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Sandra Spence EPA Region 8 TMDL Program

November 19, 2008. DRAFT. Integrating Watershed Plans and TMDLs to Help Answer Watershed Planning Questions. Sandra Spence EPA Region 8 TMDL Program. EPA Contacts for Watershed Planning and TMDL Questions.

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Sandra Spence EPA Region 8 TMDL Program

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  1. November 19, 2008 DRAFT Integrating Watershed Plans and TMDLs to Help Answer Watershed Planning Questions Sandra Spence EPA Region 8 TMDL Program

  2. EPA Contacts for Watershed Planning and TMDL Questions • James Ruppel, TMDL Program Coordinator & Wyoming point of contact – 303-312-6846 • Peter Monahan, Watershed/Nonpoint Source Program Coordinator & Wyoming point of contact – 303-312-6948 • Sandra Spence, TMDL Coordinator for Utah/Colorado – 303-312-6947

  3. Agenda • CWA Overview • What is an impaired water – 303(d) listing • Approaches for de-listing waters • What is a TMDL • What is a Watershed Plan • Steps in the Watershed Planning Process • Relationship between Watershed Plans and TMDLs 3

  4. Components of the Clean Water Act (CWA) • Water Quality Standards • Water Quality Monitoring • Determination of WQS attainment – impaired waters and 303(d) listing • Restoration Planning – Watershed Plans and TMDLs • Restoration - Approaches to restoration and protection under CWA 4

  5. Federal law promulgated in 1972. Applies to surface water – lakes, rivers, streams, coastal areas Uses regulatory and non-regulatory tools to protect and restore the nation’s waters Goals: reduce direct pollutant discharges into waterways, finance municipal wastewater treatment facilities, and manage polluted runoff restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters so that they can support "the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and recreation in and on the water." Clean Water Act (CWA)

  6. Water Quality-Based Approach Establish Water Quality Standards Monitor and Assess waters based on WQ standards Implement water quality controls – point sources and nonpoint sources Identify impaired/threatened waters (303(d) List) Develop Watershed Plans and TMDLs 6

  7. What is An Impaired Water EPA defines an impaired waterbody as one that does not meet water quality criteria that support its designated use. The criteria might be numeric and specify concentration, duration, and recurrence intervals for various parameters, or they might be narrative and describe required conditions such as the absence of scum, sludge, odors, or toxic substances. If the waterbody is impaired it is placed on the section 303(d) list. For each pollutant listed, the state or tribe must develop a restoration target called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).

  8. States Provide a List of Impaired Waters to EPA Every Two Years – 303(d) list 8 Excerpt from Wyoming’s Draft 2008 303(d) list of Waters Requiring TMDLs

  9. What Can Happen to a 303(d) listed Waterbody • The waterbody has a TMDL submitted and approved within 8 to 13 years and is delisted. • The waterbody is restored and meets WQSs and is delisted. • The waterbody is reassessed and is found to be meeting WQSs and is delisted. • WQSs are changed, the waterbody is reassessed and is found to be meeting WQSs and is delisted.

  10. What is a TMDL – Total Maximum Daily Load? A calculation of the amount of a specific pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards.

  11. Basic Provisions for TMDLs • TMDLs are designed to attain and maintain applicable water quality standards • TMDLs apply to all sources • TMDLs apply to all pollutants • TMDLs are pollutant and waterbody specific • A waterbody will often have several TMDLs (one for each pollutant of concern)

  12. TMDL Definition continued Sum of Loads = Assimilative Capacity SWLA + SLA + {MOS} = TMDL Point source loads + nonpoint source loads + MOS = TMDL WLA = wasteload allocation (point source loads) LA = load allocation (nonpoint source and background loads) MOS = margin of safety (explicit or implicit) TMDL = total maximum daily load

  13. I’M FULL! I can’t eat another bite of that pollutant! Wasteload Allocation Components non-stormwater point sources nonpoint source stormwater point source background irrigated ag return flow & ag stormwater groundwater inflow atmospheric deposition diffuse runoff Load Allocation Components 13

  14. National and Regional Perspective Listings • 39,910 impaired/threatened waters nationally in 2006 • 1190 impaired/threatened waters in Region 8 • ~25,000 TMDLs completed nationally, ~2,000 TMDLs completed in Region 8

  15. Comparison of Region 8 States to Major Causes of Impairment Nationally

  16. Major Causes of Impairment in Wyoming

  17. Pollution Controls in the Clean Water Act • Technology based effluent limits – point source permit • Water quality based effluent limits – point source permit • TMDL Waste Load Allocation based effluent limits – point source permit • TMDL Load Allocations – nonpoint sources without permits – voluntary/incentive based approaches

  18. What is a Watershed Plan A watershed plan is a document used to resolve and prevent water quality problems that result from both point source and nonpoint source contributors. These plans are intended both to provide an analytical framework to restore water quality in impaired waters and to protect water quality in other waters adversely affected or threatened by pollutant sources.

  19. Why Watershed Plans Fail to Achieve Desired Goals • Planning activities conducted at too great of a scale. • Plan was a one-time study rather than long-term management process. • Lack of stakeholder involvement and ownership. • Skirting of real land use/management issues. • Plan was too long or complex. • Recommendations were too general. • Failure to identify and address conflicts. Source: Center for Watershed Protection

  20. Steps In Watershed Planning

  21. Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS • ID stakeholders • ID issues of concern • Set preliminary goals • Develop indicators • Conduct outreach 21

  22. Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS • ID stakeholders • ID issues of concern • Set preliminary goals • Develop indicators • Conduct outreach STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED • Gather existing data • Create data inventory • ID data gaps • Collect additional data, if needed • Analyze data • ID causes and sources • Estimate pollutant loads 22

  23. Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS • ID stakeholders • ID issues of concern • Set preliminary goals • Develop indicators • Conduct outreach STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS • Set goals and management objectives • Develop indicators/targets • Determine load reductions needed • ID critical areas • ID management measures needed STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED • Gather existing data • Create data inventory • ID data gaps • Collect additional data, if needed • Analyze data • ID causes and sources • Estimate pollutant loads 23

  24. k Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS • ID stakeholders • ID issues of concern • Set preliminary goals • Develop indicators • Conduct outreach STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM • Develop Implementation schedule • Set Interim milestones • Determine how you will measure success • Develop monitoring component • Develop evaluation process • ID technical and financial assistance needed • Assign responsibility STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS • Set goals and management objectives • Develop indicators/targets • Determine load reductions needed • ID critical areas • ID management measures needed STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED • Gather existing data • Create data inventory • ID data gaps • Collect additional data, if needed • Analyze data • ID causes and sources • Estimate pollutant loads 24

  25. k Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS • ID stakeholders • ID issues of concern • Set preliminary goals • Develop indicators • Conduct outreach STEP 5 IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN • Implement management strategies • Conduct monitoring • Conduct outreach activities STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM • Develop Implementation schedule • Set Interim milestones • Determine how you will measure success • Develop monitoring component • Develop evaluation process • ID technical and financial assistance needed • Assign responsibility STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS • Set goals and management objectives • Develop indicators/targets • Determine load reductions needed • ID critical areas • ID management measures needed STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED • Gather existing data • Create data inventory • ID data gaps • Collect additional data, if needed • Analyze data • ID causes and sources • Estimate pollutant loads 25

  26. k Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS • ID stakeholders • ID issues of concern • Set preliminary goals • Develop indicators • Conduct outreach STEP 6 MEASURE PROGRESS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS • Review and evaluate • Share results • Prepare annual plans • Make adjustments STEP 5 IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN • Implement management strategies • Conduct monitoring • Conduct outreach activities STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM • Develop Implementation schedule • Set Interim milestones • Determine how you will measure success • Develop monitoring component • Develop evaluation process • ID technical and financial assistance needed • Assign responsibility STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS • Set goals and management objectives • Develop indicators/targets • Determine load reductions needed • ID critical areas • ID management measures needed STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED • Gather existing data • Create data inventory • ID data gaps • Collect additional data, if needed • Analyze data • ID causes and sources • Estimate pollutant loads 26

  27. The Nine Elements that Must Be Included in a 319 Watershed Plan • Identify causes & sources of pollution – TMDL feature • Estimate load reductions expected – TMDL feature • Describe mgmt measures & targeted critical areas – TMDL feature • Estimate technical and financial assistance needed • Develop education component • Develop schedule – TMDL option • Describe interim, measurable milestones – TMDL option • Identify indicators to measure progress • Develop a monitoring component – TMDL option

  28. Incorporation of the nine minimum elements

  29. How are TMDLs and Watershed Plans Related?

  30. Minimum Components of TMDL Submitted for EPA Approval • Problem Description – Watershed Plan Feature • Submittal letter • Identification of waterbody, impairments, study boundaries • Identification of applicable water quality standards • Discussion of Water Quality Targets - Watershed Plan Feature • Pollutant Source Analysis - Watershed Plan Feature • TMDL Technical Analysis • Data set description - Watershed Plan Feature • WLAs – point sources • LAs – nonpoint sources • Margin of Safety • Critical conditions and seasonality - Watershed Plan Feature • Daily load expression • Public Participation - Watershed Plan Feature • Monitoring Strategy - Watershed Plan Feature • Restoration Strategy - Watershed Plan Feature

  31. Watershed Plan Components Build partnerships Characterize the watershed Id waterbody, impairments, study boundaries Gather and analyze data Id causes and sources Estimate loads TMDL Components Provide opportunity for public involvement Identify the problem Id waterbody, impairments, study boundaries Present data analysis Id causes and sources Estimate loads Comparison of Watershed Plans and TMDL Components

  32. Watershed Plan Components Sets goals and Id solutions Develop indicators/targets Determine load reductions Id critical areas Develop management measures to achieve goals TMDL Components Identify water quality targets and goals and allocate loads Id applicable WQS/targets Id critical areas and seasonality Describe technical analysis used in load estimation, load reduction, modeling, etc. Allocate acceptable loads between point and nonpoint sources (WLAs, LAs) Provide for a margin of safety (MOS) Comparison of Watershed Plans and TMDL Components continued

  33. Watershed Plan Components Design an implementation program Develop an implementation schedule Develop interim milestones Develop criteria to measure progress Develop monitoring component Develop educational component Id technical /financial assistance Assign responsibility TMDL Components Provide a monitoring and restoration strategy – Optional except for phased-TMDLs WLAs implemented through NPDES permits LAs implemented through voluntary and incentive based programs Monitoring and restoration information encouraged but not required unless the TMDL is phased Comparison of Watershed Plans and TMDL Components continued

  34. Questions? Links to additional resources www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook/

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