 | Vol. 7 No. 3 Winter 1999 |
| A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs |
Efforts Underway to Improve New Jersey's Impaired Waterbodies
by Kevin Berry and Karen Schaffer, Division of Science and Research
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By definition, impaired waterbodies do not meet or are not expected to meet Surface Water Quality Standards (SWQS) despite the implementation of point and nonpoint source pollution controls. |
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Under the Federal Clean Water Act Section 303d, each state is required to list impaired waterbodies. By definition, impaired waterbodies do not meet or are not expected to meet Surface Water Quality Standards (SWQS) despite the implementation of point and nonpoint source pollution controls. This means that other management measures will be needed to improve these waterbodies. Waterbodies cannot be removed from the Impaired Waterbodies List (303d List) until water quality standards are met.
New Jersey uses a variety of data sources to identify impaired waterbodies, including chemical and biological stream monitoring, fish consumption advisories, shellfish harvesting restrictions, the Delaware and New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Programs, special studies conducted to evaluate lakes or other waterways, and effluent quality data.
The 303d List, which is published in even numbered years, includes waterbody name, stream reach number (from EPA's Reach File database), use impairment, pollutant(s) of concern, Total Maximum Daily Load priority, and data source. Use impairments include recreational (elevated fecal coliform), human health (fish consumption advisories), and aquatic life (elevated nutrients, metals, biological impairments). Pollutants of concern include total phosphorus, fecal coliform and metals. The 1998 303d List grouped impaired waterbodies by watershed and by data quality.
Like many other states, there are data quality and data management needs associated with New Jersey's 303d List. Currently, high quality data are needed, especially for metals. Data are needed to identify pollutants of concern in streams with biological impairments. Data management issues include clarification of the listing and de-listing policies, clarification of the spatial extent of the impairment, creating a mechanism for data exchange with watershed partners, and use of a database to manage the 303d List.
DEP has several efforts underway to address these needs:
- The formation of a Water Assessment Team (WAT) in the Division of Science, Research and Technology has added additional resources to DEP's water assessments, including the 303d program.
- 303d Evaluation Monitoring is being conducted to collect high quality metals data (total recoverable and dissolved) and to evaluate the spatial extent of known nutrient problems so that TMDL projects can focus on current parameters of concern in impaired waterbodies.
- An EPA contractor has mapped 1998 303d Lists from throughout the US, including New Jersey. Results are available on EPA's TMDL website at: www.epa.gov./owow/tmdl
- EPA's contractor is also developing a 303d database that will be used to track 303d listings through the TMDL and/ or de-listing process.
- DEP is developing an Impaired Waterbodies List Technical Support Document. This document will clarify 303d policies and facilitate data exchange with watershed partners. The document will address listing, de-listing, data quality, data exchange and data management. The outline for the Technical Support Document is posted at www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr. Drafts of the document will be posted on the web for comment, and the document will be updated periodically.
- As part of the effort to revise the Water Quality Management Planning Rules and re-propose them as Watershed Management Planning Rules, DEP is making revisions to the State's rules for the Impaired Waterbodies List. These revisions continue to reflect Federal rules and requirements and reference the Technical Support Document.
- DEP is implementing EPA's updated STORET system for managing water quality data. This Windows-based database will facilitate data exchange with watershed partners. Features include mandatory and optional fields to document study design, field and laboratory quality assurance/ quality control procedures, and analytical methods and results. Sampling locations can be downloaded to the Geographical Information System for mapping purposes. The free STORET software can be obtained from EPA by calling the STORET hotline at 1-800-424-9067, or from the web at: www.epa.gov/OWOW/STORET/.
- DEP is developing ENDEX (ENvironmental Data EXchange), a Windows-based gateway to environmental data, including water quality data available through STORET. ENDEX will provide a data registry to catalog available DEP and partner datasets and data analysis templates to generate summary statistics. (see related article in this issue)
Through these numerous efforts, DEP expects to make improvements to the Year 2000 Impaired Waterbodies List, and subsequent lists. Comments, questions and requests for copies of the 1998 303d List should be directed to Karen Schaffer, Research Scientist, Team Lead, Water Assessment Team at 609-292-9692 or by email at, kschaffe@dep.state.nj.us.
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Last revision Monday, January 10, 2000