Monitoring WaterQuality indicatorsof successAlso in 1998, the localshellfish protectioncommittee received agrant through the WCDto do monitoring of theNooksack River and itstributaries. The NorthwestIndian College (NWIC) setup a state certified lab todo bacteria samplingand analysis and hasbeen doing an excellentjob of collecting data forseveral years now. TheU.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA)also has a contract withNWIC to do some inten-sive monitoring focusedon bacteria source identi-fication.

Is Water QualityImproving?The NWIC college isfunded to assess the bigpicture: Is the water qualitygetting better or worse overtime? Over time, waterquality has improved atthe mouth of theNooksack River, im-proved on some tributar-ies, or remained the sameor gotten worse on othertributaries. These inconsis-tent results show that ad-ditional work by all pri-vate and public entities isstill needed to meet waterclean up plan targets forthe Nooksack River.

Ecology reviewsNWIC monitoring data toidentify areas where Ecol-ogy should focus theirdairy inspection and en-forcement efforts. Addi-tionally, Ecology’s dairyinspectors collect samplesbetween NWIC estab-lished stations to narrowdown the bacteriasources. Through these ef-forts, many enforcementactions have been issued,water quality problemshave been permanentlycorrected, and streamshave become cleaner inWhatcom County.

As illustrated here,the approach to improv-ing water quality in theNooksack watershed is ateamwork story.

More InformationFor more info on Ecology’swork in the Nooksackwatershed contact SteveHood at Bellingham FieldOffice, 360-738-6254Ecology is an equal opportunityagency. If you have special accom-modation needs or require thispublication in alternative format,please contact Ann Butler at(360) 407-6480, or (360) 407-6006(TDD) or e-mail atanbu461@ecy.wa.gov

Page 4 Water Cleanup Plans Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Publication #01-2033 (revised 5/01)

Left, before: horses have access to the salmon streamRight, after: cleanup plan work - fenced riparian area, stream banks restored with native vegetation

Nooksack River Watershed A D e p a r t m e n t o f E c o l o g y R e p o r t

Water Cleanup Plans

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

Why develop Water Cleanup Plans?Water Cleanup Planswill result in cleanerlakes, streams, rivers,and bays. Clean water isvital for our quality oflife - for both economicdevelopment and ahealthy environment.But some water bodiesare so severely pollutedthey need extra help.Total Maximum DailyLoads (TMDLs or WaterCleanup Plans)describe the type,amount and sources ofwater pollution in a

particular waterbody,analyze how much thepollution needs to bereduced or eliminated toachieve clean water, andprovide strategies tocontrol pollution.

The federal CleanWater Act requiresstates to prepare a list ofwater bodies that do notmeet water quality stan-dards for ensuring thewater is healthy for suchuses as fish and wildlifehabitat, domestic andagricultural water

supplies, andrecreation in and on thewater. All water bodiesidentified on the listmust attain waterquality standards withina reasonable period,either through a WaterCleanup Plan (TMDL),or other pollutioncontrol mechanisms.U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency(EPA) reviews andapproves this list everytwo years.

What is theschedule forWashington’scleanup plans?As a result of a 1998legal settlement agree-ment, The Departmentof Ecology has until2013 to develop andimplement plans toclean up 643 pollutedwater bodies. Mostlisted waterbodies areaffected by more thanone pollutant. Ecologywill also be workingwith local governments,businesses and citizensto develop plans orsolutions to improvewater quality.

Who isresponsible forimplementation?Ecology regulates forpoint sources (pollutionthat generally comes outof a pipe or an activitythat has a wastewateror stormwater permit)by placing necessarylimits in dischargepermits. For pollutionfrom nonpoint sources(pollution that comesfrom many, variedsources), Ecology workswith other agencies,local governments, land-owners, and citizens toidentify and implementspecific pollutioncontrols or “bestmanagement practices.”

Water Cleanup Plans Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Publication #01-2033 (revised 5/01) Page 1

Water Resource Inventory AreasWRIAs are large watersheds - a watershed is a geographic area where anydrop of rain will drain to a single body of water such as a lake or river.There are 62 WRIAs in Washington State.

