CT DEP LONG ISLAND SOUND MONITORING PROGRAM

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD DELIVERED TO LONG ISLAND SOUND (Lbs TN/Day) Total Load from all Sources = 366K Lbs TN/day 54K Lbs/day 230K Lbs/day 159K Lbs/day

Good Science = Good Management? Reduction Goals Sources of Nitrogen Nitrogen Enrichment Degrades Estuaries Nitrogen Budgets & Transport Effective Management Tools

LAW AND POLICY FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENTS Water Quality Classifications Water Quality Standards Water Quality Criteria

Identify “Water Quality Limited” Waters Specify Allowable Pollutant Loading –Point Sources, Nonpoint Sources, Margin of Safety Implement through: –standards, criteria, classification –regulations, permits CWA Requirements for TMDLs

TMDL* (*Total Maximum Daily Load) Enforceable Schedule Meet Water Quality Standards Nitrogen Reduction Goal –58.5% by % - Urban and Agricultural Runoff 64% - Point Source Controls Allows “ Trading ” Future Actions –Out of State Sources –Atmospheric Deposition

WHY REVISE DO CRITERIA? - Not Scientifically Defensible - Not Environmentally Supportable - Not Geographically Relevant - Not Reflective of the System Existing Standards Were:

Table 1. DO incremental ranges and duration (exposure) data to be applied to LIS in the area affected to ensure protection of larval recruitment. DO Range (mg/l) No. of Days Allowed Maximum Minimum Appendix E.

7 days of 21 allowed (0.33) 3 days of 11 allowed (0.60) 1 day of 5 allowed (0.80) 1 day of 0 allowed CTDEP’s Conservative Application Example Violation CCC = Criterion Continuous Concentration

AREA AND DURATION OF HYPOXIA (<3.0 mg/L) IN LONG ISLAND SOUND Average Conditions: 530 sq. km. and 57 days

AREA OF HYPOXIA (<3.0 mg/L) IN LONG ISLAND SOUND Average Conditions: 530 sq. km. and 57 days

0.233

0.278

0.9

1.7

Drought

CT Nitrogen Credit Exchange Projected Equalized Loads

Data compiled by Winer (2000) Stormwater Treatment Efficiency Total Nitrogen

Excellent Good Fair Poor % Impervious CSPS Score No buffer Low buffer Mod to High buffer

1995 Land Cover 11.3% 8.6% Development vs. Population in CT

Annual Cost for Implementing The Load Allocation

Decline of Seagrass Beds Pristine First stage of decline Epiphytes on blades Water column algal blooms Photo credit R. Howarth.