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State Water Quality Assessments

Under the Clean Water ActCharles Spooner

Assessment and Watershed Protection Division

Monitoring Branch

Nat

iona

l Wat

er Q

ualit

y M

onito

ring

Coun

cil

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303(d) Listing & TMDLs

• Objectives:– Present a brief overview of assessment

methodologies under Sections 303(d) and 305(b) of the CWA Discuss process of identifying impaired waters

– Describe State reporting & submission options

Mod

ule

Obje

ctiv

es

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Adopt Water Quality Standards

Monitor and Assess Waters

List Impaired & Threatened Waters

Develop TMDLs(TMDL=WLA+LA+MOS)

Control Point SourcesVia NPDES Permits

Manage Nonpoint SourcesThrough Grants, Partnerships,

and Voluntary Programs

Trading

CWA

Fram

ewor

k

303(d) Program40 CFR 130.7

Defines the water quality goal

Compile data/information and assess waterbody condition

Implementation

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WATER QUALITY STANDARDS….what we’re aiming for

DevelopTMDLs

ImplementTMDLs

MonitorResults

Monitoringand

Assessment

WQS

WritePermits

Report Water

Quality & Identify

ImpairedWaters

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Regulations (40 CFR 130.7)Each State shall identify those water quality-limited segments still requiring TMDLs within its boundaries for which:

– Technology based effluent limitations– More stringent effluent limitations– Other pollution control requirements

Are not stringent enough to implement any water quality standards applicable to such watersRe

gula

tory

Req

uire

men

ts

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Regulations (40 CFR 130.7)For waters identified in the 303(d) list:

– “TMDLs shall be established for all pollutants preventing or expected to prevent attainment of water quality standards…”

– “TMDLs shall be established at levels necessary to attain and maintain the applicable narrative and numerical WQS…”

Regu

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Pollutant“Means dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, (some) radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water.”

(CWA Sec. 502(6))

Regu

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State Options for Reporting WQ Status

Separate 305(b) & 303(d) Integrated ReportA State’s Section 303(d) list is comprised of waters impaired or threatened by a pollutant, and needing a TMDL

A single state developed report that integrates the reporting requirements of CWA Sections 303(d), 305(b) and 314

States submit their 303(d) list to EPA for review/approval April 1, every 2 years (2006, 2008, etc).

EPA’s Integrated Report Guidance (IRG) developed for 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 reporting cycles (www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/)

Repo

rting

Minimally Required by Regulations

Recommended Reporting

Format

47 States are using the Integrated Report format

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Five Reporting CategoriesFor Each Assessment Unit

(Segment)Category Description

1 All designated uses (DU) met 2 Some, but not all, DUs met 3 Can not determine if any DUs met 4 Impaired/threatened –TMDL not needed

4a TMDL completed 4b TMDL alternative 4c Non-pollutant causes

5 Impaired/threatened by pollutant –TMDL needed

IRG

Guid

ance

Section 303(d) List

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Segment start

Segment end

Conceptual Example: Multiple Categories

DesignatedUse 1Use 2Use 3

Use not supportedTMDL completedInsufficient information

Category 5Category 4aCategory 3

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National Picture of Assessed and Impaired Waters

• Nationwide, % of waters assessed to see if water quality standards being met (2002 305(b) list): – 19% of rivers/stream miles– 37% Lakes/ponds/reservoirs acres– 35% Estuarine square miles:– 9% Great Lakes shoreline miles

• Assessed waters that are impaired, by waterbody type:– 45% Rivers/streams – 47% Lakes/ponds/reservoirs – 32% Estuaries– 91% Great Lakes shoreline

• Most of these waters will go on the 303(d) list

Listin

g Pr

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Listing of Impaired Waters• Over 38,000 listed segments, with one or more

impairments• Approximately 64,000 waterbody-pollutant

combinations reported – Indication of TMDLs that will need to be completed

• Top 5 causes of impairment (updated October, 2007)– Mercury: 13%– Pathogens: 13%– Sediment : 11 %– Metals (other than Mercury): 10%– Nutrients: 8% – Low dissolved oxygen: 7%

Sum

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atist

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Stat

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TMDLs needed by pollutant type and number of TMDLs that have been

developed

Approx. 64,000 TMDLs needed; over 26,000 developed (10/2007)

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1000

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9000

Mercury Pathogens Sediment Metals (otherthan Hg)

Nutrients OxygenDepletion

Causes of ImpairmentApproved TMDLs

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Listing of Impaired Waters1. States identify waters not meeting WQS based on “all

existing and readily available information”2. States establish priorities for TMDLs on basis of the

use and severity of problem 3. States develop schedule of TMDLs to be developed

within 2 years 4. States provide long term plan – complete TMDLs 8 to

13 years from first listing5. EPA has 30 days to approve or disapprove list submitted

April 1st of each even year– If EPA disapproves State list, EPA has 30 days to

develop list for the State

Listin

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State driven process

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Any Questions?