Podcasts about total maximum daily load

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/517 Presented By: Togens Fly Shop, Waters West Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Discover the intricate connections between droughts, fishing, and the colors of fall as we journey through the captivating Shenandoah Valley with our guest, Mark Frondorf, the Shenandoah River Keeper. With fascinating anecdotes and insightful discussions, we promise to open your eyes to the impacts of climate change on natural habitats and recreational passions like fly fishing. As part of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, our conversation also illuminates the essential role of litigation and public engagement in safeguarding our precious waterways. We take a closer look at the rich culture and environment of the Shenandoah Valley, showcasing its north and south forks, and the importance of the Shenandoah River to the local communities. Witness the invaluable work of the Potomac River Keeper Network, acting as guardians of our water resources, and the potential of similar organizations to usher in meaningful change. In our discussion, we also highlight the vital importance of water quality monitoring in the Shenandoah Valley, including Discharge Monitoring Records (DMRs), pollution permits, and the crucial role of river patrols. In the last phase of our conversation, we take on the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process, and the research into harmful algal bloom studies in the Shenandoah River and Lake Anna. We'll discuss the long-term goal of establishing a budget to test for freshwater harmful algal blooms across all Virginia rivers and streams, and dive into the special karst topography of the Shenandoah Valley and its impact on water quality. The episode concludes with an engaging chat about smallmouth bass fishing, an appeal to support local riverkeeper organizations, and a call to protect our rivers for the enjoyment of future generations. Join us for a stimulating talk on fishing, river systems, and the significance of environmental advocacy. Episode Chapters with Mark Frondorf on Potomac Riverkeeper Network (0:00:05) - Drought Conditions and Fly Fishing I'm part of the Potomac River Keeper Network, discussing climate change, drought, fly fishing, and individual responsibility. (0:06:40) - Waterkeeper Organizations and Clean Water Act The Potomac River Keeper Network works to protect waterways through Clean Water Act litigation and public engagement, distinguishing between waterkeeper and friends groups, and collaborating with the Waterkeeper Alliance. (0:21:03) - Importance of Chesapeake Bay and Shenandoah River We examine the Shenandoah River, River Keeper Network, and the significance of the Shenandoah Valley to local communities. (0:34:23) - Water Quality Monitoring and Issues DMRs, pollution permits, patrolling the river for illegal pipes, cattle herds, and algal blooms are discussed for water quality in the Shenandoah Valley. (0:52:14) - River Pollution Study and Funding Virginia's rivers and streams are protected by the TMDL process and two million-dollar studies on harmful algal blooms. (0:55:56) - Riverkeeper Network's Impact and Challenges The Potomac Riverkeeper Network, karst topography of the Shenandoah Valley, Total Maximum Daily Load process, and Shenandoah River harmful algal bloom study are discussed. (1:08:11) - Mossy Creek and Smallmouth Bass Fishing Supporting local riverkeeper organizations, attending trout school in Massey Creek, and celebrating a gear giveaway winner are key to preserving the South River in the Shenandoah Valley for future generations. (1:12:27) - Fishing, River Systems, and Environmental Advocacy The Waterkeeper Alliance's history, legal work, and water quality tracking in the Shenandoah Valley are discussed. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/517

How much is too much? A Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, is both the calculation and the plan to meet water quality standards. A TMDL defines the maximum amount of a specific pollutant allowed to be in a waterbody for it to meet designated water quality standards. While a specific equation, a TMDL is also what we call the plan that outlines how to reduce pollutant loads. TMDLs are typically developed by states and approved by the EPA, and represent a watershed-level strategy to meet the goals of the Clean Water Act. Podcast guests share their experiences developing and implementing TMDLs in two regions of the country, as well as the role of assessment and monitoring, innovative tools, and collaboration.   About our guests: Traci Iott is the supervising environmental analyst with the Water Quality Group at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), where she oversees the implementation of the Water Quality Standards and 303(d) programs. Iott also serves as the co-chair of the Watersheds Committee with the Association of Clean Water Administrators. Ron Steg is the TMDL and assessment program manager for the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. He has over 35 years of experience working with water quality issues throughout the country and has spent the last 22 years focusing on implementing the various aspects of the Clean Water Act 303(d) program in the Rocky Mountain West. Learn more about TMDL's at https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/overview-total-maximum-daily-loads-tmdls Follow us @cleanwaterpod on Twitter to keep up with the latest podcast news! Learn more about NEIWPCC at neiwpcc.org.

