Oregon Coastal Salmon Restoration Initiative |
DEQ1 - Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program
Summary of Measure: Nonpoint sources of pollution will be minimized in coastal areas through comprehensive state and local programs. Full implementation of management measures designed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is expected by the year 2004 with benefits to coho continuing beyond full implementation. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will implement the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program by developing new programs to address the following issues:
Background: Congress in 1990 directed coastal states to
develop comprehensive nonpoint source pollution prevention and
control programs to address pollution from forestry, agriculture,
urban development, and marinas, and to protect and restore wetlands
and riparian areas. In Oregon, the program is administered by
the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of
Land Conservation and Development. The State conducted an inventory
and determined that many of the program's requirements were met
by existing natural resource programs, including the Forest Practices
Act, the Removal-Fill program, and the 401 certification program.
Of the remaining requirements that the state must implement, three issues have been assigned to DEQ for further program development:
Goal: To prevent nonpoint source pollution from small
construction sites; existing onsite sewage disposal systems; and
local roads, highways, and bridges.
Objective: Develop administrative rules requiring local
jurisdictions to adopt and implement ordinances to control erosion
from small construction sites; develop administrative rules establishing
a requirement that onsite sewage disposal systems be inspected
according to state standards at the time any property on which
a system is located is transferred; and develop administrative
rules requiring local jurisdictions to implement management measures
for roads, highways, and bridges.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Construction Site Erosion
Control Program.
Deliverables: Technical Advisory Committee report and
rule language recommendation to Environmental Quality Commission.
Responsible Staff: Bobbi Lindberg
Completion Date: June 1996
Task 2: Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems
Inspection and Education Program.
Deliverables: Technical Advisory Committee report and
rule language recommendation to Environmental Quality Commission.
Responsible Staff: Martin Loring
Completion Date: March 1998
Task 3: Road and Bridge Construction,
Maintenance, and Operation Program for Local Governments.
Deliverables: Technical Advisory Committee report and
rule language recommendation to Environmental Quality Commission.
Responsible Staff: Bobbi Lindberg
Completion Date: March 1998
Task 4: Develop Monitoring Program.
Deliverables: Monitoring program submittal to NOAA, EPA.
Responsible Staff: Bobbi Lindberg and Andy Schaedel
Completion Date: March 1998
DEQ2 - Implementation of Water Quality Standards
(Revised March 9, 1997)
Summary of Measure: Water quality standards for dissolved
oxygen and temperature have been modified and a new standard developed
for intergravel dissolved oxygen to improve protection of cold
water aquatic species. Implementation plans will be developed
for both point and nonpoint sources of pollution to reduce pollutant
loads such that the new water quality standards can be achieved.
Particular attention will be paid to coastal waterbodies as these
parameters are critical limiting factors in every stage of salmonid
fresh water life cycles.
Water Quality Standards Implementation Guidance
Background: The water quality standard for dissolved oxygen
was modified to focus more directly on the criteria needed to
protect aquatic resources. The criteria developed included two
oxygen standards for the principal life stages of spawning and
incubation through emergence from the gravels, and older life
stages. An Intergravel dissolved oxygen criteria was developed
to protect the early life stages. The temperature standard was
revised to reflect the best scientific information available on
temperatures needed to protect salmonids in each of their fresh
water life stages, and to make the standard more implementable
with respect to nonpoint effects on waterbody temperature.
Goal: Protect, enhance, or restore salmon habitat.
Objective: Achieve water quality standards for dissolved
oxygen and temperature.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Develop Guidance Detailing
Criteria for Standard Development Based on Natural Conditions.
Deliverables: Guidance document.
Responsible Staff: Lynne Kennedy
Completion Date: The guidance document detailing when
natural conditions may be considered to preclude attainment of
a standard has been completed and distributed to federal agencies
(NMFS and EPA) for review. New information regarding the timing
and process by which a replacement standard is formally adopted
will be included after EPA has determined its national policy
on this issue and final comments are received.
Task 2: Develop Guidance Related to
Temperature Management Plans.
Deliverables: Temperature management plan guidance.
Responsible Staff: Debra Sturdevant
Completion Date: June 30, 1997
Task 3: Prepare Guidance for Developing
Nonpoint Source Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
Deliverables: Nonpoint source TMDL guidance document.
