Union River Watershed Fecal Coliform Total Maximum Daily Load. Water Quality Effectiveness Monitoring Report

摘要

Under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is required to develop and implement Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs; cleanup plans) for impaired waters. After TMDL recommendations have been implemented, data are collected to determine if the TMDL targets and water quality standards have been met. In 2001, Ecology published the results of a 1999 TMDL study of the Union River. The study showed that Washington State surface water quality standards for fecal coliform bacteria (FC) were not met at five monitoring locations. The 1999 study identified percent reductions needed to achieve FC water quality standards at five compliance sites on the Union River and one of its tributaries (Bear Creek).