Linking Agricultural TMDL Implementations to Source Water Protection

Abstract

Contamination from agricultural sources can contribute to exceedances of drinking water standards in our public water supplies. Watershed-based mechanisms, including TMDLs, might offer a way to reduce agricultural nonpoint source impacts, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for or cost of upgrading at water treatment plants. This paper presents background on some practical questions and policy issues that must be addressed in order to realize successful integration of source water protection with TMDLs. These key issues include agency coordination, listing of drinking water contaminants, uncertainty, financing, adaptive implementation, and performance measures. Understanding of these issues will open the way to protection of source waters through voluntary watershed management with accountability.