Utah Water Quality
description
Transcript of Utah Water Quality
UtahUtahWater QualityWater Quality
Politics & PollutionPolitics & PollutionMay 20, 2010May 20, 2010
Mike AllredMike AllredDEQ Division of Water QualityDEQ Division of Water Quality
Outline for this SessionOutline for this Session
Regulatory Background – Federal & State Statutes
Beneficial Uses, W.Q. Standards,
Monitoring & Assessment
305(b) and 303(d)
Tools for WQ Maintenance & Improvement
(Programs)
Emerging Issues – Endocrine Disruptors, Mercury, etc.
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
•1948 Water Pollution Control Act
• No goals, objectives, limits or guidelines
• States have the primary responsibility to control water pollution
•1950 First municipal wastewater treatment plant constructed
•1953 Utah Water Pollution Control Act - Water Quality Standards and treatment requirements
Utah’s Early Years
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Early Years Cont’d
•1964 Elimination of last community sewer discharge without treatment
•1965 Federal Water Quality Act passed providing grants for municipal wastewater construction
•1965 Major sewered Utah communities achieve secondary treatment
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Clean Water Act (1972)Clean Water Act (1972)
Restore and Maintain the Chemical, Restore and Maintain the Chemical,
Physical, and Biological Integrity of the Physical, and Biological Integrity of the
Nation’s WatersNation’s Waters
Focus was on Focus was on Point SourcePoint Source Discharges Discharges
Fishable Swimmable Waters by 1983Fishable Swimmable Waters by 1983
Administered by EPAAdministered by EPA
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Clean Water Act cont’d.Clean Water Act cont’d.
Amended in 1987 to add Nonpoint Source Amended in 1987 to add Nonpoint Source ComponentComponent– Nonpoint SourceNonpoint Source - runoff from agriculture, forestry, - runoff from agriculture, forestry,
mining, urban stormwater etc.mining, urban stormwater etc. Delegated to the States for implementation at the Delegated to the States for implementation at the
state levelstate level
Utah Environmental Quality CodeUtah Environmental Quality Code
– Chapter 5 Water Quality Act (UAC 19-5)Chapter 5 Water Quality Act (UAC 19-5)
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Utah Water Quality Act (1953)Utah Water Quality Act (1953)
Established the Utah Water Quality Board Surface water and ground water pollution control Classify waters according to beneficial uses Establish WQ standards to protect waters Enforcement and penalty authority Establish plans to improve water quality Approve the construction of pollution control
projects
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Beneficial Use DesignationsBeneficial Use Designations(Classifications)(Classifications)
Class 1C - Drinking WaterClass 1C - Drinking Water Class 2A, 2B - Recreation ( e.g. swimming, Class 2A, 2B - Recreation ( e.g. swimming,
boating etc.)boating etc.) Class 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D - Wildlife UsesClass 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D - Wildlife Uses Class 4 - Agricultural UsesClass 4 - Agricultural Uses
ExampleExample: Weber River - : Weber River - 1C, 2B, 3A & 41C, 2B, 3A & 4
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Water Quality StandardsWater Quality Standards
Water Quality StandardWater Quality Standard - the - the
maximum amount of pollutant a maximum amount of pollutant a
waterbody can carry and still maintain waterbody can carry and still maintain
its its beneficial usesbeneficial uses..
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Narrative StandardsNarrative Standards(R317-2-7)(R317-2-7)
Unlawful to discharge or place waste that:Unlawful to discharge or place waste that:– Offensive, unnatural deposits Offensive, unnatural deposits
– Floating debris, oil, scum Floating debris, oil, scum
– Other nuisances – color, odor, taste, etc.Other nuisances – color, odor, taste, etc.
– Undesirable physiological responses in fish or Undesirable physiological responses in fish or aquatic life, or human health effectsaquatic life, or human health effects
Regulatory BackgroundRegulatory Background
Numeric Criteria for Class 1CNumeric Criteria for Class 1C
List of 24 Numeric Criteria; List of 24 Numeric Criteria; Examples include:Examples include:
– Arsenic .01 mg/lArsenic .01 mg/l– Cadmium .01 mg/lCadmium .01 mg/l– Lead .015 mg/lLead .015 mg/l– Nitrate 10 mg/l (as N)Nitrate 10 mg/l (as N)– Radium 226 & 228 5 pCi/lRadium 226 & 228 5 pCi/l– 2, 4-D 70 ug/l2, 4-D 70 ug/l– E. Coli 206 (#/100ml)E. Coli 206 (#/100ml)
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
WQ Monitoring & AssessmentWQ Monitoring & Assessment
305(b) Report305(b) Report– Submitted to EPA / Congress every other yearSubmitted to EPA / Congress every other year– Assessment of water quality in Utah’s streams Assessment of water quality in Utah’s streams
and lakesand lakes
303(d) Impaired Waters303(d) Impaired Waters– Waters that are not meeting WQ standards for Waters that are not meeting WQ standards for
their beneficial use classificationstheir beneficial use classifications
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
chemical
physical
biological
Ecological Integrity
The Challenge…• Protect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of ALL Utah’s waters.
