Mid-Atlantic Water Protection
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)
National Links
Related Mid-Atlantic Programs
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
- Nonpoint Source Pollution
- Water Quality Standards
- Impaired Water 303(d)/305(b)
Mid-Atlantic Water News
The EPA plans to establish a Bacteria TMDL
Learn more...
| Search TMDLs | State TMDL pages  |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | Visit |
| Delaware | Visit |
| Maryland | Visit |
| Pennsylvania | Visit |
| Virginia | Visit |
| West Virginia | Visit |
What is a Total Maximum Daily Load?
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) calculates the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive while still meeting water quality standards.
A TMDL is the sum of all the wasteload allocations (WLAs) for point sources (i.e. sewage treatment plants, stormwater discharges, industrial discharges, etc.), load allocations (LAs) for non point sources (i.e. pollutants carried by rainfall runoff from forests, agricultural lands, abandoned mine lands, etc.), and a margin of safety (MOS) to account for uncertainty.
TMDL = Wasteload Allocation (WLA) + Load Allocation (LA) + Margin of Safety (MOS)
Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires that a TMDL be developed for the pollutant(s) responsible for impairing a waterbody. Each state compiles 303(d) lists which identify the impaired waterbodies contained within their state. The states include priorities on their 303(d) lists by assigning each impaired waterbody a timeline for TMDL development.
Developing TMDLs is an important step in solving water quality problems. It identifies the sources of pollutant loadings within an impaired stream, estimates the existing loads and allocates load reductions from each source in order to attain and maintain water quality standards. This process includes an opportunity for public participation.
A TMDL provides states with an outline of the reductions necessary to meet the required water quality standards in an impaired waterbody. A TMDL is submitted to EPA for review and approval and must consider each of the elements described below:
- The TMDLs are designed to implement applicable water quality standards.
- The TMDLs include a total allowable load as well as individual waste load allocations and load allocations.
- The TMDLs consider the impacts of background pollutant contributions.
- The TMDLs consider critical environmental conditions.
- The TMDLs consider seasonal environmental variations.
- The TMDLs include a margin of safety.
- The TMDLs have been subject to public participation.
- There is reasonable assurance that the TMDLs can be met.
Click below to see TMDLs developed by EPA.
| TMDLs Developed by EPA | ||||
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ||||
| You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view some of the PDF files on this page. See EPA's PDF page for more information about getting and using the free Acrobat Reader. | ||||
| TMDL | Approval Date | Type of Pollution | Jurisdiction | |
| Accotink Creek Benthic (PDF Portfolio, 2 documents, 8.3M) | April 18, 2011 | Aquatic Life | VA | |
| Appoquinimink River Watershed (PDF Portfolio, 2 documents, 5.3M) | December 15, 2003 | Nutrients, Dissolved Oxygen | DE | |
| Bear Rocks Lake (63pg, 250K) | September 30, 1999 | Nutrients, Sediment | WV | |
| Brush Run (PDF Portfolio, 2 documents, 2.9M) | December 9, 2003 | Nutrients, Siltation | PA | |
| Buckhannon River (104pg, 640K) | October 20, 1998 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Burches Run Lake (48pg, 7M) | October 2, 1998 | Nutrients, Sediment | WV | |
| Castleman Run Lake (64pg, 228K) | September 30, 1999 | Nutrients, Sediment | WV | |
| Chesapeake Bay | December 30, 2010 | Nutrients and Sediments | DE, DC, MD, NY*, PA, VA, WV *A portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is located in New York, EPA's Region 2. |
|
| Christina River High Flow (PDF Portfolio, 4 documents, 3.0M) | September 26, 2006 | Nutrients, Dissolved Oxygen | DE, PA, MD | |
