2006 Section 305(B) Report
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANATIONS 2006 Section 305(b) Report STATE OF THE STATE’S WATERS RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OFFICE OF WATER RESOURCES www.dem.ri.gov STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS 2006 SECTION 305(b) STATE OF THE STATE’S WATERS REPORT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OFFICE OF WATER RESOURCES 235 Promenade Street Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-4700 www.dem.ri.gov Cover photos courtesy of: Anne Jett, ESS Group and DEM 2006 305(b) Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures............................................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... vi I. Executive Summary/Overview ......................................................................................................I-1 II. Background.................................................................................................................................. II-1 A. Atlas/Total Waters .......................................................................................................... II-1 B. Water Pollution Control Program ................................................................................... II-2 1. Watershed Approach.......................................................................................... II-2 2. Water Quality Standards Program ..................................................................... II-2 3. TMDL Development – Water Quality Assessment Projects ............................. II-5 4. Point Source Control Program........................................................................... II-7 a. Permitting ............................................................................................. II-7 i. RIPDES .....................................................................II-7 ii. Pretreatment................................................................ II-9 iii. Stormwater................................................................ II-10 iv. Sludge Management ................................................. II-11 v. Water Quality Certification...................................... II-11 vi. Enforcement/Permit Compliance.............................. II-11 vii. Wastewater Treatment Facilities Program................ II-12 b. Monitoring.......................................................................................... II-12 i. Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing.............................. II-12 ii. User Fee Program..................................................... II-12 iii. Wastewater Facility Operation and Maintenance/Compliance Evaluations..................... II-13 iv. Wastewater Facility Operation and Maintenance/Operator Certification ......................... II-13 v. Wastewater Facility Operation and Maintenance/Operator Training................................ II-13 5. Nonpoint Source Control Program .................................................................. II-14 6. Narragansett Bay Estuarine Program CCMP................................................... II-26 7. Financial Assistance........................................................................................ II-27 8 Coordination with other Agencies ................................................................... II-30 C. Cost/Benefit Assessment .............................................................................................. II-31 D. Special State Concerns and Recommendations ............................................................ II-33 1. State Concerns................................................................................................. II-33 2. Recommendations............................................................................................ II-39 i III. Surface Water Assessment......................................................................................................III.A-1 A. Surface Water Monitoring Programs.........................................................................III.A-1 1. Estuarine & Coastal Monitoring Programs...................................................III.A-1 a. Fixed Stations Network in Narragansett Bay...................................III.A-1 b. Dissolved Oxygen Spatial Surveys in the Upper Half of the Bay ...III.A-5 c. DEM Shellfish Monitoring Program...............................................III.A-7 d. Bathing Beach Monitoring – Coastal Waters ..................................III.A-8 e. Macroalgae Surveys.........................................................................III.A-9 f. Benthic Monitoring........................................................................III.A-10 g. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation & Coastal Wetlands....................III.A-10 h. Related Research Activities...........................................................III.A-10 i. Volunteer Monitoring....................................................................III.A-11 2. Freshwater Monitoring Programs ...............................................................III.A-11 a. Monitoring Rivers & Streams: Background ..................................III.A-11 b. Fixed Stations on Large Rivers (Non-wadeable)...........................III.A-12 i. Water Chemistry & Sediments – USGS Monitoring On Non-wadeable Rivers..................................................III.A-12 ii. Fixed Stations – Non-wadeable Rivers – Artificial Substrate Monitoring ........................................................III.A-15 c. Fixed Stations – Chemical Monitoring 1991-2004 (Wadeable)....III.A-15 d. Fixed Stations –Rapid Biological Protocol (RBP) Monitoring .....III.A-16 e. Freshwater Rivers and Streams – Rotating Basin Approach .........III.A-19 f. Stream Gage Monitoring Network................................................III.A-19 g. Volunteer Monitoring – Rivers and Streams .................................III.A-22 h. Monitoring in Lakes and Ponds.....................................................III.A-22 3. Quality Assurance.......................................................................................III.A-23 B. Plan for Achieving Comprehensive Assessments...................................................... III.B-1 C. Assessment Methodology and Assumptions.............................................................. III.C-1 1. Methodology for Determination of Use Support Status ............................... III.C-1 2. Assessment Level......................................................................................... III.C-2 3. Use Support Categories................................................................................ III.C-4 4. Section 303(d) Waters.................................................................................. III.C-9 D. Rivers and Streams Water Quality Assessment.........................................................III.D-1 1. Designated Use Support................................................................................III.D-1 2. Causes and Sources of Impairment of Designated Uses...............................III.D-4 E. Lake Water Quality Assessment................................................................................ III.E-1 1. Designated Use Support................................................................................ III.E-1 2. Causes and Sources of Impairment of Designated Use ................................ III.E-4 3. Clean Lakes Program.................................................................................... III.E-7 a. National Program Background........................................................ III.E-7 b. RI Program Background.................................................................. III.E-7 4. Trophic Status............................................................................................. III.E-14 5. Control Methods and Restoration/Protection Efforts ................................ III.E-16 a. General........................................................................................... III.E-16 b. Stafford Pond Project..................................................................... III.E-16 c. Clean Lakes Assessment Projects.................................................. III.E-17 ii i. QA/QC Project.................................................................. III.E-17 ii. Data Management Project................................................. III.E-17 iii. Macrophytes Project......................................................... III.E-17 iv. Dissolved Oxygen Project................................................ III.E-18 6. Impaired and Threatened Lakes.................................................................. III.E-19 7. Acid Effects on Lakes................................................................................. III.E-19 8. Toxic Effects on Lakes ............................................................................... III.E-20 9. Trends in Lake Water Quality .................................................................... III.E-20 F. Estuary and Coastal Assessment.................................................................................III.F-1 1. Designated Use Support.................................................................................III.F-1 2. Causes and Sources of Impairment of Designated Uses................................III.F-3 3. Narragansett