• Monitoring to support all programs aimed at meeting these goals.
GSL Desert and
Columbia River
Jordan River and
Utah Lake
Colorado River West
Uinta Basin
Colorado River Southeast
Cedar / Beaver
Weber River
Bear River
Lower Colorado River
Sevier River
Bear RiverWeber RiverUinta BasinJordan River / Utah LakeGSL Desert / ColumbiaSevier RiverCedar / BeaverColorado River WestLower Colorado RiverColorado River Southeast
25 0 25 50 75 Miles
UTAH
N
mgmt_unit.apr
Watershed Management Units
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
Water chemistry: the traditional backbone of UT-DWQ WQ programs
Data Collected at Each Site:
Stream Discharge
Field parameters: temp., conductance, DO, pH
Chemistry:Nutrients- total and dissolved
Metals- major salts always, heavy metals quarterly
Chemistry- TDS, TSS
Others- Dependent on permit requirements of specific WQ concerns
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
Moniitoring logistics?
8 full-time staff who collect data year round
Water chemistry samples, typical year:
~299 sites (10 to 12 visits per year)~3,400 site visits~9,775 samples = 6800 liters of water
We also get about 33% more data in cooperation with other state and federal agencies.
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
Clean (we hope) Lake Monitoring
Priority lakes were identified based on importance and susceptibility to human-caused disturbance.
~60 lakes/reservoirs are sampled each year, with a rotation every other year.
≥1 site per lake, plus all inflows.
Samples are collected during peak growing season (July & August); unless identified as impaired and sampled 4X per year.
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
Clean Lake Monitoring
Samples are collected at numerous depths and data are used to determine trophic status or violations of standards.
Standard Lake parameters -Lake DO/temperature profiles
-Algae composition
-Secchi Disc
-Water Chemistry: nutrients, TDS, TSS, and metals
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
Measures of biological condition Measures of biological condition are useful because they:are useful because they:
o directly measure beneficial uses,directly measure beneficial uses,
o can simultaneously measure the can simultaneously measure the effects of multiple pollutants,effects of multiple pollutants,
o provide a continuous record of provide a continuous record of degradation,degradation,
o are cost effective,are cost effective,
o are of direct interest to the are of direct interest to the public,andpublic,and
o measure the effects of both measure the effects of both point- and nonpoint-source point- and nonpoint-source pollutants.pollutants.
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
UCASE (Utah’s Comprehensive Assessment of Stream Ecosystems): Biological, Chemical, and Physical
Habitat Monitoring- Biological data include diatoms,
macroinvertebrates, and fish.
- Physical habitat data collected following EPA’s EMAP protocols.
- Current budget is for about 75 sites/year.
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
NS28%
FS72%
Total assessed = 10,442 miles
Stream Water Quality Status2008
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
FS67%
PS32%
NS1%
Water Quality Status 2008
132 Lakes and Reservoirs
Monitoring & AssessmentMonitoring & Assessment
Historical Stream Water Historical Stream Water Quality AssessmentQuality Assessment
0
20
40
60
80
Per
cen
t
1985 1994 1998 2002 2006
FS
PS
NS
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
CWA ProgramsCWA ProgramsTools to Achieve & Maintain Water Tools to Achieve & Maintain Water
QualityQuality
Construction AssistanceConstruction Assistance Surface and Groundwater Discharge Surface and Groundwater Discharge
PermitsPermits Non-point Source ProgramNon-point Source Program TMDL TMDL
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
Construction AssistanceConstruction Assistance
SRF – State Revolving FundSRF – State Revolving Fund– Low interest loans to public treatment facilitiesLow interest loans to public treatment facilities
Community Loans & Grants for wastewater Community Loans & Grants for wastewater systemssystems
Non-point source loans & grants for water Non-point source loans & grants for water quality improvement projectsquality improvement projects
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
UPDES – Utah Pollution Discharge UPDES – Utah Pollution Discharge & Elimination System& Elimination System
Surface Water Discharge ProgramSurface Water Discharge Program– Discharge PermitsDischarge Permits– Bio-solidsBio-solids– Storm WaterStorm Water– CAFO/AFOCAFO/AFO– SSO’sSSO’s– Pre-Treatment & Local LimitsPre-Treatment & Local Limits
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
UPDES PermitsUPDES Permits
Industry18%
Coal4%
Const. Dewater10%
Fish Hatcheries4%
CAFO17%
GW Dewater2%
Municipality22%
Biosolids10%
Drinking Water13%
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
Storm Water
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
Stormwater Permits (3,500+)
Construction86%
Industrial12%
Municipalities2%
Concentrated Animal Feeding OperatonsConcentrated Animal Feeding OperatonsCAFOCAFO
Ritewood Egg Pond FailureRitewood Egg Pond Failure
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
Total Maximum Daily LoadTotal Maximum Daily Load
The sum of the The sum of the nonpoint sourcesnonpoint sources, (including , (including
natural background concentrations), natural background concentrations), point point
sourcessources, and a , and a margin of safetymargin of safety, so as to , so as to
attain or maintain the attain or maintain the water quality water quality
standardsstandards of a water body. of a water body.
