Total Maximum Daily Load Guide for the Chesapeake Bay.

Total Maximum Daily Load Guide for the Chesapeake Bay.

Residents of the Chesapeake Bay watershed depend upon a healthy Bay for food, recreation, and commercial enterprises. But the ways in which we use the watershed’s lands—from driving our cars to spreading fertilizers—indirectly impact the health of the Bay’s waters. Wastewater treatment plants, agricultural operations and urban runoff are major sources of the nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution that threaten the Bay’s health. The Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is designed to restore the health of the Bay’s waters by reducing the pollution from these and other sources.

Download the Chesapeake Bay Program TMDL Citizens Guide and get the scoop on our waterways.

http://www.askhrgreen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/TMDL-Citizens-Guide.pdf

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a regulatory term in the U.S. Clean Water Act, describing a plan for restoring impaired waters that identifies the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards.

Citizens are encouraged to become involved in maintaining or restoring waters in their neighborhood. Local communities often have a personal stake in the fate of the water. Residents and local businesses can help identify critical issues, set priorities and preliminary goals, assist decision-makers, or initiate and implement restoration activities at the ground level. One way to get involved is by starting or joining a watershed, lake or river association. These associations can provide opportunities to monitor water quality, identify pollutant sources and recommend viable pollution control actions.


"Every little bit helps" is perhaps the underlying principle for the estimated 3,000 – 4,000 local watershed groups across the country. Many communities are proving they can make a noticeable difference in their neighborhood waterbody.
Large projects often involve heavy equipment like dredgers or excavators, but citizens can take part in activities like planting trees and native vegetation, shoring up stream banks with rock weirs, conducting campaigns to reducing fertilizer use or simply removing the pollution source (e.g., neighborhood trash clean-ups). Successful restoration projects can not only reclaim healthy habitats for fish and aquatic wildlife, but have been known to yield increased property values in the community.

https://yosemite.epa.gov/water/volmon.nsf/home?openform

This directory lists volunteer organizations around the country engaged in monitoring rivers, lakes, estuaries, beaches, wetlands, and ground water, as well as surrounding lands. It is intended to serve as a living document that will grow and change with the continued flourishing 
of the volunteer monitoring movement nationwide.


https://www.epa.gov/nps/nonpoint-source-success-stories#md
Information on a handful of Maryland's waterways.

BALTIMORE COUNTY INFORMATION

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a tool to help protect and improve water quality. Since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, each state is required to set standards for water quality and periodically analyze the water to see if the particular stream, river, reservoir or inlet meets the standard. If it falls short of the standard, it is said to be impaired.

What is TMDL?

A TMDL is like a diet for a waterway. If a person has high cholesterol, for example, their doctor might recommend a restricted diet. The patient would be evaluated to determine how high their cholesterol is and their current consumption might be examined to see what foods should be eliminated. A plan is put in place for the patient to help reduce their cholesterol level to a healthy standard.

The TMDL works the same way. A water body is determined to have too high of a level of a particular pollutant. The TMDL describes the watershed, identifies likely sources for the pollutant, and identifies opportunities to reduce the amount of pollutant to meet the accepted standard. Each pollutant requires a separate TMDL.

Measuring Impairments

In order to better evaluate, monitor, and manage waterways, the state has segmented these waterways into drainage areas. Baltimore County has 2,145 miles of stream and 219 miles of tidal shoreline in 14 watersheds. Each of the 14 watersheds that are in or are connected to Baltimore County is impacted by pollutants and requires TMDLs.

An Example

Let's use the Back River as an example. In the Back River, the level of Total Phosphorus (TP) exceeds the standards. Phosphorus is a nutrient and may enter the waterway from sewage treatment plants, industry, fertilizers and other sources. In order for Back River to be considered healthy the TP load from all sources must be reduced to 99,991 pounds per year. The Back River Waste Water Treatment plant has already made recent investments to reduce phosphorus and is considered to have lowered its contribution as low as current technology allows. Therefore, the TMDL for Back River focuses on reducing TP entering the waterway from urban runoff by 15 percent.

We All Contribute

Since each of us contribute pollutants to our waterways through the cars we drive, the sewage we produce, and the choices we make for in home and lawn care, we can also help. The Watershed Management Program is leading a collaborative effort with citizens, businesses and watershed organizations to develop Small Watershed Action Plans (SWAPs) for each of the County's watersheds. Support Baltimore County’s efforts and check in with your local watershed association to find out ways you can protect your local stream. Baltimore County’s programs for stormwater retention and their requirements for stream setbacks are also providing additional protection for waterways and helping reduce pollutant loads in County waterways.