
| Title | Palouse River Chlorinated Pesticide and PCB Total Maximum Daily Load: Water Quality Improvement Report and Implementation Plan | |||
| Month-Year Published | July 2007 | |||
| Online Availability |
1658 kilobytes, requires version 4.0 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader Software get Acrobat Reader
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| Short Description |
The lower Palouse River was listed as impaired (Category 5) on Washington′s Water Quality Assessment for 4,4′-DDE, heptachlor epoxide, alpha-BHC, dieldrin, and PCB-1260 in edible fish tissue. Based on a review of historical data and results of an intensive fish tissue survey, Ecology recommends that 4,4′-DDE, heptachlor epoxide, and alpha-BHC be reclassified to meets standards (Category 1), and a Total Maximum Daily Load is proposed for dieldrin and PCBs. The implementation plan calls on monitored natural attenuation and stormwater and agricultural best management practices to reduce dieldrin and PCB levels and bring the river into compliance with water quality standards. (Also see abstract below) | |||
| Publication Number | 07-03-018 | |||
| Author(s) | Johnson, A., E. Snouwaert, K. Kinney, and B. Era-Miller | |||
| Print Availability | ||||
| Number of pages | 78 + app (108 total) | |||
| Keywords | basin, chlorinated, Environmental Protection Agency, fish, implementation plan, pesticide, river, Total Maximum Daily Load, wasteload, water quality | |||
| Subject Waterbodies |
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| Related Publications | Title | Relationship | ||
| Quality Assurance Project Plan: Assessing Current Levels of 303(d) Listed Pesticides and PCBs in Palouse River Fish | similar topic | |||
| Abstract | Long Description |
The lower Palouse River has been listed by the state of Washington under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act for non-attainment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) human health criteria for 4,4′-DDE, heptachlor epoxide, alpha-BHC, dieldrin, and PCB-1260 in edible fish tissue. These chlorinated pesticides, breakdown products, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are no longer used in the United States, having been banned in the 1970s and 1980s. EPA requires states to set priorities for cleaning up 303(d) listed waters and to establish a water quality improvement plan or Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for each. A TMDL includes an analysis of how much of a pollutant load a waterbody can assimilate without violating water quality standards. Part 1 of this report reviews data on the levels and sources of chlorinated pesticides and PCBs in the Palouse River basin. The results are used to: (1) recommend a change in the listing status for 4,4′-DDE, heptachlor epoxide, and alpha-BHC from Category 5 (TMDL required) to Category 1 (meets standards); and (2) propose a fish tissue-based TMDL for dieldrin and PCBs. Wasteload and load allocations are proposed for sources. Part 2 of this report describes the implementation plan that the Department of Ecology will use to bring the Palouse River into compliance with water quality standards. The plan recommends monitored natural attenuation, as well as stormwater and agricultural best management practices, to reduce dieldrin and PCB levels. |
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