Dr. Reyonlds & NPDES

NPDES

National pollutant discharge elimination system

NPDES Permits

• Regulate point-source release

• Must abide by TMDL (reviewed every 3 yrs)

• Enforces water quality standards and effluent limitations

• Identifies: location, flow rate, character, volume, effluent limitations, monitoring requirements, administrative procedures, and special provisions

• Cost-benefit analysis, EPA may relax

STP

Sewage treatment plant

What would require a NPDES

Stormwater (TS4 or MS4)

• DoT - department of transportation

• Industry

• Large municipality = >100,000

• Certain cities = > 10,000

• Construction activities of 1-5 acres

Who administers NPDES?

The state regulates and enforces

• must be approved by EPA

• must establish a TMDL (total maximum daily load) for any waters that don’t meet water quality standards

What are “listed stream”?

303d list: a state's list of impaired and threatened waters (eg stream/river segments, lakes)

water bodies (rivers, creeks, streams) that have been officially identified, documented, and placed on a specific inventory by environmental agencies, most commonly regarding water quality impairment under the Clean Water Act.

MS4

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System:

A municipality owned or controlled conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, manmade channels, or storm drains).

Municipality owned/controlled conveyance systems

TS4

Transportation separate storm sewer system:

Department of Transportation owned or controlled state highways, sidewalks, multi-use pedestrian paths, welcome centers, airports, gravel pits, mineral mining facilities, maintenance facilities, park & rides, truck weigh stations, and other impervious surfaces.

DoT owned/controlled state roads

TS4 and MS4 are both under _____

NPDES

TMDL

Total maximum daily load:

(Load allocation + waste load allocation + margin of safety)

simplified: (background load + non-point load)

• background load: naturally occurring from wetlands/forests

• waste load: lots of different things like wastewater and sewer systems

• non-point load: runoff from developed landscape

Margin of safety

Move decimal one place to get margin of safety:

ex. 100 Ibs/day

= 10.0 Ibs/day

WQA

Water quality assessment:

• National water quality inventory report (305b)

• Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load Tracking

• Implementation System (ATTAINS) database

  • These are the primary vehicles for informing congress

  • characterizes water quality and identifies widespread water quality problems

305b contains 303d lists

303d - a state-compiled inventory of impaired and threatened waterbodies

• biennial report

  • every 5 years water is sampled

• gives parameters for “listing a stream”

  • must create TMDL for “listed stream”

parameters to be a fully “supporting” stream:

• navigation, recreation, livestock watering, irrigation, wildlife, industrial, domestic water

  • if you do not meet all unique characteristics you are impaired

• streams are designated for some, but maybe not all criteria

stream vs. wet weather conveyance?

A stream and a Wet Weather Conveyance (WWC) are distinguished primarily by how often they flow, their relationship to groundwater, and their biological health. In environmental regulation (particularly in Tennessee), a stream is a surface water that flows regularly or permanently, while a WWC is a channel that flows only during or immediately after rain events

Field parameters

for 5 yr sampling; part of TMDL process

• taxa richness (total # of families)

• EPT richness (total # of intolerant families)

  • the total number of distinct Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) taxa found in a water sample

• converts to score

• DO, TDS, pH, temp.

• weather

• watershed characteristics

• stream characteristics

TMDLs process:

assess waters → determine whether impaired → place on 303d list → monitor/study further → complete pollutant load allocation formula → develop restoration strategy → implement strategy → monitor changes in water quality → next steps (delist?)

What else does CWA regulate?

• dredged/filled material is regulated

  • regulated by army corps of engineer permit

• Wetlands - must avoid “unecessary alteration or destruction”

Department of the Interior

Conserve and manage the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people.

Mission of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

Congressional Authorization:

the statutory process where Congress creates, extends, or defines the functions of federal programs, agencies, and policies, providing the legal authority to operate.

Key Environmental Laws Implemented by the U.S. FWS

Endangered Species Act • Migratory Bird Treaty Act • Marine Mammal Protection Act • Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

How many FWS regions?

8

Oil Pollution Act (OPA 1990)

Authorizes Federal Agencies to: 1. Direct Oil Spill Response Efforts 2. Assess Natural Resource Damages 3. Enforce Liability on Responsible Parties

305 d vs 303d

303b - to congress

303d - list of impaired streams