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Protecting Georgia’s Waters

Learn about the efforts of Georgia's Watershed Protection Branch in safeguarding the state's waters through regulatory and non-regulatory programs, including monitoring, assessment, planning, and outreach initiatives.

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Protecting Georgia’s Waters

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  1. Protecting Georgia’s Waters Jennifer Welte Program Manager Regulatory Development & Regional Water Planning Georgia EPD – Watershed Protection Branch

  2. Georgia EPD • Watershed Protection Branch • Air Protection Branch • Land Protection Branch • Laboratory Operations • District Offices • 7 locations • Emergency Response

  3. Watershed Protection Branch Regulatory Non-Regulatory Assessment and Planning

  4. Watershed Protection Branch Withdrawal Drinking Water Safe Dams Wastewater E&S Control Stormwater Regulatory Non-Regulatory Assessment and Planning

  5. Watershed Protection Branch Grants Outreach -Adopt-a-Stream -Rivers Alive Withdrawal Drinking Water Safe Dams Wastewater E&S Control Stormwater Regulatory Non-Regulatory Assessment and Planning

  6. Watershed Protection Branch Withdrawal Drinking Water Safe Dams Wastewater E&S Control Stormwater Surface and Groundwater Monitoring 305(b)/303(d) List of Assessed Waters Resource Assessments/Modeling Regional Water Planning Grants Outreach -Adopt-a-Stream -Rivers Alive Regulatory Non-Regulatory Assessment and Planning

  7. Regulatory Programs • Permitting • Withdrawals • Drinking water systems • Safe Dams • Wastewater, 401 WQ Certification • Stormwater & Erosion Control • Compliance • Investigate complaints, inspections, enforcement

  8. Regulatory Highlights • Water withdrawals & Drinking Water • Flint River Drought Protection • Drought Management • Water Use Efficiency • Drinking Water • Total Coliform Rule

  9. Nonpoint Source Program • Stormwater/E&S • Buffers • Grants • Outreach and education – in 2015: • 146 Adopt-a-Stream events • 72 Project WET events • 54 Rivers Alive cleanups • 43 Other education events

  10. Water Quality Standards • Define the use of the waterbody and the criteria necessary to protect the use • All waters are assigned a Designated Use • Fishing / Trout Waters Wild River • Coastal Fishing Scenic River • Drinking Water Recreation • Outstanding National Resource Waters • Criteria are Numeric or Narrative, and protective of the designated use

  11. Triennial Review • 40 CFR 131.20 requires State review and revise water quality standards from time to time, but at least once every three years • Updates may be needed if there is: • Change in water quality conditions • Change in water body uses • New scientific information • EPD holds public meetings to present concepts and seek input

  12. Monitoring • Surface Water Gaging • 325 Stream Gages • Ground Water Well Monitoring • 177 Ground Water Wells • Water Quality Monitoring • 275 Monitoring Sites

  13. Surface Water Gages

  14. Ground Water Wells

  15. Water Quality Monitoring

  16. Assessment • Compare data to the Water Quality Standards • Every 2 years publish Water Quality in Georgia • 305(b)/303(d) list of assessed waters

  17. 2014 305(b)/303(d) List • Data submitted by: • State Agencies (EPD, WRD, CRD) • Federal Agencies (USGS, EPA) • Local Governments (Cobb, Columbus, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Roswell) • Others (Soquee Partnership, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper) • Listing Assessment Methodology • Supporting (Category 1) • Assessment Pending (Categories 2 & 3) • Not Supporting (Categories 4 & 5) • Category 5: 303(d) • TMDLs

  18. 2014 305(b)/303(d) List

  19. 2014 305(b)/303(d) List • Causes of Impairments in “Not Supporting” Waters • Streams: FC – 55%; Bio F - 37%; DO – 12% • Coastal Streams: FC 53%, DO – 26%; FCG – 42% • Lakes – FCG &TWR – 62%; Chlorophyll a – 10% • Sounds/Harbors – DO – 50%; FCG – 50% • Coastal Beaches – Enterococci • Sources of Impairments • Nonpoint Source/Urban Runoff – 98% • Industrial – 4% Municipal – 3%

  20. Modeling Efforts • Modeling Streams, Lakes, Watersheds, and Aquifers throughout the state • Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) • Use models to conduct Resource Assessments and to evaluate current and future demands

  21. Regional Water Planning • Metro Water District • Update of 2009 plans underway • 10 Regional Water Councils • Review and revision of 2011 plans underway • Components • Forecasts of water and wastewater demands • Resource assessments • Management practices

  22. Questions? Jennifer Welte (404) 463-1694 Jennifer.Welte@dnr.ga.gov

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