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The above mapped water bodies have been identified on the MDEQ's and IDEM's 2002 lists as impaired water bodies. Impaired waters are shown in orange. Waters listed for fish consumption advisories are not included on the above map, as the aim is to identify critical areas impaired by nonpoint source pollution that can be addressed by a Watershed Management Plan. Mapped waters are impaired by pathogens, poor biotic communities, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and sedimentation.
The mapped waters in the image below are listed on the USEPA list (1998 for IN; 2000 for MI). Click on the each label on the map below for more information from the USEPA. The map was created with a USEPA Water Assessment Tracking and Environmental Results (WATER) GIS file. The above map was based on the USEPA GIS file and updated by Kieser & Associates with TMDL lists on the MDEQ and IDEM websites. For example, Michigan's 2002 Non-attainment List contains 2 additions to and 8 removals from the 2000 list.
Information on each state's TMDL program can be found on the IDEM website and the MDEQ website. Indiana now has a 2004 list available. You can view PDF files of the Michigan 2002 list for the St. Joseph River Watershed and for the entire state. Read each state's draft E. coli TMDL for the main stem of the St. Joseph River:
You can also review the USEPA's St. Joseph Watershed Summary Table for information on each listed water body in Michigan and Indiana. More information on TMDLs in general can be found at the USEPA's website.
Impaired waters are listed on the Federal Clean Water Act's 303(d) list by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the identified pollutant/impairment must be established to aid the water body in meeting its designated uses. These loads are met by a combination of reductions in point source discharges and by Best Management Practices (BMPs) which prevent nonpoint source pollution from impacting the water bodies.