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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 (259 Kb PDF)

Response to Public Comments - Long Island Sound Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, January 2001, NYSDEC (133 Kb PDF)

Long Island/Pathogens (Shellfishing)

Shellfish Pathogen TMDL for 27 Section 303(d)-Listed Waters, September 2007, NYSDEC, et al. (909 Kb PDF)

Shellfish Pathogen TMDL, Attachment A - Waterbody Maps, September 2007, NYSDEC, et al. (Full Document is 23 MB and may be difficult to view/download; see below to view/download smaller portions of this PDF document)

Shellfish Pathogen TMDL, Attachment B - Assumptions and Methods, September 2007, NYSDEC, et al. (266 Kb PDF)

Response to Public Comments - Shellfish Pathogen TMDL, September 2007, NYSDEC (36 Kb 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 (362 Kb 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 (172 Kb PDF)

Response to Public Comments - Phase II NYC Watershed Phosphorus TMDL, June 2000, NYSDEC (172 Kb PDF)

Nonpoint Source Implementation - Phase II NYC Watershed Phosphorus TMDL, March 2002, NYSDEC (203 Kb PDF)

Nonpoint Source Implementation - Phase II NYC Watershed Phosphorus TMDL, April 2001, NYSDEC and NYCDEP (1 Mb 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, PDF)

Northeast Regional Mercury TMDL

Northeast Regional Mercury Total Maximum Daily Load, October 24, 2007, NYSDEC in collaboration with NEIWPCC (806 Kb 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 (368 Kb PDF)

Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 1-4 (1.1 MB PDF)

Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 5-7 (940 Kb PDF)

Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 8-15 (967 Kb PDF)

Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 16-21 (800 Kb PDF)

Oyster Bay/Mill Neck Creek Pathogens TMDL - Figures 22-27 (394 Kb 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 (147 Kb PDF)

Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Introduction (251 Kb 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 (228 Kb PDF)

Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 5-6: Source Assessment, Modeling Approach (162 Kb PDF)

Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 7: Load Allocation (317 Kb PDF)

Peconic Bay Pathogens TMDL - Section 8-11 and attachments: Implementation, Reasonable Assurance, Public Participation and References (186 Kb 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 (413 Kb PDF)

Small Lakes Phosphorus

Blind Sodus Bay

TMDL for Phosphorus in Blind Sodus Bay, September 2007, NYSDEC (704 Kb PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Blind Sodus Bay - Appendices, September 2007, NYSDEC (1 Mb PDF)

Cossayuna Lake

TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake, September 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 3.03 Mb; 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, (996 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Sections 3 and 4, September 2008, NYSDEC, (992 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Sections 5-9; Appendix A, September 2008, NYSDEC, (476 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Cossayuna Lake - Appendices B and C, September 2008, NYSDEC, (995 Kb, PDF)

Findley Lake

TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake, September 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.78 Mb; 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, (736 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Sections 3 and 4, September 2008, NYSDEC, (902 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Sections 5-9; Appendix A, September 2008, NYSDEC, (661 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Findley Lake - Appendices B and C, September 2008, NYSDEC, (985 Kb, PDF)

Lake Oscawana

TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana, September 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.45 Mb; 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, (880 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana - Sections 3-9; Appendix A, September 2008, NYSDEC, (836 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Oscawana - Appendices B and C, September 2008, NYSDEC, (960 Kb, PDF)

Lake Salubria

TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria, July 2008, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.19 Mb; 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, (879 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria - Sections 3-9; Appendix A, July 2008, NYSDEC, (627 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Lake Salubria - Appendices B and C, July 2008, NYSDEC, (960 Kb, PDF)

Little Sodus Bay

TMDL for Phosphorus in Little Sodus Bay, September 2007, NYSDEC (659 Kb PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Little Sodus Bay - Appendices, September 2007, NYSDEC (985 Kb PDF)

Moon Lake

TMDL for Phosphorus in Moon Lake, September 2007, NYSDEC (649 Kb PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Moon Lake, September 2007, NYSDEC (963 Kb PDF)

Peach Lake

TMDL for Phosphorus in Peach Lake (DRAFT), July 2009, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.16 Mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Peach Lake (DRAFT) - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, July 2009, NYSDEC, (896 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Peach Lake (DRAFT) - Sections 3 thru 9, July 2009, NYSDEC, (569 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Peach Lake (DRAFT) - Appendicies, July 2009, NYSDEC, (919 Kb, PDF)

Snyders Lake

TMDL for Phosphorus in Snyders Lake (DRAFT), July 2009, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.47 Mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Snyders Lake (DRAFT) - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, July 2009, NYSDEC, (837 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Snyders Lake (DRAFT) - Sections 3 thru 9, July 2009, NYSDEC, (570 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Snyders Lake (DRAFT) - Appendicies, July 2009, NYSDEC, (1.28 Mb, PDF)

Summit Lake

TMDL for Phosphorus in Summit Lake (DRAFT), July 2009, NYSDEC, (Full Document 2.27 Mb; may be difficult to download, see below to download smaller portions of this document)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Summit Lake (DRAFT) - Title Page, Table of Contents, Sections 1 and 2, July 2009, NYSDEC, (752 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Summit Lake (DRAFT) - Sections 3 thru 9, July 2009, NYSDEC, (537 Kb, PDF)

TMDL for Phosphorus in Summit Lake (DRAFT) - Appendicies, July 2009, NYSDEC, (1.17 Mb, PDF)