28 pound Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (1976 photo)
Cui-ui (About Us
Point and non-point sources of pollution are issues that the PLPT (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) face every day. Tertiary treated effluent from the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility, urban storm runoff, agricultural return flows, septic tanks, mining activities (present and historic) all have impacted surface waters on the lower Truckee River and Pyramid Lake. Upstream diversions altering flow compounded by water pollution and subsequent low flows have affected the recovery efforts of two Pyramid Lake fish species important to the Tribe's culture and traditional way of life. The Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi) and Cui-ui (Chasmistes cujus) are listed as threatened and endangered, respectively, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Establishing Water Quality Standards and long term Physical Habitat/Bioassessment and WQ monitoring will help assure that Tribal surface waters are protected from further negative impact.
The PLPT's water quality monitoring program initially began in 1981, conducted within the Resource Dept of the Pyramid Lake Fisheries (PLF). The program expanded in 1999 to include streams and 5 sites along the lower Truckee River conducted by the Environmental Dept. staff. Water samples are collected and analyzed for dissolved reactive phosphorus, total phosphorus, Nitrates + Nitrites, and Total Ammonia using protocols outlined in the Tribe's QA Project Plan. A new water quality laboratory was completed in the spring of 2002 to facilitate testing and analysis of all samples gathered within the exterior boundaries of the Pyramid Lake Indian reservation.
The long-term goals of the Pyramid Lake Paiute people are for the restoration of the river habitat to support the fisheries and maintain healthy populations on all trophic levels. Restoration of the fisheries means restoration of the key cultural resource that the Cui-ui Eaters (Kooyooe Takadu) use to identify themselves, now, historically, and forever.
Water Quality Standards
On January 30, 2007, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe received Treatment As State Status pursuant to Sections 303 & 401 of the Federal Clean Water Act by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for Program Authority to conduct Water Quality Standards (WQS) and 401 Certification within the exterior boundaries of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Reservation (PLIR).
On May 24, 2001, the PLPT adopted a Water Quality Control Plan (WQCP). The WQCP addresses issues such as beneficial uses, antidegradation, water quality criteria, scientific justification, and implementation plans in accordance with the Tribe’s Water Quality Ordinance. For the purposes of water pollution control, the PLPT maintains jurisdiction over all waters that flow into and exists within the PLIR.
The WQCP was initially submitted to USEPA on July 18, 2001 for review. Comments and recommendations on the WQCP were received from USEPA from March 2005 to 2007. With the help of qualified consultants, revisions to the 2001 WQCP was prepared.
The final version of the Tribe’s WQCP was approved by the Tribal Council on September 19, 2008, then submitted to Wayne Nastri, Regional Administrator EPA Region IX on October 3, 2008 for approval. The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe received final approval on the WQCP on December 19, 2008. The Water Quality Control Plan includes narrative and numeric WQS for Pyramid Lake, the lower Truckee River, and all surface waters within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Reservation.
The PLPT would like to thank all of those who were involved in the development of the WQCP, and the public who provided comments during the 'public comment' periods. The Tribe believes that this WQCP will serve to protect, preserve and enhance the Biological, Chemical, and Physical integrity of surface waters within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Reservation for many generations to come.