In this episode we discuss the proposed withdrawal of the Cedar River TMDL for nitrate with Allen Bonini. Allen was the Watershed Section Supervisor at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  We explain what is the role of Total Maximum Daily Loads in the Clean Water Act, how the TMDL process is related to the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, and the broader implications of this delisting. 

A TMDL, or Total Maximum Daily Load determines the maximum amount of a given pollutant that can be discharged into a body of water and still allow that water body to meet its water quality goals. One such TMDL is being put together right now by Ohio EPA for a big chunk of northwest Ohio, the Maumee River Watershed. On this Our Ohio Weekly learn more about how TMDLs work and what this new one could mean for Ohio agriculture. 00:00 - Joshua Griffin, Ohio EPA Environmental Specialist talks about Ohio's newest TMDL, the development process and impacts on northwest Ohio. 16:50 - Ohio Farm Bureau's Sr. Director of Policy Development & Environmental Policy, Dr. Larry Antosch, talks about Farm Bureau's involvement in the TMDL process and the organization's overall policy on TMDLs. 23:50 - “To the Beat of Agriculture, hear from the C.O.O of a family farm in Jeffersonville. Learn about his sister, Gail Betterly and the incredible gift of a Nationwide life insurance policy she left for the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation after her passing. 32:20 - Nothing says “I love you” like a prenuptial agreement, but they are becoming an important piece of farm plans. Ryan Conklin, an attorney with Wright and Moore, explains why he is seeing more of these agreements put in place before the knot is tied. 42:20 - The Farm to School program through Ohio State Extension has been working with farmers, collaborating with community leaders and connecting students with local food and nutrition education for decades. Farm to School's program assistant Haley Scott explains what the program is all about.

Joe DeMare and Rebecca Wood discuss a wide variety of ecological topics from rags to lantern flies. Then Joe interviews Tiffani Kalevec with the Ohio EPA about the Maumee Watershed and the OEPA's Total Maximum Daily Load document currently up for public comments about the phosphorous pollution that causes algae blooms in Lake Erie. Rebecca takes us to Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande. Eco news includes an HB6 update (!) news from Line 3 in Minnesota, Fairy Creek in British Columbia, and more! 

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:41). Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-25-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of June 28, 2021.  This revised episode from April 2014 is part of a series this year of episodes related to watersheds and river basins. MUSIC – ~ 10 sec – instrumental - “Big Run Thrives.” This week, musical selections highlight the connections between one famous Virginia ridge and the watersheds of six rivers.  Have a listen for about 45 seconds.MUSIC – ~46 sec – instrumentals – “Big Run Thrives,” ~18 sec; then “Hazel River,” ~28 sec.You've been listening, first, to part of “Big Run Thrives,” and second, to part of “Hazel River,” both by Timothy Seaman of Williamsburg, Va., from the 1997 album “Here on This Ridge,” a celebration of Virginia's Shenandoah National Park.  Both tunes were inspired by streams flowing off of Virginia's Blue Ridge.  The part of the Blue Ridge that runs through the middle of the national park from Front Royal south to Waynesboro divides the watersheds of three Virginia rivers.  Throughout the park, mountain streams on the ridge's western slopes—like Big Run in Rockingham County—lead to the Shenandoah River watershed.  On the Blue Ridge's eastern side, streams in the northern part of the park—like Hazel River in Rappahannock County—flow to the Rappahannock River; in the southern part of the park, east-flowing streams are in the James River watershed. Outside of the national park, to the north the Blue Ridge separates the Potomac River watershed from the Shenandoah, a Potomac River tributary.  To the south of the national park, the Blue Ridge is part of the watershed divide between the James River and Roanoke River, and then between the Roanoke and New rivers. Countless other ridges in Virginia aren't as famous as the Blue Ridge, but whether high and obvious or low and indistinct, they all add to the landscape's pattern of waterways flowing through watersheds. Thanks to Timothy Seaman for permission to use parts of “Big Run Thrives” and “Hazel River.”  We close with another musical selection for mountain ridges and rivers, from the Rockingham County and Harrisonburg, Va.-based band The Steel Wheels.  Here's about 35 seconds of “Find Your Mountain.”MUSIC – ~35 sec – Lyrics: “Find your mountain.  Find your river.  Find your mountain.”  Then instrumental. SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 209, 4-14-14. “Big Run Thrives” and “Hazel River,” from the 1997 album “Here on this Ridge,” are copyright Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission.   More information about Mr. Seaman is available online at http://www.timothyseaman.com/.  Information about the making of that album is available online at https://timothyseaman.com/en/timothys-blog/entry/the-making-of-our-album-here-on-this-ridge.  “Big Run Thrives” was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in in Episode 473. 5-20-19; “Hazel River was used previously in Episode 339, 10-24-16. “Find Your Mountain,” from the 2015 album “Leave Some Things Behind,” is copyright by The Steel Wheels, used with permission.  More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at http://www.thesteelwheels.com/. This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio in Episode 425, 6-18-18, Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES South Fork Shenandoah River at the U.S. Rt. 211 bridge in Page County, Va., July 22, 2012.  