The Leading Creek Watershed TMDL
Background
The Leading Creek Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report was approved by U.S. EPA on January 9, 2008. The report is the twenty-ninth Ohio TMDL project approved by U.S. EPA under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. TMDL reports identify and evaluate water quality problems in impaired water bodies and propose solutions to bring those waters into attainment with water quality standards.
The Leading Creek watershed drains approximately 150 square miles and flows into the Ohio River near Middleport. The watershed is divided between three counties; a majority lies within Meigs County and small portions fall in Athens and Gallia counties. The Leading Creek watershed faces several impairments from a variety of sources. In the headwaters and upper portions of the watershed, agricultural activities are the primary source of impairment. The lower portions of the watershed are mostly impaired from historic mining practices and acid mine drainage.
Data were collected by several parties for a variety of reports (available below in Supplemental Information). TMDLs were calculated for three water quality parameters: total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, and chlorides. There are additional water quality impairments in the Leading Creek watershed; however, data limitations prevented the development of TMDLs for nutrients, fecal coliform and pH values. Some of the recommendations for improvement include enhanced treatment of discharge for total dissolved solids from the Meigs #31 Mine (where a large emergency release occurred in 1993); improved erosion and sediment control in all areas, including fencing livestock out of streams; and eliminating the bacteria problems caused by failing home sewage treatment systems.
News Release
The TMDL Report
Many of the documents referenced in the TMDL report can be found under Forms and Publications on the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water Web page.
Supplemental information
The following documents provide background information on the Leading Creek watershed.
For additional information contact:
Beth Risley
Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water
Central Office
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43216-1049
e-mail: beth.risley@epa.state.oh.us
telephone: (614) 728-2384