Responsible Staff: Roger Wood
Completion Date: February 1997
Task 4:
Develop Implementation Guidance for New Dissolved Oxygen (IGDO)
Standard.
Deliverables: Guidance documents that: explain how to monitor
inter-gravel dissolved oxygen; detail when, where, and who will
collect IGDO measurements; explain how DEQ will incorporate the
new water-column dissolved oxygen standard into point source permits;
and provide an appendix to the nonpoint source TMDL guidance that
outlines any special requirements that pertain only to dissolved
oxygen or to IGDO.
Responsible Staff and Completion Dates:
IGDO Monitoring Plan Guidance: Bob Baumgartner and Greg Pettit
Completion Date: June 1997
Point Source Dissolved Oxygen Guidance: Jim Sheetz, Bob Baumgartner,
and Lynne Kennedy
Completion Date: June 1997
Nonpoint Source Appendix to TMDL Guidance: Debra Sturdevant
Completion Date: December 1997
Task 5: Develop Guidance for Incorporating
Temperature Standard into Point Source Permits.
Deliverable: Guidance document.
Responsible Staff: Raj Kapur
Completion Date: Completed
Task 6: Implement IGDO for Point Source
Permitting and in Coastal Stream Nonpoint Source Related Test
Cases.
Deliverables: Effluent permit compliance with IGDO, permit
reports, IGDO data development, modification to guidance as needed,
and integration of IGDO results into coastal basin plans.
Responsible Staff: Larry Marxer, Marilyn Fonseca, and
Mike Wiltsey
Completion Date: September 1997
Task 7: Assess Forestry, Agricultural,
and Federal Plans Against DEQ's Nonpoint Source TMDL Guidance
to Determine Which Plans Meet Criteria for Becoming a TMDL.
Deliverables: Management plans or other actions that will
return waters impacted by nonpoint sources to water quality standards.
Responsible Staff: Russell Harding
Completion Date: Ongoing task, with complete review of
at least two plans by May 1997. Such review has become a regular
part of our function; we will continue to receive and review plans
and to produce additional material as needed for ensuring TMDLs
are developed.
Umpqua Basin
Background: DEQ has listed eight streams in the Umpqua
Basin as not meeting water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen,
and another 55 stream segments have been identified as water quality
limited for stream temperature.
Goal: Eliminate water quality standards violations for
dissolved oxygen and temperature through the implementation of
point source pollution controls and nonpoint source pollution
prevention programs.
Objective: Water quality-based permits, total maximum
daily loads, and water quality management plans will be developed
and implemented to achieve water quality standards.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Identify Point Sources of Domestic Waste Water
Pollution That Are or May be Contributing to a Depression in Dissolved
Oxygen as a Result of Inadequate Dilution.
Deliverables: A list of facilities eligible for state
revolving funds that are likely to contribute to depressed dissolved
oxygen concentrations in receiving streams. Facilities will be
prioritized by several factors including magnitude of impact and
effects on salmonids.
Responsible Staff: Bob Dicksa
Completion Date: April 30, 1997
Task 2: Revise National Pollution
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits For Domestic Waste
Facilities To Eliminate Fish Passage And Water Quality Impacts.
Aggressively Market State Revolving Fund Program To State-Revolving-Fund
(SRF) Eligible Communities/Facilities.
Deliverables: Revised NPDES permits and SRF contracts.
Responsible Staff: Western Region managers
Completion Date: 2002 (by end of next permit cycle).
Task 3: Develop Dissolved Oxygen TMDL
For Calapooya Creek.
Deliverables: Draft water quality-based permit for the
City of Oakland.
Responsible Staff: Dick Nichols and Alan Bogner
Completion Date: June 30, 1997
Task 4: Develop Dissolved Oxygen TMDL
For South Umpqua River.
Deliverables: Draft TMDL identifying waste load allocations.
Responsible Staff: Dennis Ades
Completion Date: June 30, 1997
Task 5: Develop Final Dissolved Oxygen
TMDL For South Umpqua River.
Deliverables: Final TMDL identifying load and waste load
allocations.
