Wabash River Nutrient and Pathogen TMDL Development Public Comment - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Wabash River Nutrient and Pathogen TMDL Development

July 11, 2006: Huntington, Indiana July 12, 2006: Lafayette, Indiana July 12, 2006: Robinson, Illinois

Public Comment Meetings

Agenda

• Introduction to TMDLs
• Listing Information
• Modeling Results
• TMDL Allocations
• Implementation
• Discussion

Introduction to TMDLs Introduction to TMDLs

What is a TMDL?

• TMDL is “Total Maximum Daily Load”

The amount of a pollutant a waterbody can receive and still achieve Water Quality Standards

• Established under the Clean Water Act
• Goal is restoration of Water Quality (due to

pollutants)

• Intended to address both point and nonpoint

sources

• Flexible
• Developed with local involvement

Water Quality Standards

• Designated Uses
• Numeric Criteria
• Narrative

WQS Drive the TMDL Process

Indiana Water Quality Standards

• E. coli
• April 1st through October 31st, E. coli

shall not exceed 1 2 5 per 1 0 0 m illiliters as a geometric mean based on not less than 5 samples equally spaced over a 30- day period nor exceed 2 3 5 per 1 0 0 m illiliters in any 1 sample in a 30-day period.

Indiana Water Quality Standards

• Nutrients/ Organic Enrichment

Benchmarks

Total phosphorus should not exceed 0.3 mg/ L Nitrate + nitrite should not exceed 10 mg/ L Dissolved oxygen should not be:

below 4.0 mg/ L (ever) consistently higher than 12 mg/ L less than 5.0 mg/ L as a daily average

Indiana Water Quality Standards

• Nutrients/ Organic Enrichment

Benchmarks (continued)

No pH values should be less than 6.0 or greater than 9.0. pH should also not be consistently close to the standard (i.e., 8.7

• r higher)

Algae growth should not be “excessive” based on field observations by trained staff More than one exceedance is necessary to determine impairment

Illinois Water Quality Standards

• Fecal coliform

Based on a minimum of five samples taken

• ver not more than a 30-day period, fecal

coliform bacteria counts shall not exceed a geom etric m ean of 2 0 0 per 1 0 0 m l, nor shall more than 10 percent of the samples during any 30 day period exceed 4 0 0 per 1 0 0 m l Applies during the months of May through October

Fecal Coliform/E. coli Translator

• Need to assume relationship

between fecal coliform and E. coli

Fecal coliform = 200/ 125 = 1.6 X E. coli

• Based on the geometric mean

components of the two state standards

• Both numbers meant to limit

Illnesses to 8 swimmers per 1000

Total Coliform Bacteria Escherichia coli Fecal Coliform Bacteria

THE TMDL PROCESS

Water Quality Standards 303(d) List Water Quality Management Plan Water Quality Controls

• List of impaired

waters in need of TMDLs

• Watershed Characterization
• Water Quality Impairment

Status

• Source Assessment
• Targets
• TMDL
• Allocation
• Margin of Safety
• Monitoring Strategy
• Restoration Strategy
• NPDES Permits
• Voluntary Nonpoint

Source BMPs

• Others

a “TMDL”

• Designated Uses
• Numeric Criteria
• Narrative

The TMDL Process

Listing Information Listing Information

Wabash River 303(d) Listings

• Various segments in Indiana listed as impaired for
• E. coli, nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen, and

impaired biotic communities

• Only one segment in Illinois listed as impaired due

to fecal coliform

• Comprehensive review of the water quality data

Suggested E. coli and fecal coliform impairments fairly common Nutrient impairments primarily upstream

• Holistic approach to TMDL development

Modeling Results Modeling Results

Why Model?

• Clean Water Act requires TMDL to quantify

allowable daily loads

• Relationship between loads and resulting water

quality is also necessary

• Identification of key sources can greatly facilitate

effective implementation planning

• Assess potential restoration scenarios (e.g.,

increased use of nutrient management plans, new wastewater treatment plant permit limits)

Model Selection

• CE-QUAL-RIV1 (or RIV1)

River model developed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• Allowed for a detailed analysis of spatial and

temporal trends within the Wabash River

• Facilitated making allocations to three general

source categories:

1) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) facilities that discharge directly to the Wabash River 2) Subwatersheds draining directly to the Wabash River 3) Significant Wabash River tributaries.

Modeling Process

• Model setup

Develop the model data sets (tributary loadings, weather data, point source loadings, etc.)

