Pomme de Terre River Watershed TMDL Report

Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) provides authority for completing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to achieve state water quality standards and/or designated uses. The TMDL establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can receive on a daily basis and still meet water quality standards. The TMDL is divided into wasteload allocations (WLA) for point or permitted sources, load allocations (LA) for nonpoint sources, which includes natural background, and a margin of safety (MOS). This TMDL report addresses one turbidity impairment, one turbidity stressor; one dissolved oxygen impairment and two dissolved oxygen stressors, one E. coli impairment, and four lake eutrophication impairments in the Pomme de Terre (PdT) River watershed. Addressing multiple impairments in one TMDL report is consistent with Minnesota's Water Quality Framework that seeks to develop watershed wide protection and restoration strategies rather than focus on individual reach impairments. A general strategy and cost estimate for implementation to address the impairments is included. Non-point sources will be the focus of implementation efforts. Non-point contributions in general are not regulated and will need to be addressed on a voluntary basis. Permitted point sources will be addressed through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit programs.