Pursuant to IC 13-18-2-3, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is soliciting public comment on the assessment of water quality data for the development of a total maximum daily load (TMDL) report. These data were collected by IDEM staff from November of 2019 through October of 2020, following the IDEM quality assured work plan and IDEM standard operating procedures. They were assessed using IDEM's Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM).

Past surveys of the Maria Creek watershed were conducted in 1993, 1999, 2004, and 2009 which included monitoring for fish communities, macroinvertebrate communities, and water chemistry. Based on these past surveys, impairments currently listed on the 303(d) List of Impaired Waters include E. coli, dissolved oxygen (DO), and impaired biotic communities (IBC).

In 2019, the Maria Creek watershed was selected for an intensive watershed characterization monitoring project to identify the sources and extent of impairments based on those waters that were previously listed. Eighteen sites were assessed for general chemistry, pathogens, nutrients, habitat, and fish and macroinvertebrate communities.

Based on the watershed characterization study assessments in 2021, there are 14 stream segments, tracked using assessment unit IDs (AUIDs), where additional impairments are identified. The additional impairments across all stream segments sampled within the Maria Creek watershed total 23, including 12 E. coli, 7 IBC, and 4 DO.

Also, as a result of the assessments, one historical IBC impairment is identified as no longer applicable. The segment now demonstrates attainment of applicable water quality standards.

At this time, IDEM solicits water quality-related information to support or refute the assessments described above.

Comments may be submitted in one of the following ways:

(1) By mail or common carrier to the following address:

Document #21-37 2021 Assessment of Maria Creek Water Quality Data

Allie Gates, Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

2525 North Shadeland Avenue, Suite 100

Indianapolis, IN 46219

(2) By electronic mail to agates1@idem.in.gov. To confirm timely delivery of your comments, please request a document receipt when you send the electronic mail. PLEASE NOTE: Electronic mail comments will NOT be considered part of the official written comment period unless they are sent to the address indicated in this notice.

(3) Hand delivered to the receptionist on duty at the reception desk, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, 2525 North Shadeland Avenue, Suite 100, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Regardless of the delivery method used, to properly identify each comment with the action it is intended to address, each comment document must clearly specify the LSA document number of the action on which you are commenting.

All comments must be postmarked or time stamped not later than May 25, 2021. Hand-delivered comments must be delivered to the appropriate office by 4:45 p.m. on the above-listed deadline date.

Additional information regarding this notice may be obtained from Allie Gates in the Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch, Office of Water Quality, (317) 308-3178 or (800) 451-6027 (in Indiana).

After the public comment period, the determination of impairments for TMDL development will be presented to the commissioner for final approval.

DIN: 20210224-IR-318210037ONA

Composed: May 17,2024 3:22:59AM EDT

A PDF version of this document.