• Perform hydrologic and hydraulic calibration and

validation

• Perform water quality calibration and validation
• Evaluate TMDL load reduction scenarios
• Document results

Modeling Results: Hydrology

20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000 Feb-98 Feb-99 Feb-00 Feb-01 Feb-02 Date Flow (cfs) 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Daily Rainfall (in)

Avg Observed Flow (2/1/1998 to 12/31/2002 ) Avg Modeled Flow (Same Period)

Example results: USGS gage 03341500 Wabash River at Terre Haute, Indiana

Modeling Results: Water Quality

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Feb-01 Aug-01 Feb-02 Aug-02 Feb-03 Aug-03 TP (mg/L)

modeled

• bserved

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 Feb-01 Aug-01 Feb-02 Aug-02 Feb-03 Aug-03 Ecoli (MPN/100mL)

modeled

• bserved

Example results: IDEM site WLV030-0003 (CR 700 W, Near Lafayette)

TMDL Scenarios

• Calibrated model provided the basis for

performing the allocation analysis

• First used to project baseline conditions (“worst

currently allowable” scenario)

NPDES facilities simulated as discharging daily at their design flows and at the maximum of their permit limits CSO loads assumed equal to existing flows and concentrations at water quality standards Full implementation of Ohio Wabash River TMDL

Modeling Results: TMDL Scenarios

Wabash River Upstream of Vermilion River

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 Feb-01 May-01 Sep-01 Dec-01 Mar-02 Jun-02 Oct-02 Jan-03 Apr-03

TP(mg/L)

Baseline Conditions Post-TMDL Conditions 1 10 100 1000 10000 Feb-01 May-01 Sep-01 Dec-01 Mar-02 Jun-02 Oct-02 Jan-03 Apr-03

Ecoli(#/100ml)

Baseline Conditions Post-TMDL Conditions Series1

Phosphorus benchmark

• E. coli Standard

Number of days Exceeding Standards Baseline: 72 days/year Post-TMDL 0 days/year Number of days Exceeding Standards Baseline: 50 days/rec season Post-TMDL 0 days/rec season

TMDL Allocations TMDL Allocations

TMDL Allocations

• Clean Water Act requires that TMDL be allocated

as follows:

TMDL = WLA + LA + MOS WLA for “point sources” (regulated under NPDES) LA for nonpoint sources and natural background MOS for Margin of Safety

• Wabash River TMDLs allocated to:

1)Point source facilities that discharge directly to the Wabash River 2)Subwatersheds draining directly to the Wabash River 3)Significant Wabash River tributaries

Wabash River TMDL Allocations

• E. coli and Fecal Coliform

Relatively large load reductions needed for tributaries and subwatersheds draining directly to the Wabash River No load reductions needed for point sources (permit limits already in place for larger facilities)

• Nitrate

Upper Wabash less than benchmark assuming reductions from Ohio TMDL Lower Wabash already less than benchmark

• Phosphorus

Relatively minor reductions needed for tributaries and subwatersheds draining directly to the Wabash River Point sources may be significant source of phosphorus, especially during low flow periods Additional monitoring recommended to confirm this finding

Implementation

• Implementation plans are expected to be developed

and tailored to individual tributary watersheds as needed

• A wide variety of best management practices will be

needed:

Riparian area management Manure collection and storage Nutrient management plans Urban stormwater management practices Septic system management/ education

• Other

Additional sampling of WWTP phosphorus loads CSO allocations will be better refined in each city’s Long-Term Control Plan

Schedule Schedule

Wabash River TMDL Schedule

• Draft TMDL Report: July 5, 2006

http: / / www.in.gov/ idem/ programs/ water/ tmdl/ documents.html http: / / www.epa.state.il.us/ water/ tmdl/ report-status.html

• Public comment meetings: July/ Aug 2006
• Final TMDL Report: September 2006

(Watershed Specialists & 319 Coordinators) Indiana

• Watershed Specialists

Upper Wabash

Tim Kroeker (317) 234-3312

Middle Wabash

Linda Schmidt (317) 234-1432

Lower Wabash

Bonny Elifritz (317) 234-0922

• 319 Coordinators

Upper Wabash

Kathleen Hagan (317) 233-8801

Middle/ Lower Wabash

Pamela Brown (317) 234-3406

(Watershed Specialists & 319 Coordinators) Illinois

• Watershed Specialists

Watershed Liaison with Association of Illinois SWCDs and Illinois EPA- Jim Nelson- (217) 744-3414 Illinois EPA, Southern Illinois Watershed Specialist- Margaret Fertaly (618) 993-7200

• 319 Project Coordinator

Amy Walkenbach- (217) 782-3362

Questions???

Staci Goodwin or Ernest Johnson

IDEM Office of Water Quality TMDL Program 100 North Senate Avenue Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2251

PH: (317) 234-3311/ -3319

Fax: (317) 232-8406 eMail: sgoodwin@idem.IN.gov eMail: ejohnson@idem.IN.gov

Questions???

Jennifer Clarke

Illinois EPA Bureau of Water Illinois EPA 1021 North Grand Avenue East Springfield, IL 62794 Phone: 217/ 782-3362 Email: Jennifer.Clarke@epa.state.il.us