Traveling east on 211 from this point takes you into Shenandoah National Park, across the Blue Ridge, and into the Rappahannock River watershed.The Rappahannock River, looking upstream from U.S. Route 29 at Remington, Va. (Fauquier County), December 27, 2009.  The Hazel River flows into the Rappahannock just a few river miles above this point.View of Floyd County, Va., from the Blue Ridge Parkway, June 1, 2014.  The photo shows the New River watershed; behind the photographer (on the other side of the Parkway) is Patrick County and the Roanoke River watershed. SOURCES Used for Audio College of William and Mary Department of Geology, “The Geology of Virginia—Hydrology,” online at http://geology.blogs.wm.edu/hydrology/. DeLorme Company of Yarmouth, Maine, Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer, 2000. National Park Service, “Shenandoah National Park,” online at http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm.Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission, “Local TMDLs,” online at https://www.rrregion.org/program_areas/environmental/local_tmdls.php.  Located at this site are Total Maximum Daily Load on the Upper Rappahannock River, the Hazel River, and other Rappahannock River basin waterways. For More Information about Watersheds and River Basins Natural Resources Conservation Service/Virginia, “2020 Virginia Water Resources Progress Report,” online at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/va/programs/planning/.  This report has descriptions of projects in many Virginia watersheds.  The 2017 report is online at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/va/programs/planning/wo/. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “How's My Waterway,” online at https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/hows-my-waterway. U.S. Geological Survey, “Water Science School/Watersheds and Drainage Basins,” online at https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/watersheds-and-drainage-basins?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, “Hydrologic Unit Geography,” online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/hu; and “Virginia's Major Watersheds,” online at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/stormwater_management/wsheds.shtml. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, “Commonwealth of Virginia State Water Resources Plan,” April 2015, available online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quantity/water-supply-planning/virginia-water-resources-plan; “Status of Virginia's Water Resources,” October 2020, online (as a PDF) at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2119/637432838113030000; and “Water Quantity,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quantity. Virginia Places, “The Continental (and Other) Divides,” online at http://www.virginiaplaces.org/watersheds/divides.html. Virginia Places, “Rivers and Watersheds of Virginia,” online at http://www.virginiaplaces.org/watersheds/index.html. Virginia Water Resources Research Center, “Divide and Confluence,” by Alan Raflo, pages 8-11 in Virginia Water Central Newsletter, February 2000, online at https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/49316. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  Please see particularly the “Rivers, Streams, and Other Surface Water” subject category. Following are links to some other episodes on watersheds and Virginia rivers.  Please note that some of these episodes are being redone in summer 2021; in those cases, the respective links below will have information on the updated episodes. Big Otter River introduction (Roanoke River watershed) – Episode 419, 5-7-18. Big Sandy River watershed introduction – Episode 419, 5-7-18. Bullpasture and Cowpasture rivers introduction (James River watershed) – Episode 469, 4-22-19. Hazel River introduction (Rappahannock River watershed) – Episode 339, 10-24-16. Headwater streams – Episode 582, 6-21-21. Jackson River introduction (James River watershed) – Episode 428, 7-9-19. Madison County flooding in 1995 (on Rapidan River, in Rappahannock County watershed) – Episode 272, 6-29-15 Musical tour of rivers and watersheds - Episode 251, 2-2-15. New River introduction – Episode 109, 5-7-12. Ohio River basin introduction – Episode 421, 5-21-18. Ohio River basin connections through watersheds and history – Episode 422, 5-28-18; Passage Creek and Fort Valley introduction (Shenandoah River watershed) – Episode 331 – 8/29/16. River bluffs – Episode 173, 8-5-13. Rappahannock River introduction – Episode 89, 11-21-11. Shenandoah River introduction – Episode 130 – 10/1/12. Smith River and Philpott Reservoir introduction (Roanoke River watershed) – Episode 360, 3-20-17. South Fork Holston River introduction (Clinch-Powell/Upper Tennessee River watershed) – Episode 425, 6-18-18. Staunton River introduction (part of the Roanoke River) – Episode 374, 6-26-17. Virginia rivers quiz – Episode 334, 9-19-16. Virginia surface water numbers – Episode 539, 8-24-20. Virginia's Tennessee River tributaries – Episode 420, 5-14-18. Watershed and water cycle terms related to stormwater – Episode 365, 4-24-17. Watersheds introduction – Episode 581, 6-14-21. Water quantity information sources – Episode 546, 10-12-20. Werowocomoco native people's civilization history, centered in the York River watershed – Episode 364, 12-12-16. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode's audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post.  Virginia's SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-5: Earth and Space Systems 3.7 – There is a water cycle and water is important to life on Earth. Grades K-5: Earth Resources 3.8 – Natural events and humans influence ecosystems. 4.8 – Virginia has important natural resources. Grade 6 6.6 – Water has unique physical properties and has a role in the natural and human-made environment. 6.8 – Land and water have roles in watershed systems. Earth Science ES.8 – Freshwater resources influence and are influenced by geologic processes and human activity.

In today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out: As we head into summer and the weather heats up, your local energy nonprofit, LEAP, wants you and yours to keep cool. LEAP offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If you’re age 60 or older, or have an annual household income of less than $75,100, you may qualify for a free energy assessment and home energy improvements such as insulation and air sealing. Sign up today to lower your energy bills, increase comfort, and reduce energy waste at home!On today’s show: Charlottesville City Council votes to remove Confederate statues in city parks, and this time it’s a vote that doesn’t have to be cleared by the Virginia Supreme CourtA joint PTO group releases a final report on a special fund created to help improve virtual learning One Albemarle County highway gets is shut down for a few hours, while another one remains closed indefinitely. In a minute, we’ll get to a wrap-up of last night’s City Council meeting. But first, a couple other items. Albemarle County Police shut down the U.S. 29 and Interstate 64 interchange yesterday for four hours as a response to “a call for a person in crisis at Teel Lane and Monacan Trail.” According to a news release, no additional information about the incident will be released. Teel Lane is several hundred feet southwest of the interchange. Not related, but U.S. 250 remains closed at Afton Mountain due to a rockslide. According to to Virginia Department of Transportation spokesman Lou Hatter, work continues six days a week by two contractors. “One is removing the unstable material, the other is coming behind to stabilize the areas,” Hatter said. “We still anticipate it will be mid-July to complete the work.”Stay tuned. Last year, all of the Parent-Teacher Organizations in Charlottesville came together to raise money to help students in households that did not have the resources to fully participate in virtual learning. Now the final report of the Ready to Teach, Ready to Learn CCS Reopening Fund is out, and the effort raised $165,097 from 201 donors. In addition to providing funds for teaching materials, funds were also spent to help the return to in-person learning including covering the cost of van transportation at a time when school buses were limited. “Funding was divided and allocated quickly to PTOs at all seven elementary schools, Buford Middle, Charlottesville High, and Lugo McGinness Academy using distribution percentages based on each school’s population of students receiving free and reduced lunch,” reads the report. “The use of the funds was then determined by individual school level committees comprised of a PTO representative, teacher, administrator, and an equity committee representative.”The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation partnered to administer the fund. The report lists several conclusions, including a sense that there is an untapped potential for public schools to raise money from private sources.  (read the report) The report breaks down how the funding was distributedCharlottesville City Council held a public hearing last night on whether to remove two Confederate statues in two city parks. I’ll have details on that in a moment, but first, some other highlights from the meeting. It has now been about ten days since COVID restrictions in Virginia were fully lifted, but public health officials are still monitoring the situation. Dr. Denise Bonds of the Blue Ridge Health District gave a briefing. Daily case counts in the district have been dwindling since mid-April. “We are frequently in single digits, often only one or two cases reported,” Dr. Bonds said. Today that number is 3 new cases. There’s been a total of 15,937 cases and 224 fatalities since last March. Community engagement efforts are ongoing.“Our hotline is still going strong,” Dr. Bonds said. “Since January we’ve had over 25,000 calls to our hotline.”That’s 434-972-6261 if you need it for some reason. Dr. Bonds said the district is continuing to get people vaccinated in order to meet the goal of having 70 percent of Americans vaccinated by July 4. As of today, 48.8 percent of the health district is fully vaccinated. Statewide, that number is at 46 percent. Children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated but Dr. Bonds said approval of at least one vaccine may be approved by this fall.The vaccination clinic at J.C. Penney will close this month, but will reopen in a smaller store inside Fashion Square Mall. The district is also working to vaccinate people who cannot travel at their homes. Vaccination events will also continue be held at other community events. Here’s City Manager Chip Boyles. “It was a very good weekend with Sunday at Tonsler Park, we had the splash pad open, a basketball tournament, and vaccinations occurring taking advantage of the crowds that were there,” Boyles said. A demographic breakdown of cases, hospitalizations, and fatalities in the Blue Ridge Health DistrictCity Hall remains closed to the public,  but planning is underway to transition back to reopening. Boyles also said Charlottesville has received its first payment from the American Recovery Plan. The amount is $9.8 million and another payment of the same amount is expected in the next calendar year. “The first funding will go towards revenue replacement for the city, and then additional COVID improvements and then we will very shortly be rolling out for our nonprofit stakeholders in the community a program where they can apply,” Boyles said.You're reading Charlottesville Community Engagement. Time now for another subscriber supported public service announcement. This June, the Jefferson Madison Regional Library is hosting two virtual programs to commemorate Juneteenth. On June 17th, JMRL is hosting a panel discussion on the lives of the enslaved populations on the Monticello, Montpelier, and Highland plantations. (info) On June 22, JMRL will hold a program about the recently discovered unmarked graves outside the enclosures of the cemetery at Pen Park. (info)Now, on to the statues. Council waived its usual procedure of having people wait until the designated public hearing to allow people to use the Community Matters to speak out on the matter. One of these was Zyahna Bryant, who began a petition in 2016 to remove the statues when she was a student at Charlottesville High School. She pointed out Council’s original vote to remove the statues in 2017 was 3-2. “The choice here is clear,” Bryant said. “What needs to happen is clear. It’s up to you make the right decision and there’s no opportunity left to straddle the fence. What side of history do you want to be on?” Scott Warner grew up in Charlottesville but now lives in Albemarle County. He said the report from the Council-appointed Blue Ribbon Commission on Race, Memorials and Public Spaces offered up two alternatives for the Robert E. Lee statue.“Move the sculpture to McIntire Park and confront its history there and number two, confront the sculpture in place and redesign and transfer Lee Park,” Warner said. Bruce Williamson, an attorney who works downtown, said Council ultimately voted to reject the Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations. “The preservation of history is not even an issue here,” Williamson said. “These statues preserve other things and many other people will speak eloquently about what those statues were meant for, what they preserve, and why they need to go.” After these comments, City Manager Boyles gave an overview of the last five years and explained what the steps are  ahead for the statues as laid out by the Virginia State Supreme Court and the General Assembly. “Council now has before you tonight for consideration a resolution to remove, contextualize, relocate, or cover these statues after a 30 day period has expired that allows consideration of relocation to a museum, a historical society, government, of military battlefield,”  Boyles said. Then the official public hearing began. In the second session, several speakers asked that the city remove the statues but not let anyone else take them on. “These statues must come down and not be put up anywhere else after this,” said Cali Gaston. “They are symbols of hate, of white supremacy, and as such must be removed and repurposed.” In all, 55 people addressed Council during the public hearing, with all but a handful requesting removal. City Councilor Heather Hill spoke first.“Really appreciate the engagement tonight and I think it was definitely a clear message to this Council,” Hill said. Vice Mayor Sena Magill thanked those who spoke. “And also to thank the people who started this work in all sorts of forms over a very long time,” Magill said. City Councilor Michael Payne said he didn’t have much to add to what the speakers had said. “Thoughts I have that come to mind as someone who was there on August 12 and turning on to 4th Street and as a survivor of August 12 like others is that I will be very  proud to take a vote to remove these statues and to reimagine our public spaces in these areas and I hope it can be a small part of collective transformation here locally,” Payne said. City Councilor Lloyd Snook also referenced August 2017 and the Unite the Right Rally that was held here because of Council’s original vote to remove the Robert E. Lee statue. “Whatever anybody might have thought before August 12, since August 12 I think the answer has become crystal clear,” Snook said. “It’s crystal clear to me that the statues need to come down in some fashion. I have not yet solidified in my own mind what ought to happen thereafter.” The statue requires the city to put out an offer for groups to take the statue and to give 30 days for a response.  Snook said if the city were to deviate from that process, there could be further legal complications. “So we’re going to do it carefully, we’re going to do it thoroughly, we’re going to do it absolutely by the law,” Snook said.Mayor Nikuyah Walker said she was thinking about how Black children in the future will no longer have to see the statues. “I immediately start thinking about how many 10-year-olds have had to live and be subjected to symbols throughout history that uphold whiteness over everything else,” Walker said. Walker also said that people who are opposed to the proposed changes to the Future Land Use Map should also consider their views, and that supporters of removing the statues should enter that conversation. “And I’m hoping that those individuals are having the same conversation with the same intensity with their neighbors who are forgetting redlining and racial covenants and wanting to maintain status quo but not able to associate that with the same power structure that put those statues up,” Walker said. Councilor Payne made a motion, seconded by Snook. Council Clerk Kyna Thomas called the vote. Within minutes, the city issued a Request for Statements of Interest (RFI) for entities who might want to take ownership of the statues. (read the RFI)“On or after July 8, 2021, if the statutes, or either of them, has not been transferred to such an entity for relocation and placement, City Council may make other disposition(s),” reads the RFI’s description. A section of the Request for Statement of Interest*Before we go today, I wanted to follow up on the brief blurb in the June 5 newsletter about pollution reduction targets for the Chesapeake Bay. Sarah Vogelsong has a great story in the Virginia Mercury about the challenges to getting reductions in the agricultural sector, with a focus on efforts to fence cattle out of streams. It’s worth a read if you want to pay more attention to what’s known as the TMDL. That stands for Total Maximum Daily Load, and this is a story to follow in the next four years with a 2025 deadline looming. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Click to listen to episode (5:15)Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-12-20.TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIOFrom the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of June 15, 2020. SOUND – ~ 5 secThis week, that sound of Toms Creek, a New River tributary in Montgomery County, Va., opens an episode about Virginia’s current assessment of water quality in streams, rivers, lakes, and estuaries.  Water quality refers to what people often call the “health” of water bodies.  