Responsible Staff: Andy Schaedel and Dennis Belsky
Completion Date: April 30, 1998
Task 6: Develop Water Quality Management
Plans For Stream Temperature.
Deliverables: Propose nonpoint source water quality management
plans in the Umpqua Basin.
Responsible Staff: Dennis Ades
Completion Date: June 30, 1997
Task 7: Finalize Temperature Nonpoint
Source Water Quality Management Plans In The Umpqua Basin
Deliverables: NPS load allocations or best management
prescriptions.
Responsible Staff: Dennis Ades
Completion Date: April 30, 1998.
Rogue and South Coast Basins
Background: Non-attainment of the dissolved oxygen and
temperature standards has been documented in many areas throughout
the coastal basins. Although interrelated, the temperature problems
mainly stem from nonpoint source issues while low dissolved oxygen
mainly stems from excessive nutrient loads. The source of nutrients
has traditionally been associated with point sources, but recent
monitoring indicates non-point contributions from agriculture
and forestry activities can be significant.
The Bear Creek subbasin (Jackson County) had TMDL limits set in
1990 for both point and nonpoint sources. All point sources,
except the Ashland wastewater treatment plant, have eliminated
summer/fall discharges to Bear Creek. The city of Ashland is
under a mutual agreement and order with DEQ to be in TMDL compliance
by the end of year 2000. Local Designated Management Agencies
(DMAs) are on track with a compliance schedule mandated by the
Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) for reducing nonpoint source
pollution in the Bear Creek valley.
The cities of Coquille and Myrtle Point are in the beginning stages
of planning for required upgrades of their wastewater treatment
plants to meet the TMDL set on the Coquille River.
The cities of Cave Junction, Rogue River, Grants Pass and the
Redwood Sanitary Sewer Service District are each upgrading their
collection systems and/or treatment facilities to meet population
growth demands, eliminate sewage overflows and bypasses, and address
deteriorating treatment facility performance. The improvements
are not required by a Rogue River TMDL. Overall, these upgrades
to sewage treatment facilities will increase treatment efficiency
and reliability of effluent discharges. In some cases, additional
quantities of pollutants may be discharged, but increases must
satisfy required findings made by either the DEQ Director or Environmental
Quality Commission.
Ongoing nonpoint source reduction projects are underway in the
South Coast and Rogue Basins. Field staff in the Coos Bay and
Medford offices have been active in funding and implementation
of these projects by working cooperatively with watershed councils
and state/federal funding agencies.
Goal: Attainment of new water quality standards for dissolved
oxygen and in-stream temperature.
Objective: Ensure that setting TMDLs, issuing NPDES discharge
permits, and conducting nonpoint source activities work in harmony
to achieve water quality standards.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Form Teams (Rogue and Umpqua
Basins) for Restoring and Protecting Water Quality. Fundamental
to the approach is to meld traditional point and nonpoint activities
into an integrated strategy for each system. Each team has expertise
in engineering, permit writing, in-stream monitoring, and fish
biology/stream ecology.
Deliverables: Team formation/Team activities.
Responsible Staff: Steve Greenwood and Dennis Belsky
Completion Date: Teams are formed and active.
Task 2: Implement Current TMDLs (Bear
Creek and Coquille)
Deliverables: Sources in compliance with TMDL limits.
Responsible Staff: Dennis Belsky
Completion Date: December 31, 2000 for Ashland; for Coquille
and Myrtle Point schedules for plant upgrades will be part of
permit renewal process. Some work has proceeded with sewer collection
system rehabilitation in Coquille that was funded in part by SRF.
Task 3: Share Information Between
Point And Nonpoint Source Activities To Better Integrate Efforts.
This is envisioned as a GIS type system to aid the renewal/drafting
of permits, the calculating of mass loads from discharges, the
review of in-stream monitoring data, and review of point source
compliance data. This information sharing will greatly aid our
capabilities of modeling and problem area identification.
Deliverables: Active information-sharing system in DEQ
regional offices.
Responsible Staff: Gary Arnold
Completion Date: Fall of 1997.
