The City of Boise understood that phosphorus levels in the Snake River was an issue that must be addressed. The problem was that there was nothing the City could readily do about it. The science was apparently (and incredibly) undisputed. Even if the City upgraded its wastewater treatment facilities and reduced its phosphorus load to the Boise River, it would have little effect on phosphorus loads entering the Snake River. It became clear that the stakeholders would need to think outside the traditional Clean Water Act box in coming up with solutions to this problem. This article discusses the City of Boise’s Dixie Drain Phosphorus Removal Project (Project), the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process, and the process for obtaining the water right (permit) needed to operate the Project.  Read more here.