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
Impaired WatersImpaired Waters
Stream, River, Lake or Reservoir that is not Stream, River, Lake or Reservoir that is not meeting water quality standards.meeting water quality standards.
303(d) List - All waterbodies that are impaired303(d) List - All waterbodies that are impaired
Utah’s 303(d) list on DWQ Website:Utah’s 303(d) list on DWQ Website:
– www.waterquality.utah.govwww.waterquality.utah.gov
Impaired waterbodies Impaired waterbodies requirerequire a TMDL a TMDL
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
2006 TMDL Water Quality Studies
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
BEFORE
Non-Point Source ProgramNon-Point Source Program
Water Quality ToolsWater Quality Tools
AFTER
Non-Point Source ProgramNon-Point Source Program
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Persistent ToxicsPersistent Toxics– MercuryMercury– PCBsPCBs
Pharmaceutical & Personal Care ProductsPharmaceutical & Personal Care Products– Endocrine DisruptorsEndocrine Disruptors
In Stream FlowsIn Stream Flows NutrientsNutrients
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Salt Lake Tribune
Toxic mercury lurking in Great Salt Lake
A poison wind: Toxic mercury blows into Utah from Nevada
Mercury a worry for duck hunters
Government , industry need to do more to resolve mercury issue
Mer
cury
too
high
in U
tah
test
fish
It's raining mercury
Activists say Utah should test its waters
for mercury
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Utah Fish Tissue DataUtah Fish Tissue Data
Total samples (with results) to date – 1,411Total samples (with results) to date – 1,411 Total locations sampled (with results) - 225Total locations sampled (with results) - 225
– 170 Rivers/streams170 Rivers/streams– 55 Lakes/reservoirs55 Lakes/reservoirs
152 Samples above 0.3 mg/kg (11%)152 Samples above 0.3 mg/kg (11%) (DEQ & Wildlife Resources collected approx. 260 fish in (DEQ & Wildlife Resources collected approx. 260 fish in
2007; analysis is ongoing at State Lab)2007; analysis is ongoing at State Lab)
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Joe’s Valley Res.
Gunlock Res.Upper Enterprise Res.
Newcastle Res.
Calf Creek
Mill Creek
Weber River
Green River
Jordanelle Res.
Waterfowl - GSL
Utah Mercury Advisories
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Endocrine Disrupting ChemicalsEndocrine Disrupting Chemicals(EDCs)(EDCs)
Industrial chemicals (PCB, Dioxin, Industrial chemicals (PCB, Dioxin, Pesticides (DDT, organo-chorines, othersPesticides (DDT, organo-chorines, others
Plastics (phthalates, Bisphenol APlastics (phthalates, Bisphenol A Consumer products (lacquers lining cans, Consumer products (lacquers lining cans,
building products, car products, clothing, building products, car products, clothing, children’s products, some medical products, children’s products, some medical products, cosmetics, personal care productscosmetics, personal care products
EPA estimates there are 80,000 chemicals EPA estimates there are 80,000 chemicals that need examination to determine if EDCthat need examination to determine if EDC
Emerging IssuesEmerging Issues
Estrogenicity of Treated Sewage Estrogenicity of Treated Sewage
Over the past 10 years feminization of male fish Over the past 10 years feminization of male fish have been detected in Europe, US, Japan. have been detected in Europe, US, Japan. (1)(1)
Estrogenicity of sewage effluent has been Estrogenicity of sewage effluent has been demonstrated in US, Europe, China, and Korea. demonstrated in US, Europe, China, and Korea. (1)(1)
““The occurrence of feminized fish is associated The occurrence of feminized fish is associated with effluent discharges … the incidence and with effluent discharges … the incidence and severity is positively correlated with the proportion severity is positively correlated with the proportion of treated sewage effluent in receiving waters.” of treated sewage effluent in receiving waters.” (6)(6)
East Canyon Creek August 2003
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
Ind
ivid
ual
sUtah Population Projections
East Canyon Creek Summer 2001
Walking Utah’s Environmental Tightrope
PoliticiansEnvironmental Advocates