Water Management and Water Management and River Basin Planning in River Basin Planning in

the USthe US

Elizabeth AlbrightElizabeth AlbrightDoctoral CandidateDoctoral Candidate

Duke UniversityDuke UniversityFulbright ScholarFulbright Scholar

Mississippi River BasinMississippi River Basin

http://www.epa.gov/msbasin/subbasins/index.htm

Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the The Chesapeake Bay is the largest of 130 estuaries in largest of 130 estuaries in the United States. the United States.

Includes parts of six states Includes parts of six states (Delaware, Maryland, New (Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) Virginia, and West Virginia) and all of the District of and all of the District of Columbia. Columbia.

64,000 square-mile 64,000 square-mile drainage basin or drainage basin or watershed (163,480 watershed (163,480 square kilometers)square kilometers)

Chesapeake Bay Program Chesapeake Bay Program partnership partnership

Issues: nutrients, oysters, Issues: nutrients, oysters, toxicstoxics

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/

Columbia River BasinColumbia River Basin Fourth Largest Fourth Largest

Basin 250,000 Basin 250,000 square milessquare miles

Main issues:Main issues:• Dams, SalmonDams, Salmon

There are over There are over 250 reservoirs and 250 reservoirs and around 150 around 150 hydroelectric hydroelectric projects in the projects in the basin. basin.

http://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/ps/colrvbsn.htm

North Carolina River BasinsNorth Carolina River Basins

Water Management in the United Water Management in the United StatesStates

Federal/ National Level ManagementFederal/ National Level Management State ManagementState Management Local ManagementLocal Management

Federal System of ManagementFederal System of Management Federal LawFederal Law

• Clean Water ActClean Water Act• Safe Drinking Water ActSafe Drinking Water Act• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)

Environmental Impact StatementsEnvironmental Impact Statements Federal AgenciesFederal Agencies

• United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency• US Department of AgricultureUS Department of Agriculture

Non-point source controlsNon-point source controls WetlandsWetlands

• Army Corps of EngineersArmy Corps of Engineers River regulationRiver regulation

• Department of InteriorDepartment of Interior Endangered speciesEndangered species National ParksNational Parks

• United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey Flow MonitoringFlow Monitoring

US Clean Water ActUS Clean Water Act Goals of Clean Water Act Goals of Clean Water Act

• Federal Water Pollution Control Act Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, 1977, 1987Amendments of 1972, 1977, 1987

• „„The objective of the Act is to restore and The objective of the Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.” biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”

• Discharge of pollutants into the navigable Discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985waters be eliminated by 1985

• The Act does not deal directly with ground The Act does not deal directly with ground water nor with water quantity issues water nor with water quantity issues

Point Source PollutionPoint Source Pollution

http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/cwa38.htm

Non-Point Source PollutionNon-Point Source Pollution

• Voluntary programsVoluntary programs• Total Maximum Daily LoadTotal Maximum Daily Load• During the last decade more attention During the last decade more attention

has been given to physical and has been given to physical and biological integrity. biological integrity.

Big Picture of Water Quality Big Picture of Water Quality ManagementManagement

State Water ManagementState Water Management Monitor water qualityMonitor water quality

• Chemical parametersChemical parameters Dissolved oxygen, nutrients, heavy metals, fecal coliform, pH, Dissolved oxygen, nutrients, heavy metals, fecal coliform, pH,

chlorophyll a, turbiditychlorophyll a, turbidity• Aquatic ToxicologyAquatic Toxicology• Biological Assessment Biological Assessment

Develop water quality standards for all water bodiesDevelop water quality standards for all water bodies• Different uses of watersDifferent uses of waters

Recreation, drinking water supply, biological integrity, High Quality Recreation, drinking water supply, biological integrity, High Quality Waters, fish consumptionWaters, fish consumption

• Approved by EPAApproved by EPA Designate Waters as ImpairedDesignate Waters as Impaired

• Similar to EUWFD „good status”Similar to EUWFD „good status”• Chemical Impairment (e.g., dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform)Chemical Impairment (e.g., dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform)

River Basin Management PlansRiver Basin Management Plans

State River Basin Management PlansState River Basin Management Plans River basin plans developed on rotating basisRiver basin plans developed on rotating basis In North Carolina, plan developed every five years (17 In North Carolina, plan developed every five years (17

basins)basins) The goals of basinwide planning are to:The goals of basinwide planning are to:

• Identify water quality problems and restore full use to Identify water quality problems and restore full use to Impaired waters. Impaired waters.

