Bioassessments of the macroinvertebrate and fish communities are used in both the nonpoint source control and antidegradation facets of DEQ's water quality program. Another key provision of the agreement is the establishment of a coordinated monitoring program. Three levels of monitoring intensity basic, reconnaissance, and intensive have been developed for water quality monitoring in support of the Antidegradation Program.
Basic monitoring consists of an office compilation of existing monitoring and beneficial use data.
The DEQ biological monitoring program has expanded since the 1988 Idaho Antidegradation agreement. The biological data are evaluated using a RBP and Index of Biotic Integrity-based approach for macroinvertebrates and fish, respectively. Despite the large number of sites sampled, assessment information for Idaho rivers and streams is not available. However, the DEQ emphasizes the use of biological integrity measurements for aquatic life use assessment. Northwest Biological Assessment Workgroup 1.