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Engineers & Surveyors |
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Volume 1, Issue 15, October 1, 2009 |
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TMDL – Four Little Letters with |
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In 1972, the Clean Water Act was passed amid much fanfare that the United States was finally going to get serious about cleaning up its waterways. The Act established, among other things, regulating wastewater treatment plants and setting their discharge limits. This became the “National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System,” (NPDES) that many community leaders are familiar with.
The first step of this effort was to regulate via “permit” all point discharges. For the most part, this goal has been achieved nationwide. The second step of the Act was to “identify those waters within its boundaries for which the effluent limitations required by [other sections of the Act] are not stringent enough to implement any water quality standard applicable to such waters” (Section 303(d)).
It has been an ongoing debate amongst the EPA, state regulators, and environmental groups regarding the meaning and intent of Section 303(d). These “discussions” have culminated in a series of lawsuits brought by environmental groups against the EPA whereby the EPA is now forcing States to generate total maximum daily loads (TMDL’s) or the EPA itself would set the limits.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), like other state regulatory agencies, has been diligently gathering data to meet the EPA TMDL mandate. The process at first glance appears simple, but is inherently fraught with uncertainties which could lead to some incorrect conclusions.
To begin with, one must know what a “healthy” stream looks like in terms of its constituents. For example, what is the “natural” amount of phosphorous you would expect to find in a stream without any human inputs? Once this piece of data is compiled, the stream in question needs to be assessed in light of this pollutant amount. Is it over or under the limits that should be present? If it is over, what are the inputs into the stream? Fundamentally, there are two types: point sources (pipe discharges) and non-point sources (stormwater runoff from the surrounding landscape).
After all the sources have been identified, each source can be allocated a certain portion of the allowable constituent into the stream to get it back to “healthy” levels. Again, a simple concept, but what might be some of the problems in implementation? Here are few of the issues regulators often face when creating a TMDL:
1. What is a normal, healthy level of a constituent in the receiving stream? 2. How are the non-point sources fully captured? 3. What is an appropriate margin of safety? 4. What about future growth? Perhaps the biggest issue faced by regulators like the MDEQ is what to do once a TMDL is established? There are many small towns along Mississippi waterways with Wastewater Treatment Systems which were never intended to meet tertiary discharge limits as might be forced by a TMDL. If improvements are mandated by virtue of a TMDL, how will they be funded? Even if a new wastewater plant can be built, will user charge systems be adequate to operate and maintain such a system?
Possibly the biggest issue relates to growth: once a limit is set for a municipality, does this restrict the municipality from encouraging future residents and industry?
There are currently four TMDL’s out for public comment: § Bear Creek and Tilda Bogue § Fourteen Mile Creek § Mattubby Creek § Town Creek
If you live along one of these waterbodies, it may be worthwhile to get familiar with these documents for they could have wide-reaching consequences.
For more information on TMDL’s you can visit the Mississippi
Department of Environmental Quality’s website or just Click Here.
The public comment
period ends
Article submitted by Brian Standley, WGK |
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Are YOU |
Tips to Prevent You from Getting the Flu |
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1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle through rest, diet, exercise, and relaxation. 2. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner if soap and water are not available. Be sure to wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. 3. Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes. Germs spread this way. 4. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your elbow. Dispose of tissues in no-touch trash receptacles. 5. Keep frequently touched common surfaces clean, such as telephones, computer keyboards, doorknobs, etc. 6. Do not use other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment. If you need to use a co-worker’s phone, desk, or other equipment - clean it first. 7. Don’t spread the flu! If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home. Symptoms of flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or chills and cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of flu can include runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting. CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommends that sick workers stay home if they are sick with flu-like illness until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines. 8. Get vaccinated against seasonal flu, when vaccine is available in your area. If you are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications you should receive the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine when it becomes available. People at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 flu complications include pregnant women and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit click here. For more information on the flu please see below.
