State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection Kennebunk River, Maine 2008 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report Document Number: DEPLW0895 2008 Maine Integrated Water Quality Report Table of Contents Chapter 1 Preface.................................................................................................9 Data Sources and Acknowledgements .....................................................10 Sources of River and Stream Assessment Data.............................................. 10 Sources of Lake Assessment Data.................................................................. 10 Sources of Marine Assessment Data............................................................... 11 Sources of Wetlands Assessment Data........................................................... 11 Chapter 2 Executive Summary and Response to Comments .............................12 Executive Summary ..................................................................................12 Surface Waters................................................................................................. 12 Wetlands .......................................................................................................... 14 Ground Water................................................................................................... 14 Response to Comments ...........................................................................16 Process to Solicit Public Comments ................................................................ 16 Summary of Public Comments and Responses .............................................. 19 Chapter 3 Background ........................................................................................28 State Atlas and Water Quality Standards .................................................28 Water Quality Standards Program ................................................................... 31 Highlights for Point Source Pollution Control Programs............................31 Technical Assistance / Pollution Prevention Program ..................................... 31 Construction of Wastewater Treatment Facilities ............................................ 32 Maine Combined Sewer Overflow Program..................................................... 32 Small Community Facilities Program ............................................................... 33 Licensing of Wastewater Discharges............................................................... 34 Overboard Discharge Grant Program .............................................................. 34 Compliance Evaluation..................................................................................... 36 Enforcement of Water Quality Laws................................................................. 37 Nature & Extent of Nonpoint Sources of Pollutants and Program Recommendations ....................................................................................37 The Maine NPS Water Pollution Control Program........................................... 37 Coastal Nonpoint Source Priority Watersheds................................................. 38 Watershed Management for Stormwater Programs ........................................ 39 Land Use and Growth Management ................................................................ 40 Education and Outreach ...........................................................................41 The Environmental Impact and Economic & Social Costs/Benefits of Effective Water Quality Programs.............................................................42 Nonpoint Source Management ........................................................................ 42 Economic Contribution of Maine Great Ponds................................................. 43 The Pollution Prevention (P2) Program ........................................................... 43 Chapter 4 Surface Water Monitoring & Assessments.........................................45 Assessment Methodology.........................................................................45 Listing Methodology for the 2008 305b / 303d Integrated Report List ............. 45 Assessment Criteria..................................................................................50 Rivers and Streams.......................................................................................... 50 Lakes and Ponds.............................................................................................. 51 Estuarine and Marine Waters........................................................................... 51 Data Interpretation............................................................................................ 52 Integrated Report Lists of Categories 1 Through 5...................................54 Rivers / Streams .......................................................................................59 Water Classification Program........................................................................... 59 Summary of Statewide River and Stream Attainment Status .......................... 61 Main Stems of Major Rivers ............................................................................. 64 Toxics ............................................................................................................... 64 Maine DEP 2008 305(b) Report and 303(d) List 2 2008 Maine Integrated Water Quality Report Aquatic Life Monitoring..................................................................................... 64 Reports of Fish Kills ......................................................................................... 65 Achieving Comprehensive Assessment of All Streams: Probability-based Design Monitoring ............................................................................................ 65 Lakes / Ponds ...........................................................................................65 Attainment of Classification.............................................................................. 66 Invasive Aquatic Plants .................................................................................... 70 Estuaries / Ocean .....................................................................................70 Background ...................................................................................................... 71 Sources of Monitoring Data.............................................................................. 72 Summary of Statewide Status.......................................................................... 73 Protection of Marine Life (Designated use: Habitat for fish and estuarine / marine life)........................................................................................................ 75 Casco Bay Estuary Partnership ....................................................................... 75 Chapter 5 Wetlands ............................................................................................77 Background...............................................................................................77 Federal Regulation........................................................................................... 77 Wetlands Regulatory Program in Maine’s Organized Towns .......................... 77 Wetlands Regulatory Program in Unorganized Territories .............................. 78 Development of Wetland Water Quality Standards...................................78 Integrity of Wetland Resources.................................................................79 Wetland Monitoring and Assessment............................................................... 79 Extent of Wetland Resources ...................................................................80 Wetland Loss Tracking in Maine’s Organized Towns...................................... 80 Wetland Loss Tracking in Maine’s Unorganized Territories............................. 82 Chapter 6 Groundwater Monitoring & Assessments ..........................................83 Overview ...................................................................................................83 Background...............................................................................................83 Assessment of Ground Water Quality.......................................................84 Aquifer Characterization Activities ................................................................... 84 Overview of Ground Water Contamination Sources ........................................ 84 Petroleum Storage Tanks and Product Spills ...........................................85 Underground Tanks.......................................................................................... 85 Above Ground Storage Tanks.......................................................................... 86 Oil or Hazardous Materials Spills..............................................................87 Agriculture.................................................................................................88 Maine's Nutrient Management Law.................................................................. 88 Pesticides ......................................................................................................... 88 Landfills.....................................................................................................89 Active Landfills ................................................................................................. 89 Inactive