How is the cleanupof waters progressing?Since 1992, EPA hasapproved more than288 Water Cleanup Plansdeveloped by Ecology,local governments, orplanning councils.

Ecology is currentlyworking on approxi-mately 103 TMDLs.Between July 2000 andJune 30, 2001 Ecologyplans to submit 29 ofthese TMDLs to EPAfor approval.

Why the Nooksack RiverHistorically, the combi-nation of poor farm man-agement practices andlack of farm upgradescaused a continual rise infecal coliform bacteriallevels in the NooksackRiver and its tributaries.The bacterial levels rosesuch, that ten percent ofthe Nooksack River’swater samples collected

exceeded 383 bacterialcolonies per 100 millili-ters of water. Thiswater sampling put theNooksack River onWashington State’spolluted waters list,known as the 303(d) list.A water cleanup planwas needed and stateand local partners wentinto action.

Page 2 Water Cleanup Plans Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Publication #01-2033 (revised 5/01)

Process for a typical water cleanup plan

Top: An inital inspection that identified an unconfined and manurecovered slab area. Manure from the slab could reach a drain that dis-charges to a ditch (state waters).Middle: An immediate corrective action (temporary dirt berm) wastaken by a farmer the same day. With the dirt berm installed, no manurecould reach the drain.Bottom: Permanent correction taken by the farmer: new concrete slab andtall curbing. The slab now slopes away from the drain and towards the barn.

Partners at WorkOn the state level, thelegislature passed theDairy Nutrient Manage-ment Act (90.64 RCW)in 1998. The act requiresall farms to obtain aDairy Nutrient Manage-ment Plan (DNMP). TheDNMP requires dairyfarmers to improve theirfarm practices (such asusing filter strips and/orbuffer zones alongwaterways) and to up-grade their farms (byacquiring sufficient landbase for manure applica-tions and 5-6 monthslong-term manure stor-age) in order to reducesurface or groundwaterpollution.

Ecology’s dairy in-spectors work closelywith dairy farmers andthe Whatcom Conserva-tion District (WCD) toprevent many on-farm

water quality problemsusing technical assis-tance. But when thosepreventative methodsfail, firm and fair en-forcement of Washing-ton State’s Water Pollu-tion Control Act (90.48RCW) is practiced byEcology. Issuing formalenforcement actionsformally documentsviolations and acts as adeterrent to potentialviolators.

On the county level,the Whatcom CountyCouncil passed the Agri-cultural Nutrient Man-agement Ordinance(WCC 16.28) in 1998.This ordinance prohib-ited application of liquidmanure to barecornfields in the fall andwinter months in orderto reduce fecal coliformloading to the Nooksack

River. After some initialgrumbling, a majority ofWhatcom County’sdairy farmers compliedwith the ordinance,agreeing that it madecommon sense.

Small farms withhorses or beef cattleaccess to streams areanother bacteria source.These farm problemsare often referred toWhatcom County’sPlanning and Develop-ment Services for viola-tions of their CriticalAreas Ordinance. Onceidentified by Ecology orWhatcom County staff,these farms are requiredto immediately removeanimals from the streamand are formally re-ferred to the WCD toobtain a Farm Plan.On-going monitoringin areas where animal

access was identifiedand corrected haveshown sharp reductionsin bacteria levels.

There have beentimes that bacteriasource data showed noapparent animal causes.In these cases, Ecologystaff notified WhatcomCounty’s Health andHuman Services that anOn-Site Septic System(OSS) may be the bacte-ria source. The WhatcomCounty Health Depart-ment agreed to do in-spections and septicproblems are now beingcorrected. After correc-tions were complete,bacteria contaminationlevels, measuredthrough ongoing moni-toring, have droppedto levels that protecthuman health and theenvironment.

Water Cleanup Plans Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) Publication #01-2033 (revised 5/01) Page 3

Left, before: shows beef cattle access to a salmon stream.Right, after: Ecology required corrective actions by the horse and beef cattle landowners. A fenced riparian area with native vegetation restoredstreambanks. A bridge was installed, so animals can cross over the stream to graze the other side and not pollute. Restoration work was completedwith assistance by the Whatcom Conservation District and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Whatcom County’s salmonrestoration group.