
Total Maximum Daily Loadings

The State of Georgia assesses its waterbodies for compliance with water quality standards as required by the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) and 40 CFR 130.7. Assessed waterbodies are placed into one of three categories: 1) supporting, 2) assessment pending, or 3) not supporting. If a waterbody is not supporting its Designated Use and does not have a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), it is placed on the 303(d) List and will require a TMDL be developed. The 303(d) List contains the list of waters, pollutants causing the impairments, and a priority ranking.
TMDLs are frequently developed using Water Quality Models. This process establishes the allowable pollutant loadings that can be discharged into a waterbody and still meet the water quality standards. TMDLs are described by the following equation:
TMDL = ∑WLA + ∑LA + MOS
Where:
WLA = Waste Load Allocation assigned to existing and future point sources and constitutes a water quality based effluent limit.
LA = Load Allocation attributed to existing or future nonpoint sources of pollution and to natural background sources, tributaries, and adjacent segments.
MOS = Margin of Safety that can be either implicit or explicit.
If Best Management Practices (BMPs) or other nonpoint source controls make the LA more stringent, then the WLAs can be made less stringent. Therefore, the TMDL process provides for pollutant trading.
Proposed TMDLs
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Public Notice: Notice of Availability of Proposed TMDL Documents – 11/30/2022 – Altamaha, Ocmulgee, and Oconee River Basins for Bacteria Impairments - November 30, 2022
TMDL Supplement Documents
Final TMDLs
TMDL Alternatives
Revised TMDL Implementation Plans and BMP Resources
Prior to 2012 individual Revised TMDL Implementation Plans were prepared for each impaired stream segment. After 2012 a more detailed Implementation Plan was included in Section 7 of the TMDL documents. For more information regarding TMDLs, TMDL Implementation Plans, or Watershed Improvement Plans, please contact Elizabeth Booth at 404.463.4929. Resources regarding Watershed Assessment and Planning can be found below.