2011 Compliance Assistance Conference

Water Quality in Ohio

Photo/Graphics Page – Option 2

Clean Water Act

The goal is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.

State’s Obligations, Simplified

Decide•Set goals for water quality

Measure•Measure water quality; are goals are being met?

Report• Report on water quality and prioritize problems

Analyze•For waters not meeting the goal, prepare a TMDL

Fix•Implement changes: permits, grants, etc.

Measuring Water QualityDoes the stream support expected aquatic life? Will you get sick when you recreate?

• Sample across watershed but also focus on areas with known pollution sources• Collect/measure fish, insects, chemistry, bacteria; sediment, habitat

What Happens To Monitoring Data?

Data

IntegratedWater Quality Monitoring and

Assessment Report

Analysis

Compile datastatewide

- Is the assigned use correct? - Are the goals being met?- What is causing problems?- Write watershed report

- Biology- Chemistry- Habitat- Fish tissue- Bacteria

Prioritize problems

Schedule work

Every two years…

TMDL, permits, grants

Data Available Online

http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/gis/index.aspx

Trends in Ohio Water Quality

Long history of monitoring and reporting

Data collected through routine sampling every summer in several Ohio rivers and watersheds

Eventually, return visits to same rivers and watersheds to measure status and trends

Status of aquatic life in Ohio’s largest rivers is a key indicator that is regularly reported.

Condition 1980s 1990s 2008

Full Attainment 21% 62% 79%

Partial Attainment 38% 22% 14%

Non Attainment 41% 17% 7%

The trend in the status of aquatic life in Ohio’s largest rivers is a key indicator that is regularly reported.

Trends in Ohio Water Quality

Changes in Scioto River Water Quality

Changes in Cuyahoga River Water Quality

0

1 0

2 0

3 0

4 0

5 0

6 0

1 9 7 5 1 9 8 0 1 9 8 5 1 9 9 0 1 9 9 5 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 5 2 0 1 0

B u g sF is h

Bug

and

Fis

h In

dice

s

Y e a r

C u y a h o g a R iv e r a t H il ls id e R o a dC u y a h o g a V a lle y N a tio n a l P a r k

W h e re w e w a n tt h e b u g s to b e !

W h e re w e w a n tt h e f is h t o b e !

Condition Large Rivers Small Streams

Full Attainment 79% 59%

Partial Attainment 14% 21%

Non Attainment 7% 20%

Small Streams Have More Problems

• More vulnerable to activities on the landscape• Natural ability to process waste instream easily lost• Less water, so more easily injured by spills or other

events

Most aquatic life impairment is caused by land disturbances related to agriculture activities and urban development.

What Causes Water Quality Problems in Ohio?

Five Common Aquatic Life Causes

53.2%

47.9%

50.9%

41.5%

40.8%

6.7%

10.0%

26.7%

16.7%

23.3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Siltation/sediment

Nutrients

Habitat Modification

Hydromodification

Organic Enrichment/D.O.

Percent of Assessment Units Impaired by Cause

Large Rivers

Watersheds

Organic Enrichment and Low Dissolved Oxygen

Streams impacted by organic enrichment:• Large Rivers – 23%• Small Streams – 41%

Examples:•domestic sewage•livestock manure discharges

Hydromodification

Streams impacted by hydromodification:• Large Rivers – 27% • Watersheds – 51%

Examples: • impoundments• agricultural drainage

systems• channelization

Habitat Modification

Streams impacted by habitat alteration:• Large Rivers – 27%• Small Streams – 51%

Examples: •low-head dams•removal of riparian trees

Nutrients

Streams impacted by nutrients:• Large Rivers – 10%• Small Streams – 48%

Examples: •crop production•unrestricted cattle access

Silt and Sediment

Streams impacted by silt and sediment:• Large Rivers – 7%• Watersheds – 53%

Examples: •construction•unrestricted livestock access

Another Problem (Recreation): Bacteria

Addressing Problems Using TMDLs

TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load

A written, quantitative assessment of water quality problems and contributing sources of pollution

Essentially a planning and analysis tool; does not provide additional authority

If waters reach attainment by other means, a TMDL is not necessary

TMDLs in Ohio

Ohio integrated the federal TMDL requirement into its monitoring, permits, and incentive programs to form a simple problem-solving approach to restoring water quality.

Ohio TMDLs Have Addressed…

Sediment

Nutrients

Bacteria

AMD pollutants

Metals

Chlorides

Habitat Alteration

Org Enrich/DO Pesticides

What Effect Have TMDLs Had?

• Dam modifications/removals

• Monitoring/limits on total phosphorus from sewage treatment facilities, especially in the Ohio River basin

• Additional controls on construction site activities in some watersheds

• Identification of magnitude of nonpoint source pollution

• More targeted application of grants/incentive programs

• Instilling a systematic, cyclic, adaptive management approach to restoring water quality

• Work more aligned with restoration work of others

TMDL Projects in Ohio

Map Key:U.S. EPA approvedDraft reportLoad characterizationAssessment

Future Monitoring

• Currently being reevaluated

• Will be included in the 2012 integrated report

Questions?

Trinka Mounttrinka.mount@epa.ohio.gov614-644-2146

Ohio EPA TMDL information:www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/tmdl/index.aspx

U.S. EPA TMDL information:www.water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/index.cfm