DEQ3 - Development and Implementation of the 303(d)
List for TMDL Development
(Revised March 9, 1997)
Summary of Measure: DEQ will prioritize its list of water quality limited waterbodies to address limiting factors for coastal Coho salmon recovery. Under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, DEQ recently revised its list of water quality limited waterbodies and is developing a priority list for TMDL development. The presence of threatened or endangered species within a given waterbody and the Coastal Salmon Restoration Initiative priority waterbodies will be included in the criteria for ranking waterbodies for TMDL action.
Background: Section 303(d) of the 1972 Federal Clean Water
Act requires each state to identify waters of the State that do
not, or are not, expected to meet water quality standards or beneficial
uses after the application of technology based controls. These
waters are referred to as "Water Quality Limited."
States are to identify these waters, develop a priority ranking,
and establish Total Maximum Daily Loads in accordance with the
priority ranking. The 303(d) list is a listing of these waters.
In other words, Section 303(d) requires States to develop a list
of waterbodies that need additional work beyond existing controls
to achieve or maintain water quality standards. States must submit
Section 303(d) lists to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) on April 1 of even numbered years. Each state must prioritize
waterbodies and target waterbodies for establishing Total Maximum
Daily Loads in accordance with the priority ranking. In general,
high priority waterbodies have been those for which TMDLs will
be initiated within the next two years. The DEQ is currently
revising its 303(d) list and modifying the criteria for establishing
priorities to give highest priority to waters with the presence
of threatened and endangered species or species that are proposed
for listing.
Goal: To have all waters of the state achieve water quality
standards within a reasonable time frame.
Objective: Identify waters that do not meet water quality
standards, then prioritize and target waterbodies to address water
quality concerns through the development and implementation of
Total Maximum Daily Loads and Management Plans.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Maintain and Update the 303(d)
List of Waters That Do Not Meet State Water Quality Standards
by April 1, 1998.
Deliverables: Updated list for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval with a focus on priority coastal basins.
Responsible Staff: Andy Schaedel
Completion Date: April 1998
Task 2: Develop Process for Prioritizing
and Targeting Waterbodies on the 303(d) List.
Deliverables: Document describing a process to prioritize
and target waterbodies on the 303(d) list for TMDL development.
Responsible Staff: Carolyn Young
Completion Date: February 1997
Task 3: Prioritize the List and Target
Water Bodies for Development of TMDLs.
Deliverables: Prioritized waterbodies with a list of targeted
waters for which TMDLs will be developed prior to the next listing
cycle (April 2000).
Responsible Staff: Andy Schaedel
Completion Date: April 1998
DEQ4 - Watershed Council Support
(Revised March 9, 1997)
Summary of Measure: The Department will enhance and improve
support of local watershed council efforts to improve water quality
in the Coho salmon's range. DEQ will enhance its current watershed
council technical assistance by providing additional monitoring
support, and providing targeted support for both basin and project
level sites in watersheds with mature programs. In areas where
watershed council activity is beginning or is unfocused, additional
technical assistance staff will be assigned to primarily provide
program development, project guidance, and linkages to government
programs and funding. Additional monitoring support will be provided
as programs mature.
Rogue and South Coast Basins
Background: Regional staff have been working with local
councils in the Rogue/South Coast since 1993. Much effort has
been spent to promote trust between the agency and local councils
and governments and a good working relationship has been developed.
Ongoing basin multi-agency monitoring has identified instream
summer temperatures as the chief limiter of coho populations in
the Rogue basin. In addition, project implementation has begun
utilizing 319 funding in partnership with other funding sources.
Currently, these project efforts are focused in Bear Creek, lower
Rogue, and in several of the smaller south coast tributaries.
Goal: To reduce summertime instream temperatures that
currently limit juvenile coho survival. Priority will be given
to improving and securing viable temperature regimes in core areas
identified as part of the OCSRI.
Objective: Draft plans, which will qualify as nonpoint
source TMDLs, with the eight Rogue watershed councils for reducing
summer instream temperatures. These plans will provide a new
focus and an improved technical approach to field monitoring;
they will also provide an improved focus on priority implementation
sites and components. These efforts will help prepare the participating
councils to develop targeted implementation proposals for funding
that may become available as a result of 1997 legislative actions.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Draft Plans With the Eight
Rogue Watershed Councils That Will Reduce Summer Instream Temperature.