| Christina River High Flow (PDF Portfolio, 4 documents, 3.5M) | September 7, 2006 | Pathogens, Siltation | DE, PA, MD | |
| Christina River Low Flow (PDF Portfolio, 4 documents, 3.7M) | August 23, 2006 | Nutrients, Dissolved Oxygen | DE, PA, MD | |
| Deep Run, Beach Run and Elizabeth Run (PDF Portfolio, 3 documents, 2.1M) | December 9, 2004 | Siltation | PA | |
| Deep Run, Beach Run and Elizabeth Run (PDF Portfolio, 2 documents, 2.2M) | December 9, 2004 | Nutrients | PA | |
| Delaware River Estuary PCB Zones 2-5 (PDF, 216pg, 1.5M) | December 15, 2003 | PCBs | DE, PA, NJ* *A portion of the Delaware River Estuary is located in New Jersey, EPA's Region 2. |
|
| Delaware River Estuary Zone 6 PCB (61pg, 1M) | December 14, 2006 | PCBs | DE, PA, NJ* *A portion of the Delaware River Estuary is located in New Jersey, EPA's Region 2. |
|
| Dunloup Creek Watershed (120pg, 3.8M) | September 30, 2002 | Metals, pH, Fecal Coliform | WV | |
| Elk River Watershed (124pg, 2.1M) | September 29, 2001 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Flat Fork Creek (31pg, 967K) | September 30, 2001 | PCBs | WV | |
| Glanraffan Creek (PDF Portfolio, 2 documents, 1.8M) | October 9, 2003 | Metals, Suspended Solids | PA | |
| Goose Creek (635pg, 12.7M) | July 1, 2008 | Nutrients | PA | |
| Guyandotte River Watershed (154pg, 3.1M) | March 30, 2004 | Fecal Coliform, Metals, pH | PA | |
| Hurricane Lake (47pg, 4.3M) | September 30, 1998 | Metals, Nutrients, Sediment | WV | |
| Indian Creek (581pg, 9.5M) | July 2, 2008 | Nutrients, Siltation | PA | |
| Kiskiminetas-Conemaugh River Watershed (PDF Portfolio) (5 documents, 14.6M) | January 29, 2010 | Metals, pH, Siltation | PA | |
| Lake Wallenpaupack (180pg, 3.5M) | April 4, 2005 | Nutrients, Siltation, Mercury | PA | |
| Lake Wallenpaupack Addendum (9 pg, 109K) | October 9, 2007 | Nutrients | PA | |
| Little Kanawha River Watershed (PDF Portfolio 2 documents, 3.4M) | September 30, 2000 | Metals | WV | |
| Lost River (67pg, 6.7M) | October 2, 1998 | Fecal Coliform | WV | |
| Lower Kanawha River Watershed (PDF Portfolio, 1.1M) | September 30, 2000 | Dioxin | WV | |
| Monongahela River Watershed (186pg, 8.6M) | September 30, 2002 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Mountwood Park Lake (42pg, 3.6M) | September 30, 1998 | Sediment | WV | |
| Ohio River (83pg, 533K) | September 30, 2002 | PCBs | WV | |
| Paint Creek Watershed (149pg, 1M) | September 30, 2001 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Paxton Creek (606pg, 14.3M) | July 1, 2008 | Nutrients, Siltation | PA | |
| Red Clay Creek (16pg, 160K) | April 7, 2007 | PCBs | PA | |
| Ridenour Lake (70pg, 296K) | September 27, 1999 | Metals, Nutrients, Sediment | WV | |
| Sawmill Run (129pg, 4.4M) | April 4, 2007 | Metals, Siltation | PA | |
| Sawmill Run (563pg, 10.8M) | July 1, 2008 | Nutrients | PA | |
| Schuylkill River (145pg, 3.1M) | April 7, 2007 | PCBs | PA | |
| Shenandoah River (100pg, 2.8M) | September 29, 2001 | PCBs | WV | |
| South Branch Bear Creek (111pg, 4.3M) | April 8, 2007 | Metals, pH | PA | |
| South Fork South Branch Potomac River (64pg, 248M) | February 20, 1998 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Southampton Creek (93pg, 2.6M) | July 1, 2008 | Nutrients, siltation | PA | |
| Stony River Watershed (213pg, 228K) | September 29, 2001 | Sediment | WV | |
| Tenmile Creek (49pg, 253K) | October 2, 1998 | PCBs | WV | |
| Tomlinson Run Lake (64pg, 4.6M) | October 3, 1998 | Sediment | WV | |
| Tug Fork River Watershed (47pg, 228K) | September 30, 2002 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Turkey Run Lake (66pg, 269K) | September 30, 1999 | Metals, Nutrients, Sediment | WV | |
| Tygart Valley River Watershed (294pg, 3.5M) | March 30, 2001 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Unnamed Tributary to Monongahela River at Sharton Steel (65pg, 1.1M) | September 29, 2001 | Metals | WV | |
| Waltz Creek (62pg, 2.4M) | August 9, 2004 | Metals, Siltation | PA | |
| West Fork River Watershed (292pg, 6.5M) | September 30, 2002 | Metals, pH | WV | |
| Wissahickon Creek (237pg, 2.3M) | October 9, 2003 | Nutrients, Siltation | PA | |