Region 4 – TMDL Applications and Support for Clean Sediments/Nutrients

Region 4 – TMDL Applications and Support for Clean Sediments/Nutrients
	This seminar will provide an overview of two TMDLs developed in Region 4 and an introduction to the newly created Watershed/Water Quality Modeling Technical Support Center within ORD. The first TMDL was developed for clean sediment/habitat alterations for an urban stream in Alabama. The second TMDL presented will focus on a nutrient TMDL (total nitrogen) for an estuary in North Carolina. Featured Speakers include: Jim Greenfield & Molly Davis from EPA Region 4, and Tim Wool from ORD Athens. PowerPoint slides will be available during the week of January 5-9, 2004 – email Elsie Sunderland (Sunderland.Elsie@epa.gov) if you would like to have these sent to you directly before the presentation.
Agenda
100-110	Welcome & Introductions Dr. Gary Foley, Director NERL & CREM Co-chair
110-130	Total Nitrogen TMDL for the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina Tim Wool, ORD Athens
130-140	Questions and Discussion
140-200	Shades Creek – Siltation, Turbidity and Habitat Alteration Jim Greenfield and Molly Davis, Region 4
200-210	Questions and Discussion
210-230	Introduction to the Watershed and Water Quality Modeling Technical Support Center Tim Wool, ORD Athens
230-300	Questions and Open Discussion
Presentations
	Total Nitrogen TMDL for the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina This presentation will focus on the development of a TMDL for total nitrogen. The water quality target of the TMDL was determined by the State of North Carolina to be the chlorophyll-a concentrations in the estuary. EPA Region 4 partnered with the State of North Carolina to provide technical assistance and guidance for nutrient TMDL development in the Neuse River Estuary. The goal was the development of hydrodynamic and water quality models that are sufficient to simulate the complex circulation and water quality kinetics within the system, including salinity and temperature stratification, wind driven seiching, dissolved oxygen stratification, and longitudinal and lateral variations in nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations. A three-dimensional, hydrodynamic, and water quality model was developed in the estuary from Maw Point at the Pamlico Sound boundary, to upstream at Streets Ferry Bridge above New Bern, North Carolina. The purpose of the water quality model is to predict a response in chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentrations as a function of nutrient loadings and transport throughout the Neuse River Estuary. The model was used to evaluate various loading scenarios and the impact on water quality within the ‘‘use support’’ areas within the 303(d) listed segments. The hydrodynamic and water quality models were calibrated for 1998 and confirmed for 1999 and 2000. A comparison of the model simulations with the extensive dataset shows that the models are accurately simulating the longitudinal/seasonal distribution of the hydrodynamics, mass transport, and water quality. The water quality model was used to evaluate TMDL scenarios.
	Shades Creek – Siltation, Turbidity and Habitat Alteration This TMDL addresses impairment due to siltation, turbidity, and habitat alteration. The data used to develop the TMDL is based on an extensive field study conducted by staff from the Channel and Watershed Processes Research Unit (CWP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, and National Sedimentation Laboratory during the winter and spring of 2003. The Storm Water Management Authority (SWMA) routinely collects suspended sediment data on Shades Creek and provided this data to the project. The overall objective of the CWP study was to determine sediment yields in the Shades Creek watershed and to compare these to “reference” sediment yields for unimpaired streams in the Ridge and Valley Ecoregion supportive of the Fish and Wildlife designated use. Watershed reconnaissance, channel surveys, sampling and testing of streambed and bank sediments and rapid geomorphic assessments were conducted along the entire length of Shades Creek. In the absence of a numerical target, suspended-sediment loads and bed-material characteristics along Shades Creek are compared to unimpaired streams in the region. Sediment conditions in these unimpaired streams are termed “reference” streams or reaches. By reducing suspended-sediment loads in Shades Creek to conditions in reference streams in the ecoregion, water quality standards should be achieved.
	Introduction to the Watershed and Water Quality Modeling Technical Support Center This presentation will focus on the introduction of the Watershed & Water Quality Modeling Technical Support Center. The center’s mission is to provide tools, methodologies, technical support and assistance for the development of Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, TMDL Implementation and Watershed Protection. The Center was created by EPA-ORD in partly in response to the *20 Needs Report: How Research Can Improve the TMDL Program*. This presentation will discuss the services, tools and expertise that is available. Related Links: The Twenty Needs Report: How Research Can Improve the TMDL Program (PDF 1 MB, 56 pages, info about PDF) Technical Support Center Fact Sheet (PDF 227 KB, 2 pages, info about PDF) Technical Support Center webpage: http://www.epa.gov/athens/wwqtsc
Featured Speakers
	Molly P. Davis Environmental Engineer EPA Region 4 Phone: (404) 562-9236 Davis.Molly@epa.gov Ms. Davis is a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Georgia with over 10 years of federal service. For the past five years, Ms. Davis has been working in Region 4 developing protocols for pathogen and sediment TMDLs. While at EPA, Ms. Davis has developed over 100 pathogen TMDLs impacted by both point and nonpoint sources in urban and agricultural watersheds. Ms. Davis has conducted workshops in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia on pathogen TMDL development and has presented approved TMDLs at regional conferences. Currently, Ms. Davis is working with researchers from the National Sedimentation Laboratory Channel and Watershed Processes Research Unit on developing methodologies for evaluating sediment impairment from both instream and upland sources. Prior to working with EPA, Ms. Davis was a groundwater hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey where she applied numerical models to analyze groundwater-surfacewater interactions. Ms. Davis also worked in the private sector employed by GeoSyntec Consultants and B&E Jackson and Associates.
	James M. Greenfield Region 4 TMDL Coordinator Phone (404) 562-9238 Greenfield.Jim@epa.gov Mr. Greenfield is the US EPA Region 4 TMDL Coordinator and has been with Region 4 for 24 years as a water quality modeler. Mr. Greenfield has extensive experience and knowledge working in the NPDES and TMDL program. Prior to working at Region 4 Mr. Greenfield was a water quality modeler and planner with the State of Georgia. Over the past 5 years Mr. Greenfield has taken the technical lead in the development of approaches and tools used in the development of clean sediment TMDLs. Mr. Greenfield has taken the technical lead for TMDL development for several large scale systems, such: Savannah Harbor, GA dissolved oxygen, Charleston Harbor, SC, dissolved oxygen.
	Tim Wool Watershed/Water Quality Modeling Technical Support Center http://www.epa.gov/athens/wwqtsc Ecosystem Research Division of the National Exposure Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Athens, Georgia (706) 355-8312 (706) 355-8301 (fax) wool.tim@epa.gov Mr. Wool has worked in the field of water quality modeling for the past 18 years. During the past 10 years Mr. Wool was the primary developer of EPA’s Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP), which is one of EPA’s most widely applied models. He has extensive experience in the development and application of hydrodynamic and water quality models for TMDL development. Currently, Mr. Wool serves as the director of EPA ORD’s Watershed and Water Quality Modeling Technical Support Center. Prior to running the Center he worked in EPA Region 4 for the past 5 years as a member of the technical staff responsible for the development of TMDLs. During his time at Region 4 he was responsible for the technical lead on the development of several large scale TMDLs: mercury for the State of Georgia, total phosphorus Lake Okeechobee, FL, and total nitrogen for the Neuse River Estuary, NC