Ann D HirekaturProject Manager

State of Lake Wisconsin MeetingJuly 13, 2013

Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

Part I. Project Overview• Geographic Extent• Water quality concerns• History/Current Status• Framework• Goals

Part II. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) • What is it?• Development• Implementation• Timeline/Next Steps

Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

PROJECT OVERVIEWPart I

Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

The Wisconsin River Basin (WRB) Water Quality Improvement Project

The Wisconsin River Basin (WRB) Water Quality Improvement Project

Water Quality Concerns within the WRB

Petenwell and Castle Rock FlowagesFish Kills in Big Eau Pleine ReservoirDells of the Eau Claire

Runoff in the Baraboo

The WRB – A managed system

http://www.lakenokomiscc.org

How did we get a Water Quality Project in the WRB?

1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

1996Petenwell

Castle RockComprehensive

Management Plan

2001WDNR/USACE develop joint TMDL

monitoring proposal for $1.5 million. Proposal not funded

2004WDNR proposal to USEPA for river

water quality monitoring. Proposal not funded

2008First Pontoons and

Politics at Petenwell Castle Rock

2010WNDR receives Section 22 Planning

Assistance from USACE

2009 – 2013Wisconsin River TMDL

Monitoring

2009State legislature appropriates $750,000 ($150,000/yr. for 5 years) for monitoring

upstream of Castle Rock

Wisconsin RiverTMDL

Project Framework = Total Maximum Daily Load

A TMDL answers the following questions:• How much is the existing

pollutant load?

• What is the contribution from each pollution source?

• How much does pollution need to be reduced in order for waterway to achieve water quality standards and designated uses?

• How will the pollutant load reductions be achieved?

TMDL

The Framework for Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

How will the TMDL help Lake Wisconsin?

- Fish & Aquatic Life

- Recreation

- Phosphorus - Nuisance Algae

Blooms

TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD(TMDL)

Part II

Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

Part I. Project Overview• Geographic Extent• Water quality concerns• History/Current Status• Framework• Goals

Part II. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) • What is it?• Development• Implementation• Timeline/Next Steps

Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

Why develop a TMDL?

Does not meet water

quality standards

Baseline Pollutant

Load

Total Maximum Daily Load

Meets water quality standards

Designated Uses - Fish & Aquatic Life - Public Health - Recreation

Water quality criteria - Numeric - Narrative

What are water quality standards?

Why develop a TMDL?

Does not meet water

quality standards

Baseline Pollutant

Load

Total Maximum Daily Load

Meets water quality standards

Baseline Pollutant

Load

Developing a TMDL

What is the magnitude of theTotal Maximum Daily Load ?

TMDL Load

?

What is the TMDL for each water body?

Developing a TMDL

How will the TMDL be apportioned among loading sources?

?

?

?

Baseline Pollutant

Load

WRB Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

Waste Load Allocation• Municipal Wastewater• Industrial Wastewater• Stormwater (MS4s)

Load Allocation• Runoff from the landscape

Background Load• Naturally occurring from

wetlands, forests

Load Allocation

Waste LoadAllocation

Margin of Safety

TMDL

+ +

Each subwatershed is assessed for:

TMDL Development - Monitoring (2009-2013)

What are the measured flows, and pollutant concentration/loads:

Entering from tributaries? On the main stem of the river?

What are the measured reservoir conditions in response to loads/flows?

TMDL Development – Monitoring (2009-2013)

Tributary Watershed Loads19 stations with daily discharge & bi-monthly water quality

Main stem Loads13 stations with daily discharge & bi-monthly water quality

Reservoirs5 major reservoirsBig Eau Pleine, Lake Dubay, Petenwell, Castle Rock & Lake Wisconsin

Phosphorus Evaluation Sites98 stations with monthly P samples

TMDL Development – Conceptualization (2013-2014)

What’s going on in the watershed?• Land use/management• Climate• Soils, topography, slope• Hydrography

What’s going on in the reservoir system?• Size, shape, depth, volume• Hydrologic budget (rain,

evaporation, inflow, outflow)• Pollutant concentration• Chemical conditions

TMDL Development – Modeling (2013-2015)

Watershed Modeling• What is the existing/baseline load?• How much of the load is coming

from each source?

Reservoir Modeling• How does system respond to current

conditions? • What load reduction is needed to

meet water quality standards?

Baseline Pollutant

Load?

TMDL Development - Modeling

Watershed Modeling• What is the existing/baseline load?• How much of the load is coming

from each source?

Reservoir Modeling• How does system respond to current

conditions? • What load reduction is needed to

meet water quality standards?

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??

?

? ?

TMDL Development – Modeling (2013-2015)

Watershed Modeling• What is the existing/baseline load?• How much of the load is coming

from each source?

Reservoir Modeling• How does system respond to

current conditions? • What load reduction is needed to

meet water quality standards?

TMDL Development – Modeling (2013-2015)

Watershed Modeling• What is the existing/baseline load?• How much of the load is coming

from each source?

Reservoir Modeling• How does system respond to current

conditions? • What load reduction is needed to

meet water quality standards?

Baseline Pollutant

Load

TMDL

EXAMPLE

Integrating Monitoring & Modeling

Proportional Allocation Method

• Proportional allocation method is developed from baseline conditions

• Baseline Conditions reflect current regulatory requirements.

• The TMDL load for each reach is divided proportionally according to each source’s baseline load contribution

TMDL Development – Allocations (2016-2017)

Baseline

TMDL

TMDL Project Implementation (2017 Onwards)

TMDL load allocations are incorporated in permit limits• Industrial Wastewater• Municipal Wastewater• Municipal Stormwater

Work with county staff and other partners implement agricultural land management practices to achieve nonpoint TMDL load allocations

TMDL Development Timeline

2009-2013 Monitoring

2013 - 2014

Watershed Concept/

Modeling

2015-2016

Allocations(Dividing the

pie)

2016 Draft TMDL

2017 Final

TMDL

2017 – Implement-

ation

WDNR Goal

Ann D HirekaturProject Manager

State of Lake Wisconsin MeetingJuly 13, 2013

Wisconsin River Basin Water Quality Improvement Project

Questions?