Lake City as the newest member of the Jordan River Commission.

Salt Lake City's municipal boundaries include 7.9 miles of Jordan River corridor (or 15.8 total miles of streambank), more than any other city along the river. This new addition strengthens opportunities coordination and collaboration along the entire length of the Jordan River corridor. The Jordan River Commission thanks Salt Lake City for its support and looks forward to working together to help the Jordan River corridor reach its full potential.

Membership in the Jordan River Commission now includes three counties, nine cities, two local districts, and eight non-governmental Ex-Officio members (4 non-profits, 3 businesses, 1 individual). This membership comprises 69.9% of the population along the Jordan River, and over half of the total miles of streambank along the river's 50-mile length. The Jordan River Commission is looking forward to continuing to expand its membership over the coming year. As the Commission's membership grows, so does its ability to implement the ideas and concepts outlined in the Blueprint Jordan River.

Click here for a list of current Jordan River Commission members.

$1.1 Million Secured for Jordan River Parkway Trail Completion

The Jordan River Commission and the cities of West Jordan and Sandy are pleased to announce that $1.1 million in State funding has been secured for the completion of a gap in the Jordan River Parkway trail in Sandy and West Jordan. Of the 45-mile Jordan River Parkway Trail, only 3.5 miles currently remain incomplete. Once all gaps are complete, the Jordan River Parkway Trail, combined with the Legacy

Parkway Trail and the Denver/Rio Grande Trail, will provide 76 miles of uninterrupted, paved trail running from Weber County to Utah County.

This new funding will help close a 1.2 mile gap near 9000 South, and will specifically fund the construction of a pedestrian underpass under 9000 South. The planning, design, and funding of the 9000 South trail segment has been a coordinated effort between the cities of Sandy and West Jordan, Salt Lake County, the National Park Service's Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program, the thirteen local governments represented by the Jordan River Commission, and many more.

Jordan River Commission Chairman, Councilman Corey Rushton said, "This is a great success story about what can be accomplished when local governments partner together on a cross-jurisdictional project. This is a project that benefits the entire Wasatch Front, and we are grateful for the contributions of all those involved in making this happen."

Filling the entire trail gap (from 8600 South to 9400 South) is expected to cost just over $3 million. Much of this has already been secured by the local governments, but some additional funding is still needed. The completion of the 9000 South trail segment is closer than ever before.

Update on the Jordan River and Emigration

Creek Water Quality Studies

By: Hilary Arens, Division of Water Quality

The Division of Water Quality has been busy making progress on a number of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) water quality studies. The Upper Emigration Creek TMDL for E. coli (a bacteria found in the intestines of animals) went through a stakeholder and public review process and was submitted to EPA in Fall 2011. Lower Emigration Creek, below Rotary Park, will be a focus for the next stage of this TMDL.

The Jordan River TMDL for Dissolved Oxygen (DO) has gone through numerous drafts by our Technical Advisory Committee and stakeholders. A water quality model has been calibrated and validated that identifies organic matter (OM) as the pollutant with highest influence on DO in the Jordan River. As OM (grass clippings, leaves, etc.) decays it uses up oxygen in the water. Reduced DO has serious impacts on fish and other aquatic organisms that need oxygen to survive. The model indicates that a 38% reduction in OM is needed to achieve the water quality standard for DO. Future studies will be conducted to determine OM origins and pathways, so implementation efforts can target the best actions to improve water quality in the lower Jordan River.

The public review process was extended to 90 days for the Jordan River and ends March 31, 2012. The Division of Water Quality encourages everyone in the watershed to review and comment within the public comment period. The report is available online at www.waterquality.utah.gov/TMDL/JORDAN/index.htm.

If you have any questions please contact Hilary Arens at the Division of Water Quality, [email protected] or (801) 536-4332.