The plans will include information identifying locations needing
focus in each subbasin, the effective site-specific management
practices for each site, and the kind and amount or level of monitoring
that will be required to fill data gaps, fulfill detailed assessment
needs and measure implementation effectiveness. The plans will
incorporate the 10 items identified by DEQ's guidance on writing
a nonpoint source management plan that qualifies as a TMDL. In
addition, area watershed councils will require funding assistance
to support and build local capabilities, allowing watershed councils
to integrate, tailor, and adopt these plans within the watershed
council structure.
A local capabilities support plan is currently being developed
and will include such items as monitoring equipment, GIS support,
workshop-based training and education, and technical writing assistance.
Staff are working closely with other agencies such as the Department
of Lands and Conservation Development (facilitating the Coastal
Zone Management Act introduction and implementation) and Oregon
Department of Agriculture (developing approaches to implement
Senate Bill 1010 planning) to assure a coordinated approach.
These actions are also well aligned with EPA efforts to facilitate
the development of preliminary basin wide assessment tools and
technical support. This type of coordinated approach is considered
a cornerstone to the viability of the proposed project.
Deliverables: Water Quality Management Plans for temperature.
Responsible Staff: Gary Arnold and Pam Blake
Completion Date: Summer of 1997
Task 2: Develop a "How To"
Manual That Watershed Councils Can Use in the Future for Writing
Nonpoint Source TMDLs in Conjunction With State and Federal Agencies
(e.g., Senate Bill 1010), as Appropriate. This
pilot work within the South Coast/Rogue basins will facilitate
water quality management plan development from guidance to reality.
Tools and information modules will readily avail themselves to
easy transfer and use throughout the state of Oregon.
Deliverables: Nonpoint Source TMDL Manual.
Responsible Staff: Gary Arnold and Pam Blake
Completion Date: August 1997
Task 3: Seek Development of Technically
Sound Implementation Proposals Through Watershed Councils.
Assist in providing and facilitating coordinated funding from
diverse sources (319 grants; other federal funding; and state,
local, and private funding) to further the projects identified
in the Watershed Council plans.
Deliverables: Grant proposals and project oversight.
Responsible Staff: Pam Blake
Completion Date: July 1, 1997
North Coast Basins
Background: DEQ will provide contact with and representation
on several watershed councils along the North Coast. The DEQ
will also continue its representation on scientific committees
and at watershed councils. Existing watershed groups include
the Nestucca (including Little Nestucca and Three Rivers), Lower
Nehalem, Upper Nehalem, and Netarts Bay. The DEQ will continue
to encourage the formation of watershed councils and is currently
working with the City of Cannon Beach to form an Ecola Creek watershed
council. The formation of the Nestucca River and Netarts Bay
Watershed Council was supported by resources provided by DEQ's
§319 money and staff. These councils are developing action plans
through staff provided by the DEQ's §319 money. Water quality
and nonpoint source pollution projects are being implemented by
the watershed councils. Criteria for project selection includes
water quality improvement directly associated with fish habitat
protection and restoration on private lands. Several projects
have been implemented, numerous projects are being developed,
a monitoring program is being developed, and initial monitoring
efforts have been implemented.
Goal: Develop and foster community involvement in pollution
control and salmon restoration through the development and support
of Watershed Councils.
Objective: Develop and implement specific projects through
priorities and opportunities established in watershed action plans.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Develop a Watershed Action
Plan to Guide Project Implementation.
Deliverables: Watershed Action Plan
Responsible Staff: Gary Sage and Robert Baumgartner
Completion Date: May 1997
Task 2: Develop and Implement Volunteer
Monitoring Program .
Deliverables: Monitoring plan Nestucca Watershed Council,
Volunteer Monitoring Training, and Water quality (temperature)
data.
Responsible Staff: Larry Caton, Robert Baumgartner, and
Gary Sage.
Completion Date:
Task 3: Monitoring Plan and Implementation,
Citizen Monitoring Training, and Lower Nehalem Watershed Council.
Deliverables: Citizen Training and Water Quality Data.
Responsible Staff: Robert Baumgartner and Larry Caton
Completion Date
Task 4: §319 Project Implementation.
