ake Thunderbird TMDL Compliance and Monitoring Plan Project

Project Description

Lake Thunderbird TMDL Compliance Plan and Monitoring Plan Development Project

Name & Location – Norman, OK

Short Description:

The limits of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of discharge into Lake Thunderbird was determined by Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the mandate for reduction of pollutant discharge was put on the three communities included in the Lake’s drainage area to reduce the discharge rates to the establish rates. To be compliant with ODEQ mandate the City of Norman obtained services from outside of the city work force to develop a Compliance and Monitoring Plan. The plans were to be submitted to DEQ for approval before the implementation of the proposed structural and non-structural BMPs.

Reza led a team of staff by gathering existing information including the existing HSPF model used for establishing the TMDL limits. Unified Stream Assessments (USA) were performed on selected reaches and assessed reaches were ranked to determine the most effective reaches for the construction of the structural BMPs. The compliance plan was developed by selection of a mixture of structural and non-structural BMPs. Structural BMPS such as detention, retention and infiltration ponds for water quantity control and water quality for-bays, wetland restoration and wetland creation, and stream reach stabilizations were chosen for appropriate areas. Non-structural BMPs such as street sweeping, fertilizer ordinances and public outreach and education was included as a part of the Compliance Plan.

The Monitoring plan was developed for strategic locations to measure the effectiveness of the proposed BMPs and to ensure the reduction of pollutant limits discharged into Lake Thunderbird. Due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders in implementation and monitoring of the discharge into Lake Thunderbird; a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) was developed for the monitoring and sampling as a part of the Monitoring Plan. This would assure uniformity in sampling and monitoring.

Provided services for this project: