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THE INLAND BAYS TMDL: TRIBULATIONS AND CHALLENGES

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  TMDL 2010: Watershed Management to Improve Water Quality Proceedings, 14-17 November 2010 Hyatt Regency Baltimore on the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland USA  711P0710cd.(doi:10.13031/2013.35781)
Authors:   William F Ritter
Keywords:   Nitrogen, phosphorus, TMDL, stormwater, poultry, Inland Bays

A TMDL was developed for the Inland Bays, which are highly eutropic, that calls for nitrogen load reductions of 40 to 85% and phosphorus load reductions from 40 to 65%. The watershed has intensive poultry production. Alternative uses and export of poultry manure out of the watershed are required to meet the TMDL. Increased winter cover crops, riparian buffers and conservation tillage are also called for as BMPs. A pollution control pollution control strategy (PCS) was developed with new regulations for stormwater management and onsite wastewater management. The regulations call for 30 m wide riparian buffers along all streams where new development occurs if other stormwater management practices are not installed. The buffers may be reduced to 15 m if used in combination with other stormwater controls. The PSC also calls for the elimination of all point sources from the Bays which may be a real challenge. Some of the BMPs being installed may not be effective in meeting nutrient load reductions. The soils have high infiltration rates so there is very little direct surface runoff, so riparian buffers may not be effective. A high percentage of the agricultural land is already in conservation tillage and winter cover crops may not be effective in reducing nitrogen leaching. TMDL nutrient load requirements may be impossible to meet under the current proposed strategies.

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