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River Conditions and Trends

River Conditions and Trends. Dick Pedersen, Director Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Today’s Topics. Water Quality Trends in the Willamette Water Quality Data on Toxics TMDLs Issued TMDL Implementation Restoration. Excellent. Good. Fair. Poor.

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River Conditions and Trends

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  1. River Conditions and Trends Dick Pedersen, Director Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

  2. Today’s Topics Water Quality Trends in the Willamette Water Quality Data on Toxics TMDLs Issued TMDL Implementation Restoration

  3. Excellent Good Fair Poor

  4. “Most Disturbed” Stream Miles by Land Use

  5. Major Land Uses

  6. We need to focus our water quality actions on all parts of the landscape. • Riparian protection and restoration are likely to have multiple, measureable water quality benefits across the landscape. • Working to protect and improved riparian conditions will have the added benefit of creating a buffer to help prevent airborne and land-applied chemicals from getting into rivers and streams.

  7. Toxics Monitoring Program Introduction/Overview • Watershed-based toxic pollutant monitoring program initiated in 2008 in Willamette River Basin. • Focus on surface water and fish • Emphasizes pollutants posing risks to human health and the environment

  8. Toxics in Surface Water and Freshwater Fish of the Willamette River Basin, OR (2008-2009) Waterborne Metals • 19 metals measured at 40 sites every two month • Copper, lead and zinc occasionally exceeded aquatic life criteria

  9. Toxics in Surface Water and Freshwater Fish of the Willamette River Basin, OR (2008-2009) Waterborne Organics • Surface water sampled five times at 20 sites • No water quality criteria exceedances documented • Herbicides most frequently detected pollutants • Insecticides rarely detected • Low-levels of coprostanol (fecal indicator) found at nearly every site • Multiple, low-level detects for “emerging contaminants”

  10. Toxics in Surface Water and Freshwater Fish of the Willamette River Basin, OR (2008-2009) Pollutants in fish tissue (fillet) • Smallmouth bass and northern pikeminnow sampled at 11 locations throughout the basin (2008) • PCB residues generally above protective levels for subsistence fishers. • DDT below levels of concern • PBDE (flame retardants) detected at all stations • Furans above levels of concern • Mercury remains above levels of concern

  11. Willamette Basin TMDL DEQ issued and EPA approved in September 2006 for: Temperature (basin) Bacteria (basin) Mercury (basin) Dissolved Oxygen (segment) Dieldrin (segment) DDT (segment) Turbidity (segment)

  12. Willamette TMDL Implementation Point Sources: TMDL Waste Load Allocations used to set effluent limits upon permit renewal TMDL litigation (NWPPA, IP, City of Albany, MWMC) resolved

  13. Recent Actions to control pollutant sources: TMDL Implementation – nonpoint source Implementation Plans Approved for Willamette River DEQ Reviewing Implementation Plans DEQ comments to Local Advisory Committees 319 Grant Projects

  14. Recent Actions to control pollutant sources: TMDL Implementation – nonpoint source Leveraging Section 319 funding Renewal of Stormwater Permits Renewal of the Confined Animal Feeding Operation Permit Working with LAC

  15. Restoration Prioritization 2008 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey Estimated Restoration Cost Estimates Heat Reduction with Restoration 

  16. Restoration Prioritization Approximately 96,000 acres need restoration 75% of the restoration on agriculture lands 15% of the restoration on urban lands Between $593 and $1.2 billion for restoration

  17. Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships (PSPs) Local Solutions Collaborative Effort Local Water Quality Data Used Very Effective Program Newest PSP in the Long Tom

  18. Willamette BiOp DEQ Participating in Committees Providing Information on TMDL BiOp minimum flow VS. TMDL flows

  19. Future Actions which may have an Impact on Water Quality Integrated Water Resource Strategy Proposed new Human Health Criteria – June 2011 Senate Bill 737 sampling of major municipal facilities for PBTs

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