Approaches to Addressing Bacteria Impairments

1. Approaches to Addressing Bacteria Impairments Kevin Wagner Texas Water Resources Institute

2. Watershed Action Planning • “A process for coordinating, documenting, and tracking strategies and activities to protect and improve water quality.” • Simplify coordination regarding water quality planning activities • Seeks greater local participation from stakeholders • Process to determine which approach is best given available data and stakeholder input

3. Alternatives to Addressing Bacteria Impairments • Water Quality Standards Review • Use Attainability Analysis (UAA) and Recreational Use Attainability Analysis (RUAA) • Planning • Total Maximum Daily Loads • And Implementation Plan • Watershed Protection Plan

4. Water Quality Standards Review • UAAs are assessments of the physical, chemical, biological, and economic factors affecting attainment of a waterbody use. • UAAs are used to identify and assign attainable uses and criteria to individual waterbodies. • Applicable uses and associated criteria are defined in the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards • So, UAAs are used to set the most appropriate water quality standard for each particular waterbody taking into account it’s unique characteristics Slide borrowed from Water Monitoring Solutions

5. Bacteria Criteria • Water quality standards create a tiered set of criteria for the 4 categories • PCR = 126 • SCR1 = 630 • SCR2 = 1,030 • NCR = 2,060 • To put these proposed water quality standards in place, a RUAA must be performed to determine what level of recreation is actually occurring Slide borrowed from Water Monitoring Solutions

6. Recreational Use Attainability Analysis • Sampling Conditions: Conducted during normal warm season (March-October) during baseflowconditions. • Site Reconnaissance and Selection: Locate areas where the waterbodyis accessible to the public and have highest potential for recreational use. • Describe hydrologic characteristics, such as stream type, stream flow, hydrologic alterations, etc. • Choose 3 sites per every 5 miles of stream. Slide borrowed from Water Monitoring Solutions

7. Recreational Use Attainability Analysis • Stream Surveys: Measure the width, depth, and flow of stream to assess if recreation can physically take place • Photographic Record: A photographic record must be made of each site during the site survey. Photographs should include an upstream view, left and right bank views, downstream view, any evidence of observed uses or indications of human use, hydrologic modifications, etc. • Assess the condition of the riparian area and ease of bank access to the stream Slide borrowed from Water Monitoring Solutions

8. Recreational Use Attainability Analysis • Historical Information: A historical review of recreational uses of the water body back to November 28, 1975 should be conducted. • Interviews: Interviews from users present during the field survey, streamside landowners and local residents should be conducted in order to obtain information on existing and historical uses Slide borrowed from Water Monitoring Solutions

9. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

10. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) • A budget for pollution in the stream • Defines the maximum amount (or load) of a pollutant that a waterbody can assimilate on a daily basis and still meet water quality standards • Allocates pollutant loads between point and non-point sources • Requires adoption by TCEQ and must be approved by USEPA Slide borrowed from TSSWCB

11. TMDL Allocations TMDL = WLA + LA + MOS • WLA = Waste load Allocation = regulated sources • LA = Load Allocation = Non-regulated sources • MOS = Margin of Safety • Implementation Plan • Developed by local stakeholders • Typically a 3-5 year plan of activities • Revised periodically to evaluate the process of improving water quality and revised as necessary Slide borrowed from TCEQ

12. TMDL: Wastewater Treatment Facilities • Permit limits for E. coli concentration • Monitoring requirements for E. coli • Facilities in TMDL watersheds will receive E. coli concentration limits • Other stakeholder initiated requirements may be in Implementation plan. Slide borrowed from TCEQ

13. TMDL: Urban and Suburban Storm Water (TPDES MS4 Permits) • TPDES Storm water permits must be consistent with TMDL and Implementation Plan • USEPA does not require numeric limits in MS4 permits • Storm water quality improvement strategies will be identified in the Implementation Plan • Strategies will be set by stakeholders Slide borrowed from TCEQ

14. TMDL: Non-Regulated Sources • Involved in Implementation process • Requirements will be set by stakeholders

15. TMDL Implementation Plans • Based on environmental target of TMDL, the I-Plan is developed • Prescribes measures necessary to mitigate human-caused sources of that pollutant in that waterbody • Specifies limits for point source dischargers & recommends best management practices for nonpoint sources • Can be revised by stakeholders to incorporate adaptive management • Only requires State approval

16. Watershed Protection Plans (WPPs) Slide borrowed from TSSWCB

17. Watershed Protection Plans: • WPPs are mechanisms for voluntarily addressing complex water quality problems that cross multiple jurisdictions • WPPs holistically address all of the sources and causes of impairments and threats to both surface and ground water resources within a watershed • WPPs are coordinated frameworks for implementing prioritized and integrated protection and restoration strategies driven by environmental objectives Slide borrowed from TSSWCB

18. WPPs • WPPs are tools to better leverage the resources of individual landowners and citizens, local governments, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations • WPPs are developed and implemented through diverse, well integrated partnerships with decision-making founded at the local level • WPPs also use adaptive management to modify the plan based on stakeholder input Slide borrowed from TSSWCB

20. 9 Key Elements of a WPP a) Identification of the causes and sources of water quality problems • Estimate of the load reductions expected to be achieved • Description of management measures that will need to be implemented • Estimate of technical and financial assistance needed to implement the plan • Information/education component that will be used to enhance public understanding of the plan • Schedule for implementing management measures • Interim, measurable milestones for determining whether management measures are being implemented • Set of criteria used to determine whether load reductions are being achieved • Water quality monitoring component to evaluate effectiveness of implementation Slide borrowed from TSSWCB

21. Merits of WPPs • Holistic –protection & restoration • Coordinated framework of strategies • Partnerships • Stakeholder driven = decision-making • Leverage resources • Voluntary approach • Adaptive Management Slide borrowed from TSSWCB

22. Merits of TMDL and I-Plans • Results in automatic removal from 303(d) list • TMDL approved by State & EPA • I-Plan only approved by State • I-Plan developed in cooperation with regional and local stakeholders (further builds partnerships) • Voluntary for non-point sources • Leverage resources • Adaptive management

23. WPP and TMDLs • Side by Side Comparison of Watershed Protection Plans and Total Maximum Daily Loads Image from Google

24. Watershed Plan Components Build partnerships Characterize the watershed Id waterbody, impairments, study boundaries Gather and analyze data Id causes and sources Estimate loads Slide borrowed from USEPA TMDL Components Provide opportunity for public involvement Identify the problem Id waterbody, impairments, study boundaries Gather and analyze data Id causes and sources (ie., WLA and LA) Estimate loads Comparison of Watershed Plans and TMDL Components

25. Watershed Plan Components Sets goals and Id solutions Develop indicators/targets Determine load reductions Id critical areas Develop management measures to achieve goals Slide borrowed from USEPA TMDL Components Identify water quality targets and goals and allocate loads 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

26. 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 I-Plan 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 Slide borrowed from USEPA Comparison of Watershed Plans and TMDL Components continued

27. Conclusion • Both TMDLs and WPPs try to reduce pollution and restore water quality • Both use scientific tools in development • Both provide estimates for pollutant loadings • Both empower local stakeholders to have input into the plan • Both are developed with cooperation with regional and local stakeholders

28. Questions? Kevin Wagner Texas Water Resources Institute klwagner@ag.tamu.edu 979-845-2649 Allen Berthold Texas Water Resources Institute taberthold@ag.tamu.edu 361-318-8780