WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA 2018-2019 (2020 Integrated 305b/303d Report) Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA 2018-2019 (2020 Integrated 305b/303d Report) Preface This report was prepared by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), Department of Natural Resources, as required by Section 305(b) of Public Law 92-500 (the Clean Water Act) and as a public information document. It represents a synoptic extraction of the EPD files and, in certain cases, information has been presented in summary form from those files. The reader is therefore advised to use this condensed information with the knowledge that it is a summary document and more detailed information may be available in EPD files. This report covers a two-year period, January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019. Comments or questions related to the content of this report are invited and should be addressed to: Environmental Protection Division Georgia Department of Natural Resources Watershed Protection Branch 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE Suite 1162 East Tower Atlanta, Georgia 30334 WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA ii This page is intentionally blank. WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA iii Table of Contents Chapter 1 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 1-1 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................. 1-1 Watershed Protection in Georgia........................................................................................................... 1-1 Surface Water Quality Assessment ....................................................................................................... 1-1 Watershed Protection Programs............................................................................................................ 1-2 Major Issues and Challenges ................................................................................................................ 1-2 Chapter 2 Regional Water Planning in Georgia ......................................................................................... 2-1 State Water Plan Development ............................................................................................................. 2-1 Regional Water Planning Councils ........................................................................................................ 2-1 Metro District and Regional Water Plans ............................................................................................... 2-1 Regional Water Plan Implementation .................................................................................................... 2-1 Coosa-North Georgia Region ............................................................................................................ 2-1 Middle Chattahoochee Region .......................................................................................................... 2-2 Upper Flint Region............................................................................................................................. 2-3 Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Region ...................................................................................................... 2-3 Altamaha Region ............................................................................................................................... 2-4 Suwannee Satilla Region .................................................................................................................. 2-4 Coastal Region .................................................................................................................................. 2-5 Middle Ocmulgee Region .................................................................................................................. 2-6 Upper Oconee Region ....................................................................................................................... 2-6 Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Region ................................................................................................. 2-7 Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District ......................................................................... 2-8 Chapter 3 Water Quality Monitoring And Assessment .............................................................................. 3-1 Background ............................................................................................................................................ 3-1 Water Resources Atlas ...................................................................................................................... 3-1 Water Use Classifications ...................................................................................................................... 3-1 Water Quality Criteria ............................................................................................................................ 3-1 Specific Water Quality Criteria for the various Designated Uses ...................................................... 3-1 Water Quality Monitoring ....................................................................................................................... 3-3 Trend Monitoring ............................................................................................................................... 3-3 Targeted Monitoring .......................................................................................................................... 3-3 Probabilistic Monitoring ..................................................................................................................... 3-3 Lake Monitoring ................................................................................................................................. 3-5 Estuary Monitoring............................................................................................................................. 3-6 Coastal Monitoring............................................................................................................................. 3-6 Biological Monitoring ......................................................................................................................... 3-6 Intensive Surveys .............................................................................................................................. 3-6 Toxic Substance Stream Monitoring ................................................................................................. 3-7 Aquatic Toxicity Testing .................................................................................................................... 3-7 Facility Compliance Sampling ........................................................................................................... 3-7 Fish Tissue Monitoring ...................................................................................................................... 3-7 Surface Water Quality Summary ......................................................................................................... 3-46 305(b)/303(d) List ............................................................................................................................ 3-46 Data Assessed ................................................................................................................................ 3-47 Assessment of Causes of Nonsupport of Designated Uses ........................................................... 3-47 Assessment of Sources of Nonsupport of Designated Uses .......................................................... 3-49 Priorities for Action ............................................................................................................................... 3-49 Georgia’s Priority Waters Under U.S. EPA’s Long-Term Vision ..................................................... 3-49 Chapter 4 Wetland Programs..................................................................................................................... 4-1 WATER QUALITY IN GEORGIA iv Extent of Wetland Resources ................................................................................................................ 4-1 Wetland Trends in Georgia .................................................................................................................... 4-2 Wetland Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 4-2 Wetland Permitting ................................................................................................................................ 4-3 Wetland Protection ................................................................................................................................ 4-3 Education and Public Outreach ......................................................................................................... 4-3 State Wildlife Action Plan .................................................................................................................. 4-4 Chapter 5 Estuary and Coastal Programs ................................................................................................. 5-1 Background ...........................................................................................................................................