Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Environmental Quality
Meeting:
TMDL Public Meeting - Maury River & Tributaries
| Meeting Details | |
|---|---|
| Date / Time | 8/7/2013 7:00 pm |
| Location | Effinger Volunteer Fire Department
2824 Collierstown Rd. Lexington, VA 24450 |
| Board Website | http://www.deq.virginia.gov |
| Agenda document | agency has not posted |
| Minutes document | minutes not taken |
| Disability Friendly? Yes Deaf interpreter available upon request? No | |
| Purpose of the meeting The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), its contractors, Virginia Tech’s Biological Systems Engineering Department, and the Technical Advisory Committee, made up of local landowners and interested parties, will present the development of a water quality study known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDLs) for the Maury River and its tributaries, including Cedar Creek, North Fork and South Fork Buffalo Creek, the mainstem of Buffalo Creek, and Colliers Creek. This is an opportunity for local residents to learn more about the water quality study and find out how they can help. Two public meetings will be held to introduce to the local community the water quality improvement process in Virginia, known as the TMDL Process, review the work of the Technical Advisory Committee, solicit their input, and review the next steps. Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and §62.1-44.19:7.C of the Code of Virginia require DEQ to develop TMDLs for pollutants responsible for each impaired water contained in Virginia’s 303(d) TMDL Priority List and Report. Several streams in the Maury River watershed do not meet Virginia’s water quality standards due to excessive bacteria and have been placed on the 2006, 2008, and 2010 303(d) TMDL Priority List and Report as impaired. The bacteria standard preserves the “Primary Contact (recreational or swimming)” designated use for Virginia waterways. Excessive bacteria levels may pose a threat to human health. This water quality study reports on the sources of bacterial contamination and recommends reductions to meet Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the impaired waters. A TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant a water body can contain and still meet water quality standards. To restore water quality, bacterial levels need to be reduced to the TMDL amount. Virginia agencies are working to identify sources of bacterial contamination in the Mary River and its tributaries, including the following waterways with a bacteria (E. coli) impairment: (i) Colliers Creek, Rockbridge County, 13.77 miles; (ii) North Fork Buffalo Creek, Rockbridge, 7.28 miles; (iii) South Fork Buffalo Creek, Rockbridge, 13.24 miles; (iv) Buffalo Creek, Rockbridge, 15.51 miles; (v) Maury River, Buena Vista and Rockbridge, 12.84 miles; and, (vi) Cedar Creek, Rockbridge, 11.49 miles. In addition, 13.77 miles of Colliers Creek does not host a healthy and diverse population of aquatic life, and subsequently was listed as impaired for the “General Benthic (Aquatic life)” water quality standard. This water quality study (TMDL) reviewed all data collected and determined the cause of the benthic impairment, Sediment, through a weight of evidence approach. Reductions and a TMDL for sediment was developed. The public comment period for these public meetings will be from August 6, 2013 until September 6, 2013. Notice of this meeting appears in the July 29, 2013 Virginia Register. | |
| Meeting Scope |
Public hearing to receive comment on a proposed stage
X
General business of the board
Discuss particular regulations / chapters
|
| Contact Information | |
|---|---|
| Name / Title: | Tara Sieber |
| Address: |
DEQ Valley Regional Office PO Box 3000 Harrisonburg, 22801 |
| Email Address: | tara.sieber@deq.virginia.gov |
| Telephone: | (540)574-7870 FAX: (540)574-7878 TDD: ()- |