Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment

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Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment

• May 7, 2008

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Meeting Facilitators

• Robin S. Knox
• Water Quality Consulting, Inc.
• [phone]
• wqcinc_at_clearwire.net
• Karen Bennett Picture it Solved
• Linda Koch
• DOH Environmental Planning Office
• [phone]
• linda.koch_at_doh.hawaii.gov

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Presentation Overview

• Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Programs
• Relation to CWA and other DOH programs
• Water use classification in Hawaii
• Current use attainment tools and decision rules
• Integrated Water Quality Reporting Workgroup
  goals
• How to participate

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What is the Water Quality Monitoring and
Assessment Report?

• Prepared by DOH as required by the Clean Water
  Act
• Integrated Report of Assessed Waters Prepared
  Under Clean Water Act 303(d) and 305(b)
• Report is on the DOH website under 303(d) list
  http//hawaii.gov/health/environmental/env-plannin
  g/wqm/wqm.html

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What is the Clean Water Act?

• Federal law with objective to restore and
  maintain the chemical, physical, and biological
  integrity of the nations waters

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Clean Water Act

• Goals include fishable swimmable waters

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Clean Water Act Goals
Eliminate discharges of pollution
NPDES
Control nonpoint source pollution
Polluted runoff control
Protect fish wildlife, water recreation
Goals of Clean Water Act
Research development
Water quality standards
No toxic discharges
Area-wide treatment plans
Financial assistance to POTW
Continuing Planning Process
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CWA 303(d)

• Identify waters not meeting water quality
  standards
• Set priorities/ develop total maximum daily load
  (TMDL)
• Includes waste load allocation for point sources
  and load allocation for non-point sources
• TMDL WLA LA Margin of Safety

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CWA 305(b)

• Inventory
• Describe water quality
• Are fishable swimmable goals met?
• Recommend actions
• Describe nonpoint source pollution and
  recommendations for control

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CONTINUING PLANNING PROCESS Water Quality
Management Plans (Basin Plans, Areawide Plans,
Facility Plans)
Permits (5 yr) Enforcement
WATERSHED Land cover Natural processes Human
activity Pollutant sources Transport Fate
TMDL
REGULATIONS WQS - Water Quality Standards (3
yr) EL - Exposure Levels P/E HR - Public/Env.
Health Regs EAL - Env. Action Levels
WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT Integrated report (2 yr)
Vector control
COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING STRATEGY CORE BEACH BIO
TMDL PRC COMPLIANCE
Polluted Runoff Control
Site remediation
Public health advisories
GROUNDWATER
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Public Health and Environmental Health Goals
Drinking Water
Wastewater
Surface Water
Solid Waste
HazMat
Vector Control
Sanitation
Radiation Noise
Clean Air Indoor Air
Human Health
Waste
Incidents
Continuing Planning Process
Human ecosystem exposure levels (EL) Other
public environmental health risks
Water Quality Standards
Recreational uses Ecosystem uses
Agricultural uses Domestic uses Industrial uses
THE BOTTOM LINE
PUBLIC SAFETY HEALTH (Life, Limb, Property)
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How is water use classified in Hawaii?Waterbody
Types
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How is water use classified in Hawaii?Designated
Uses
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Waterbody Class and Use
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2006 IR Attainment Designation

• Rules of Logic 2004 Listing Criteria
  Attainment Designation
• Designations
• 1. All uses supported
• 2. Some but not all uses supported
• 3. Insufficient data to make a determination
• 4. Uses not supported, TMDL not needed
• 5. Uses not supported, TMDL needed

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Rules of Logic for 2006 IR

• Relation of water quality criteria attainment to
  designated use attainment is undefined
• Attainment of one or more water quality criterion
  does not equal designated use attainment
• Non-attainment of 1 or more water quality
  criterion equals water quality impairment
• Water quality impairment does not equal
  non-attainment of designated use

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Listing Criteria Conventional Simple
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Integrated Water Quality Reporting Workgroup

• Diverse workgroup that will determine the tools
  necessary to evaluate the waters
• Establish a meaningful, yet simple method to
  determine designated use attainment with a
  limited data set.
• Final work product will be a set of criteria for
  2008 State of Hawaii Water Quality for use
  Monitoring and Assessment Report.

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Integrated Water Quality Reporting Workgroup

• Workgroup is NOT about changing the existing
  standards (uses and criteria)
• Workgroup will address
• Tools for determining use attainment
• Data quality and availability requirements
• Decision rules and logic for attainment decisions

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How will the work be done?

• 2 workgroup meetings at DOH
• Subgroups form work together
• Individuals work coordinate between meetings
• Document recommendations as proposed criteria

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Who will be on the workgroup?

• A diverse group representing interest in the use
  and protection of the waters and the ecosystems
  they support
• Environmental regulatory agencies (EPA, DOH)
• Resource Management/Conservation agencies
• Scientific/academic community
• County government
• Recreational users (snorkelers, surfers,
  swimmers)
• Agricultural and industrial users
• Large landowners/land managers
• Planners/developers
• Fishermen

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How can I participate?

• Contact DOH to indicate your interest
• DOH will issue invitations to selected workgroup
  members
• Workgroup members will be selected to ensure a
  balanced group representing diverse interests,
  adequate knowledge and expertise
• Criteria proposed by the workgroup will be
  available for public review and comment

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For more information

• For copy of presentation or Water Quality
  Monitoring and Assessment Report
  http//hawaii.gov/health/environmental/env-plannin
  g/wqm/wqm.html
• To participate in the workgroup contact
• Linda Koch,
  Environmental Planning Office
• [phone]
• linda.koch_at_doh.hawaii.gov