From: dep.online@wv.gov Date: February 22, 2011 9:56:37 AM EST Subject: DEP News - Cheat Watershed improvement plan approved by EPA

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West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection water quality improvement plans for selected waters in the Cheat Watershed have been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires states to identify waters that are not meeting water quality standards and develop total maximum daily loads, or TMDLs, for those waters. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that can be deposited into a waterbody and still allow the waterbody to meet water quality standards.

The pollutants of concern include total iron, dissolved aluminum, pH, and fecal coliform bacteria. In addition, some streams have also been identified as having impairments to biological integrity. The Department of Environmental Protection began this TMDL development project in January 2006.

Approved TMDL documents may be viewed at www.dep.wv.gov. CDs for the Cheat Watershed may be requested by e-mail to Stephen.A.Young@wv.gov, or by U.S. mail to West Virginia DEP, Attn: Steve Young, TMDL, 601 57th Street, S.E., Charleston, WV 25304. The CDs include a technical report and an interactive ArcExplorer Project that are not available on the website.

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