The 208 Plan/Federal Water Quality Regulations

The Area Wide Water Quality Management Plan (The 208 Plan) stems from the Federal Clean Water Act, section 208. It is a planning effort similar to a land use Master Plan. It provides background assessment of water quality, establishes desired conditions, outlines policy goals to achieve those conditions, and identifies agencies responsible for implementing the Plan.

In the Blue River watershed, Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG) has been the designated regional water quality management agency since 1976. In that capacity, NWCCOG’s Watershed Services completes and updates a water quality management plan for the NWCCOG region, in compliance with Section 208 of the Clean Water Act. The Watershed Service program also reviews development applications to determine consistency and compliance with the 208 Plan.

Water Quality Protection Standards
Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (QQ)

The water quality protection standards were developed by QQ for its members, local governments, to provide guidance for land development and best management practices to protect water quality.

These water quality protection standards cover: control of erosion and sedimentation, post construction stormwater and urban runoff, slope limitations, water body buffer systems, hazardous materials management, snow storage requirements, wastewater system standards, water quality protection standards applicable within the watershed district or sensitive area overlay district, and the enforcements and penalties.

http://www.nwc.cog.co.us/documents/98mwqps.pdf

Colorado Department of Health and the Environment Stormwater Permitting Information

Summit County point source and nonpoint source pollutants:

Point Source Pollution

Point source pollution is a contaminant discharged to a water body at a known point such as from a drain or waste outlet.

Since the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act, most water pollution control efforts have focused on point-source pollution. Point-source pollution generally comes from the millions of gallons of wastewater discharged from the pipes of industrial facilities and municipal sewage treatment plants into rivers, streams, lakes, and the ocean. Sources of wastewater may include domestic wastewater inflow and infiltration–where storm water and groundwater get into the wastewater collection system–commercial operations such as restaurants, food processing facilities such as canneries, agricultural operations, and industrial facilities.

http://watercenter.unl.edu/water_information/drinking/point.html

http://www.texasep.org/html/wql/wql_endnotes.html#035

Wastewater is considered a potential source of pollution because it may–especially if it is untreated or only partially treated–contain organic and inorganic materials that can be hazardous to both humans and other life forms. In many streams, treated wastewater may actually be cleaner than what is already contained in the stream; however, treated, untreated, or partially treated wastewater may also contain small amounts of radiation or toxics that increase the temperature of waters, affecting aquatic wildlife and habitat. Finally, discharged wastewater, especially if it is untreated or partially treated, may lower the amount of dissolved oxygen in the receiving stream (oxygen is required by microorganisms that consume the organic material).

Nonpoint Source Pollution

Nonpoint source pollution, unlike pollution from industrial activities and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. Nonpoint source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants may be:

• Excess fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural lands and residential areas;
• Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production;
• Sediment from unprotected construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks;
• Salt from irrigation practices;
• Acid drainage and trace metals from abandoned mines;
• Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septic systems.

Water Quality Issues in Summit County

A brief summary of water quality issues is listed below. More detailed information can be found in the link to the NWCCOG 208 Plan, which was last updated in 2002. Please note some of these issues may have changed since then. For example, in the French Creek Drainage the Wellington Oro Mine is described in the 208 plan as a major source of contaminants and a treatment plan to address this problem is about to go on line in 2008. For more information on the plan and updates, please contact Lane Wyatt.

Nonpoint Source Issues

The major nonpoint source water quality issues in streams and lakes in the Blue River watershed include: the effects of both existing and inactive mining activities; urban and construction activities (including septic systems); agricultural activities (specifically silvicultural), and hydrologic modifications.

Point Source Issues

Point source (discrete, identifiable water pollutant discharges) problems in the Blue River watershed were extensively evaluated by the Colorado Department of Health in 1974 as part of the Blue River Basin 303(e) Plan. Point source treatment needs, consolidation of wastewater treatment facilities, waste load allocations, treatment alternatives and other related matters were addressed in the basin plan. The principal problems included the needs for phosphorus removal capability at wastewater treatment facilities to protect Dillon and Green Mountain Reservoirs from accelerated eutrophication and the feasible extent of providing service to relatively rural parts of the basin. Since the adoption of the basin plan in 1974 and the 1978 version of the 208 Plan, the development of wastewater treatment facilities has generally proceeded in accordance with its recommendations. Facility plans under Section 201 of the Clean Water Act have defined the precise treatment mechanisms and locations for wastewater treatment and have implemented the recommendations of both the 208 and basin plans.

http://www.nwc.cog.co.us/Programs/Water/PDF/BLU02REV.final.pdf