Podcasts about total maximum daily load tmdl

In Oregon's salmon-rich Tualatin River, a water quality trading credit program is being implemented to address the river's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for temperature impairment. Hear about why this unique approach was selected and how it works, as well as how trading provides broader ecological benefits. About our guests: Brian Creutzburg is the alternative compliance specialist at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Jamie Hughes serves as the program manager in the Regulatory Affairs Department at Clean Water Services.

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

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (4:22). Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 7-29-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of August 2, 2021.  This revised episode from September 2018 is part of a series this year of episodes related to watersheds and river basins. MUSIC – ~10 sec – instrumental This week, we feature a Virginia singer/songwriter's music about time and changes along one of the Commonwealth's major rivers.  Have a listen for about 30 more seconds. MUSIC – ~ 30 sec – Lyrics: “Roads and boards, mills and mines used to line this stream--all reclaimed by floods and vines, foundations sprouting gums and pines. River flows on, so does time.  Canoe splits Rappahannock water; dip my paddle, let it glide.” You've been listening to part of “Solitude,” by Bob Gramann of Fredericksburg, on the 2000 album, “That Squirrel Song.”  This and other river-themed songs by Mr. Gramann come in large part from his years of paddling the upper Rappahannock River and its tributaries, in the area between the Blue Ridge and the Fall Line at Fredericksburg.  The part of “Solitude” you heard describes some of the changes along the Rappahannock wrought by time and the effects of water, weather, humans, and other organisms.  Observers of other Virginia rivers and their watersheds might tell similar stories of change. Some riverside changes—such as flood impacts—happen relatively quickly.  Others move at a slower pace, as with trees growing in an abandoned building foundation.  Whatever the pace, changes seen in and along a river reflect events happening not only in the river channel but also upstream in the river's watershed.  Flooding, for example, is affected by upstream land uses and tributary patterns.  In turn, water flows affect stream and river shapes and materials, determining what habitats are available for living things.  And throughout a watershed, humans have land and water uses that affect downstream water quantity and quality.Virginia's rivers are continually being changed by unrelenting time and unceasing forces, and those rivers continue to provide services like water supply, irrigation, power generation, and others.  With all that going on, it's challenging and worthwhile to ensure that the Commonwealth's rivers retain places offering solitude and fostering creativity, such as in this week's music.  Thanks to Bob Gramann for permission to use the music, and we close with about 35 more seconds of “Solitude.” MUSIC – ~ 33 sec – Lyrics: “Rain and sleet, wind or heat, it's all the same to me.  Weather—you can never choose; each day that's mine, that day I'll use, to flee from time in my canoe, its bow splits Rappahannock water.  Dip my paddle, let it fly.” 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 Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this 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 437, 9-10-18. “Solitude,” from the 2000 album “That Squirrel Song,” is copyright by Bob Gramann, used with permission.  More information about Bob Gramann is available online at https://www.bobgramann.com/folksinger.html. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES The following photos along the Rappahannock River in Virginia were taken by Bob Gramann (except as noted) and used with his permission. Rappahannock River at the confluence with the Rapidan River (at the juncture of the Virginia counties of Culpeper, Spotsylvania, and Stafford), April 2004.Rappahannock River at low water (view toward Stafford County, Va.), August 2011.Rappahannock River in winter (view toward Stafford County, Va.), February 2006.Bob Gramann, composer of the music heard in the Virginia Water Radio episode, canoeing in the Rappahannock River's “First Drop” at Fredericksburg, Va., April 1, 2018.  Photo by Lou Gramann.EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPPER RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AND ITS WATERSHED The following information is quoted from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Rappahannock River-Upper," online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/waterbody/rappahannock-river-upper/. “The Rappahannock River flows from its origin at Chester Gap in Rappahannock County approximately 184 miles to the Chesapeake Bay.  The first 62 miles, from the headwaters to Mayfield Bridge (Fredericksburg), are designated State Scenic River.  The river has a watershed of approximately 2,715 mi2, and average annual discharge near Fredericksburg is typically about 1,639 cubic feet per second (cfs). “During Colonial days, the Rappahannock River was a major shipping artery for transporting tobacco, salted fish, iron ore, and grains.  The watershed supports a variety of land uses; largely agricultural in the upper watershed, with manufacturing, light industrial, and retail applications throughout.  Soil erosion is a problem in the upper watershed.  Runoff from the major tributaries (Rapidan and Hazel Rivers) leaves the Rappahannock muddy after even minor storm events. “Access to the Rappahannock system (defined here as the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers) is fairly limited and primitive. Established access points on the Rappahannock (traveling downstream) are at Kelly's Ford (Route 672 off Route 651) in Culpeper County and Motts Landing (Route 618) in Spotsylvania County.  About 25 miles separates these canoe/Jon boat slides, and an overnight camp stop is nearly mandatory for those that float fish this reach. Another access point is located on the Rapidan River at Elys Ford (Route 610) in Spotsylvania County about 14 miles upstream of Motts Landing. Access may also be gained via several non-established points.  These consist of VDOT right-of-ways along bridges (e.g., Route 522 on the Rapidan). … “The Rappahannock River's character changes abruptly in Fredericksburg at the fall line (the limit of tidal influence).  Above the fall line, the river is usually clear, swift, and dominant substrates are bedrock, boulder and cobble providing perfect habitat for smallmouth bass and related species.  However, below Route 1 the river is tidal, and the substrate is finer, dominated by sand; and the water is frequently murky.  Species composition shifts with habitat, and largemouth bass, catfish and anadromous species are more common in and below Fredericksburg.  Boaters and anglers can now navigate from upstream access points such as Motts Landing across the old Embrey Dam site and into the tidal waters adjacent to Fredericksburg.” SOURCES Used for Audio U.S. Geological Survey, “Water Use in the United States,” online at https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/water-use-united-states?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects. 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;“Final 2020 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/assessments/integrated-report;“Status of Virginia's Water Resources,” October 2020, online (as a PDF) at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2119/637432838113030000;“Water Quantity,” online at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quantity. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources:“Rappahannock River-Upper," online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/waterbody/rappahannock-river-upper/; “Rappahannock River-Tidal,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/waterbody/rappahannock-river-tidal/.For More Information about the Rappahannock River City of Fredericksburg, Va., “Rappahannock River,” online at https://www.fredericksburgva.gov/210/Rappahannock-River. Friends of the Rappahannock (non-profit organization), online at http://www.riverfriends.org/. 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 (TMDL) reports on the Upper Rappahannock River, the Hazel River, and other Rappahannock River basin waterways. RappFLOW (Rappahannock Friends and Lovers of Our Watersheds; non-profit organization), online at https://rappflow.org/.For More Information about Watersheds and River Basins Richard B. Alexander et al., “The Role of Headwater Streams in Downstream Water Quality,” Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol. 43, No. 1, February 2007, pages 41-59; available online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307624/(subscription may be required). Radford University, “Virginia's Rivers, online at http://www.radford.edu/jtso/GeologyofVirginia/VirginiasRivers/Drainage-1.html. Craig Snyder, et al., “Significance of Headwater Streams and Perennial Springs in Ecological Monitoring in Shenandoah National Park,” 2013, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1178; available online (as a PDF) at https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1178/pdf/ofr2013-1178.pdf. U.S. Department of Agriculture/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/soil-and-water/wsheds. 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, Virginia Water Central Newsletter, February 2000, “Divide and Confluence,” by Alan Raflo (pages 8-11); available 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).  See particularly the Rivers, Streams, and Other Surface Water” subject category. Following are links to some previous episodes on the Rappahannock River or its watershed.Hazel River introduction (Rappahannock River watershed) – Episode 339, 10-24-16.Madison County flooding in 1995 (on Rapidan River, in Rappahannock River watershed) – Episode 272, 6-29-15.Rappahannock River introduction – Episode 89, 11-21-11.Following are links to some other episodes on watersheds and Virginia rivers. Big Otter River introduction (Roanoke River watershed) – Episode 419, 5-7-18.Big Sandy River watershed introduction – Episode 419, 5-7-18.Blue Ridge origin of river watersheds – Episode 583, 6-28-21.Bluffs on rivers and other waters – Episode 587, 7-26-21.Bullpasture and Cowpasture rivers introduction (James River watershed) – Episode 469, 4-22-19.Headwater streams – Episode 582, 6-21-21.Jackson River introduction (James River watershed) – Episode 428, 7-9-19.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.Shenandoah River introduction –