• Identify and protect high value resource waters. Identify and protect high value resource waters. • Protect unimpaired waters yet allow for reasonable Protect unimpaired waters yet allow for reasonable

economic growth. economic growth.

DWQ accomplishes these goals through the following DWQ accomplishes these goals through the following objectives:objectives:• Collaborate with other agencies to develop appropriate Collaborate with other agencies to develop appropriate

management strategies. management strategies. • Assure equitable distribution of waste assimilative capacity. Assure equitable distribution of waste assimilative capacity. • Better evaluate cumulative effects of pollution. Better evaluate cumulative effects of pollution. • Improve public awareness and involvement. Improve public awareness and involvement.

http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/basinwide/http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/basinwide/

List of Impaired Waters 303(d)List of Impaired Waters 303(d)

http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/cwa27.htm

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) ProgramProgram

Clean Water Act: Mandates that TMDL must be Clean Water Act: Mandates that TMDL must be developed for all impaired water bodiesdeveloped for all impaired water bodies

A TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load is a calculation of A TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards, and can receive and still meet water quality standards, and an allocation of that amount to the pollutant's sources. an allocation of that amount to the pollutant's sources.

http://www.tmdls.net/http://www.tmdls.net/ Weaknesses: Weaknesses:

• How to deal with water bodies that are biologically How to deal with water bodies that are biologically impaired but meet chemical standards (e.g., erosion, impaired but meet chemical standards (e.g., erosion, sedimentation, loss of stream habitat, sedimentation, loss of stream habitat, channelization)channelization)

• Frequently no implementationFrequently no implementation• Lawsuit drivenLawsuit driven

Local Water Management Local Water Management (City and County)(City and County)

Wastewater Treatment Plant Wastewater Treatment Plant FacilitiesFacilities

Drinking Water FacilitiesDrinking Water Facilities Additional MonitoringAdditional Monitoring Storm Water ManagementStorm Water Management Land Use PlanningLand Use Planning

Status of Water Bodies throughout Status of Water Bodies throughout United StatesUnited States

http://www.epa.gov/305b/2000report/factsheet.pdf

Challenges to Water Quality Challenges to Water Quality ManagementManagement

Fiscal concernsFiscal concerns• State versus Federal funding responsibility?State versus Federal funding responsibility?

Non-Point Source PollutionNon-Point Source Pollution• Current voluntary programs versus mandatory programsCurrent voluntary programs versus mandatory programs• Storm water controlsStorm water controls

Monitoring NetworksMonitoring Networks• Frequently monthly monitoringFrequently monthly monitoring• Spatial extent of monitoringSpatial extent of monitoring• UncertaintyUncertainty

Interstate CooperationInterstate Cooperation• Different water quality standards, monitoring, values, pollutants, Different water quality standards, monitoring, values, pollutants,

financial resourcesfinancial resources Wetland and stream buffer protectionWetland and stream buffer protection

• Private property versus common good debatePrivate property versus common good debate Dam and levee maintenanceDam and levee maintenance Dam removalsDam removals

Comparison of CWA and EUWFDComparison of CWA and EUWFD Similar goalsSimilar goals

• WFD „Good Water Status”WFD „Good Water Status” Ecological statusEcological status ChemicalChemical

• US CWA US CWA More vague on descriptionMore vague on description Does not list specific parameters to monitorDoes not list specific parameters to monitor

Similar focus on water qualitySimilar focus on water quality EUWFD subsidiarity principle versus US Federalist approachEUWFD subsidiarity principle versus US Federalist approach MonitoringMonitoring

• CWA leaves it to the state and EPA, offers little guidanceCWA leaves it to the state and EPA, offers little guidance• EUWFD—Annex 5, sampling parametersEUWFD—Annex 5, sampling parameters

River Basin PlanningRiver Basin Planning• EUWFD mandates river basin plansEUWFD mandates river basin plans• CWA does not require river basin plans per say, TMDLsCWA does not require river basin plans per say, TMDLs