CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Nov. 20, 2019) – The West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has announced the state
waters selected for the next round of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
development with intensive monitoring already underway in the Little Kanawha
River Watershed. A TMDL is a restoration plan to reduce pollutants in impaired
waters.
The federal Clean Water Act, Section 303(d)
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Water Quality Planning and
Management Regulations, requires the WVDEP to develop TMDLs for waters that do
not meet the state water quality standards – referred to as impaired waters.
Known impaired waters are identified on the WVDEP Section 303(d) list. The 2016
Section 303(d) list may be viewed at: http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/watershed/IR/Pages/303d_305b.aspx.
The WVDEP’s TMDL Program is synchronized with
West Virginia’s Watershed Management Framework, which allows the WVDEP to
systematically accomplish statewide TMDL development and implementation. TMDL
development is a four-year effort beginning with at least 12 months of
intensive water quality monitoring. TMDLs include pollutant allocations to both
non-permitted (non-point sources) and permitted facilities. In accordance with
the Framework, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits
in Hydrologic Group D watersheds, which include the Greenbrier River, James
River, Little Kanawha River, New River, and Monongahela River watersheds will be
renewed in 2024. Starting the monitoring now allows time to have approved TMDLs
in place prior to permit reissuance so that protective discharge limits can be
incorporated.
This effort will address impairments currently
identified on the 303(d) list and impairments identified through current data
collection efforts. TMDLs approved in 2017 for the Hughes River Watershed and
in 2008 for Duck Creek, Lynch Run, UNT/Lynch Run RM 0.9, Duskcamp Run, Right
Fork/Duskcamp Run, and Copen Run will remain in place. TMDLs developed by EPA
in 2000 for the Little Kanawha River and five of its tributaries (Reedy Creek,
Spring Creek, Sand Fork, Oil Creek, and Saltlick Creek) will be replaced.
To inform and develop TMDLs, the WVDEP
collects data from streams and potential sources of pollution. Local
stakeholders can support this effort by providing information about potential
pollutant sources.
To learn more about TMDLs, data collection,
and how to contribute information or ask questions, please visit our TMDL ESRI
StoryMap at the following web address: http://arcg.is/15Hvuz, or contact:
West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Division
of Water and Waste Management
Attn:
Mindy Neil
601
57th Street, S.E.
Charleston,
WV 25304
Phone:
(304) 926-0495, ext. 1063
E-mail:
Mindy.S.Neil@wv.gov
For more WVDEP news and
information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, connect with the agency on
all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter, Like us on Facebook
at https://www.facebook.com/depwv/, and find us on YouTube by
searching “Environment Matters.”
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