208 bulletin
NUMBER 6
WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT
JANUARY 31, 1976
State Role
Defined
Fjnal regulations for the preparation of
State and designated areawide water qua!i ty
management p1ans~T40 CFR 13'0~and 131 ) and
regulations for obtaining grants for planning
(40 CFR Parts 35~Subpart A) were "pTJEl i shed in
the Federal Register on November 28, 1975^
These regulations require that the States assume
responsibility for preparation of water quality
management plans for the entire State--directly
in nondesignated areas and indirectly in
designated areas through coordination with
areawide agencies.
State involvement includes review and
approval of grant apjpjjc_at_i.o_n_s , work plans, and
progress reports. A preadoption_review of the
areawide plan by the State is also required.
Frequent communication between State and desig-
nated areawide planning agencies should result
in water quality management plans which both
achieve the goals of the areawide agency and
fulfill the State responsibility to prepare an
approvable statewide plan.
The regulati
certain basic pla
agency. These fu
standards revisio
daily waste loads
The State may als
non-point sources
statewide basis.
ons allow
nning fun
n c t i o n s i
n, determ
, and all
o choose
and r e s i
The area
these fu
the State to
ctions for the
nclude water q
ination of max
ocation of was
to plan for co
dual wastes on
wide agency is
nctions in cas
perform
areawide
u a 1 i ty
imum
te loads.
ntrol of
a
expected
es where
to participate in .
it has not been delegated full responsibility for
them by the State.
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Services
Available Obtaining all available water quality
data for a 208 area is often a painstaking
and time—consuming task, especially when
several different agencies have been
Storet involved in monitoring. EPA ’s computerized
Computerized STORET system can be of great assistance in
Water many 208 areas, since States as well as
Quality numerous Federal and other agencies have
Data been contributing data to STORET for up to
12 years .
The EPA Regions and States have set up
procedures to help 208 agencies obtain data
from STORET. EPA headquarters is setting up
a simple procedure by which 208 agencies can
retrieve relevant data available in STORET.
A letter will soon be sent to each 208 agency
describing the necessary steps.
208 agencies may now use the EPA ST0R ET
system by establishing direct contracts with
Optimum Systems, Inc., an EPA computer time
sharing contractor.
The Regional Offices will base their
approval of contracts on amount and frequency
of data needs and the added training require-
inents that would be called for by the new
STORET users.
For more information call the 208
Coordinator in your Regional Office.
For those agencies interested in more
advanced computer techniques , two alternatives
are available: (1) STORET can provide data in
a standard magnetic tape format for use on
any IBM—compatible computer, and (2) arrange-
ments can be made for obtaining a direct
contract with EPA’s computer services Vendor,
Optimum Systems, Inc. to use some of the more
sophisticated STORET programs to manipulate and
analyze data.
Questions about these arrangements, or
further questions about STORET, can be
addressed to the STORET User Assistance Section
(202)426-7792, EPA (WH—554), Washington, D.C.
20460.
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-.3-
ASCS The Agricultural Stabilization and
Agricultural Conservation Service (ASGS) has relevant
Data information for the control of non-point
Relevant to pollution, and is willing to share it. That
208 information includes crop history data, aerial
photography, data on installation of conserva-
tion and pollution control measures, and a
cost-sharing program for encouraging installa-
tion and pollution control measures, and a
cost-sharing program for encouraging installa-
tion of non-point pollution control measures.
ASCS will be conferring with State and
designated agency officials, offering to
serve on advisory committees, furnishing lists
of available aerial photography, making known
the names and addresses of ASCS State and
county office personnel, and considering
feasible management practices for the control
of non—point pollution from farm lands.
EPIC Some agencies are planning to use aerial
Aerial photography and infrared scanning to aid in
Photography the identification of land uses, pollution
and Infrared sources, and receiving water effects . EPA
Scanning has an Environmental Photogr phic Interpreta-
tion Center in Warrenton, Va., which is
operated through the Office of Research and
Development and has the capability to assist
agencies and States. The Center has access
to a variety of existing imagery and has
volunteered to assist the planning efforts by
running an inventory of existing photographs
upon request. A polygon of the area defined
by latitude and longitude coordinates should
be provided for this purpose. It is possible
that three or four day seminars could be held
on photographic interpretation or that over-
flights can be coordinated with intensive
water quality monitoring programs if sufficient
interest is indicated.
