Eastern Michigan University
Environmental Health & Safety
Middle Huron Stormwater Plan For Addressing
Total Maximum Daily Loads
A TMDL is an estimate of how much of a pollutant, or group of pollutants, a water body (lake, pond, river, stream, or estuary) can absorb without becoming polluted. In this situation, being polluted means a water body is not meeting the water quality standards that have been assigned to it by the state. TMDLs are developed for a pollutant (or a group of pollutants) in water bodies that are listed in each state's list of impaired waters, known as the 303(d) list. Developing TMDLs is an important step in solving water-quality problems.
A TMDL provides…
- Analysis and estimates of pollutant loadings from all significant point and non-point sources.
- A link between pollutants sources and their impacts on water quality.
- An allocation of allowable pollutant loads among sources.
- Identification of control actions for achieving water quality standards.
- An opportunity for public participation.