Regional & Special Projects of interestTotal Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) StudiesJames River Watershed – The Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load Development for the James River BasinA number of local streams in the James River Watershed have been placed on the Federal 303 D list of impaired waters list and have been targeted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study. The TMDL study will develop an amount of the pollutant, specifically for this study fecal coliform bacteria, that portions of seven (7) streams within the area can hold and still meet water quality standards. The seven streams included in the study are: 18.43 miles of James River; 5.37 miles of Ivy Creek; 5.9 miles of Tomahawk Creek; 3.47 miles of Burton Creek; 10.55 miles of Judith Creek; 5.45 miles of Fishing Creek; and 10.24 miles of Blackwater Creek. The Virginia’s Region 2000 – Local Government Council assisted in the development of the TMDL Study. Engineering Concepts, Inc., an engineering firm from Newcastle, Virginia has been hired to perform the necessary hydrologic modeling and watershed analysis for the project. The TMDL study was developed under the leadership of the Lynchburg TMDL Technical Advisory Committee, TAC, which included representation from Lynchburg City, Bedford, Campbell and Amherst counties staff, area citizens, representatives from Lynchburg College, Sweet Briar College, and Liberty University, the Robert E. Lee Soil and Water Conservation District, local staff from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Health, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality held the first Public Meeting on July 17, 2006. The second public meeting was held on May 3, 2007 at the Lynchburg Pubic Library. At this meeting the public were presented the DRAFT report. The report was available for public comment from May 3, 2007 to June 4, 2007 and could be accessed through the DEQ website and the Local Government Council web site. A copy of the Draft Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load Development for the James River Basin, as submitted to DEQ for approval on August 2007 is available by clicking on the Draft study below.
Links for Additional InformationVirginia Department of Environmental Quality - TMDLs in Virginia Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation - Soil and Water Conservation Programs Environmental Protection Agency - Virginia TMDL Program Last updated 9/11/07 |
