Abstract |
Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) implementing regulations direct each State to identify and list waters, known as water quality limited segments (WQLSs), in which current required controls of a specified substance are inadequate to achieve water quality standards. This list of impaired waters is commonly referred to as the 303(d) list. For each WQLS, the State is to either establish a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of the specified substance that the waterbody can receive without violating water quality standards, or demonstrate that water quality standards are being met. Wills Creek (basin code 02-14-10-03), located in Allegany and Garrett Counties, Maryland, was identified on the States list of WQLSs as impaired by cyanide (Cn) (1996 listing), sediments (1996 listing), nutrients (1996 listing), low pH (1998 listing), and impacts to biological communities (2002 listing). In addition, stream segments in two 12-digit-basins of Wills Creek were identified as WQLSs, impaired by low pH: Jennings Run (12-digit basin - 021410030100) (2004 listing), and a unnamed tributary (UT) 1 of Jennings Run (12-digit basin - 021410030099) (2002 listing). This report provides an analysis of recent monitoring data to address whether the low pH impairments in Wills Creek still remain. |