1.4: Stream Flows
Ensure adequate and suitable quality stream flows for flow-dependent recreational activities. Other Information:
Assessing the flows needed for recreational purposes and planning for flow management includes: • Defining the scope of flow-dependent
recreational activities • Determining the needs of these activities • Setting operation strategies to be applied during periods
of normal and subnormal precipitation in the areas of the Basin where reservoir releases are managed • Examining legal restrictions
on the use of reservoir storage Flow-dependent recreational activities in the Basin, such as boating, swimming and fishing,
not only provide important physical, social and cultural benefits to Basin residents and visitors, but they also comprise
an important sector of the Basin’s economy. Tourism dollars from the boaters, canoeists, anglers, and other participants in
water-dependent activities in the Basin are becoming increasingly important. Recreation uses are also protected under the
Clean Water Act’s “fishable and swimmable” requirements. For all of these reasons, it is important that recreational use of
waterways continues to be valued and protected. An Adequate Supply of Suitable Quality Water The discussion thus far has focused
primarily on determining and maintaining adequate supplies for human and ecosystem needs. However, a sustainable use of water
resources also requires that, in using those resources, the quality be maintained at a level that is adequate, both now and
into the future, for all uses. Therefore, a true measure of water availability must also include water quality. Because many
human activities have the potential to impact water quality, it is necessary to understand the nature of those impacts, including
those that have occurred, those that are occurring, and those that may occur in the future. Assessing the current quality
of the Basin’s water resources, while identifying trends and potential impacts, is an ongoing component in the process of
maintaining or improving water quality. Assessing water quality. Ensuring that water quality meets or exceeds the needs of
its intended use requires it to be assessed. To determine the actual quality of water in a stream or aquifer requires field
measurements and laboratory analysis. Data must be collected over a period of time to adequately reflect the natural range
of hydrologic and climatic factors which affect water quality. A significant commitment of time and resources is necessary
because information needs to be collected for a duration sufficiently representative of the natural variations or changes
expected to occur in natural systems. Water quality must be monitored and assessed with sufficient frequency and consistency
to determine if the water quality is being maintained, improved or degraded. Strong coordination and cooperation among Basin
partners is critical to ensure the development, implementation and monitoring of a comprehensive set of criteria and indicators
that define the quality of Basin waters. Specifically, Basin partners must be able to coordinate the multi-jurisdictional
monitoring efforts, agree on methodologies and criteria for sampling and assessment, and provide consistent and timely advice
to the water resource community. Coordination and cooperation is also necessary to make the most efficient use of limited
fiscal and staff resources, and to provide adequate and reliable data. • Basin partners face the multiple challenges of building
on existing monitoring and indicator programs, establishing robust sets of indicators for each of the Objectives in this Plan,
and implementing a coordinated monitoring network to accurately assess water quality trends in the Basin. Maintaining water
quality. This requires setting water quality criteria and agreeing on permitting standards for discharges as well as providing
tools and information that will prevent additional impacts from land development and management activities. Approaches may
include: • Anti-degradation programs (e.g. designated uses, state protections for high quality and exceptional value streams,
the DRBC’s Special Protection Water designations and federal Wild and Scenic Rivers designations) • Stormwater management
programs • Water quality-based trading programs (offsetting impacts from discharges by equivalent reductions from other sources
within the watershed) • A major challenge is to “keep our clean water clean” in areas with expected future increases in growth
and development activity. Improving water quality. Where standards are not being met for designated uses, regulatory and non-regulatory
strategies must be developed to identify pollutant sources and to achieve the standards. Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs)
for drinking water and ambient water quality have been set for many parameters. When monitoring reveals problems with any
given substance of concern, the next step is to identify the source of the problem. For example, high levels of nitrates in
well water can be attributed to a number of sources; faulty septic systems, the application of agricultural fertilizers, and
livestock operations are the most likely sources in our region. Tracking the sources and taking steps to reduce or eliminate