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Visit: www.flu.gov · Contact CDC 24 Hours/Every Day o 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) o TTY: (888) 232-6348 |
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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT
E. Corbin McGriff,
E. Corbin McGriff, Ph.D., P.E., has served in many areas of the environmental engineering field for over 30 years. He has been President and Director of Operations of two environmental consulting firms in Mississippi and has worked extensively throughout the environmental engineering field on a broad range of projects that include governmental, industry, and private enterprise. Dr. McGriff has a Ph.D., in Environmental Health Engineering, and BS and MS in Civil Engineering with emphasis in Environmental Engineering and Fluid Mechanics.
His professional experience includes teaching and conducting research at the university level. He was Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at Mississippi State University, Research Associate of Environmental Engineering at the University of Kansas, and Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina. Since leaving academics, Dr. McGriff has been active in the environmental consulting field throughout the southeastern United States. His area of specialty includes environmental auditing, environmental assessments and impact statements (NEPA), and innovative contamination investigations and corrective action systems design.
As a Registered Professional Engineer, Dr. McGriff is the Project Director of all HAZCLEAN projects and has overall project authority. He provides all communications to the client and coordinates all activities required by the project specification.
He is married to Faye Caldwell McGriff and together they have four children and seven grandchildren. Dr. McGriff enjoys reading and boating and is a member of Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson.
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The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger.
He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?" Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground; it just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God. You may want to consider passing this story on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today. Submitted by: Steve Massey, WGK Construction Manager |
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Maintenance Tips
§ Check your antifreeze: Your antifreeze is an essential part of your car's winter protection.
§
Check
your tires: The last line of defense between you and an oak tree are your
tires. Winter is not the time to get cheap about your tires, so take the time
to check the tread depth. The National Highway Transportation Safety Board
says you need at least 2/32" of depth to be safe. Also, be sure to check
your tire pressure. Believe it or not, they lose a little pressure when it
gets cold, so pump 'em up. §
Check
your wipers: Wipers? What do your windshield wipers have
to do with winter weather? Two things. First, anything falling from the sky
is going to end up on your windshield, and unless you have a team of beavers
riding on the hood of your car the task of clearing it falls on your wipers.
Second, in areas that see snowfall in the winter, you're also driving through
that soupy muck that's left on the road once the highway department does
their thing. This muck includes a lot of sand and salt, both of which end up
on your windshield. It takes wipers that are in top shape to keep your
windshield clean and safe. § Check your windshield washer fluid: You'll be using lots of washer fluid as you try to keep your windshield clear. A mile stuck behind an 18-wheeler will have your windshield looking like a Desert Storm Humvee if you're low on washer fluid. *Tip: Don't fill your washer fluid reservoir with anything except washer fluid, it won't freeze!
To view a fall / winter checklist for drivers please click here. |
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National Boss’s Day is October 16th
National Boss’s Day offers employees an opportunity to recognize those in supervisory positions. Popular ways to say "thanks" include cards, a lunch in the boss's honor, flowers, or gift certificates.
“By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day”. ~Robert Frost |
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If something is
happening in your town/city that you want to include in this section |
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First Friday Weekends Through December 4, 2009 Every first Friday evening from 5:00 p.m.
until 8:00 p.m. downtown Natchez sponsors an evening of art,
shopping and refreshments. Wherever you see white lights & balloons, a
participating merchant will welcome you with refreshments. Historic Downtown Natchez www.natchezdowntown.blogspot.com For further
information please contact |
Hotair balloon liftoffs, a fabulous music
festival, Grounds of Historic Rosalie Driving Directions |
Over 200 booths, giant inflatable kid’s area, youth challenge
zone, art alley Historic Downtown Brookhaven Friday, October 2 Saturday, October 3 For more information |
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Chautauqua Thunder on the The rally will be held at Lake Chautauqua Park on Hwy 51 in Crystal Springs. Gates open Friday at 4:00 p.m. The rally will included a bike parade, poker run, bike games, music and more. Chautauqua Bike
Rally
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Canton Historic
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