Monitoring Program to Address Watershed TMDL Issues in the Kansas Verdigris River Basin

Abstract

The Section 303(d) list submitted to and approved by EPA in 1998, identifies 48 river segments and 5 lakes in theKansas Verdigris River Basin as water quality impaired. Among the streams, the greatest number of impairments wascaused by excessive levels of fecal coliform bacteria and dissolved oxygen depletion. Among the lakes, eutrophicconditions indicative of excessive algae production and dissolved oxygen depletion were the predominant cause ofimpairment.<br><br>Many of the stream segments, configured in a watershed setting, have a TMDL applied to them as a whole.Fourteen watershed and 6 lake TMDLs have been developed. These TMDLs were submitted to EPA on June 27, 2002 andhave been approved.<br><br>As the development of the TMDLs ensues, the Verdigris Basin Advisory Committee will help identify additionaldata and monitoring needs relative to evaluating TMDL implementation in the basin. TMDLs of High Priority shouldmaintain their scheduled frequency of monitoring over 2002-2006, with possible supplemental data collection duringinfrequent hydrologic conditions, particularly low flows. Monitoring during the initial five years of the implementationperiod, 2003-2007, will assess the degree of participation in pollution reduction programs and activities. Enhancedmonitoring of the quality of the impaired water bodies may be encouraged for 2008-2012 to evaluate achievement of theTMDL goals. This paper will demonstrate a monitoring program established by Kansas State University to address thesewatershed TMDL issues in the Verdigris River Basin.