Integrated Water Quality Monitoring Assessment Report
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Integrated Water Quality Monitoring Assessment Report Prepared pursuant to Section 305(b) and 303(d) of the Federal Pollution Control Act 2014 Fourche Creek by Dennis Benson Greers Ferry Lake by Jack Bissell Buffalo River by Marysia Jastrzebski Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality “To Protect, Enhance, and Restore the Natural Environment for the Well-being of all Arkansans.” This report is maintained by: Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Water Division Prepared pursuant to Sections 305(b) and 303(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Water Division Chief: Ellen Carpenter Physical Address: 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118 ADEQ Helpline: (501) 682-0923 http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/water ii STATE OF ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INTEGRATED WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT REPORT 2014 Prepared pursuant to Sections 305(b) and 303(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act WQ14-03-01 iii WATER QUALITY PLANNING BRANCH The Planning Branch of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality consists of biologists, ecologists, and geologists that manage activities related to both surface and groundwater. Among the activities is the management of the State Water Quality Monitoring Networks for both surface and subsurface waters; routine monitoring activities; and intensive, special investigations of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of watersheds and/or aquifers. Data generated from these activities, as well as other readily available data, are used to prepare the biennial “Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report (305(b)),” the “List of Impaired Waterbodies, (303(d) list),” and develop Total Maximum Daily Loads. The data may also be used to develop water quality standards and criteria for the evaluation of designated use attainment and to prioritize restoration and remediation activities. The staff is responsible for a variety of water quality planning activities, including ongoing work to develop and/or enhance ecoregion-based biological assessment criteria, develop and update water quality standards, review and administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing Program, and represent the Department on numerous federal, state, local, and watershed-based advisory boards and technical support groups. The Groundwater Section is currently completing work to establish the automatic flow of the Department’s ambient groundwater quality data to EPA’s STORET/WQX data “warehouse” and to implement a web-based mapping and retrieval application for the data, funded by an EPA Exchange Network grant. Groundwater sampling is ongoing in the established monitoring areas and a new groundwater monitoring area is under development in northwest Arkansas, in which springs are the principal focus. The Groundwater Section also administers funding that supports Groundwater Protection programs that are delegated to other state agencies, e.g. the Wellhead Protection Program at the Arkansas Department of Health. Water Quality Planning Staff Sarah Clem, Branch Manager Nat Nehus, Ecologist Coordinator Mark Hathcote, Ecologist Jim Wise, Ecologist Coordinator Selena Medrano, Ecologist Mary Barnett, Ecologist Coordinator Cyndi Porter, Ecologist Nathan Wentz, Ecologist Coordinator Katheryn Rose, Ecologist Roger Miller, Geologist Jessie Green, Ecologist Melanie Treat, Ecologist Kevin Schanke, Ecologist Kristi Williams, Ecologist Lazendra Hairston, Biologist ____________________________________________________________________________ To learn more about the Water Division and other divisions of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, and to view a list of publications by the Planning Branch, visit www.adeq.state.ar.us or call at (501) 682-0744. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I Executive Summary and Overview .............................................................. I-1 PART II Background ................................................................................................... II-1 Chapter One Atlas of Arkansas ...................................................................................................... II-1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... II-1 Ecoregions ........................................................................................................................................................ II-2 River Basins / Total River Miles ...................................................................................................................... II-3 Publically Owned Lakes and Reservoirs .......................................................................................................... II-5 Wetlands .......................................................................................................................................................... II-5 Summary of Classified Uses ............................................................................................................................ II-5 Chapter Two Water Pollution Control Programs ......................................................................... II-9 Water Quality Standards .................................................................................................................................. II-9 Point Source Control Program ....................................................................................................................... II-10 Nonpoint Source Control Program ................................................................................................................. II-16 Watershed Approach ...................................................................................................................................... II-18 Chapter Three Cost / Benefit Analysis ............................................................................................ II-21 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... II-21 Cost Information ............................................................................................................................................ II-21 Benefits Information ...................................................................................................................................... II-22 Chapter Four Special State Concerns ........................................................................................... II-25 PART III Surface Water Assessment ........................................................................ III-1 Chapter One Surface Water Monitoring Program .................................................................... III-1 Water Quality Monitoring Program ............................................................................................................... III-1 Biological Testing Program ........................................................................................................................... III-1 Chapter Two Plan for Achieving Comprehensive Assessments................................................. III-7 Chapter Three Assessment Methodology ....................................................................................... III-9 Assessment Background ................................................................................................................................ III-9 Integrated Reporting Categories................................................................................................................... III-10 Assessment Process ...................................................................................................................................... III-11 Water Quality Standard Assessment Methodology ...................................................................................... III-25 Narrative and Numeric Criteria .................................................................................................................... III-26 General Standards ........................................................................................................................................ III-27 v Specific Standards ........................................................................................................................................ III-32 Assessment Criteria for Streams per Ecoregion ........................................................................................... III-58 Assessment Criteria for Specific Waterbodies or Segments ........................................................................ III-62 Chapter Four Rivers and Streams Water Quality Assessment ................................................ III-67 Chemical Parameters .................................................................................................................................... III-67 Biological Parameters .................................................................................................................................. III-68 Chapter Five Lakes Water Quality Assessment ........................................................................ III-81 Background .................................................................................................................................................. III-81 Lake Water