Water Quality Monitoring
The Water Quality Control Program (WQCP) monitors the ambient water and groundwater on the Bishop Paiute Reservation as per the EPA Clean Water Act Section 106. The WQCP does not monitor drinking water on the Reservation; please refer to the Tribe’s Public Works Department for information on drinking water.
Weekly Water Quality Data
During the irrigation season (April 1st - October 31st), the WQCP collects weekly surface water samples at various sites to determine the coliform bacterial levels. A geometric mean value is calculated for each site from the analyzed E. coli data and compared to the Tribe's adopted E. coli criteria (125 MPN). During the non-irrigation season (November 1st-March 31st), the WQCP collects samples on a monthly monitoring schedule, resulting in discrete values of E. coli data. Below are graphs of the most recent E. coli data.
Bacteria Levels
Discharge data of Bishop Creek is recorded at Southern California Edison’s Plant 6 and the data is available on Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s L.A. Aqueduct Northern District Daily Report. Below is a summary graph of Bishop Creek’s discharge from 2017-2025.
Discharge Data
The Water Quality Control Program (WQCP) actively monitors the surface waters of Bishop Creek and Irrigation Ditches located within the Bishop Paiute Reservation. In addition to these areas, there are several other investigative sites scattered throughout the Reservation that undergo testing on a regular basis, ranging from weekly to monthly intervals. The surface water monitoring program includes the systematic collection of a variety of data types, such as stage measurements, physical and chemical parameters, bacteriological analyses, as well as benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) samples to provide comprehensive water quality assessments.
The WQCP operates four water quality monitoring stations that are programmed to continuously collect a range of physical parameters. In addition to this continuous monitoring, the WQCP also gathers physical parameter data during each scheduled sampling event. The specific parameters that the WQCP measures include temperature, specific conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity, ensuring comprehensive monitoring of water quality conditions.
Surface Waters
Staff monitor groundwater levels regularly within the Bishop Paiute Reservation.
For more information about our water quality monitoring efforts, please contact the Water Quality Program Coordinator.