Stream Quality Assessments in the Developing Community
Author(s)
Bourne, Robert L.
Bennett, Ransom
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Hatcher, Kathryn J.
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Abstract
As requirements for local municipalities under
the Clean Water Act expand, it is important for the local
municipalities to fmd less expensive, yet effective means to
conduct stream, watershed, and stormwater management
programs. In Georgia, the Georgia Environmental Protection
Division (GaEPD) will be instituting a Phase II program which
will include cities and counties which have a population of
50,000 - 100,000. This will mean that governments in
transition from mostly agriculture to suburban areas may find
themselves being required for the first time to apply for
NPDES Stormwater Discharge Permits and initiate a new and
potentially expensive compliance regimen.
In Cobb County, a growing urban area north west of
Atlanta, Georgia, efforts have been made to utilize existing
personnel, resources, and State/Federal funding to establish
Stream Monitoring Program and develop activities to ensure
compliance with its NPDES Stormwater Discharge Permit.
Beginning with a Stream Monitoring Program, Cobb County
has moved forward in developing a comprehensive water
quality compliance program to address Georgia NPDES
permitting requirements, reposit water quality documentation
generated by other county agencies and citizens, and research
more effective measures for gather and analyzing meaningful
water quality data.The remainder of this article covers the history of the Cobb
County Stream Monitoring Program, its field and laboratory
work, and the benefits of the Stream Monitoring Program to
compliance with the Clean Water Act requirements. It is the
contention of the Water Quality Section that a shift in
emphasis on stream monitoring will result in a more accurate
and useful presentation of the watershed water quality profile.
Sponsor
Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology
Date
1997-03
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings