Restoring Indiana’s Waterways Through Local Partnerships

The mission of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), Office of Water Quality (OWQ) is to monitor, protect, and improve the quality of Indiana's water resources. The  IDEM Watershed Planning and Restoration Section  specifically works towards this mission by partnering with local watershed groups to reduce  nonpoint source pollution . This is accomplished through two different paths. In one option, IDEM works with local watershed groups directly to help them acquire funding through the Clean Water Act Section 319(h) and 205(j) Grants for baseline monitoring, planning, development of a Watershed Management Plan (WMP), and implementation. Alternatively, IDEM conducts monitoring and develops a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report for a  watershed  with an active local group who will use the TMDL analysis to further develop a WMP. This path also involves funding for local groups through federal grant programs. Both paths ultimately lead to implementation of best management practices to address nonpoint source pollution and improvements to water quality throughout Indiana.

The first step to improve water quality is to identify those waterbodies that need restoring. To do this, the IDEM OWQ conducts surface water monitoring to assess the status of water quality across the state in accordance with the  Indiana Surface Water Quality Monitoring Strategy . IDEM staff collect water chemistry, nutrient, E. coli, fish community, fish tissue, macroinvertebrate, algae, and aquatic habitat data through three primary monitoring designs. (1) Fixed station monitoring gathers monthly water quality data at 165 sites throughout Indiana.  Fixed station data  are used to establish baseline data, determine changing conditions, and in limited application for making designated use assessments. (2) Probabilistic monitoring occurs in one basin per year on a  9-year rotating basin cycle . This design delivers a comprehensive, unbiased assessment of the ability of waterbodies in the monitored basin to support its designated uses. (3) Targeted monitoring, unlike the probabilistic approach, involves the intentional selection of sampling locations based on the specific monitoring objective to be met. The data collected through these projects are used to answer specific questions and vary in terms of locations, parameters, and monitoring frequency. These data are also used to determine if the waters are meeting water quality standards. IDEM's routine targeted monitoring programs include  Blue-Green Algae ,  Fish Tissue/Fish Consumption , Reference Sites, TMDL Watershed Characterization, and Performance Measures monitoring. Additional information on IDEM’s monitoring programs may be found  here . IDEM also sponsors the  Clean Lakes Program  through Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the citizen science program,  Hoosier Riverwatch .  Geographically-referenced data can be viewed through the  Indiana Water Quality Atlas , which is an interactive mapping application with water quality data access and download capabilities.

The monitoring data collected through IDEM's surface water monitoring programs is then compared to Indiana's  water quality standards . The Clean Water Act requires that every state adopt water quality standards to protect, maintain, and improve the quality of the nation's surface waters. Indiana's water quality standards are set by  state law . Water quality standards describe the desired condition of a waterbody for a designated use, such as public water supply, warm water aquatic life, and full body contact recreation (swimming), and the means by which that condition will be protected or achieved. A standard can consist of either numeric or narrative criteria for a specific physical or chemical parameter. Monitoring data is assessed annually to identify waterbodies that do not meet water quality standards.

When monitoring data for a waterbody is assessed, there are two possible outcomes. A waterbody either meets water quality standards or it does not and is considered to be impaired. To make decisions about impairments, IDEM uses a document called the  Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM) , which was developed and updated based on federal Clean Water Act requirements and Indiana’s water quality standards. The CALM helps IDEM place waters in one of  five categories , according to available data, that make up Indiana’s Consolidated List. The Indiana  Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters , also referred to as the 303(d) List, consists of waters in  Category 5  that are impaired and for which TMDLs are required. This list is updated every two years. For every waterbody on the 303(d) List, IDEM identifies the specific pollutant that is causing the impairment when known.

IDEM has developed the  Online e303d Mapping Tool  to display the location and applicable impairment(s) of waterbodies listed on the Indiana Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. Use the "+" and "-" buttons in the bottom right corner of the map to explore streams in your area of interest.

