2014 NC Water Quality Assessment Cam McNutt DWR Modeling and Assessment Branch March 2014 EMC

Overview Water Quality Assessment Methods Review Summary of water quality assessments by method Changes from 2012 water quality assessment Summary of new Category 5 assessments Public review process and information EMC March 2014

Assessment Categories 1 2 3 4 5 Meeting criteria No info/inconclusive Criteria exceeded 303(d) List

Water Quality Assessment Methods Five 303(d) assessment methods Numeric criteria (Dissolved Oxygen) Biological criteria (benthos community diversity) Pathogen criteria (fecal coliform bacteria) Shellfish Harvesting criteria (growing area classifications) Fish Consumption criteria (DHHS advisories) Assessment Period 2008-2012 EMC March 2014

Numeric Criteria Assessment Methods Applied to 88 Parameters of Interest Must meet all three criteria to be a Category 5 or 303(d) assessment N>9 Greater than 10% exceedance of numeric standard Greater than 90% confidence that numeric standard is exceeded in at least 10% of samples EMC March 2014

90% Confidence More statistical confidence that water quality criteria exceeded in > 10% of samples Reduces chance of listing waters that actually meet criteria Takes sample size into account Non-parametric – most WQ data not normally distributed EMC March 2014

Numeric Criteria Assessment Methods Example-Dissolved Oxygen Standard-….is not less than 4.0 mg/l N=60 10 samples less than 4 mg/l or 16.7% exceedance Confidence in 10% exceedance=92.65 AU assessed as Exceeding Criteria EMC March 2014

Numeric Criteria Assessment Methods 206 Exceeding Numeric Criteria (Category 5) Most common Parameters assessed in Category 5 Copper- 47 Dissolved oxygen- 45 Chlorophyll a – 31 Turbidity-31 pH-26 EMC March 2014

Biological Assessment Methods Using benthos and fish community data Criteria Fair, Poor or Severe biological rating Results in Category 5 or 303(d) list assessment If there is another Aquatic Life Parameter in Category 5 then the biological exceedance is assessed in Category 4. EMC March 2014

Biological Assessment Methods 319 Exceeding Biological Criteria (Category 5) Fair, Poor or Severe Benthos-243 Fair or Poor Fish Community-76 EMC March 2014

Pathogen Indicator Assessment Methods Based on Fecal Coliform and Enterrococci Data Criteria N>=5 within a 30 day period Geometric Mean> 200 (Fecal) >35 (Enterro) or Greater than 20% >400 (Fecal only) Results in 5 or 303(d) list assessment EMC March 2014

Pathogen Indicator Assessment Methods 67 Exceeding Pathogen Criteria (Category 5) Fecal coliform-53 Enterrococci-14 EMC March 2014

Shellfish Harvesting Assessment Methods Based on Growing Area Classification Criteria Not Approved for shellfish harvesting Results in 5 or 303(d) list assessment EMC March 2014

Shellfish Harvesting Assessment Methods 646 Exceeding Shellfish Harvesting Criteria Conditionally Approved Open- 128 Conditionally Approved Open- 65 Prohibited- 453 EMC March 2014

Fish Consumption Assessment Methods Based on DHHS Fish Consumption Advisories Criteria DHHS Consumption Advisory Fish Tissue data present Results in 5 or 303(d) list assessment EMC March 2014

Fish Consumption Assessment Methods 37 Exceeding Fish Consumption Criteria PCB- 36 Dioxin- 1 EMC March 2014

Changes from 2012 Assessment Exceeding Criteria to Meeting Criteria 152 (120 removed from 303(d) List) No longer exceeding in 10% of samples Biological rating meeting criteria Natural conditions assessments Exceeding Criteria to Data Inconclusive 173 (138 removed from 303(d) List) Change in assessment methods Meeting Criteria to Exceeding Criteria 75 (70 added to 303(d) List) EMC March 2014

New Category 5 Assessments 102 New Category 5 Assessements PCB Advisories -19 Benthos 18 Fish Community 15 Enterrococcus- 13 Fecal Coliform 7 Dissolved Oxygen-7 pH-6 Turbidity 3 EMC March 2014

303(d) List Public Review Information in addition to the 303(d) List Links sent as attachment Fact Sheets (for over 1,000 AUs) Review period closes tomorrow Comments received to date EMC March 2014

EPA Role DWR submits list, comments, responses to comments to EPA by April 1, 2014 EPA must approve or disapprove 303(d) list EPA may ask for justification for not listing waters EPA determines whether any waterbodies should be added to state’s proposed 303(d) list EPA approves list as-is, or lists additional waters EMC March 2014

2016 303(d) List Process 2016 listing methods out for public review and comment June 2014 DWR prepares response to comments and recommendations for changes DWR presents listing methods, including any recommended changes, to EMC for approval by November 2014 EMC March 2014