TMDLs in the Flathead

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TMDLs in the Flathead
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Purpose of the Meeting

• What is a TMDL?
• What has been done? Brief history of TMDL work
  in the Flathead Watershed
• What is yet to be done? - Review what TMDL work
  is scheduled and general strategies for
  completion
• Discuss stakeholder roles and involvement

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What is a TMDL?

• TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load refers to the
  maximum amount of a particular pollutant that a
  water body can assimilate and continue to meet
  water quality standards
• Upon developing the Total Maximum Daily Load,
  that load is then divided between the
  contributing sources, both human caused and
  natural

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• Essentially, TMDL development is the process that
  provides direction and frames the efforts to
  restore impaired waters
• It is a plan to attain and maintain water quality
  standards

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Why do we develop TMDLs?

• The Federal Clean Water Act and Montana Water
  Quality Act state that TMDLs must be developed
  for all water bodies appearing on the 303(d)
  list, (waters not meeting state standards)
• Court mandated 2012 schedule

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What does a TMDL actually mean?

• Allocations - At the end of the day, the TMDL, or
  total amount of a pollutant that the stream can
  accept, is portioned (allocated) among all of the
  known contributing sources.

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TMDLs are not self-implementing

• Rather they are implemented through other
  existing regulatory and non-regulatory programs
• Meeting allocations for non-point sources are
  largely voluntary.
• However, for point sources (permitted
  dischargers) to state waters, the TMDL does
  effect the limits and content of the permits, and
  therefore can have a regulatory impact.

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History of TMDL development in the Flathead
Watershed
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Flathead Watershed

• 7,096 sq miles
• Numerous listed streams 6 water bodies currently
  have TMDLs developed for them
• Flathead Lake
• Swan Lake
• Big Creek
• Coal Creek
• Jim Creek
• Goat Creek
• The Flathead Basin has seen a 42 increase in
  population between 1980-2000
• Nutrients and sediment are two of the biggest
  issues facing the lakes and streams

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TMDL Planning Areas

• Four major TMDL planning areas in the Flathead
  basin
• Swan
• Flathead Headwaters
• Flathead Stillwater
• Flathead Lake

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Swan Watershed (June 2004)
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Swan Watershed (June 2004)
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Flathead Headwaters(Dec 2004)
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Flathead Headwaters(Dec 2004)
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Flathead LakePhase I (2001)

• The Phase I was the first step of a Nutrient
  Management Plan to help improve and protect
  Flathead Lake
• The Phase I document called for 25 load
  reduction in nutrients from the core urban and
  agricultural areas north of the lake

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What TMDL work remains to be done?

• Flathead Lake Phase II
• Flathead Stillwater
• Lake Mary Ronan

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What TMDL work remains to be done?

• Flathead Lake Phase II
• Flathead Stillwater
• Lake Mary Ronan

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What TMDL work remains to be done?

• Flathead Lake Phase II
• Flathead Stillwater
• Lake Mary Ronan

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What TMDL work remains to be done?

• Flathead Lake Phase II
• Flathead Stillwater
• Lake Mary Ronan

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Lake Mary Ronan

• Lake Mary Ronan has been listed on the 2000 and
  subsequent 303d lists for
• Algal growth and Chlorophyll a
• Originally listed for
• Nutrients
• Sediment

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Flathead Stillwater

• Streams currently in need of TMDL
• West Fork Swift Creek
• East Fork Swift Creek
• Swift Creek
• Whitefish Lake
• Whitefish River
• Sheppard Creek
• Logan Creek
• Fish Creek
• Ashley Creek
• Stillwater River
• East Spring Creek
• Spring Creek

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Nutrient Impaired
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Sediment Impaired
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Metals Impaired
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Temperature Impaired
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Other Impairments
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Flathead Lake Phase II
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Flathead Lake Phase II

• The original Flathead Lake TMDL
• established in-lake water quality goals
  (targets), and
• called for a 15 (10 MOS), watershed-scale
  nutrient load reduction (from year 2000 levels)
• However, allocations were not presented for
  specific point and non-point sources.

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Flathead Lake Phase II

• The purpose of Phase II is to conduct the
  necessary studies to specifically assign
  allocations (i.e., load reductions) to all of the
  significant nutrient sources in the Flathead Lake
  Watershed.
• These may include
• Regulated point sources such as WWTPs
• Forestry
• Agriculture
• Septic systems
• Residential/commercial land uses
• Airborne sources

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Flathead Lake Phase II

• The relative importance of the various sources of
  nutrients will be put into perspective using a
  watershed-scale nutrient loading model, and
• The results of
• subwatershed-scale TMDL studies
  (Flathead-Stillwater, Flathead Headwaters, Swan,
  etc.)
• Numerous other studies that have been completed
  or are currently ongoing

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What TMDL related work has been completed so far?
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Flathead Stillwater Efforts

• For management purposes, the Flathead Stillwater
  was broken into 5 sub-basins.
• Some synoptic sampling, data compilation, and
  watershed characterizations have been completed
  in all 5.