For further information contact:
Mr. Gordon Howard, EPA
P. 0. Box 1587
Vints Hills Farm Station
t4arrenton, VA. 22186
(703)557—3110
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-4-
NCIC The National Cartographic Information Center
Cartographic will inform every 208 agency, upon request, of
Mips all available cartographic maps . NCIC has on
file more than 5 million frames of pictures of
the earth. This Center was established so that
users can make one phone call or write one
letter to obtain all available cartographic
data.
EPA and NCIC are working together to
establish a policy regarding 208 agency
production of new cartographic maps and their
inclusion in NCIC files.
For further information, contact:
NCIC
U. S. Geological Survey
507. National Center
Reston, VA. 22092
(703)860-6187
Public
Participation Articles and information about public
participation are going to be a regular
feature in the 208 Bulletin. Your contri-
butions are needed. Tell us what’s being
done in your area or State, what help you
would like, what information you need, what
ideas you have, what things have worked and
what haven’t. Send copies of your newsletter
and comments to:
208 Bulletin
EPA Areawide Management Branch (WH-554)
WSME Rm. 811
401 M St., S. W.
Washington, D. C. 20460
Don’t forget citizens and local elected
and non-elected officials when you’re develop-
ing work plans . While opportunity exists to
get them involved later, they should also be
encouraged to participate in this first step,
when the basic study direction is set and
problems are identified.
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Aquarius
Project
Pubi ications
Handbooks
Reports
The Pike’s Peak Area Council of Governments
has named its 208 program the Aquarius Project,
after the astrological water bearer. An intro-
ductory pamphlet produced by the project informs
citizens about Section 208, stressing its intent
to achieve planning by local governments.
Citizens are given specific information about
how to become involved, and emphasis is placed
upon the need for diverse elements to work
together if complex water pollution problems are
to be solved.
EPA recently published the “Revised Grant
Application and Work Plan Handbook.” The book
goes beyond initial work plan preparation
guidance and includes assistance in fulfilling
other grant application requirements for desig-
nated areawide agencies .
Another handbook recently published is the
“State Continuing Planning Process Handbook.”
Several key decisions which States must make in
revising their continuing planning process under
the new regulations are covered .
For copies, write to your Regional EPA
office.
A two volume set of companion reports
entitled Resource Recovery Information for
Municipal Officials is being prepared for
publication. The reports present an overview
of institutional, administrative, and technical
solutions for recovery of useful elements from
municipal solid wastes through a central processing
facility and/or source separation approach .
Volume I will be ready for dissemination
during the first week of March. Please address
all requests to:
US EPA
Attn: D. Neptune WH-554
Water Planning Division
401 M St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
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Training
Prog rams
The EPA National Training Center in
Cincinnati sponsored a Water Quality Monitor-
ing course for 208 personnel during the week
of December 8-12. The course was intended to
support the administration of data programs,
and covered the principles of sampling programs,
sampling methods, laboratory requirements, and
data presentation. In addition, there were
sessions on EPA ’s data quality assurance program
remote sensing, modeling and legal considerations.
Additional courses will be offered if there is a
future demand .
A series of short courses is being planned
for selected planners and other technical specialists
in State and areawide agencies, local officials,
and EPA Regional personnel. These two-day seminars
will cover basic concepts and skills needed to
design and, conduct a public participation program
consistent with requirements of PL 92-500 and EPA
regulations. Twelve sessions will be held in nine
Regional cities this spring. Further information
on this subject will be coming from the Regional
Offices.
Characters
The New Castle County, Delaware, 208 Agency
has three characters who appear regularly in their
newsletter. Besides providing messages about
pollution, Pete, Polly, and Sludge provide a
graphic contrast to the necessary technical data,
and liven up the newsletter.
POLLY PURE is a crys-
taiclear and clean drop
of water. She is going
to be pointing out to
you some of the excel-
lent water resources we
have in New Castle
County. Our Program is
designed to help Polly
have a good life and
home in New Castle
County and protect her
from...
PETE POLLUTION. This
dirty little drop can be
found just about any-
where in New Castle
County. Our Program
will be pointing out
particular areas where
Pete’s around and the
problems that he cre-
ates.
208
SLUDGE SAYS:
WITH AFFLUENCE
COMES EFFLUENCE”
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