Clean Water Act Mrs. Perryman Mrs. Trimble

Clean Water Act “Restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters”

CWA Components Water Quality Standards (WQS) Water Quality Standards (WQS) Designated Use- How will the water way be used Designated Use- How will the water way be used Antidegredation- Can not affect water quality in a way that impairs water quality or the designated use Antidegredation- Can not affect water quality in a way that impairs water quality or the designated use

Water Quality Standard (WQS)

Water Quality Standards (WQS) Must address all surface waters (lakes, rivers and creeks) Must address all surface waters (lakes, rivers and creeks) Key Elements to WQS Key Elements to WQS Designated Use Designated Use Water Quality Criteria Water Quality Criteria Anti-degradation Anti-degradation To find your States WQS:

Establishing Water Quality Standards Established by states and tribes Established by states and tribes EPA must review/approve prior to becoming effective EPA must review/approve prior to becoming effective

Triennial Review Door for citizen action! Last hearing September 2007

Designated Use

Designated uses Drinking Water (treated/ untreated) Drinking Water (treated/ untreated) Human Contact (Primary/Secondary contact recreation) Human Contact (Primary/Secondary contact recreation) Fishing/Eating Fishing/Eating Aquatic life (warm water/cold water species habitat) Aquatic life (warm water/cold water species habitat) Ag Water Supply Ag Water Supply Industrial Water Supply Industrial Water Supply Public Water Supply Public Water Supply Navigation Navigation Ceremonial Uses Ceremonial Uses (River and creek segments can be considered water bodies) (River and creek segments can be considered water bodies)

Designating Water bodies Must designate all existing uses Must designate all existing uses Fishable/swimmable is required with rare exceptions Fishable/swimmable is required with rare exceptions Waste transport is not okay Waste transport is not okay Multiple uses are okay, most sensitive use reigns Multiple uses are okay, most sensitive use reigns Can include future uses Can include future uses

Illinois’s Designated uses: Aquatic life and Wildlife Recreation- partial body contact and full body contact Navigation Industrial Agricultural Public Water Supply You do not want drinkable as your only designated use Example: nitrates

Antidegradation

Antidegradation Prevent the deterioration of existing levels of good water quality Prevent the deterioration of existing levels of good water quality

Antidegredation Means Cannot allow loss of any existing use Cannot allow loss of any existing use Cannot allow water quality to drop below levels needed to maintain existing use Cannot allow water quality to drop below levels needed to maintain existing use Applies to all waters, regardless of designation Applies to all waters, regardless of designation Applies to impaired (303d)waters as well Applies to impaired (303d)waters as well

Clean Water Act Water Quality Standards Designated Use Antidegradation

Citizen Actions Monitoring and Reporting Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting Water Quality Crafting and Implementing Watershed Plans Crafting and Implementing Watershed Plans Work to reduce pollutants entering the surface water Work to reduce pollutants entering the surface water Increase your learning curve Increase your learning curve Get to know you local conservation professionals Get to know you local conservation professionals

Percent of Water bodies Assessed source Watershed Protection Institute Waterbody Type Total Size Amount Assessed (% of total) Polluted (% assessed) River(miles)3,692,830699,946(19%)269,258(39%) Lakes(acres)40,603,89317,339,080(43%)7,702,370(45%) Estuaries (sq. miles) 87,36931,072(36%)15,676(51%)

Causes of Impairment source Watershed Protection Institute Cause of impairment Count Sediment6,133 Pathogens5,281 Nutrients4,773 Metals3,984 DissolvedOxygen3,772 Other Habitat Alterations 2,112 Temperature1,884pH1,798 Impaired biological Community 1,440 Pesticides1,432 Flow Alterations 1,099 Mercury1,088 Organics1,069 Noxious Aquatic plants 831 Ammonia752

Water Monitoring Chemical Chemical Mostly numeric data (nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, etc) Mostly numeric data (nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, etc) Physical Physical Numeric (flow regime, temperature, habitat assessment and Narrative (observations) Numeric (flow regime, temperature, habitat assessment and Narrative (observations) Biological Biological Numeric data (Macro-invertebrate Biodiversity Index, fish studies) Numeric data (Macro-invertebrate Biodiversity Index, fish studies)

Freedom of Information Act: FOIA How to get the information you need! How to get the information you need! What do I do if my request is declined? What do I do if my request is declined?

Silt Fences When all else fails When all else fails

Silt fences

Conservation Professionals County Soil and Water Conservation District County Soil and Water Conservation District Army Corp of Engineers Army Corp of Engineers Watershed Group Watershed Group DEQ DEQ Region 5 EPA Region 5 EPA US EPA US EPA

Super Target

Proper Permits were not filed Army Corp Army Corp Jurisdictional and Non- Jurisdictional Jurisdictional and Non- Jurisdictional Delayed approval for two weeks Delayed approval for two weeks

Contact Developer Contacted the Individual Contractors

Win-Win with Developer

Concessions

Be a visionary Get on the books now Get on the books now Facility Planning Area Facility Planning Area It can consume your life, but it consumes developers lives as well It can consume your life, but it consumes developers lives as well