Scientifically, it involves chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, each measured in various standardized ways.  Legally, under the federal Clean Water Act and state laws implementing that Act, water quality assessments consider whether water bodies support specified designated uses by humans or by other organisms.  Virginia’s water quality standards identify six designated uses.  For an introduction to designated uses, have a listen for about 30 seconds to several mystery sounds, representing five of Virginia’s six uses. SOUNDS - ~31 sec Virginia’s designated uses, and the sounds you heard representing each, are aquatic life use, represented by a Green Frog sound; fish consumption, a fishing line sound; human recreation, a paddling sound; public water supply, a running faucet sound; wildlife use, ducks quacking; and shellfishing, the one use for which there was no sound. The Clean Water Act requires states to have a water-quality monitoring program and to publish an assessment report every two years.  One of the report’s main purposes is to identify what water bodies do not support their particular designated uses, based on chemical, physical, and biological measurements over time.  Those water bodies are categorized as impaired for one or more uses.  For example, the Toms Creek section you heard earlier has been categorized as impaired for the aquatic life use, because of seasonally high temperatures, and for the human recreation use, because of high bacterial levels.  When a water body is determined to be impaired, typically the water body then undergoes a lengthy cleanup and restoration process known as a Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL.[Note not included in audio: Other indicators of impairments of different water bodies in Virginia include measurements of dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, sediments, toxic substances, or the community of benthic organisms.] On June 8, 2020, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ, published its draft 2020 water quality assessment, covering data from 2013 to 2018.  The Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report will undergo a public comment period until July 9, with a Webinar about report scheduled for June 24.  Information about the report and the public comment opportunity is available from the DEQ online at www.deq.virginia.gov; click first on “Programs” and then on “Water Quality Assessments”; or phone the DEQ’s main office at (804) 698-4000. We close with some music for our varied connections to rivers, lakes, and estuaries covered in Virginia’s water-quality monitoring.  Here’s about 15 seconds of “Waters Edge,” by the Rockingham County, Va.-based group, The Steel Wheels. MUSIC - ~15 sec – Lyrics:“Mama, oh mama, it was out by the water’s edge.” SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The sounds heard in this episode were recorded by Virginia Water Radio as follows: Toms Creek in Heritage Park, Blacksburg, Va., June 12, 2020; Green Frog at a seasonal pond in Heritage Park, Blacksburg, Va., August 1, 2016; Fishing line, Blacksburg, Va., June 23, 2016; Kayak paddling on the Potomac River in West Virginia, July 11, 2010; Household water faucet, Blacksburg, Va., November 17, 2013; Mallards at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond, Blacksburg, Va., December 10, 2015. “Waters Edge,” from the 2013 album “No More Rain,” is copyright by The Steel Wheels, used with permission. More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at http://www.thesteelwheels.com/. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Toms Creek in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., June 12, 2020.  The stream sound heard in this episode of Virginia Water Radio was recorded at this location.Map showing the distribution in Virginia of impaired waters within watersheds, as identified in the “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report” by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  Map accessed online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx#maps, 6/16/20. Map showing the status of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) processes by watershed in Virginia, as identified in the “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report” by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.  Map accessed online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx#maps, 6/16/20. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT VIRGINIA DRAFT 2020 WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT INTEGRATED REPORT The following is quoted from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), opening page of “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx. “DEQ released the Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report (Integrated Report) on June 8, 2020.  The 2020 Integrated Report is a summary of the water quality conditions in Virginia from Jan. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2018.“This biennial report satisfies the requirements of the U.S. Clean Water Act sections 305(b) and 303(d) and the Virginia Water Quality Monitoring, Information and Restoration Act.  The goals of Virginia's water quality assessment program are to determine whether waters meet water quality standards, and to establish a schedule to restore waters with impaired water quality. “Water quality standards designate uses for waters.  There are six designated uses for surface waters in Virginia: aquatic life; fish consumption; public water supplies (where applicable); recreation; shellfishing; wildlife “Additionally, several subcategories of aquatic life use have been adopted for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.  The standards define the water quality needed to support each of these uses. If a water body contains more contamination than allowed by water quality standards, it will not support one or more of its designated uses.  Such waters have "impaired" water quality. In most cases, a cleanup plan (called a "total maximum daily load") must be developed and implemented to restore impaired waters. “Findings in this report will be presented via webinar on June 24, 2020 at 2:00 – 3:30 pm EDT. Interested persons can register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6736552019723263503. “The report is available for public review and comment.  