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FlatheadStillwater Efforts

• All listed streams in the Stillwater have had
  aerial assessment and reaches delineated for
  future sediment impairment investigation.

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FlatheadStillwater Efforts

• Analysis of the current data compilation and
  available data is ongoing

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FlatheadStillwater Efforts

• Partnerships with the Flathead Basin Commission,
  Flathead Conservation District, Whitefish County
  Sewer and Water District have contributed to much
  of this work.

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Modeling Efforts(Flathead Watershed Scale)

• A Flathead Lake watershed scale model combined
  with individual lake/reservoir response models is
  being developed to simulate land use/land cover
  contributions of nutrients and sediment across
  the landscape.
• Flathead Lake response is NOT being addressed
  through DEQ modeling efforts

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How will the model be used?

• The combination of the watershed scale model with
  lake response models provides a better picture of
  how pollutants are processed in and through the
  major lakes in the watershed.
• Lake response models are being developed for
  Hungry Horse, Whitefish Lake, Swan Lake

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Modeling Efforts(Flathead Watershed Scale)

• Ongoing data collection at numerous sites across
  the watershed will assist in calibration and
  validation of the model.
• Sampling is currently underway on Swan Lake,
  Whitefish Lake, Hungry Horse Reservoir and the
  mouths of all major rivers for this effort.

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• Modeling related sample sites
• Outlet of the Stillwater, Whitefish, Swan,
  Flathead, and North, Middle, and South Forks of
  the Flathead River
• Flathead River at International boundary (i.e.
  North Fork)
• Ashley Creek upstream of Kalispell and at mouth
• Swan Lake inlet/outlet and lake
• Whitefish Lake inlet/outlet and lake
• Hungry Horse Reservoir inlet/outlet and lake.

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How will the model be used?

• The model will allow for a wider understanding of
  the nutrient and sediment contributions from all
  sources, and thereby allow for an equitable
  distribution in the allocation of acceptable
  loads from these sources.
• The model will also be able to run predictive
  scenarios such that we have a better
  understanding of how things may change as land
  use changes in the future.

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How will the model be used?

• The model will provide significant contribution
  toward the development of TMDLs in the Flathead
  watershed.
• Phase II of the Flathead Lake allocation process
  is the impetus for the model, however this effort
  is really the umbrella under which the remaining
  TMDLs will be developed, and existing TMDLs can
  be reviewed.

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Proposed Schedule

• Approximate 2-3 year timeframe
• Currently examining all of the components to
  ensure we have an integrated schedule and
  priorities are met
• MPDES renewals
• individual subwatershed TMDLS
• court orders
• potential adoption of numeric nutrient criteria
• population growth

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Use of Advisory Groups in the Process

• Stakeholder involvement is important for TMDL
  success in the Flathead watershed.
• Three main advisory groups will be used
  throughout this process
• General/Policy Advisory Group
• Technical Advisory Group
• Modeling Advisory Group

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General/Policy Group

• The policy advisory group will discuss general
  TMDL progress, interface with watershed
  stakeholders, and dialogue policy related issues
  to the Flathead Lake watershed.
• Key point of contact for this group
• George Mathieus/Jim Bond

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Technical Advisory Group

• The Technical Advisory Group will discuss
  scientific details regarding TMDL development
  including data collection design, water quality
  targets, and allocation strategies.
• This group will be mainly focused on the
  remaining TMDL development needs in the Flathead
  Stillwater planning area.
• Key Point of Contact Jim Bond

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Modeling Advisory Group

• This group will discuss details specifically
  related to the models used in TMDL analysis in
  the basin.
• Key Point of Contact Kyle Flynn

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Use of Advisory Groups in the Process

• Due to the large number of people involved, and
  the development process in general, regularly
  scheduled meetings will not be set.
• Rather, members of each group will be notified
  for meetings as we approach key milestones or
  specific topics need to be discussed.
• However, regular updates on progress will be sent
  to all individuals per each group.

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Use of Advisory Groups in the Process

• Information Sharing
• Review information and discuss strategies
• Inform DEQ of known sources of information
  reports, studies, data that DEQ may not be aware
  of
• Present DEQ with considerations that must be
  noted when developing the TMDLs

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Questions?