Hawaii Water Quality Standards

Class I Nearshore Reef Flats

...water quality standards...shall be deemed to be met

if time series surveys of benchmark stationsindicate no relative changesin the relevant biological communitiesas noted by biological community indicatorsor any indicator organismswhich may be applicable to the specific site

Hawaii Water Quality Standards

Class I Nearshore Reef Flats

No action shall be undertakenwhich would substantially risk damage, impairment, or alteration of the biological characteristics of the area

When a determination of substantial riskis made by the Directorthe action shall be declaredto be contrary to the public interestand no other permits shall be issuedpursuant to Chapter 342 HRS

First Hawaii 303(d) List – 1973

Mamala BayPearl HarborKahului Bay

Kaneohe BayHilo Bay

Port Allen Hanamaulu Bay

Kaiaka BayKahana Bay

South Molokai

1975 Hawaii Water Resources Regional

Study • Adopt land use policies

that reflect basin planning emphasis

• Use water quality protection as justification for regulating growth

• Use zoning to implement water quality planning

“This need to weave together existing programs is what sets TMDLs apart from all other water quality programs.” (California State Water Resources Control Board 2001)

7

TMDL Load Reduction

Lo

adin

g

Existing TMDL

PS

NPS/SW

MOS

WLA

LA

DOH ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS

What is our water quality goal? Standards

Are we achieving it? If not, why not? Assessment

What is the pollutant loading capacity? How should it be allocated?TMDL Development

Are we exceeding the loading capacity? If so, how must we reduce it?

TMDL Implementation permits, nonpoint source management, government policy, community relations

“I made you a layer cake”

Lessons Learned• Do your homework (watershed inventory)

• Get the private sector involved

• Understand the standards (mutually)

• Distribute the questions widely

• Front-load the objectives for customers Including your own agency

• Cross-check the monitoring plans

• Pre-specify protocols for data sharing

• Watch how others spread your message

Woodblock print by Tom Killion$350 on internet

Heritage River1988

Watershed Initiative

2003-2006

TMDL2004-2007

Who’s in charge?What’s going on?

Where are the problems?

Where are standards not attained?

What are theenterococcus levels in the watershed? Turbidity? Fish? Organics?

Which cesspools to upgrade, and how?What are the pollutant concentrations in the lower watershed?

What are the pollutant loading capacities there?

What’s the best way to remove hau bush to support native revegetation?

What are TSS loads from the upper watershed?What causes them?

What are the pollutant sources? How much of the loading capacity does each source get?

How well do riparian fencing and vegetative buffers work to reduce pollutant loading?

Did sediment control BMPs reduce turbidity in agricultural drainageways?

Where can pollutant load reductions be achieved, and how?

What’s the plan?Who cares?

How’s the coral?What’s in the groundwater flux?

How’s the stream biota? How do we develop marine water TMDLs?

Results (Based on Model)• Nearly 80% of sediment and nutrient load is

delivered from the Hanalei River

• Most TSS, TN, and TP delivered from Scrub/Shrubland except in Waikoko (where it is from Cultivated Land)

• Most NH4 from Cultivated Land• Most NO2/NO3 from Scrub/Shrubland

TSS LoadPercent of

Total TN LoadPercent of

Total TP LoadPercent of

Totalkg/d % kg/d % kg/d %

Hanalei River Estuary 6,959 80% 367 75% 88 76%Waioli Stream Estuary 1,125 13% 77 16% 18 15%Waipa Stream Estuary 492 6% 30 6% 7 6%

Waikoko Stream Estuary 111 1% 17 3% 3 2%Total 8,687 491 116

TSS LoadPercent of

Total TN LoadPercent of

Total TP LoadPercent of

Totalkg/d % kg/d % kg/d %

Hanalei River Estuary 6,959 80% 367 75% 88 76%Waioli Stream Estuary 1,125 13% 77 16% 18 15%Waipa Stream Estuary 492 6% 30 6% 7 6%

Waikoko Stream Estuary 111 1% 17 3% 3 2%Total 8,687 491 116

TSS LoadPercent of

Total TN LoadPercent of

Total TP LoadPercent of

Totalkg/d % kg/d % kg/d %

Hanalei River Estuary 6,959 80% 367 75% 88 76%Waioli Stream Estuary 1,125 13% 77 16% 18 15%Waipa Stream Estuary 492 6% 30 6% 7 6%

Waikoko Stream Estuary 111 1% 17 3% 3 2%Total 8,687 491 116

Hanalei Allocations

• Geomean (Baseflow) Reductions range from: 35% Enterococcus 77-98% TSS

• 10% and 2% NTE (Stormflow) Reductions range from: 99% Enterococcus 53-94% TSS

Problem Areas• Open areas (scrub/shrub/forest cover)• Agricultural runoff• Waterbird impoundments

• Wastewater• Invasive Species• Feral Ungulates

• New Knowledge channel erosion groundwater sediment transport and fate coral reef bioassessment non-native birds

y = 1.1x

R2 = 0.7175

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Turbidity (NTU)

