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The Clean Waters Project. Meeting the Governor’s Goals. Goal Statement. By 2012, improve status of 25% of 310 impaired water bodies to attainment of “fishable” designated use By 2012, improve the status of 25% of 111 impaired water bodies to attainment of “swimmable” designated use.
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The Clean Waters Project Meeting the Governor’s Goals
Goal Statement • By 2012, improve status of 25% of 310 impaired water bodies to attainment of “fishable” designated use • By 2012, improve the status of 25% of 111 impaired water bodies to attainment of “swimmable” designated use
Causes of Impairment • Fish and Wildlife Propagation • Low Dissolved Oxygen/Nutrients • Sediment/Turbidity • Mercury (100), copper (1) • Elevated Chlorides, Sulfates • Pesticides/Herbicides • Primary Contact • Fecal Coliform Bacteria
Plan Objectives • To use existing Department organization to create procedures that will not increase resource needs, but instead focus existing resources toward the common goals • Impairment resolution may require partnerships with involved parties, and there are many • Development of “tools” to address impairment sources: technology, economic development, education
The Yardstick • Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network • Ambient Water Quality Criteria, Uses, and Standards
Approach • Discovery • Systematic sampling within tributaries to locate sources • Exhaustive inventory of P/NP sources • Mitigation • Apply source control strategies when found (Tools in the Tool Box) • Standards Adjustment • Apply Use Attainability Analyses when pollution sources are not present
Integrated Monitoring • Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network for 305b/303d purposes • Fixed station, deterministic, 4 year rotation • Compliance Monitoring Strategy • LDEQ since 2001 • Draft National CMS for NPDES purposes • Making the two work together • Priority watersheds = impaired watersheds • Priority facilities = facilities in impaired watersheds discharging pollutants that contribute to impairment • Allow resource allocation for permit evaders
Compliance Monitoring Strategy • Draft National CMS emphasizes sector specific inspections (bean count), ignores: • Watershed based approach • Permit evaders • State Program Inspection capacity • Desirable state approach applies percentage of inspection capacity to core sectors, with remainder going to support watershed investigations
Keys to Success • Vigilant AWQMN program • Additional sampling for micro-watershed assessments and impairment source discovery • Exhaustive discharger inventory • EPA6 “Stuck Issues” resolution • Regulation/procedural improvements with external agencies • Development of local relationships to promote local programs