Willapa River TMDL

The Willapa River basin drains into northeastern Willapa Bay, Washington. The Willapa River is currently listed under section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act as not meeting water quality standards for fecal coliform (FC) bacteria, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and pH, because of inadequate controls of point or nonpoint sources.

Section 303(d) requires the states and U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish "Total Maximum Daily Loads" (TMDLs) for all waterbodies on the Section 303(d) list. A complete TMDL includes: problem identification; technical analysis to determine the pollutant capacity of the waterbody; establishing allocations of pollutant loading to various sources; public participation; and development of an implementation plan for the TMDL. All TMDLs must be approved by EPA.

In 1997, the Southwest Region Water Quality section of the Department of Ecology (Ecology) conducted a Watershed Needs Assessment that included the Willapa River watershed. The Willapa River was identified as a high priority for a TMDL technical study of FC bacteria and dissolved oxygen problems. (Other activities have been identified to address the temperature and pH listings.) Ecology’s Water Quality Program has requested that the Watershed Assessments Section (WAS) conduct the TMDL studies, in partnership with state and local agencies and local citizens.

Who to contact for more information:

Kahle Jennings
Southwest Regional Office Water Quality Section
Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47775, Olympia, WA 98504-7775
Phone: 360-407-6269
E-mail: kjen461@ecy.wa.gov

Available documents:

Willapa River Total Maximum Daily Load Data Summary Report
Cleaning up Willapa River
This brochure prepared by Ecology's Southwest Region Water Quality section provides an overview of the Willapa River study project.

Washington State Department of Ecology home page

Last updated July 9, 2001. Please send comments or questions to stba461@ecy.wa.gov