2010 Section 303(d) List Development
Data Solicitation for 2010 CWA Section 303(d) List
Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to periodically compile (every two years) a list of impaired waters that do not meet water quality standards, and where designated uses are not fully supported, and where a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan is necessary to address the impairment. States are scheduled to submit their next Section 303(d) Lists to USEPA by April 1, 2010. To support the development of the Section 303(d) Lists, states are also required to assemble and evaluate existing and readily available water quality related data and information. New York State is currently soliciting and accepting water quality data and information that may be useful in compiling the 2010 Section 303(d) List.
Background
The water quality assessment of New York State's waters is a continuous process. Every year waters in two or three of the 17 drainage basins in the state are scheduled to be re-assessed. This rotating basin approach allows for a re-assessment of water quality of the entire state every five years. The assessment of these waters is a public process and participation and input from a wide range of state, federal and local agencies and non-governmental water quality partners (watershed groups, lake associations, academic researchers, etc.) is encouraged. NYSDEC is able to effectively manage the statewide assessment process by focusing the effort on a limited number of specific drainage basins each year. Concentrating on a few basins each year allows NYSDEC to provide ample opportunity for the extensive list of interested groups to provide input and allows for a thorough evaluation of all available data.
However, every two years, corresponding to the development of the state's Section 303(d) List, the public is solicited to provide water quality data and information for any waterbody (any basin). This allows for a more comprehensive updating of the List. Some of the solicited data and information may result in changes to the List; other data may have no impact on the List but will be used during the subsequent water quality assessment for the corresponding basin during the reassessment cycle. Some of the data and information received during the solicitation may not be sufficiently conclusive to make a definitive impairment determination and will also be deferred until the more complete assessment of the corresponding basin is conducted.
In order to maintain an effective and comprehensive review of solicited data and information and insure the timely submittal of the List, it is necessary to establish a cut-off date for the receipt of water quality data and information. In order to be included for full consideration in the compiling of the 2010 CWA Section 303(d) List, data and information must be received by September 30, 2009. It is not the intent of this cut-off date to exclude additional information. Rather the date is necessary in order to provide adequate time to review data and information, complete water quality assessments, receive and respond to public comment on the assessments, compile a draft Section 303(d) List, public notice the List, and submit a List to USEPA by April 1, 2010.
Submitting Data and Information
In order to facilitate the review and inclusion of water quality data and information to be considered in the compiling of the 2010 Section 303(d) List, such submissions should be accompanied by a completed Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List Assessment Worksheet. This worksheet allows for the capture of water quality information based on general observation of conditions and/or local knowledge of designated use support/non-support of a waterbody absent specific (numeric) monitoring data. Information regarding the Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List, including the WI/PWL worksheet and instructions for completing it can found on the NYSDEC website. WI/PWL worksheet information can also be obtained by contacting the NYSDEC Bureau of Watershed Assessment and Management by mail at 625 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-3502, or by phone at 518-402-8179. Completed WI/PWL worksheets and supporting water quality monitoring data should sent to the address above, or forwarded via email to 4pwlinfo@gw.dec.state.ny.us. Water quality data and information should also include a copy of the corresponding Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan, QA/QC results summary and description of measures used in the collection of the data.
Guidance regarding the use of water quality data and information to conduct assessment and make listing decisions. This guidance is outlined in the New York State Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology. These methodologies are available for review, and NYSDEC will accept public comment on these documents throughout the 2010 Section 303(d) List development process.
Additional information regarding the NYSDEC Water Quality Assessment Program, including the Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List assessments, Section 305(b) water quality reporting, and Section 303(d) Listing can be found on the NYSDEC website.