Comments or questions about the report can be submitted via U.S. mail postmarked on or before July 9, 2020 toSandra MuellerVirginia Department of Environmental QualityOffice of Water Monitoring and AssessmentP.O. Box 1105Richmond, VA 23218-1105Or via email attachment to Sandra.Mueller@DEQ.Virginia.gov (please include your name, mailing address, telephone number and email address) “A combined response to comments will be prepared after the public comment period expires and made available on this website with the final report. “The entire Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report is a 43.7 MB ZIP file available for download.” [You may also view or download the smaller individual components of the report online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx.] SOURCES Used for Audio Carolyn Kroehler, “Navigating the Currents of Water Quality Law,” and Alan Raflo, “A Fish-eye View of Water Quality,” pages 1 and 6, respectively, in Virginia Water Central, October 1998, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Blacksburg, Va.; PDF of issue available online at https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/49336. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), “Draft 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments/2020305(b)303(d)IntegratedReport.aspx. The Executive Summary is available online (as a PDF) at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Portals/0/DEQ/Water/WaterQualityAssessments/IntegratedReport/2020/ir20_Executive_Summary.pdf. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), “Water Quality Standards,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/WaterQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityStandards.aspx. Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, “Public Webinar [on June 24, 2020] - Notice of Availability of and Public Comment on the 2020 Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=30978. For More Information about Water Quality and Water-quality Monitoring/Assessment Code of Virginia, Chapter 21.1, “Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997,” online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title10.1/chapter21.1/. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):“Impaired Waters and TMDLs,” online at https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/program-overview-impaired-waters-and-tmdls;“National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES),” online at https://www.epa.gov/npdes;“Summary of the Clean Water Act,” online at https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act. U.S. Geological Survey, “Water Science School/Water Quality Information by Topic,” online at https://water.usgs.gov/edu/waterquality.html. Virginia Water Central News Grouper posts on news, events, and information resources relevant to water-quality monitoring are available online at https://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/category/water-monitoring/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Water Quality” subject category. Following are links to some other episodes on water quality science, law, or monitoring. Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) – Episode 115, 6-18-12 and Episode 475, 6-3-19. Emerging contaminants – Episode 499, 11-18-19. Nitrogen – Episode 279, 8-24-15 and Episode 280, 9-7-15. Stream assessment with aquatic macroinvertebrates – Episode 81, 9-26-11. Water quality and coal – Episode 97, 1-30-12, Episode 98, 2-6-12, and Episode 99, 2-13-12Waterways cleanups – Episode 383, 8-28-17. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript or by other information included in this post. 2013 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2010 Science SOLs Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme 6.9 – public policy decisions related to the environment (including resource management and conservation, land use decisions, hazard mitigation, and cost/benefit assessments). Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme 6.7 – natural processes and human interactions that affect watershed systems; Virginia watersheds, water bodies, and wetlands; health and safety issues; and water monitoring. Life Science Course LS.10 – changes over time in ecosystems, communities, and populations, and factors affecting those changes, including climate changes and catastrophic disturbances. LS.11 – relationships between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Earth Science Course ES.8 – influences by geologic processes and the activities of humans on freshwater resources, including identification of groundwater and major watershed systems in Virginia, with reference to the hydrologic cycle. ES.10 – ocean processes, interactions, and policies affecting coastal zones, including Chesapeake Bay. Biology Course BIO.2 – water chemistry and its impact on life processes. BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems. Chemistry Course CH.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts. 2015 Social Studies SOLs United States History: 1865-to-Present Course USII.9 – domestic and international issues during the second half of the 20th Century and the early 21st Century. Civics and Economics Course CE.6 – government at the national level. CE.7 – government at the state level. CE.10 – public policy at local, state, and national levels. World Geography Course WG.2 – how selected physical and ecological processes shape the Earth’s surface, including climate, weather, and how humans influence their environment and are influenced by it. WG.4 – types and significance of natural, human, and capital resources. WG.18 – cooperation among political jurisdictions to solve problems and settle disputes. Government Course GOVT.7 – national government organization and powers. GOVT.8 – state and local government organization and powers. GOVT.9 – public policy process at local, state, and national levels. GOVT.15 – role of government in Va. and U.S. economies, including examining environmental issues and property rights. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.

