Water Quality

If you plan to do any construction, alteration or other development work in areas involving water, there are various regulatory and permitting requirements. The Idaho Transportation Department protects Idaho’s water by following local, state and federal regulations as transportation systems are improved.

Clean Water Act
In 1972, Congress passed the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments "to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity" of the Nation’s waters. The Clean Water Act is a 1977 amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, which set the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants to waters of the United States.

Section 401 Certification – In-stream construction of any kind requires a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act gives states the authority to certify that NPDES permits meet state water quality standards.

Section 404 – establishes a program to regulate the discharge of dredged and fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands.

Stream Alteration
If you plan to do any work in the beds and banks of a continuously flowing stream or river you will almost certainly need a stream channel alteration permit.

Keeping Idaho’s Waters Clean
Water is a key resource in supporting Idaho’s agriculture, industry, drinking water supply, plant and wildlife populations, boaters, fishermen, loggers, etc. The prevailing threats to Idaho’s water are ignorance and neglect. People often don't notice pollution, erosion, and diminishing wetland habitats until it is too late. By failing to protect this resource, we are only harming ourselves.