The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program primary purpose is to assess streams, rivers, and lakes that are considered impaired by IDEM and develop reports that identify the causes of the impairment, the reductions of pollutants needed, and the actions needed to improve water quality. The Clean Water Act requires that states develop  Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)  for waters on the Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. The IDEM Watershed Planning and Restoration Section is tasked with developing TMDL reports for these impaired waterbodies.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) by definition is the amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards, as well as the allocation of that load among the various pollutant sources. The TMDL calculation is:

TMDL = ΣWLA + ΣLA + MOS + FG

The wasteload allocation (WLA) is the sum of point source pollutant loadings. Point source pollution comes from a single, discrete location, such as the end of a pipe. Point sources in a watershed may include wastewater treatment plants, industrial facilities, or other operations regulated by a permit through the  NPDES permit program . The load allocation (LA) is the sum of nonpoint source pollutant loadings. Nonpoint source pollution comes from the water that flows over fields, lawns, parking lots, and backyards that can carry pollutants into waterways. Nonpoint sources include many different sources which are usually difficult to track, such as land disturbing activities, unregulated animal operations, agriculture, failing septic systems, and more. The TMDL calculation also typically includes a margin of safety (MOS) and an allocation for future growth (FG).

The objective of a TMDL is to determine the loading capacity of a waterbody and to allocate that load among different pollutant sources so that the appropriate control actions can be taken and water quality standards achieved. Although regulations refer to a TMDL as a calculation or formula used to address one pollutant in one particular part of a waterbody, the concept of a TMDL has become more expansive both in scale and content as the 303(d) program has evolved. In many cases, the word TMDL is used to describe a document that addresses multiple pollutants for multiple waterbodies (i.e., several TMDLs exist in one TMDL document). Current regulations do not define the scale of TMDLs, allowing states the flexibility to develop TMDLs for a single waterbody/pollutant or group together several waterbodies/pollutants. The current process in Indiana is to complete each TMDL project for the waterbodies and pollutants within a 10-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) watershed scale.

There are three primary selection criteria IDEM considers when prioritizing watersheds for TMDL development:

1. Watersheds that have waterbodies with existing impairments requiring a TMDL as identified on Indiana's Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters.
2. Watersheds that do not have an existing multiparameter TMDL or Watershed Management Plan (WMP).
3. Watersheds that have an active, local group interested in addressing water quality who can use the TMDL report to develop a WMP.

IDEM also prioritizes watersheds with impaired biotic community (IBC) impairments that have good habitat, which indicates the impairment is driven by a pollutant, as well as watersheds with drinking water sources, endangered and threatened (ETR) species, state partner priorities, and recreational lakes.

A watershed characterization is conducted for each 10-digit watershed selected for TMDL development to determine the extent and magnitude of impairments throughout the watershed. Although some impairments are known to exist in the watershed based on monitoring previously conducted through one of IDEM's surface water monitoring programs, additional monitoring is necessary to fully characterize the watershed and determine the source and extent of impairments. Selecting a spatial monitoring design, with sufficient sampling density to accurately characterize water quality conditions, is a critical step in the process of developing an adequate watershed study. Sites within the watershed are selected based on a geometric progression of drainage areas starting with the area at the mouth of the main stem river or stream (pour point) and working "upwards" through the various tributaries to the primary headwaters. The geometric site selection process is then modified by adding a targeted selection of additional sampling sites that are used to focus on localized management issues, such as point sources discharges, habitat modifications, and other potential impacts within the watershed. Monitoring sites are then established at the nearest bridge to facilitate safe and easy access to the stream.

Watershed characterization monitoring begins each November and continues for one year. Select pour point sites established at the base of each 12-digit subwatershed are sampled monthly from November through April for general water chemistry and nutrient parameters. All monitoring sites are sampled monthly from April through the following October for general water chemistry, nutrient parameters, and E. coli. E. coli is only collected from April through October when the water quality standard for full body contact recreational use is applicable. Each monitoring site is also sampled for fish and macroinvertebrate communities during the summer months to identify biological impairments.

 TMDL reports  include an assessment of the water quality of the rivers, lakes, and streams in a specified watershed. The report includes a description of the water quality data collected during the watershed characterization as well as new impairments discovered and pollutants driving the impairments as indicated by monitoring data. Monitoring data in combination with precipitation and flow estimates are used to calculate loadings for pollutants of concern for each subwatershed and reductions needed to meet Indiana's water quality standards. The report also contains an overview of the watershed geography, land use, soil types, point and nonpoint sources of pollutants, and recommended implementation activities to reduce pollutant levels and restore water quality.