the contamination may require the participation and cooperation of health, environmental and agricultural agencies as well
as property owners and managers. The Basin states and the Commission are currently engaged in the development of Total Maximum
Daily Loads (TMDLs) for certain pollutants surface water bodies in the Basin. The TMDL program is targeted at point and nonpoint
sources of pollutants of concern that prevent the attainment of a water body’s designated use. TMDLs are developed for each
of the pollutants causing the impairments with load allocations assigned to both point sources and nonpoint sources. Changes
are made to effluent requirements in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits based on these load
allocations. Nonpoint source reductions are also identified, and the application of Best Management Practices (BMPs) can be
utilized to achieve the necessary reductions. BMPs can include changes in fertilizer type and use, greenways, etc. Depending
on the pollutant of concern, other approaches to achieve the necessary pollutant reductions may also be effective. For example,
a pollutant trading program, in which credit for greater reductions than required in the NPDES permit achieved at one or more
point sources, may be traded to other point sources to realize the overall load reduction. Similarly, pollutant reductions
in some nonpoint sources can be traded with other nonpoint or point sources to Coordination and cooperation is also necessary
to make the most efficient use of limited fiscal and staff resources, and to provide adequate and reliable data. • Basin partners
face the multiple challenges of building on existing monitoring and indicator programs, establishing robust sets of indicators
for each of the Objectives in this Plan, and implementing a coordinated monitoring network to accurately assess water quality
trends in the Basin. Maintaining water quality. This requires setting water quality criteria and agreeing on permitting standards
for discharges as well as providing tools and information that will prevent additional impacts from land development and management
activities. Approaches may include: • Anti-degradation programs (e.g. designated uses, state protections for high quality
and exceptional value streams, the DRBC’s Special Protection Water designations and federal Wild and Scenic Rivers designations)
• Stormwater management programs • Water quality-based trading programs (offsetting impacts from discharges by equivalent
reductions from other sources within the watershed) • A major challenge is to “keep our clean water clean” in areas with expected
future increases in growth and development activity. Improving water quality. Where standards are not being met for designated
uses, regulatory and non-regulatory strategies must be developed to identify pollutant sources and to achieve the standards.
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for drinking water and ambient water quality have been set for many parameters. When monitoring
reveals problems with any given substance of concern, the next step is to identify the source of the problem. For example,
high levels of nitrates in well water can be attributed to a number of sources; faulty septic systems, the application of
agricultural fertilizers, and livestock operations are the most likely sources in our region. Tracking the sources and taking
steps to reduce or eliminate the contamination may require the participation and cooperation of health, environmental and
agricultural agencies as well as property owners and managers. The Basin states and the Commission are currently engaged in
the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for certain pollutants surface water bodies in the Basin. The TMDL program
is targeted at point and nonpoint sources of pollutants of concern that prevent the attainment of a water body’s designated
use. TMDLs are developed for each of the pollutants causing the impairments with load allocations assigned to both point sources
and nonpoint sources. Changes are made to effluent requirements in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permits based on these load allocations. Nonpoint source reductions are also identified, and the application of Best Management
Practices (BMPs) can be utilized to achieve the necessary reductions. BMPs can include changes in fertilizer type and use,
greenways, etc. Depending on the pollutant of concern, other approaches to achieve the necessary pollutant reductions may
also be effective. For example, a pollutant trading program, in which credit for greater reductions than required in the NPDES
permit achieved at one or more point sources, may be traded to other point sources to realize the overall load reduction.
Similarly, pollutant reductions in some nonpoint sources can be traded with other nonpoint or point sources to the waters
that flow through them, comprise the waterway corridors that provide habitat for aquatic life, recreational opportunities,
flood control and a host of other benefits worthy of protection and enhancement. The next section of this Plan, “Key Result
Area 2: Waterway Corridor Management,” addresses the issues specific to improving the management of our waterway corridors.
Objective(s):
|
