tmdl & stormwater accounting
TRANSCRIPT
LAKE CLARITY CREDITING PROGRAM
motivating effective action to improve lake clarity
Have you seen projects like these?
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
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Limited connectivity to the waterbody results in small load reductions for the cost.
+ 150kg
+$1.8m
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
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Infiltration basin above the grade, so does not actually receive water.
+ 0kg
+$0.8m
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
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Reporting requirements do not result in follow-up maintenance.
+ 0kg
+$0.75m
GAO & others lack understanding of results…
…so program effectiveness is questioned and funding attacked.
Compliance is based on a checklist of
actions.Public opinion is based on dollars spent.
Compliance is based on a checklist of
actions.
TMDL & stormwater accounting unifies focus on water quality outcomes.
Public opinion is based on dollars spent.
How can we make our TMDLs more effective?
define baselines, goals & milestones.
TMDLs effectively…
15 Year Goal
10 Year Goal
5 Year Goal
Agricultural
Atmospheric
Stormwater - DOT
Point Sources
TMDLs Identify Source Categories with LAs & WLAs
Stormwater - Municipalities
defines site-scale incremental load reductions – credits
links on-the-ground actions to system-wide goals.
Accounting takes TMDLs one step further…
Use load reductions as reporting criteria in NPS grant programs.
TMDL Targets
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
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NPS Program Goals
5 Year Goal
2 Year Goal
10 Year Goal
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
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5 Year Goal
2 Year Goal
10 Year Goal
Use load reductions as effluent limits in MS4 permits.
TMDL Targets NPDES Permit Goals
TMDL & Stormwater accounting enables prioritization of…
what to do & where to do it.
what to do.
green gray o&m
Prioritized urban catchments based on expected load reduction potential.
where to do it.
TMDL & Stormwater accounting enables coordination between permitted entities.
City of South Lake Tahoe
CA DOT
Performance-Based Adaptive Management System
Model Expected Loading
Monitor• Targeted• Intensive
Improve Models
Adopt Improved Models
Use Models to Leverage Monitoring
compare modeled to observed results
establish load reduction hypothesispeer review &
comment
use models to prioritize where & what to implement
Is TMDL & stormwater accounting… worth the additional cost?
EXISTING TMDL & PERMITTING ACTIVITIES
TMDL & STORMWATER ACCOUNTING ACTIVITIES
EXPECTED COST CHANGE WITH ACCOUNTING
TMDL & Permit Development (Primarily Permitting Authority)
Develop TMDL Define site-scale credit $10,000 - $50,000
Develop MS4 permit Define load reduction targets $10,000 - $50,000
Define reporting requirements
Develop crediting protocols $40,000 - $200,000
Ad hoc reviews
Reporting & adaptive mgt(e.g. Chesapeake TAS & mgt system)
$20,000 - $100,000
Total additional cost/TMDL $80,000 - $400,000
Ongoing Planning, Implementation, Inspections & Reporting (Primarily Permittee)
Develop SWMP Load-based prioritization(e.g. SUSTAIN)
$50,000 - $400,000 (depends on modeling level of
effort)
Design & implement Estimate & register load reductions $10,000 - $40,000
Inspect & maintain Report inspection & maintenance results $5,000 - $50,000
Annual reporting Load reduction reporting & adaptive management $5,000 - $10,000
Total additional cost/5-yr $70,000 - $500,000
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
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Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
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100 TMDL & Stormwater accountingPoorly performing projects
Performance and Cost Effectiveness Increase from TMDL & Stormwater Accounting.
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Load Reduction (100 kg/yr)
Cost ($100,000)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100 TMDL & Stormwater accountingPoorly performing projects
Performance and Cost Effectiveness Increase from TMDL & Stormwater Accounting.