Draft report addressing bacteria-impaired minor tributaries of the Ohio River
FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 22 2022) – The Kentucky Division of Water is seeking public comment through July 25, 2022 on a draft report that addresses bacteria-impaired streams in minor tributary watersheds of the Ohio River. This Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report provides critical information needed to restore water quality in these waters.
To read the draft report and for instructions on how to comment, visit the Division of Water website at https://eec.ky.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water/Pages/Water-Public-Notices-and-Hearings.aspx. To learn more about how TMDLs help to support water quality restoration, visit the TMDL program website at https://eec.ky.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water/Protection/TMDL/Pages/default.aspx.
“Total Maximum Daily Load” refers to the amount of a pollutant a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards. Standards for E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria are intended to protect the health of those using surface waters for swimming, wading, boating, and other recreation.
The Clean Water Act requires each state to periodically identify specific waters in which standards are not being met and then to develop a TMDL for the pollutants not meeting standards. TMDL reports are made available to the public for review and comment prior to submission to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval.
The new report will complete TMDLs for 49 impaired stream segments in the following counties: Ballard, Boyd, Bracken, Breckinridge, Campbell, Crittenden, Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jefferson, Meade, Oldham, and Union.
The report is part of the Kentucky Statewide Bacteria TMDL, an ongoing effort which will complete TMDLs for more than 350 stream segments by the end of 2022.
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