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Im rovi n Water Qual it <br /> p g Y <br /> TMDLs in Ore on <br /> g ~ <br /> Background margin for uncertainty and growth that allows ~ ~ <br /> Oregon's rivers, streams and lakes are a valuable for future discharges to a river or stream <br /> resource for the State. Not only do they provide without exceeding water quality standards. State of Oregon <br /> great natural beauty to Oregon, but they also Department of <br /> supply the water necessary for drinking water, In the past, rivers and streams may have had Envlronntental <br /> aquatic life, recreation, industry, and agriculture. several different TMDLs, each one determining <br /> With these demands in mind, the Oregon the limit for a different pollutant. With its new Water Quality Division <br /> Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) comprehensive approach, DEQ takes into Watershed <br /> uses a comprehensive approach to maintaining account all pollutants entering a waterbody and Management Section <br /> and improving water quality. develops TMDLs that will control :all pollutants s11 sw 6~ Avenue <br /> in a particular geographic area, such as a Portland, OR 97204 <br /> Phone: (503) 229-6345 <br /> Using a comprehensive approach watershed or sub-basin. (soo) 452-4011 <br /> Water quality problems in Oregon's waterways Fax: (503) 229-6037 <br /> are nothing new. In 1938, the State Sanitary The process for establishing a plan to improve contact: Greg Atdrich <br /> Authority (now known as the DEQ) was created water quality begins when the waterbody www.degsrare.or.us <br /> to clean up pollution in the Willamette River appears on DEQ's 303(d) list, which lists <br /> with a focus on.regulating end-of--pipe or "point waterbodies that do not meet water quality <br /> source" discharges from cities and industry. This standazds. <br /> focus continued with passage of the federal <br /> Clean Water Act in 1972. During the last 25 Developing water quality plans <br /> years, as point source discharges have been Federal law requires that streams, rivers, lakes <br /> regulated, it became more evident that there are and estuaries that appear on the 303(d) list be <br /> other sources of pollution other than from pipes. managed to meet state water quality standards. <br /> These "nonpoint" sources come from diffuse In most cases, rivers and streams receive <br /> runoff and habitat destruction, and originate both discharges from both point and nonpoint <br /> in urban and rural areas. sources of pollution. <br /> Water quality improvement now requires a DEQ's comprehensive watershed approach for <br /> comprehensive watershed approach to solving protecting water quality includes developing <br /> pollution problems. This reflects the cumulative TMDLs for both point and nonpoint sources. <br /> effect any activity in a watershed has on overall DEQ is committed to having federally approved <br /> water quality. To solve water quality problems in TMDLs on all waterbodies listed on the 1998 <br /> a stream, river, lake or estuary, we need to 303(d) list by the end of the year 2007. This a <br /> consider the cumulative impact from all time frame takes into account the urgency to <br /> upstream sources including groundwater. save declining salmon runs, the desire of <br /> landowners to begin working on restoration <br /> Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) efforts, and the desire of communities to <br /> <br /> .Under this new comprehensive strategy to safeguard their drinking water sources. <br /> addressing water quality problems, DEQ looks at <br /> the water quality of the entire river and <br /> watershed rather than whether or not a specific <br /> discharge meets its permit requirements. <br /> DEQ calculates pollution load limits; known as ` <br /> Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), for <br /> each pollutant entering a body of water. TMDLs <br /> describe the amount of each pollutant a ~ ° <br /> waterway can receive and still not violate water ~ i ~ , ~ *"'r ^^'ry~ <br /> quality standards. TMDLs take into account the ~ f.»-~ <br /> pollution from all sources, including discharges ~ ` - <br /> from industry and sewage treatment facilities; { ' - - ' <br /> runoff from farms, forests and urban areas; and 'r''`y _ ~ ~ <br /> natural sources such as decaying organic matter <br /> Sediment <br /> from eroding banks is carried downstream artd <br /> or nutrients in soil. TMDLs include a safety can impact fish habitat and agriculture. Last Updated: January 2003 <br /> By: Dianne Faton <br /> _ <br /> <br />