Publication Summary

Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of each pollutant that causes a water body to not meet water quality standards. A TMDL is the amount of pollution that a waterbody can assimilate before beneficial uses are affected. The Skokomish River Fecal Coliform TMDL is established to address water quality impairments due to high fecal coliform bacteria (FC) levels in the lower Skokomish River basin and help protect marine water quality standards and shellfish harvesting in Hood Canal.

Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of each pollutant that causes a water body to not meet water quality standards. A TMDL is the amount of pollution that a waterbody can assimilate before beneficial uses are affected. The Skokomish River Fecal Coliform TMDL is established to address water quality impairments due to high fecal coliform bacteria (FC) levels in the lower Skokomish River basin and help protect marine water quality standards and shellfish harvesting in Hood Canal.

A TMDL includes: problem identification, technical analysis to determine the load capacity for the listed pollutant, and evaluation and allocation of pollutant loads for various sources. The TMDL must also consider seasonal variations and include a margin of safety that takes into account any lack of knowledge about the causes of the water quality problem or its loading capacity. Finally, a plan with an implementation schedule is developed to address the sources of pollution. This "Water Cleanup Plan" is developed with participation of the public and other government entities. All TMDLs must be approved by the EPA.

The TMDL applies to areas upstream of the Highway 106 bridge and includes part of the Skokomish Indian Reservation (Reservation) and areas under state jurisdiction. The EPA and the Skokomish Tribe (Tribe) have Clean Water Act jurisdiction on all lands within the Reservation. A cooperative effort among local residents and Tribal, local and state governments will be needed to address jurisdictional issues that may arise as a Detailed Implementation Plan is developed and implemented.