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.

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Kevin Kinnally are joined by MACo’s Legal and Policy Counsel, Les Knapp, to discuss the future of Smart Growth in Maryland, the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and recap #MACoCon. Listen in to hear an update on "A Better Maryland," the ongoing implementation of the Chesapeake Bay’s "pollution diet," and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements established by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and overseen by the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Bob Larsen is Staff Scientist at the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. In this 2012 interview he says, “I think the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) provided us with the opportunity to be more involved in the process [of solving Lake Tahoe clarity decline], to engage with the scientific community and our implementing partners to figure out, to better understand, the problem and to better understand what the potential solutions might be—to be a more-active partner in the restoration of Lake Tahoe’s transparency.”

“Let the system focus on the places where you get the biggest environmental bang for the buck,” this is the advice that the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency took from the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). "The flexibility that we have built into the system is based on this new paradigm that says: focus on the locations where you can get the greatest pollutant load reduction," says Joanne Marchetta, TRPA Executive. The pollutants at issue are ultra-fine sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus. Creating the regulatory flexibility to enable jurisdictions to go after these pollutants is a high-priority undertaking in the Tahoe planning process.

In this second segment of the 2012 interview with Allen Biaggi he talks about water quality, the advances made in Nevada with regard to water quality and about the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) which he calls, "a huge step forward because previously we had more of a shotgun approach … we now know through a rigorous scientific process, where the problems are, and can focus our scant resources toward that end. We can now spend our money wisely toward those reductions in fine sediments."