Our guest for this episode is Jim Lenhart, who Jeremy calls the “Godfather” of stormwater. Jim is based in Portland, Oregon, USA and is the Chief Technology Officer for Stormwater for Contech Engineered Solutions. We talk about a range of topics, including the history of stormwater management in USA, the impacts of excessive sediment and phosphorus in lakes and waterways, the link between fish mental function and heavy metal contamination, total maximum daily load targets, and endocrine disruptor and phthalate pollution in waterways.References:Total Maximum Daily Loads: https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/overview-total-maximum-daily-loads-tmdls See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How the Clean Water Act and the Total Maximum Daily Load affects the Bay. The history of watershed wide Bay cleanup efforts and where we are now https://www.epa.gov/chesapeake-bay-tmdl/developing-chesapeake-bay-tmdl https://ecoreportcard.org/report-cards/chesapeake-bay/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/baywide/message

We now have the tools to understand how to prioritize. We know that doing everything everywhere is not the best strategy and now we have the tools to strategically make prioritization decisions for Lake Tahoe water quality. It doesn’t make sense to put our implementation dollars toward areas that don’t connect hydrologically to the lake. “The prioritization is critical,” says Bob Larsen, Staff Scientist at the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. “We have the tools to be able to assess where to put our dollars to make the biggest difference—to address the real problems. The actions we are taking under the Total Maximum Daily Load are directly addressing water quality. We can now have a conversation about the relative cost-benefit of taking one action over another,” he says.

The August 13, 2012 remarks of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval are featured in this podcast. He underscores the “unprecedented collaboration” between the states of Nevada and California on the Regional Plan update, which he calls “a masterful compromise”. Highlighting Nevada’s recent contributions to environmental improvement at Tahoe he talks about the Total Maximum Daily Load memorandums of agreement the state is creating with Tahoe jurisdictions, about the fire fuels removal work undertaken at Van Sickle bi-state park and about positive trends in water quality.

Welcome to part 2 in the interview with Patrick Rhamey, Vice President of Real Estate with Edgewood Companies. In this interview host Michelle Sweeney talks with him about the Edgewood Tahoe Lodge project--one of the first to apply new Total Maximum Daily Load methodologies to planning.

The proposed Edgewood Tahoe Lodge project includes a suite of upgrades to the Edgewood Company land at the lake. Today this land and associated ponds and wetlands remove about 400,000 pounds of sediment from flow to Lake Tahoe. Upgrades linked to the project, including an operations and maintenance plan, are projected to remove an additional 100,000 pounds of sediment from the system. The Edgewood Lodge Project is one of the first to apply new Total Maximum Daily Load methodologies to planning. In this interview Patrick Rhamey, Edgewood Companies Vice President of Real Estate, gives insight into the company’s approach to the project.

Welcome to part 3 in the interview with Leo Drozdoff, Nevada Department of Conservation Director and John Laird, California Natural Resources Secretary. Here they talk about efforts to improve water quality at Tahoe, about the Total Maximum Daily Load effort to reduce pollutants to the lake and about California and Nevada’s differing approaches to environmental protection.

There's a hidden danger in San Francisco Bay: mercury. A potent neurotoxin that can cause serious illness, mercury has been flowing into the Bay since the mining days of the Gold Rush Era. It has settled in the Bay's mud and made its way up the food chain, endangering wildlife and making many fish unsafe to eat. Now a multi-billion-dollar plan aims to clean it up. But will it work?