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Virginia TMDL Program

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

Citation:  Pp. 504-509 in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Environmental Regulations: Proceedings of the March 11-13, 2002 Conference, (Fort Worth, Texas, USA)  701P0102.(doi:10.13031/2013.7603)
Authors:   T. A. Dillaha, S. Mostaghimi, E. R. Yagow, and K. M. Brannan
Keywords:   Virginia, TMDLs, total maximum daily loads, costs

The Virginia TMDL program was initiated in 1998 as a result of a lawsuit. As a result, the EPA and Virginia entered into a Consent Decree to complete 636 TMDLs by 2010. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the lead agency in Virginia for TMDL development. The DEQ is assisted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation on TMDLs related to nonpoint source pollution, the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy for mining related TMDLs and the Department of Health for shellfish related TMDLs. Consultants are developing all Virginia TMDLs. Estimated costs for TMDL development over the next decade are $59 million for TMDL development (excluding shellfish TMDLs) and $150 to $300 million for TMDL implementation. In addition, the state must spend an additional $275 million or more to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries to avoid addressing the Bays problems through the TMDL program. Of the 21 TMDLs developed to date, 20 have been for fecal coliform impairment. Reductions called for in these TMDLs are similar and generally include 90 to 100% reductions in direct deposit of cattle manure in streams, elimination of all un-permitted point sources, 0 to 95% reductions in nonpoint sources, and 35 to 85% reductions in direct inputs of wildlife fecal material to streams. The state water quality standards for bacteriological impairment are currently under review because of perceived inadequacies.

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