Implementation of a Tiered Aquatic Life Use Framework for Minnesota Streams

Implementation of a Tiered Aquatic Life Use Framework for Minnesota Streams June 13, 2012 New Text wq-ppt3-02 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency St. Paul, MN

Stream Diversity in Minnesota Forest Mixed Use Urban Agriculture

Current Use Framework Class 2: General Use Class 2: General Use Class 2: General Use Class 2: General Use

Class 2: Exceptional Use High quality water resources

Class2: General Use CWA Interim Goal

Class 2: Modified Use Water resources with anthropogenically altered habitat (example: channelized streams)

Class 2: Limited Use Water resources with limited habitat (examples: concrete revetments, ephemeral ditches)

Class 2: Modified Use Water resources with anthropogenically altered habitat (example: channelized streams) Class 2: Limited Use Water resources with limited habitat (examples: concrete revetments, ephemeral streams) Tiered Use Framework Uses are assigned based on (in order of importance): Class 2: Exceptional Use High quality water resources Class 2: General Use CWA Interim Goal 1) Attainment of the applicable biocriteria 2) Habitat assessment demonstrates potential for a particular TALU

Process for Using Biological Assessments to Make Use Designation Decisions Within a TALU Framework in Minnesota: Step I Overview No Bioassessment Data Collected With Adequate Survey Design (meets TALU specifications) Yes Stressor Diagnosis & Habitat Analysis is Conducted to Determine if General Use is Attainable No Is the General Use Fully Attained? (based on MPCA calibrated biocriteria) Proceed to Step II No Yes Biological Results Show Attainment of Exceptional Use (see Table 4-1) DESIGNATE GENERAL USE DESIGNATE EXCEPTIONAL USE Yes

Process for Using Biological Assessments to Make Use Designation Decisions Within a TALU Framework in Minnesota: Step II Habitat Analysis Using MSHA (with adequate spatial survey design) Poor Attributes Watershed MSHA <50 Weighted poor attributes >10 High influence attributes include: Silt substrates Severe embeddedness Few cover types Poor sinuosity Poor channel development Little depth variation Low current velocity Narrow riparian Row crop land uses Analysis of Habitat Attributes (extracted from supporting MSHA analyses) at reach & Huc 10-12 scale Does Preponderance of Poor Habitat Attributes Preclude General Use Attainment? Good Attributes Watershed MSHA >55 High influence attributes include: Coarse substrates Light-No embeddedness Diverse cover Good-excellent sinuosity Excellent channel dev. High depth variation High current velocity Extensive-wide riparian Natural land uses No Yes DESIGNATE GENERAL USE Proceed to Step III: Analysis of Precluding Factors per 40CFR Part 131.10[g]

Process for Using Biological Assessments to Make Use Designation Decisions Within a TALU Framework in Minnesota: Step III Analysis of Biological & Habitat Data Indicate Non-attainment of General Use and Inadequate Habitat No Do 40CFR Part 131.10[g]1,2, or 5 Apply? Yes Is Habitat Modified (Degraded) by Anthropogenic Activities? Channelization Impoundment Other Is Activity Consistent With Existing Use in 40CFR Part 131.3? Yes Can Modified Attributes Be Reversed with Proven* Restoration Designs? or Is Natural recovery Likely within Next 5+ Years? No Yes DESIGNATE GENERAL Site-specific Biocriteria Modification or Develop fibi and/or mibi for Alternate Ecotype No Activity Could Be Subject to Review & Enforcement Yes Can Modified Biocriteria be met? Do 40CFR Part 131[.10g]3 or 4 Apply? Yes No DESIGNATE MODIFIED DESIGNATE LIMITED

Refined Uses Current Framework Class 2 TALU Framework Class 2 Exceptional General? Modified Class 7 Limited

Fish and Macroinvertebrate Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) for Minnesota Streams

Coldwater Fish Communities Excellent Biological Condition Poor Biological Condition

1 Natural structural, functional, and taxonomic integrity is preserved 1 2 3 4 5 Structure & function similar to natural community with some additional taxa & biomass; ecosystem level functions are fully maintained Evident changes in structure due to loss of some rare native taxa; shifts in relative abundance; ecosystem level functions fully maintained Moderate changes in structure due to replacement of sensitive ubiquitous taxa by more tolerant taxa; ecosystem functions largely maintained Sensitive taxa markedly diminished; conspicuously unbalanced distribution of major taxonomic groups; ecosystem function shows reduced complexity & redundancy Extreme changes in structure and ecosystem function; wholesale changes in taxonomic composition; extreme alterations from normal densities Biological Condition Low High Exceptional Use Goal General Use Goal Modified Use Goal Limited 6 Use Goal? 2 3 4 5 6 The Biological Condition Gradient Level of Stressors Low High Watershed, habitat, flow regime and water chemistry as naturally occurs Chemistry, habitat, and/or flow regime severely altered from natural conditions

