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NUTRIENT AND SEDIMENT TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS FOR FIVE NORTH DAKOTA RESERVOIRS
Impact/Purpose:
In North Dakota's April 1998 Section 303(d) list the state listed 133 impaired water bodies in need of TMDL's. The state's TMDL list also identified a 13-year schedule to complete TMDLs for each of the 133 water bodies listed or 10 TMDL's per year. To date, the state has received limited funding and/or resources for TMDL's. Currently, most state grant awards for CWA activities are dedicated to other program priorities. One source of TMDL funding has been Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Plan grants. Through these grants, the state has completed several nonpoint source assessment projects, many of which have all the elements of a TMDL. These grants, however, require a 40 percent cost share which is a sizeable investment for many state agencies and local soil conservation districts or water resource boards.
Description:
Five North Dakota reservoirs will be target for the development of a sediment nutrient TMDL. For each TMDL, a project specific QAPP will be developed. As part of each TMDL, field sampling will include tributary discharge and chemical sampling, lake sampling, and the development of a watershed runoff model (e.g., AGNPS). Lake and tributary data will be used to calibrate and verify a lake trophic response model, which will then be used to set the necessary nutrient reduction goals to restore each lakes' beneficial uses. During the course of developing each TMDL, watershed stakeholders will be informed and public meetings held to ensure the implementation of the TMDL goals once the TMDL is completed. The Department has received a commitment from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's "Save Our Lake's" program in the amount of $25,000.00 ($5,000.00 per reservoir) to match this TMDL grant. Through three previous Section 103(b) (3) TMDL grants the state has completed a TMDL for Rice Lake, Ward Co., and is currently in the process developing TMDLs for three additional reservoirs in the state. If funded, this project would continue the development of nutrient and sediment TMDLs for five additional North Dakota reservoirs, thereby realizing the state's commitment of 133 TMDLs in 13 years. The primary goal of this project is to develop TMDLs for Northgate Dam, McGregor Dam, Blacktail Dam, Carbury Dam, and Armourdale Dam.