Deliverables: Implement §319 funded projects in Nestucca
and Upper Nehalem. Projects include stream restoration through
vegetative shading and fencing; riparian management, wetland restoration,
erosion prevention and control through bank stabilization by rock-willow
planting; and weir placement that will also provide fish habitat
and potentially develop thermal refugia in the lower river.
Responsible Staff: Gary Sage
Completion Date: July 1997
Task 5: Develop New 319 Projects.
Deliverables: Development of a new series of site-specific
nonpoint source pollution control projects designed to protect,
enhance, or restore fish habitat. Projects will be developed
and selected through the efforts of the watershed councils and
the action plans developed above.
Responsible Staff: Gary Sage and Robert Baumgartner
Completion Date: July 1997
Task 6: Develop and Encourage Volunteer
Projects.
Deliverables: Description of volunteer projects implemented as part of the 319 funded student RARE Intern position for the Nestucca Watershed. Volunteer Projects include:
Responsible Staff: Robert Baumgartner and Gary Sage.
Completion Date: July 1997
Umpqua Basin
Background: The Umpqua Basin Fisheries Restoration Initiative
(UBFRI) was formed by the Douglas County Commission in December
of 1992. UBFRI is a subcommittee of the Douglas Water Advisory
Board and has an advisory role to Douglas County Commissioners.
UBFRI also serves as a watershed council for the entire Umpqua
basin and has initiated or facilitated many fisheries inventory
and restoration activities. Recently, members have discussed
the need to modify UBFRI's organization and membership to better
represent all basin stakeholders.
Goal: UBFRI as an effective watershed council will develop
a comprehensive strategy to identify, document, and address fisheries
and water quality issues throughout the Umpqua Basin.
Objective: DEQ has committed staff resources to participate
as a member of UBFRI; assist with the reorganization of the watershed
council; participate in the technical advisory committee; and
assist with assessment, prioritization, and implementation of
watershed restoration efforts.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Participate
in UBFRI Activities.
Deliverables: Active membership in UBFRI watershed council,
UBFRI ad hoc committee for cutthroat recovery, and interim technical
advisory team.
Responsible Staff: Bobbi Lindberg
Completion Date: March 1997
Task 2: Provide Technical Assistance
to Watershed Council.
Deliverables: GIS-based assessment of fisheries and other
beneficial uses in the basin, water quality affecting beneficial
uses, and pollution sources.
Responsible Staff: Dennis Ades
Completion Date: June 30, 1997.
Task 3: Assist With Watershed Restoration
Efforts.
Deliverables: Contribute FY-96 and FY-97 funds to two
watershed restoration projects in the South Umpqua Basin.
Responsible Staff: Bobbi Lindberg
Completion Date: June 30, 1997
DEQ5 - Enhanced 401 Certifications In Coastal
Watersheds
(Revised March 9, 1997)
Summary of Measure: Section 401 of the Clean Water Act
requires state certification that water quality standards will
be met when certain federally permitted activities, such as dredge
and fill operations, are conducted in waters of the state. DEQ
will improve review and enforcement of 401 certification conditions
for activities in coastal salmonid waters to ensure adequate protection
of all salmonid life stages.
Background: Congress delegated authority directly to states
under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, such that no federal
permit or license to conduct work in navigable waters can be issued
without the prior certification by the state that the work will
not violate state water quality standards established under the
federal Clean Water Act. Oregon administers this provision through
the Water Quality Division of the Department of Environmental
Quality. The Department currently has one FTE devoted to section
401 certifications with input from regional offices as appropriate.
The Department receives approximately 1,200 applications statewide
for water quality certifications per year. The majority of these
are issued custom-designed certifications based on the nature
and location of the project. Others are within the Army Corps
of Engineer's nationwide permits, which are certified by the state
every five years.
Goal: To ensure that the water quality standards affecting
salmonid spawning, rearing, and migration are met, and also that
salmonids are fully protected during in-water activities requiring
federal licenses or permits.
Objective: Identify critical and essential salmonid habitat
and ensure that water quality certifications reflect conditions
that are fully protective of the beneficial uses.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Identify those projects
occurring in coastal streams that are in critical or essential
salmonid habitat, and ensure that the beneficial uses are fully
protected. Close interaction with federal and state fishery
management agencies is already occurring to ensure that conditions
are sufficiently protective. We envision this being a continuing
activity so that we can adapt conditions in response to new scientific
knowledge or to the state of the fishery.