Candidate TALU Biological Criteria Class Name Exceptional General Modified Fish Southern Rivers 72 46 Southern Streams 72 45 34 Southern Headwaters 72 51 44 Northern Rivers 64 35 Northern Streams 62 50 34 Northern Headwaters 69 40 25 Low Gradient Streams 70 40 15 Southern Coldwater 82 45 Northern Coldwater 67 37 Macroinvertebrates Northern Forest Rivers 79 43 Prairie Forest Rivers 63 31 Northern Forest Streams High Gradient 83 50 Northern Forest Streams Low Gradient 77 52 42 Southern Streams RR 61 36 27 Southern Forest Streams Low Gradient 73 47 34 Prairie Streams Low Gradient 68 38 28 Northern Coldwater 55 26 Southern Coldwater 77 46

Tiered Chemical Criteria To protect exceptional uses and set appropriate conditions for modified and limited uses, some chemical criteria will likely be tiered Will likely only tier some conventional pollutants (e.g., dissolved oxygen) Toxics not likely to be tiered Analyses currently underway to develop tiered chemical criteria recommendations

Intensive Watershed Management Strategy Monitoring Water Quality Management Activities Use Designation TMDL Assessment Stressor ID

Forest Landuse Agriculture Landuse Urban Landuse Permitted Feedlot Point Source Default General Use General Use Modified Use Biomonitoring Station Chemistry Monitoring Station 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined not to be limiting c) Designate General Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem IF 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish do not and Inv attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined to be limiting ii. Legal activities caused habitat limitation c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem IF 3) Maintain management actions 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv attain General Use b) Designate General Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem FS 3) Maintain management actions 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish attain but Inv do not attain General Use 1 Mile 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv attain General Use b) Designate General Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem IF 3) Maintain management actions b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined not to be limiting c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem NS 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined to be limiting ii. Legal activities caused habitat limitation c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem IF 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs

Forest Landuse Urban Landuse Point Source Default General Use General Use Modified Use Limited Use Biomonitoring Station Chemistry Monitoring Station 12-Digit HUC: Urban Example 1 Mile

Forest Landuse Urban Landuse Point Source Default General Use General Use Modified Use Limited Use Biomonitoring Station Chemistry Monitoring Station 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined to be limiting ii. Legal activities caused habitat limitation c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem IF 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish do not and Inv attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined to be limiting ii. Legal activities caused habitat limitation c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem IF 3) Maintain management actions 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish attain but Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined not to be limiting c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem NS 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined not to be limiting c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem NS 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs 1 Mile 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined to be limiting ii. Legal activities caused habitat limitation c) Designate Modified Use 2) Assessment Non Support a) Fish and Inv NS b) Chem IF 3) Stressor ID and TMDL 4) Implement changes through permitting and BMPs 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv do not attain General Use b) UAA Review i. Habitat determined to be limiting ii. Natural limited flow identified c) Designate Limited Use 2) Assessment IF a) Fish and Inv IF b) Chem FS 3) Maintain management actions

Forest Landuse Wetland Rangeland Landuse Default General Use General Use Exceptional Use Biomonitoring Station Chemistry Monitoring Station 12-Digit HUC: Forest Example 1 Mile

Forest Landuse Wetland Rangeland Landuse Default General Use General Use Exceptional Use Biomonitoring Station Chemistry Monitoring Station 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish attain Exception use and Inv attain General Use b) Designate General Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem IF 3) Maintain management actions 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv attain Exceptional Use b) Designate Exceptional Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem IF 3) Maintain management actions 1) Use Designation Review a) Fish and Inv attain General Use b) Designate General Use 2) Assessment Full Support a) Fish and Inv FS b) Chem FS 3) Maintain management actions 1 Mile

MPCA is Currently Producing Watershed Assessments, but Tiered aquatic life use goals will be based on the potential of waterbodies TALU tools and design will allow assessments to address historical impacts and protect high quality resources Results will support improved outcomes for TMDLs and Water Quality Management

TALU Timeline (Technical) Task Completion Date Internal stakeholder meetings 2008 External stakeholder meetings Creation of stream classification Development of biological condition gradient (BCG) Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Development External stakeholders meeting Final draft of Implementation Recommendations Tiered aquatic life uses development (create beneficial uses and biocriteria for exceptional and modified rivers) Impaired Waters Listing Process (Guidance for UAAs, use designation, assessment, etc.) 2009 2011 June 2012 2012

TALU Timeline (Rule Making) Task Draft rule language Solicitation of public comment in state register Complete SONAR Promulgation of proposed standards in state register Pilot TALU-based assessment Public hearings Post hearing comment period and response Receive ALJ report MPCA board EPA Region V approval Start of TALU-based assessments and reporting Completion Date 2013 2014 2015

Discussion For updates: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/talu.html Questions or Comments: Will.Bouchard@state.mn.us