Public Notice
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Division of Water and Waste Management 601 57th St. Charleston, WV 25304
Upper Guyandotte Streams slated for TMDL Development
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announces the preliminary selection of streams and impairments for 2018 TMDL development.
The federal Clean Water Act, Section 303(d) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Planning and Management Regulations, 40CFR Part 130.7, requires DEP to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired waters. An “impaired water” is a water body that fails to meet state water quality standards. Known impaired waters are identified on the West Virginia Section 303(d) list. A TMDL is a plan of action used to clean up polluted waters. TMDLs identify problematic pollution sources and prescribe the pollutant reductions needed for the stream to meet water quality standards.
The DEP TMDL development program is synchronized with West Virginia’s Watershed Management Framework. Organization under the framework allows the DEP to efficiently and systematically accomplish statewide TMDL development by regulatory deadlines. In accordance with the program plan, TMDLs issued by the DEP in 2018 should be developed for impaired waters in Hydrologic Group E watersheds. Hydrologic Group E includes the Big Sandy, Cacapon, Dunkard, Lower Ohio, Twelvepole, Upper Guyandotte, Upper Ohio South and West Fork watersheds.
2018 TMDL development is proposed in the Upper Guyandotte River watershed where DEP plans comprehensive assessment of streams. The effort will address impairments currently identified on the West Virginia 2012 Section 303(d) list and may identify additional impairments. To the extent practical, this project will include TMDL development for the newly identified impairments. The 2012 Section 303(d) list may be viewed at:
http://www.dep.wv.
gov/WWE/watershed/
IR/Pages/
303d_305b.aspx
The TMDL development process will begin with a major data collection effort. Pre-TMDL water quality monitoring and source tracking activities will start in the summer of 2015. The new water quality monitoring and pollutant source tracking activities will generate reliable information to develop TMDLs.
Prior to the beginning of the sampling and source tracking efforts, public meetings will be conducted to provide an overview of the TMDL development process, discuss the DEP’s monitoring plans, and provide an opportunity for input regarding potential sources and sampling sites. The public will have several other opportunities to be involved throughout the TMDL development process. TMDLs are scheduled to be finalized by December 31, 2018.
Individuals wanting to offer information or comment on the proposed selections should do so by April 6, 2015. Comments should be directed to:
West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection
Division of Water and Waste Management
Steve Young, Attention: Proposed 2018 TMDLs
601 57th Street, S.E.
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0495,
Fax: (304) 926-0496,
TDD (304) 926-0489,or
E-mail: Stephen.A.Young
@wv.gov.
Int. March 5, 2015
234116