Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
Section 303(d)(1)(C) of the Clean Water Act and EPA's implementing regulations (40CFR Part 130) require states to identify those waterbodies that do not meet water quality standards after application of the technology-based effluent limitations required by the Act. For these waters, states must consider the development of strategies, including Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) analysis, for reducing the pollutants that are causing the water quality standards exceedance in those waterbodies.
By definition, a TMDL specifies the allowable pollutant loading from all contributing sources (e.g., point sources, nonpoint sources, and natural background) at a level necessary to attain the applicable water quality standards with seasonal variations and a margin of safety that takes into account any lack of knowledge concerning the relationship between the sources of the pollutant and water quality. In essence, a TMDL defines the assimilative capacity of the waterbody to absorb a pollutant and still meet water quality standards.
The Division of Water has completed TMDLs for a number of waterbodies in New York State. Waterbodies/Pollutants addressed by these TMDLs include:
Adirondack Acid Rain Waters/pH
See contact information (at right) for more information regarding this TMDL.
Greenwood Lake/Phosphorus
See contact information (at right) for more information regarding this TMDL.
Long Island Sound/Dissolved Oxygen
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Analysis to Achieve Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Oxygen in Long Island Sound, December 2000, NYSDEC and CTDEP (259kb PDF)
Response to Public Comments - Long Island Sound Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, January 2001, NYSDEC (133kb PDF)
Long Island/Pathogens (Shellfishing)
Shellfish Pathogen TMDL for 27 303(d)-Listed Waters, September 2007, NYSDEC, et al. (909kb PDF)
Response to Public Comments - Shellfish Pathogen TMDL, September 2007, NYSDEC (36kb PDF)
Lake Champlain/Phosphorus
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Analysis to Achieve Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus in Lake Champlain, September 2002, NYSDEC and VTDEC (362kb PDF)
New York City Water Supply Watershed/Phosphorus
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Analysis to Achieve Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus in New York City Water Supply Reservoirs - Final Phase II, June 2000, NYSDEC (172kb PDF)
Response to Public Comments - Phase II NYC Watershed Phosphorus TMDL, June 2000, NYSDEC (172kb PDF)
Nonpoint Source Implementation - Phase II NYC Watershed Phosphorus TMDL, March 2002, NYSDEC (203kb PDF)
Nonpoint Source Implementation - Phase II NYC Watershed Phosphorus TMDL, April 2001, NYSDEC and NYCDEP (1004kb PDF)
Croton Watershed Phase II Phosphorus TMDL Imlementation Plan, January 14, 2009, NYSDEC (552 kb PDF)
Croton Watershed Phase II TMDL Implementation Plan Comment Responsiveness Summary, January 15, 2009 NYSDEC (95 kb PDF)
Technical Background For Retrofitting Practices, January 14, 2009, NYSDEC (142 kb, NYSDEC)
Northeast Regional Mercury TMDL
Northeast Regional Mercury Total Maximum Daily Load, October 24, 2007, NYSDEC in collaboration with NEIWPCC (806kb PDF)
Oyster Bay/Pathogens
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Analysis to Achieve Water Quality Standards for Pathogens in Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek, September 2003, NYSDEC (Full Document 4.5MB; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this PDF document)
Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Text Only, no figures (368kb PDF)
Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 1-4 (1.1MB PDF)
Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 5-7 (940kb PDF)
Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 8-15 (967kb PDF)
Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 16-21 (800kb PDF)
Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 22-27 (394kb PDF)
Peconic Bay/Pathogens
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Analysis to Achieve Water Quality Standards for Pathogens in Peconic Bay, September 2006, NYSDEC (Full Document 3.25 MB; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)
Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Exec Summ/Table of Contents (147kb PDF)
Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Introduction (251kb PDF)
Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 2: Problem Identification (1.0MB PDF)
Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 3-4: Applicable Standards, Water Quality/Watershed Characterization (228kb PDF)
Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 5-6: Source Assessment, Modeling Approach (162kb PDF)
Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 7: Load Allocation (317kb PDF)
Peconic Estuary/Nitrogen
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Nitrogen in the Peconic Estuary Study Area, September 2007, NYSDEC (Full Document 3.57 MB; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)
Peconic Estuary Nitrogen TMDL - Section I-IV: Executive Summary, Introduction, Waterbody Description, Applicable Standards, CWA 303(d) Listing (860 kb PDF)
Peconic Estuary Nitrogen TMDL - Section V-VI: TMDL Development, TMDL/WLAs/LAs, (598 kb PDF)
Peconic Estuary Nitrogen TMDL - Section VII-XIII: Implementation, Reasonable Assurance, Public Participation, (117 kb PDF)
Peconic Estuary Nitrogen TMDL - Appendix A: Cumulative Impact Graphics, (1,295 kb PDF)
Peconic Estuary Nitrogen TMDL - Appendices B and C, (953 kb PDF)
Response to Public Comments - Peconic Estuary Nitrogen TMDL, September 2007, NYSDEC (413kb PDF)
Small Lakes Phosphorus
Blind Sodus Bay
TMDL for Phosphorus in Blind Sodus Bay, September 2007, NYSDEC (704kb PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Blind Sodus Bay - Appendices, September 2007, NYSDEC (1,021kb PDF)
Little Sodus Bay
TMDL for Phosphorus in Little Sodus Bay, September 2007, NYSDEC (659kb PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Little Sodus Bay - Appendices, September 2007, NYSDEC (985kb PDF)
Moon Lake
TMDL for Phosphorus in Moon Lake, September 2007, NYSDEC (649kb PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Moon Lake, September 2007, NYSDEC (963kb PDF)
Cossayuna Lake
TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake, September 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 3.03mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, September 2008, NYSDEC, (996kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Sections 3 and 4, September 2008, NYSDEC, (992kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Sections 5-9; Appendix A, September 2008, NYSDEC, (476kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Appendices B and C, September 2008, NYSDEC, (995kb, PDF)
Findley Lake
TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake, September 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.78mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, September 2008, NYSDEC, (736kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Sections 3 and 4, September 2008, NYSDEC, (902kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Sections 5-9; Appendix A, September 2008, NYSDEC, (661kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Appendices B and C, September 2008, NYSDEC, (985kb, PDF)
Lake Oscawana
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana, September 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.45mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, September 2008, NYSDEC, (880kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana - Sections 3-9; Appendix A, September 2008, NYSDEC, (836kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana - Appendices B and C, September 2008, NYSDEC, (960kb, PDF)
Lake Salubria
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria, July 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.19mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, July 2008, NYSDEC, (879kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria - Sections 3-9; Appendix A, July 2008, NYSDEC, (627kb, PDF)
TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria - Appendices B and C, July 2008, NYSDEC, (960kb, PDF)
