CBP Model Application to Local TMDLs and Assessments of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL Water Quality Standards
Session Date: May 28th 2010
Session Time: 12:22
Session Lead: Lewis Linker
Session Co-Lead(s): Jing Wu, Ping Wang, Gary Shenk, Richard Batiuk
Session Abstract: The TMDL of the Chesapeake Bay is the first TMDL developed for a large aquatic ecosystem and the largest TMDL yet developed. Within the regional TMDL, thousands of local TMDLs are being developed by the Bay Program States. Coordination of the Bay TMDL and the local TMDLs allows for efficient governance, cost savings, and greater environmental protection. The community models, like the Phase 5 Watershed Model, provide a tool kit for local TMDL development. In this session we’ll explore all aspects of the assessment of the Chesapeake water quality standards of dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorophyll, and SAV/clarity, and the challenges and limitations of the Phase 5 application to locale TMDLs. Associated with the model application to assess numeric water quality standards is an adjustment of the model output data. Relative changes in the model scenario output are applied to observed data to create scenarios for evaluation that are more representative of the observed data. Model data correction techniques will be reviewed, along with the monitoring programs which support the models.
Presentations:
Post-Session Review: The TMDL of the Chesapeake Bay is the first TMDL developed for a large aquatic ecosystem and the largest TMDL yet developed. Within the regional Chesapeake TMDL, thousands of local TMDLs are being developed by the Bay Program States. Coordination of the Bay TMDL and the local TMDLs with a community modeling approach as supported by CCMP allows for efficient governance, cost savings, and greater environmental protection. The community models, like the Phase 5 Watershed Model, provide a tool kit for local TMDL development. In our session we explored aspects community model application including an application of the community model to Maryland TMDLs (Dalmasy); an application that looked to assess drinking water resources under climate change stress (Schultz); and an interesting application of a watershed load assessment (Boomer) as seen though the eyes of a model practitioner and a planning board member – hint: they were the same person!



