What is a TMDL and why is it required?
A TMDL or Total Maximum Daily Load is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards, and an allocation of that amount to the pollutant’s sources. Total Maximum Daily Loads are determined by modeling a waterbody and it’s watershed to identify sources and quantities of pollutants. Water quality standards are set by the State. They identify the uses for each waterbody, for example, drinking water supply, contact recreation (swimming), and aquatic life support (fishing), and the scientific criteria to support that use. A TMDL is the sum of the allowable loads of a single pollutant from all contributing point and nonpoint sources (non point source pollution is created by the flushing of pollutants from the land by rainfall and the resulting stormwater runoff, or by the leaching of pollutants through the soils into the ground water; point source pollution is an identifiable and confined discharge point for one or more w
