Author(s)

T. Younos & J. Walker

Abstract

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): application to benthic impairments T. Younos & J . Walker Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, United States. Abstract In 1972, the United States' Clean Water Act established the regulatory concept of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for impaired waters. TMDL is a calculation process that determines the maximum pollutant load a receiving water body can assimilate without causing water quality impairments with respect to established water quality standards. Streams with impairments must undergo a TMDL. Thls paper describes the TMDL concept, monitoring needs to conduct a benthic TMDL, and uncertainties with the benthic TMDL process. A case study of benthic TMDLs conducted by the authors is used as an example. The application of a Use Attainability Analysis (UAA) as a prior step in the TMDL process is presented. TMDL concept The United States' Clean Water Act was signed into law in 1972 to restore and m

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