The Clean Waters Project

Meeting the Governor’s Goals

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

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

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

The Yardstick

• Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network• Ambient Water Quality Criteria, Uses, and

Standards

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

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

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

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