TMDLs in the Flathead
Purpose of the Meeting
• What is a TMDL?
• What has been done? – Brief history of
TMDL work in the Flathead Watershed
• What is yet to be done? - Review what
TMDL work is scheduled and general
strategies for completion
• Discuss stakeholder roles and
involvement
What is a TMDL?
• TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load refers to the
maximum amount of a particular pollutant that a
water body can assimilate and continue to meet
water quality standards
• Upon developing the Total Maximum Daily Load,
that load is then divided between the
contributing sources, both human caused and
natural
• Essentially, TMDL development is the
process that provides direction and frames
the efforts to restore impaired waters
• It is a plan to attain and maintain water
quality standards
Why do we develop TMDLs?
• The Federal Clean Water Act and Montana
Water Quality Act state that TMDLs must
be developed for all water bodies
appearing on the 303(d) list, (waters not
meeting state standards)
• Court mandated 2012 schedule
What does a TMDL actually mean?
• Allocations - At the end of the day, the
TMDL, or total amount of a pollutant that
the stream can accept, is portioned
(allocated) among all of the known
contributing sources.
TMDLs are not self-implementing
• Rather they are implemented through other
existing regulatory and non-regulatory programs
• Meeting allocations for non-point sources are
largely voluntary.
• However, for point sources (permitted
dischargers) to state waters, the TMDL does
effect the limits and content of the permits, and
therefore can have a regulatory impact.
History of TMDL development in
the Flathead Watershed
Flathead
Watershed
• 7,096 sq miles
• Numerous listed
streams: 6 water bodies
currently have TMDLs
developed for them
– Flathead Lake
– Swan Lake
– Big Creek
– Coal Creek
– Jim Creek
– Goat Creek
• The Flathead Basin has
seen a 42% increase in
population between
1980-2000
• Nutrients and sediment
are two of the biggest
issues facing the lakes
and streams
TMDL
Planning
Areas
• Four major
TMDL planning
areas in the
Flathead basin
– Swan
– Flathead
Headwaters
– Flathead
Stillwater
– Flathead Lake
Swan Watershed (June 2004)
Swan Watershed (June 2004)
Flathead Headwaters
(Dec 2004)
Flathead Headwaters
(Dec 2004)
Flathead Lake
Phase I (2001)
• The Phase I was the first
step of a Nutrient
Management Plan to help
improve and protect
Flathead Lake
• The Phase I document
called for 25% load
reduction in nutrients
from the core urban and
agricultural areas north
of the lake
What TMDL
work remains
to be done?
• Flathead Lake
Phase II
• Flathead
Stillwater
• Lake Mary
Ronan
What TMDL
work remains
to be done?
• Flathead
Lake Phase
II
• Flathead
Stillwater
• Lake Mary Ronan
What TMDL
work remains
to be done?
• Flathead Lake
Phase II
• Flathead
Stillwater
• Lake Mary
Ronan
What TMDL
work remains
to be done?
• Flathead Lake
Phase II
• Flathead
Stillwater
• Lake Mary
Ronan
Lake Mary Ronan
• Lake Mary Ronan has
been listed on the
2000 and subsequent
303d lists for:
– Algal growth and
Chlorophyll a
• Originally listed for:
– Nutrients
– Sediment
Flathead
Stillwater
• Streams currently
in need of TMDL
– West Fork Swift
Creek
– East Fork Swift
Creek
– Swift Creek
– Whitefish Lake
– Whitefish River
– Sheppard Creek
– Logan Creek
– Fish Creek
– Ashley Creek
– Stillwater River
– East Spring Creek
– Spring Creek
Nutrient Impaired
Sediment Impaired
Metals Impaired
Temperature Impaired
Other Impairments
Flathead Lake
Phase II
Flathead Lake Phase II
• The original Flathead Lake TMDL:
– established in-lake water quality goals (targets), and
– called for a 15% (+10% MOS), watershed-scale
nutrient load reduction (from year 2000 levels)
• However, allocations were not presented for
specific point and non-point sources.
Flathead Lake Phase II
• The purpose of Phase II is to conduct the necessary
studies to specifically assign allocations (i.e., load
reductions) to all of the significant nutrient sources in
the Flathead Lake Watershed.
• These may include:
– Regulated point sources such as WWTPs
– Forestry
– Agriculture
– Septic systems
– Residential/commercial land uses
– Airborne sources
Flathead Lake Phase II
• The relative importance of the various
sources of nutrients will be put into
perspective using a watershed-scale
nutrient loading model, and
• The results of:
– subwatershed-scale TMDL studies (Flathead-
Stillwater, Flathead Headwaters, Swan, etc.)
