Marais des Cygnes Basin TMDLs

• TMDLs for the Marais des Cygnes Basin
• Implementation Priority
• Approval Letter

KDHE has completed the first two rounds of TMDLs within the Marias des Cygnes Basin based on the 1998 and 2004 – 303(d) lists. There are 35 approved TMDLs within the Marais des Cygnes Basin that describe the strategies and goals to reduce pollution to achieve water quality standards. Of these, there are 18 that are high priority for implementation. KDHE develops TMDLs on a basin-by-basin approach and will revisit existing TMDLs and develop new TMDLs within the Marais des Cygnes Basin in 2012.

The 2008 - Section 303(d) list submitted to and approved by EPA identifies watersheds associated with 12 stream chemistry sampling stations as water quality impaired. There are seven lakes in the Marais des Cygnes River Basin listed as water quality impaired. Among the streams: atrazine, dissolved oxygen depletion, and copper cause the greatest numbers of impairments. Among the lakes: eutrophic conditions indicative of excessive algae production were the predominant cause of impairment along with dissolved oxygen depletion.

Other pollutants limiting the use of the Marais des Cygnes River Basin streams include biological stressors, lead, total suspended solids, lead and zinc. Arsenic, copper, lead and siltation caused additional lake impairments. Each parameter causing impairment requires a TMDL.