Abstract |
The Clean Water Act requires that Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) be developed for those water bodies that will not attain water quality standards after application of technology based and other required controls. A TMDL sets the quantity of a pollutant that may be introduced into a water body without exceeding the applicable water quality standard. EPA's regulations define a TMDL as the sum of the waste load allocations (WLAs) assigned to point sources, the load allocations (LAs) assigned to non-point sources and natural background, and a margin of safety. This document sets forth the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) rationale for approving the TMDLs for fecal coliform bacteria in the tidal Anacostia River and its tributaries. |