IDEM TMDL 101 Everything you wanted to know about Total Maximum Daily Loads
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Transcript of IDEM TMDL 101 Everything you wanted to know about Total Maximum Daily Loads
IDEM TMDL 101
Everything you wanted to know about Total Maximum Daily Loads
Presentation Overview
• The Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL)
• The TMDL Development Process
• The TMDL Document
Presentation Overview
• The Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL)
• The TMDL Development Process
• The TMDL Document
What Is a Total Maximum Daily Load?
• Identifying the pollutant
• Determining the current level of the pollutant
• Calculating the amount of the pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards
• A report of pollutant sources, needed reductions, and actions necessary to improve water quality
• A tool to guide watershed planning
History of Indiana TMDL Program
• 2001 IDEM submits first TMDL • 2005 IDEM meets submission goals from U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (U.S. EPA) • 2006 IDEM develops and submits TMDLS
– IDEM developed first state-led multistate TMDL
• 2012– U.S. EPA submission goals have been continuously met since 2005– IDEM has developed a TMDL template designed to meet the nine elements of a
Watershed Management Plan (WMP)– IDEM has 1,055 approved TMDLs
What Is a Watershed?
The Definition of a TMDL
• The sum of allowable loads from point sources, waste load allocations (WLA) and nonpoint sources, load allocations (LA) plus a margin of safety (MOS)
What Does a Total Maximum Daily Load Provide?
• Information- A description of the watershed and the water quality data on the impairment
• Sources- Overview of the potential sources of the pollutant• Loads- The amount of the pollutant of concern that a
waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards or targets that apply to the watershed
• Reductions- A list of the pollutant load reductions necessary to meet the water quality standards or targets that apply to the watershed
• Implementation- A tool to guide watershed planning and restoration activities
TMDL Development Selection Process• Water Quality Reports
• 305(b) - Assess water quality and report to U.S. EPA, Congress• 303(d) - Compile list of impaired waters • Product - Indiana Integrated Water Monitoring and Assessment Report
• 303(d) list• Start with 1998 and use subsequent lists to complete watershed
assessment
• New process• Watershed group request• Special projects
Allocations
• Waste load Allocation (WLA)– WLAs are the contributions from point sources– Point sources are much easier to identify since they
have a discharge point or direct outlet to the stream– Point sources have some type of monitoring or
information and are therefore easier to assign loadings
Allocations• Load Allocation (LA)
– LAs are the pollutant contributions from nonpoint sources, which are not directly regulated
– "Diffuse" pollution, generated from large areas with no particular point of pollutant origin, but rather from many individual places
– Pollution that cannot be traced to a regulated direct outlet or discharge point
Allocations
• Margin of Safety (MOS)– MOS may be either implicit or explicit– Implicit
• Incorporated into the TMDL through conservative assumptions in the analysis
– Explicit• Expressed in the TMDL as loadings set aside for the
MOS
Presentation Overview
• The Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL)
• The TMDL Development Process
• The TMDL Document
What Is the TMDL Process?• Review 303(d) list and sampling data • Conduct additional monitoring • Reassess waterbodies• Gather information and produce draft TMDL report• Draft TMDL stakeholder meeting• 30-day comment period• Revise draft TMDL and respond to comments on draft final
TMDL• Submit TMDL to U.S. EPA and receive final TMDL approval
What Are Impaired Waters?• Waterbodies sampled for water quality, assessed by
IDEM and listed on the 303(d) List of Impaired Waters
• Waterbodies where a “use” is adversely affected– Fishable, Swimmable, Drinkable
• Waterbodies then sampled for TMDL magnitude and extent of impairment
• Streams are then reassessed
Indiana’s Most Common Water Quality Impairments
• Problems:– E. coli– Impaired Biotic Communities– Statewide fish consumption advisory
• Mercury• PCB
Internal Data Gathering• ArcGIS map of area• 303(d) listing
information• Assessment database• Land use
• Confined Feeding Operations
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
• NPDES permits• NPDES violations• Enforcement cases
External Data Gathering• Stakeholders
• Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• Health Departments
• Federal and State Government Agencies
• Watershed Groups
• Purdue Extension Offices
• Universities
Presentation Overview
• The Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL)
• The TMDL Development Process
• The TMDL Document
The TMDL Document
• Overview of watershed condition• Identification of sources• Discussion of analytical process• Load reductions needed• Current and past water quality improvement
efforts• Recommended actions
What Does a Total Maximum Daily Load Provide?
• Information- A description of the watershed and the water quality data on the impairment
• Sources- Overview of the potential sources of the pollutant• Loads- The amount of the pollutant of concern that a waterbody can
receive and still meet water quality standards or targets that apply to the watershed
• Reductions- A list of the pollutant load reductions necessary to meet the water quality standards or targets that apply to the watershed
• Implementation- A tool to guide watershed planning and restoration activities
TMDL Goals• IDEM is committed to a stakeholder-driven
process
– Collecting information from local stakeholders
– Providing staff to communicate with stakeholders and share information
– Watershed specialists assist with watershed management plan (WMP) development
Putting it All Together
Locally Led Work to Improve Water
Quality
Nonpoint Source Grants
Program
Total Maximum
Daily Loads
(TMDL)
Watershed Specialists
303(d) List and 305(b) Report
Questions?
Staci GoodwinSenior TMDL Project ManagerOffice of Water QualityIndiana Department of Environmental Management100 North Senate AvenueIndianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: (317) 308-3387Fax: (317) 308-3219E-mail: [email protected]