The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments on the proposed Alternative Restoration Plans (ARPs) developed for subwatersheds within the Kishacoquillas Creek Watershed in Mifflin County. (formal notice PA Bulletin page 4216)

The PA Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report included impaired stream segments in this watershed. The listings of these waterbodies were due to use impairments caused by excessive siltation and nutrients from agriculture.

There currently are no state or federal instream numerical water quality criteria for siltation or nutrients. Therefore, DEP utilized a reference watershed approach to implement the applicable narrative criteria.

These proposed ARPs set allowable loadings of sediment and nutrients in the impaired Kishacoquillas Creek Subwatersheds. The pollutant loadings were allocated among cropland, hay/pasture land, farm animal and streambank categories present in the subwatersheds.

Data used in establishing these ARPs were generated using a water quality analysis model (MapShed) designed by the Pennsylvania State University.

Comments are due August 27.   Contact ScottHeidel, DEP Bureau of Clean Water, for more information at 717-772-5647 or send email to: scheidel@pa.gov.

A copy of the proposed TMDL is available on DEP’s TMDL webpage.

Whiteley Creek

DEP is also accepting comments on the proposed Total Maximum Load Plan developed to address agricultural impairments in Whitely Creek in Mifflin County.

Comments are due August 28.  Contact Scott Alexander, DEP Bureau of Clean Water, for more information at 717-772-5670 or send email to: salexander@pa.gov.

A copy of the proposed TMDL is available on DEP’s TMDL webpage.

[Posted: July 28, 2017]

7/31/2017