TS

S C

on

cen

trat

ion

(m

g/L

)

n = 183

y = 0.0023x + 0.0093

R2 = 0.8345

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0 50 100 150 200 250

TSS Concentration (mg/L)

To

tal

Ph

osp

ho

rus

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/L)

n = 181

y = 0.0056x + 0.0898

R2 = 0.7293

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

0 50 100 150 200 250

TSS Concentration (mg/L)

To

tal

Nit

rog

en C

on

cen

trat

ion

(m

g/L

)

n = 181

y = 3E-05x + 0.0363

R2 = 0.0001

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0 50 100 150 200 250

TSS Concentration (mg/L)

Am

mo

nia

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/L)

y = 0.0002x + 0.0334

R2 = 0.0033

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

0 50 100 150 200 250

TSS Concentration (mg/L)

Ntr

ate+

Nit

rite

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/L)

n = 181 n = 183

Sample Site Ag Ditch #64 Ag Ditch #63 Ag Ditch #61 Ditch #60B(Fitzgerald Ditch) (Koga Ditch) (Haraguchi Ditch) (ABC Pond Ditch)

Period of Record Oct '03 to Sept '04 Oct '03 to Sept '04 Oct '03 to Sept '04 Oct '03 to Sept '04

Geometric Mean (NTU) 18.9 18.5 20.8 11.8n (number of samples) 50 50 50 50Standard Deviation (NTU) 13.1 31.6 11.3 5.4Maximum Value (NTU) 82.0 218.0 75.3 26.8Minimum Value (NTU) 4.1 4.7 10.1 4.9

*** Note: BMPs were installed in Koga Ditch, upstream of Ag Ditch #63 sampling site, and in ABC Ditch, upstream of Ag Ditch #60B sampling site on 1 October 2004

Sample Site Ag Ditch #64 Ag Ditch #63 Ag Ditch #61 Ditch #60B(Fitzgerald Ditch) (Koga Ditch) (Haraguchi Ditch) (ABC Pond Ditch)

Period of Record Oct '04 to May '06 Oct '04 to May '06 Oct '04 to May '06 Oct '04 to May '06

Geometric Mean (NTU) 20.7 16.5 34.1 10.5n (number of samples) 82 82 82 82Standard Deviation (NTU) 20.2 15.9 17.5 36.4Maximum Value (NTU) 161.0 130.0 117.0 325.0Minimum Value (NTU) 3.7 2.5 15.9 3.0

% Change in Mean NTU 9.5% -10.7% 63.9% -11.0%(50 samples pre / 82 samples post)

Note: Positive percentages indicate Increases in Mean Turbidity Values, Negative percentages indicate Decreases in Mean Turbidity Values

Questions• What are the appropriate decision units?

• What are the appropriate decision parameters?

• What are the appropriate assessment methods?

• What are the appropriate pollutant limits?

• How do we achieve these limits?• Is water quality improving?• Is it because of what we’re doing?

American Farm Bureau FederationAugust 2004

• Use scientific data in determining impairments and source of impairments

• Determine, allocate, and include background, natural, and/or legacy levels in impairments

• Use attainability analysis (UAA) on all waters before initial listing and/or implementation of TMDLs

• Agricultural participation in listing, assessment, development, and implementation

December 2003 Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan

(Department of Agriculture and Commission on Water Resource Management)

• TMDLs affect the stability and certainty of irrigation system operation and maintenance (How?)

• Is the threat of regulatory enforcement a deterrent to investment? (What is the threat?)

• Pages 149-150 re: Clean Water Act are inaccurate.

Current Status• 700 Waterbodies Assessed for 2006 Cycle

• 302 Impaired Waterbodies (43%)• 596 Waterbody-Pollutant Combinations (TMDLs)• 2008 Assessment underway

• TMDLs:

Completed Almost Done In ProgressAla Wai Canal Hanalei Stream

SystemHilo Bay Streams

Waimanalo Stream*

Nawiliwili Streams* Kaukonahua Stream

Kawa Stream* Kaneohe Stream* Kaelepulu Estuary*

Kapaa Stream* Pearl Harbor Streams Kalihi Stream**

*Implementation Plan or Watershed Plan completed

***nutrients, sediments, PCBs

NEXT ** nitrogen, sediment, trash*dieldrin, chlordane

Nuuanu Stream ***

Pearl Harbor Lochs***

David Penn, TMDL CoordinatorLinda Koch, Assessment CoordinatorAlexandre Remnek, Environmental Engineer (EPA)Renee Kinchla, Assessment Specialist (RCUH)

State of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) (808) 586-4337david.penn@doh.hawaii.govwww.hawaii.gov/health/epo

Supervisors:Kelvin H. Sunada, Environmental Planning OfficeLaurence K. Lau, Environmental Health AdministrationDr. Fukino and Governor Lingle