Deliverables: Water quality certifications reflecting conditions
for the protection of coastal salmon.
Responsible Staff: Thomas Rosetta
Completion Date: Already implemented and continuing.
Task 2: Develop a database of projects
to track cumulative impacts of projects in a subbasin.
Deliverables: Water quality certifications that reflect
the cumulative impacts of other projects in the subbasin.
Responsible Staff: Thomas Rosetta
Completion Date: August 30, 1997
Task 3: Ensure that salmonid protection
is incorporated into the state's review of the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineer's nationwide permit review.
Deliverables: Certifications, certification with conditions
or denials of certifications for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers'
nationwide 404 permits to ensure that salmon are adequately protected.
Responsible Staff: Thomas Rosetta
Completion Date: February 10, 1997
DEQ6 - Tillamook Bay NEP
(Revised March 9, 1997)
Summary of Measure: DEQ will continue to support and provide
technical assistance for the development of a coordinated conservation
management plan in the Tillamook Bay watershed that addresses
salmon concerns. Tillamook Bay is an estuary of national significance
as recognized through the National Estuary Program. A local management
committee is charged with developing and implementing a conservation
plan that will ensure water quality standards supportive of Coho
salmon and other coldwater species are attained.
Background: The Tillamook Bay National Estuary Program
(NEP) is tasked with developing a Coordinated Conservation Management
Plan (CCMP). The NEP is funded through EPA, is managed locally,
and will provide state and local agencies guidance on actions
needed to protect, enhance, or restore the community and aquatic
life values of the Tillamook Bay Watershed.
Goal: Develop a CCMP that, when implemented, achieves
water quality standards and serves to protect, enhance, and restore
habitat for aquatic life.
Objective: Develop and implement CCMP through TMDLs, Permit
Actions, and interaction with Department of Agriculture on Senate
Bill 1010 agricultural NPS pollution plans.
Assignments and Responsibility
Task 1: Serve on management
and policy committees.
Deliverables: CCMP
Responsible Staff: Avis Newell and Robert Baumgartner
Completion Date: July 1998
Task 2: Serve on Technical
Advisory Committee
Deliverables: Development of monitoring strategy, CCMP
Responsible Staff: Marilyn Fonseca and Robert Baumgartner
Completion Date: July 1998
Task 3: Water Quality Background
Report
Deliverables: Historical review for problem assessment
Responsible Staff: Avis Newell and Mike Wiltsey
Completion Date: March 1997
Task 4: Kilchis Watershed Assessment
Deliverables: Develop the water quality and nonpoint source
components for a simple watershed assessment methodology transferable
to other watersheds.
Responsible Staff: Marilyn Fonseca and Mike Wiltsey
Completion Date: May 1997
Task 5: Develop TMDLs
Deliverables: TMDL problem assessment and action plans
Responsible Staff: Marilyn Fonseca
Completion Date: February 1998
Task 6:
Technical Guidance on basin modeling approaches, data collection,
and analysis
Deliverables: Guidance to NEP, monitoring protocol, and
model development. Information will form the scientific basis
for recommended actions in the CCMP and TMDLs.
Responsible Staff: Marilyn Fonseca and Robert Baumgartner
Completion Date: May 1997
DEQ7-DEQ 14 (see list below).
DEQ is preparing workplans for the following Phase 1 and 2 measures
and expects their delivery to the National Marine Fisheries Service
by March 15, 1997:
Phase 1 Measures
DEQ7 - Revise Water Quality Standard for Sediment.
DEQ8 - Implement Anti-degradation Water Quality Standard.
DEQ9 - Apply For Instream Water Rights On Streams With TMDLs.
DEQ10 - Reviews And Revise Water Quality Standards During Triennial
Review Process.
Phase 2 Measures
DEQ11 - Implementation Of Recently Revised Water Quality Standards
For Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen.
DEQ12 - Watershed Council Support.
DEQ13 - Enhanced 401 Certification Program In Coastal Watersheds.
DEQ14 - Implement Water Quality Standards For Biological Criteria,
Toxics, And pH.
Created April 4, 1997
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