– Numerous other studies that have been
completed or are currently ongoing
What TMDL related
work has been
completed so far?
Flathead
Stillwater Efforts
• For management
purposes, the Flathead
Stillwater was broken into
5 sub-basins.
• Some synoptic sampling,
data compilation, and
watershed
characterizations have
been completed in all 5.
Flathead
Stillwater Efforts
• All listed streams in
the Stillwater have
had aerial assessment
and reaches
delineated for future
sediment impairment
investigation.
Flathead
Stillwater Efforts
• Analysis of the
current data
compilation and
available data is
ongoing
Flathead
Stillwater Efforts
• Partnerships with the
Flathead Basin
Commission, Flathead
Conservation District,
Whitefish County
Sewer and Water
District have
contributed to much
of this work.
Modeling Efforts
(Flathead Watershed Scale)
• A Flathead Lake watershed scale model
combined with individual lake/reservoir
response models is being developed to
simulate land use/land cover contributions
of nutrients and sediment across the
landscape.
– Flathead Lake response is NOT being
addressed through DEQ modeling efforts
How will the model be used?
• The combination of the watershed scale
model with lake response models provides
a better picture of how pollutants are
processed in and through the major lakes
in the watershed.
• Lake response models are being
developed for: Hungry Horse, Whitefish
Lake, Swan Lake
Modeling Efforts
(Flathead Watershed Scale)
• Ongoing data collection at numerous sites
across the watershed will assist in
calibration and validation of the model.
• Sampling is currently underway on Swan
Lake, Whitefish Lake, Hungry Horse
Reservoir and the mouths of all major
rivers for this effort.
• Modeling related
sample sites
– Outlet of the Stillwater,
Whitefish, Swan,
Flathead, and North,
Middle, and South Forks
of the Flathead River
– Flathead River at
International boundary
(i.e. North Fork)
– Ashley Creek upstream
of Kalispell and at mouth
– Swan Lake inlet/outlet
and lake
– Whitefish Lake
inlet/outlet and lake
– Hungry Horse Reservoir
inlet/outlet and lake.
How will the model be used?
• The model will allow for a wider understanding
of the nutrient and sediment contributions from
all sources, and thereby allow for an equitable
distribution in the allocation of acceptable loads
from these sources.
• The model will also be able to run predictive
scenarios such that we have a better
understanding of how things may change as
land use changes in the future.
How will the model be used?
• The model will provide significant contribution
toward the development of TMDLs in the
Flathead watershed.
• Phase II of the Flathead Lake allocation process
is the impetus for the model, however this effort
is really the umbrella under which the remaining
TMDLs will be developed, and existing TMDLs
can be reviewed.
Proposed Schedule
• Approximate 2-3 year timeframe
• Currently examining all of the components to
ensure we have an integrated schedule and
priorities are met
– MPDES renewals
– individual subwatershed TMDLS
– court orders
– potential adoption of numeric nutrient criteria
– population growth
Use of Advisory Groups in the
Process
• Stakeholder involvement is important for
TMDL success in the Flathead watershed.
• Three main advisory groups will be used
throughout this process:
– General/Policy Advisory Group
– Technical Advisory Group
– Modeling Advisory Group
General/Policy Group
• The policy advisory group will discuss
general TMDL progress, interface with
watershed stakeholders, and dialogue
policy related issues to the Flathead Lake
watershed.
• Key point of contact for this group:
– George Mathieus/Jim Bond
Technical Advisory Group
• The Technical Advisory Group will discuss
scientific details regarding TMDL development
including data collection design, water quality
targets, and allocation strategies.
• This group will be mainly focused on the
remaining TMDL development needs in the
Flathead Stillwater planning area.
• Key Point of Contact – Jim Bond
Modeling Advisory Group
• This group will discuss details specifically
related to the models used in TMDL
analysis in the basin.
• Key Point of Contact – Kyle Flynn
Use of Advisory Groups in the
Process
• Due to the large number of people involved, and
the development process in general, regularly
scheduled meetings will not be set.
• Rather, members of each group will be notified
for meetings as we approach key milestones or
specific topics need to be discussed.
• However, regular updates on progress will be
sent to all individuals per each group.
Use of Advisory Groups in the
Process
• Information Sharing
– Review information and discuss strategies
– Inform DEQ of known sources of information;
reports, studies, data that DEQ may not be
aware of
– Present DEQ with considerations that must be
noted when developing the TMDLs
Questions?