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Enhancing Water Quality: Clean Waters Project Implementation

This project aims to improve water quality in impaired bodies to meet fishable and swimmable standards by 2012. Its causes include pollutants like mercury, copper, and bacteria. The strategy involves partnerships, technology, and education to address impairment sources effectively. Through an integrated monitoring network, compliance strategies, and local relationships, the project aims for success.

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Enhancing Water Quality: Clean Waters Project Implementation

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  1. The Clean Waters Project Meeting the Governor’s Goals

  2. Goal Statement • By 2012, improve status of 25% of 310 impaired water bodies to attainment of “fishable” designated use • By 2012, improve the status of 25% of 111 impaired water bodies to attainment of “swimmable” designated use

  3. Causes of Impairment • Fish and Wildlife Propagation • Low Dissolved Oxygen/Nutrients • Sediment/Turbidity • Mercury (100), copper (1) • Elevated Chlorides, Sulfates • Pesticides/Herbicides • Primary Contact • Fecal Coliform Bacteria

  4. Plan Objectives • To use existing Department organization to create procedures that will not increase resource needs, but instead focus existing resources toward the common goals • Impairment resolution may require partnerships with involved parties, and there are many • Development of “tools” to address impairment sources: technology, economic development, education

  5. The Yardstick • Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network • Ambient Water Quality Criteria, Uses, and Standards

  6. Approach • Discovery • Systematic sampling within tributaries to locate sources • Exhaustive inventory of P/NP sources • Mitigation • Apply source control strategies when found (Tools in the Tool Box) • Standards Adjustment • Apply Use Attainability Analyses when pollution sources are not present

  7. Integrated Monitoring • Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network for 305b/303d purposes • Fixed station, deterministic, 4 year rotation • Compliance Monitoring Strategy • LDEQ since 2001 • Draft National CMS for NPDES purposes • Making the two work together • Priority watersheds = impaired watersheds • Priority facilities = facilities in impaired watersheds discharging pollutants that contribute to impairment • Allow resource allocation for permit evaders

  8. Compliance Monitoring Strategy • Draft National CMS emphasizes sector specific inspections (bean count), ignores: • Watershed based approach • Permit evaders • State Program Inspection capacity • Desirable state approach applies percentage of inspection capacity to core sectors, with remainder going to support watershed investigations

  9. Keys to Success • Vigilant AWQMN program • Additional sampling for micro-watershed assessments and impairment source discovery • Exhaustive discharger inventory • EPA6 “Stuck Issues” resolution • Regulation/procedural improvements with external agencies • Development of local relationships to promote local programs

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