The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) works with county and city governments and local water and sewer authorities in the Altamaha, Ocmulgee and Oconee river basins to develop plans for reducing pollutants of concern in order to meet State water quality standards. ARC and its partner agencies draft the plans and submit them to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD) for review and approval. Past plans are archived below by date. New plans will be added as they become available.
Georgia's Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has identified streams that do not support their designated use in the Ocmulgee and Oconee river basins and has studied the maximum amount of pollution these streams can accommodate. These limits, or pollution budgets, are called Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). The documents below explain the methodology used to develop the TMDLs. They also identify the water quality goal for each stream segment and the required percent load reduction.
Altamaha River Basin TMDL Documents
• Altamaha River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) January 2007
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Altamaha River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) February 2002
• Altamaha River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) January 2002
• Altamaha River Basin TMDL for Sediment (PDF) January 2007
Ocmulgee River Basin TMDL Documents
• Ocmulgee River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) January 2007
• Ocmulgee River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) January 2002
• Ocmulgee River Basin TMDL for Sediment (PDF) January 2007
• Ocmulgee River Basin TMDL for Sediment (PDF) January 2002
Oconee River Basin TMDL Documents
• Oconee River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) January 2007
• Oconee River Basin TMDL for Fecal Coliform (PDF) January 2002
TMDLs for Other Pollutants:
Fecal coliform and sediment are not the only pollutants of concern in area streams. GA EPD has established TMDLs for other pollutants and developed the plans to address those pollutants. Please contact Connie Gilliam connie_gilliam@dnr.state.ga.us (404.675.1745) with GA EPD's Water Protection Branch, if you have any questions regarding these other types of pollution.
For more information on specific Cleaner Streams Initiative projects, please contact us at 404.463.3100.
Note: Prepared by the Atlanta Regional Commission with the support of the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The preparation of this web site was funded in part through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the provisions of Section 106 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended.