1 / 29

Water Quality Monitoring, Standards, and Assessments

Water Quality Monitoring, Standards, and Assessments. Southeastern Water Pollution Biologists Association Presented by David Melgaard November 2012. Standards, Monitoring, Assessment, and Listing.

donal
Download Presentation

Water Quality Monitoring, Standards, and Assessments

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Water Quality Monitoring, Standards, and Assessments Southeastern Water Pollution Biologists Association Presented by David Melgaard November 2012

  2. Standards, Monitoring, Assessment, and Listing A.K.A.: Federal: CWA§303 [(a),(b),(c),(d)], CWA§305(b), CWA§106(e), Numerous CFRs; Many State Rules and Regulations; Multiple Guidance documents - both Federal and State

  3. Topic Description • A discussion of the approaches that states are currently considering in assessing impairment for water quality parameters

  4. Water Quality Standards • Most are not developed with specific monitoring requirements included • Exceptions- Bacteriological- Fish consumption- Toxics – “shall not exceed”- State specific requirements (e.g., FL NNC (proposed), others??) • Lack of standards to address flow related issues

  5. Monitoring Strategies

  6. Elements of Monitoring and Assessment Program • Strategy • Objectives • Design • Indicators • QA • Data Management (WQX/STORET, ADB, State systems) • Data Analysis/Assessment • Reporting (IR, State Reports) • Programmatic Evaluation • General Support and Infrastructure Planning • References

  7. Assessment and Listing Methodologies for Waterbody Condition Determination • EPA’s Consolidated and Listing Methodology Guidance, 2002 http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/monitoring/calm.cfm • Each state has an Assessment and Listing Methodology- Must be consistent with state’s WQS • EPA’s Integrated Report Guidancehttp://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/guidance.cfm

  8. Current Status • Great progress has been made in data management • Great progress has been made in developing CALMs that are directly related to WQS • Very few issues with assessment and impairment calls in 303(d) listings/delistings

  9. Issues with Assessment and Listing • Inadequate resources for monitoring • Dealing with small data sets • Lack of data for toxics • Lack of biological data • Flow monitoring resources (USGS, internal) • Insufficient data for determining causes of impairment • Many unassessed waters • Time constraints • Other

  10. Issues with CALMs vs. 303(d) • Small datasets • Uses of the binomial with small datasets • Toxics • Inconsistencies with standards • Interpretation of biological data • Interpretation of narrative criteria • 4b determinations – Reasonable Assurance • Natural condition determinations (4c) • Bacteriological (shellfish vs. recreational) • Other

  11. Current Approaches States are Considering in Assessments • Funding - Reverse recent budget cuts - Seek new sources • Toxics - metals • Emerging contaminants - Pharmaceuticals - Personal care products – soaps, fragrances, cosmetics - Water treatment byproducts e.g., brominated THMs • Third party data - when and how to use - QA/QC

  12. Current Approaches States are Considering in Assessments (continued) • Sedimentation - qualitative vs. quantitative measures • Habitat Alteration – how to measure and document • Natural condition determinations • Periphyton • Fish IBI • Estuary bioassessment • Flow

  13. FLOW

  14. FLOW

  15. Flow Concerns • USGS found that human alteration of waterways has impacted the magnitude of minimum and maximum stream flows in more than 86% of monitored streams nationally.

  16. Flow Concerns • Must balance the needs of water quantity and water quality • Competing interests to use GW and SW for: • Drinking water • Industrial uses – power generation • Municipal needs • Agriculture • Etc.

  17. Flow Concerns (cont.) • Water use conflicts complicated by: • Droughts • Floods • Climate Change • Interbasin Transfers • Water Diversion

  18. The Effect of Groundwater Withdrawals on Surface Water Groundwater discharge to a gaining stream can be affected by a pumping well. A well close to a gaining stream could decrease the amount of groundwater discharging to the stream. Further pumping of the well could cause the gaining stream to become a losing stream. USGS Circular 1139

  19. EPA R4: Addressing Flow Issues Under the CWA • Discussions with State Water Division Directors • Working with EPA HQ, USGS, FWS, and other Regions • Water division Flow Workgroup tasked to look at instream flow issues in all program areas including monitoring and assessment • Encouraging all states to adopt explicit flow WQS(TN,KY, Seminole already have)

  20. Questions, Comments, Discussion

More Related