IDEM prioritizes watersheds with an active, local  watershed group  interested in improving water quality for TMDL development. Partnering with a local entity ensures that the TMDL findings will ultimately be used to improve water quality in the watershed. A local partner can use the final approved TMDL report to craft a WMP. TMDL reports provide valuable information, such as baseline monitoring data and loading calculations, that offer a "shortcut" for local groups interested in developing a WMP. Local partners provide a wealth of knowledge of historical land use and public interest as well as a drive to improve water quality in their community. Working together allows both IDEM and local groups to make progress towards the ultimate goal of improving water quality throughout Indiana.

IDEM provides about $2.5 million per year through the Clean Water Act Section  319(h)  Nonpoint Source Program and  205(j)  to support watershed management throughout Indiana. 205(j) grants are used to fund the development of  watershed management plans  (WMP) only while Section 319(h) grants are used to develop WMPs,  education and outreach programs , and  implementation activities  with the goal of reducing nonpoint source pollution in the watershed. Section 319(h) and 205(j) grants can be coupled with other funding sources, such as the  DNR Lake and River Enhancement  and  ISDA Clean Water Indiana , to further expand on local groups watershed efforts. IDEM created a  Funding Matrix , a list of public and private grants, to help local groups identify potential funding sources for their projects.

A  watershed management plan  (WMP) is a strategy and a work plan for achieving water resource goals that provides assessment and management information for a geographically defined watershed. The watershed planning process uses a series of cooperative, iterative steps to characterize existing conditions, identify and prioritize problems, define management objectives, and develop and implement protection or remediation strategies as necessary. The primary purpose of a WMP is to guide watershed coordinators, resource managers, policy makers, and community organizations to restore and protect the quality of lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands in a given watershed. WMPs are considered to be “living documents”, meaning that as conditions change over time in a watershed, the plan should be reexamined and  revised  to reflect goals that have been achieved or not met.

WMP development projects are typically funded by 319(h) and 205(j) funds and take about 2-3 years to develop by local government or watershed groups. TMDL reports can provide valuable information when developing a WMP and the report's information should be incorporated into the final WMP. A WMP that is approved by IDEM and EPA is required to meet  IDEM's 33 element checklist  and  EPA's 9 minimum elements . IDEM lists all approved WMPs on their  website  and places the documents in  Virtual File Cabinet , a site where IDEM houses all public record documents.

The  WMP and TMDL Reports Search (WATRS) Tool  can be used to locate waterbodies and watersheds where a WMP and/or TMDL report has been developed. Zoom in to the 12-digit HUC watershed scale to view subwatershed names, IDEM Watershed Specialists, and applicable TMDL reports and WMPs.

Once a WMP is approved, local groups can apply for Section 319(h) implementation funds to start working on the protection and remediation strategies that were outlined in the WMP. Most WMPs include an action register that identify what steps need to be taken to reach  pollutant load reduction goals . Implementation projects do "on-the-ground" work in their watersheds by installing  best management practices  (BMPs) in critical areas of the watershed. BMPs are techniques that are recognized to be the most effective and practical means to control nonpoint source pollutants and can be used in both  urban  and  agricultural  areas. Essentially, a BMP allows the landscape to be used in a more environmentally friendly way. Examples of BMPs include cover crops, grassed waterways, tree plantings, and rain gardens. BMP implementation leads to nonpoint source pollutant load reductions and improved water quality. IDEM  tracks  the amount of pollutant load reductions completed each year through 319(h) grants with sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen being the three main pollutants that are reduced each year.

Watershed restoration is no easy task. When restoration efforts prove to be successful, IDEM and the U.S. EPA like to recognize these efforts through  success stories . IDEM success stories include projects that used Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant funding to reduce nonpoint source pollution that resulted in a delisting of a waterbody from the Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters. These success stories include waterbodies where TMDLs were developed and where a local watershed group received funding to restore the waterbody before a TMDL was developed. Learn more about IDEM’s success stories in the map below and read the reports  here.