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Wyoming Nutrient Work
Group Electronic Mailing List
The Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently created an electronic mailing list
specifically for the Wyoming Nutrient Work Group. The mailing list will allow
us to more easily send updates and let individuals add or remove themselves as
they wish. You can manage subscriptions here: http://deq.wyoming.gov/wqd/public-notices/wyoming-nutrient-work-group/.
Laramie Wastewater
Treatment Plant Nutrient Removal Optimization
In 2016, the United
States Environmental Protection Agency offered to contract Grant Weaver
of The
Water Planet Company to provide
assistance in implementing low-cost nutrient removal optimization practices at
mechanical wastewater treatment plants in Wyoming. DEQ's Water and
Wastewater Program recommended that Mr. Weaver work closely with a single treatment
plant to help ensure that the plant received adequate attention and that the
changes they implemented were sufficiently documented. The City of Laramie's
Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor expressed interest in nutrient removal optimization
and hosted a 2-day training by Mr. Weaver in Laramie on May 31 and June 1,
2017. Following the training, Mr. Weaver and staff at the Laramie wastewater treatment
plant identified ways to modify plant operations to decrease nitrogen in
their effluent. The plant has been implementing incremental changes to their
operations and has noted reductions in the amount of total nitrogen. The plant
has been able to do this while also maintaining very low ammonia concentrations.
Mr. Weaver visited the plant again on September 19th and will continue to
work with the plant to identify ways to increase nutrient removal and reduce
power costs. Questions regarding this effort can be directed to Paul
Lohman at Paul.Lohman@wyo.gov or 307-777-7088.
Harmful Algal Blooms
Developing and
implementing a harmful algal bloom action plan was identified as a high
priority for members of the Education and Outreach Support Group. As a result, between
2016 and 2017, DEQ worked with the Wyoming Department of Health and other
resource management agencies to develop and refine the Wyoming Harmful Algal
Bloom Action Plan. The Action Plan identifies: steps to evaluate whether an
algal bloom is likely to contain harmful cyanobacteria; procedures to test for
harmful levels of cyanotoxins and/or cyanobacteria; cyanotoxin and
cyanobacteria cell density thresholds for issuing a public health advisory; and
example signage and notifications. In addition, DEQ developed standard
operating procedures for the collection of cyanotoxins and cyanobacteria and
identified contract labs that can analyze these samples. In July 2017, DEQ put
out a press release in cooperation with
the Wyoming Department of Health and the Wyoming Livestock Board to notify the
public to avoid and keep animals away from blue-green algae blooms in Wyoming’s
lakes and reservoirs as well as report suspected blooms to DEQ. DEQ also
developed a website with information about harmful algal blooms. This summer,
DEQ investigated potential harmful algal blooms at Flaming Gorge, Woodruff Narrows,
and Boysen Reservoirs. Sampling results from Woodruff Narrows and Boysen
Reservoir exceeded the recommended cyanobacteria and/or cyanotoxin thresholds
identified in the Action Plan. As a result, the Wyoming Department of Health
issued a recreational health advisory and signs were posted at the reservoirs. DEQ
would like to thank the Wyoming Department of Health, Wyoming Livestock Board, United
States Forest Service, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Wyoming State
Parks for their cooperation during the 2017 bloom season. DEQ plans to update
the Harmful Algal Bloom Action Plan in advance of the 2018 bloom season. Questions
regarding this effort can be directed to Michael Thomas at Michael.Thomas@wyo.gov or 307-777-2073.
Wyoming Basin Lakes
Numeric Nutrient Criteria
The Watershed Protection
Program continues to work on developing recommended numeric nutrient criteria
for Wyoming Basin Lakes. These recommendations are included in a draft
technical support document that describes the analysis and rationale for
deriving criteria. The technical support document has been reviewed internally
and was recently sent to three external peer reviewers. The peer reviewers have
been sent a list of “charge” questions to focus their review and feedback. The reviewers
will have approximately 120 days to review the technical support document and
provide feedback to DEQ. DEQ will review the feedback and make any necessary
changes to the analysis and document. Once revisions are made, DEQ plans to
share the results and technical support document with the Nutrient Work Group.
Questions regarding this effort can be directed to Eric Hargett at Eric.Hargett@wyo.gov or 307-777-6701.
Boysen Reservoir Watershed
Strategy
After receiving feedback
from the Nutrient Work Group, in May 2017, the Boysen Reservoir watershed was
selected as the priority for implementing the Wyoming
Nutrient Strategy. Boysen Reservoir was selected because it is used
frequently for immersion recreation activities, has had high cyanobacteria densities that may pose a
risk to public health, has experienced fish kills, is a drinking water supply,
and is heavily used for other types of recreation (e.g., boating, fishing,
etc.). As an initial step, DEQ reached out to the Popo Agie, Lower Winder
River, and Dubois Crowheart Conservation Districts in the Boysen Reservoir
watershed to obtain feedback on how to best proceed with implementing the
Nutrient Strategy. The Conservation Districts recommended compiling the
existing nutrient and response data in the watershed in order to refine subwatershed
contributions and other potential sources of nutrients. Watershed Protection
Program staff will be compiling the existing data available for the reservoir
and watershed, but is currently focusing on developing more detailed assessment
methods for identifying impairments of existing narrative criteria due to
nutrient pollution. The more detailed assessment methods will be shared with
the Nutrient Work Group when a preliminary draft is available. Questions
regarding this effort can be directed to Lindsay Patterson at Lindsay.Patterson@wyo.gov or 307-777-7079.
Rulemaking to Allow for Discharger Specific
Variances
In February 2017, the Water Quality Division initiated a
revision of the Water Quality Rules and Regulations, Chapter 1, Wyoming Surface
Water Quality Standards. The proposed rule outlines a process whereby the Administrator
of the Water Quality Division may grant a temporary modification to a
designated use and water quality criteria, called a discharger specific
variance. A discharger specific variance may only be granted in circumstances
where meeting a water quality-based effluent limit for ammonia and/or nutrients
would result in substantial and widespread economic and social impact. The
process is intended to provide a mechanism for point sources to make
incremental progress toward meeting water quality criteria in circumstances
where it is currently infeasible to meet the criteria. The proposed rule was
brought before the Water and Waste Advisory Board in June and again in
September 2017. At the September 2017 meeting, the Water and Waste Advisory
Board recommended advancing the rule to the Environmental Quality Council. It
is anticipated that the proposed rule will be brought before the Environmental
Quality Council at their February hearing. Questions regarding this effort can
be directed to Lindsay Patterson at Lindsay.Patterson@wyo.gov
or 307-777-7079.
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