Impaired Water Bodies
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is required, under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act, to determine the health of the waters of the state. Those waters not meeting water quality standards are placed on a list referred to as the Impaired Waterbodies List.
The List comprises the waters that require a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load plan) and sets a schedule for creating the TMDL. A TMDL quantifies the maximum amount of a pollutant a water body can accept without violating water quality standards. TMDLs are tools for achieving water quality safeguards and assessing the impact of improvements. TMDL development methodology varies based on the type of pollutant causing impairment.
The MDEQ updates the List every two years. The most recent list was published in 2004. The 2004 List has 29 waterbodies in the Huron River Watershed (see names below) that do not meet water quality standards. Click on the link to a pdf file for the Table of Impaired Waterbodies in the Huron River Watershed. The information in this table answers the following questions.
- Which lakes, rivers or creeks are impaired in the Huron River Watershed?
- Which counties have listed waterbodies?
- What are the locations and extents of the impairments?
- What are the water quality problems?
- When is the due date for developing a TMDL for the impaired waterbodies (or if already developed, when was it approved)?
- In which region of the Huron River Watershed is the impaired waterbody located (upper/middle/lower)?
LISTING OF THE IMPAIRED WATERBODIES BY REGION OF THE WATERSHED
| Upper Huron | Middle Huron | Lower Huron | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Lake Brighton Lake Honey Creek - Livingston County Horseshoe Lake Drain Huron River - Oakland County Kent Lake - has 2 required TMDLs Limekiln Lake - list says “removed in 2004″ Norton Creek Ore Lake Pontiac Lake Portage Creek Strawberry Lake Whitmore Lake Woodland Lake Yerkes Drain |
Barton Pond - Huron River Ford Lake/Belleville Lake - has 2 required TMDLs Four Mile Lake Honey Creek - Washtenaw County Huron River - Geddes Pond and Allen Creek Letts Creek - list says “removed in 2004″ Malletts Creek Second Sister Lake South Lake Swift Run Creek Unnamed Lake Willow Run Creek |
Smith Creek Wagner-Pink Drain |
To learn more about Michigan’s “Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act”, click on the link to Michigan Act 451 of 1994.
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