INCOG Water Quality

Water Quality Issues for Northeast Oklahoma

Projects

INCOG’s Active and Recently Completed Projects:

The following tables list specific water quality projects that INCOG is conducting or has completed within the past few years.  Please contact INCOG’s Environmental and Engineering Services Division for more information about a particular project.

Recently Completed Projects

STUDY

WATERBODY

DESCRIPTION

PURPOSE

Background Metals, 1998 – 2000

Arkansas River

2-year study at four sites from Sand Springs to Bixby, 11 metals in water column.

Provided background metals concentrations data for point source discharge permit compliance and evaluation of impairment status.

Impairment Study, 2002 – 2003

Bird Creek, Mingo Creek and Unnamed tributary to Mingo Creek

1-year study at five sites from Pawhuska to Tulsa of minerals, metals, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH.

Monitor upper and middle Bird Creek and Mingo Creek to determine water quality and possible 303(d) listing.

Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, 2000

Dog Creek and Cat Creek by Claremore

Sampled many sites under summer low flow conditions, TMDL model.

Field data used to calibrate TMDL model of dissolved oxygen impacts from Claremore WWTP.

Dissolved Oxygen TMDL, 2005

Bird Creek and Verdigris River

TMDL model of dissolved oxygen for multiple dischargers and proposed Claremore regional WWTP.

Determine impacts from Claremore regional WWTP, Lower Bird Creek WWTP and Terra Nitrogen.

Miscellaneous Dissolved Oxygen Wasteload Allocation Studies

Various tributaries to Arkansas River

Desktop modeling of dissolved oxygen for new and upgrading WWTPs.

Determine impacts on dissolved oxygen by new wasteloads, OPDES permits revised.

303(d)   Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act designating impaired waterbodies, now “Category 5” in the Oklahoma Integrated Water Quality Assessment Report.

TMDL     Total Maximum Daily Load.

WWTP    Wastewater Treatment Plant (municipal sewage or industrial waste treatment facilities).

OPDES  Oklahoma Pollutant Discharge Elimination System – a discharge permit authorized under Federal and State regulations.

 

Projects Currently In Development

STUDY

WATERBODY

DESCRIPTION

PURPOSE

Pathogen TMDL, 2007

Arkansas River and Haikey Creek

TMDL modeling of bacteria of two Arkansas River segments from Keystone dam to Muskogee and Haikey Creek.

Address impairment causes and recommend load reduction goals to meet water quality standards.

Pathogen TMDL, 2009

Bird Creek

Source sampling and TMDL modeling of bacteria of lower Bird Creek from Delaware Creek to Verdigris River.

Address impairment causes and recommend load reduction goals to meet water quality standards.

Phase I Turbidity TMDL, 2009

Bird Creek

Monitor turbidity characteristics in Bird Creek and potential sources to support future TMDL.

Differentiate organic and inorganic (sediment) causes of turbidity and potential sources.

Impairment Study, 2006 - 2007

Polecat Creek

Three segments from upper watershed in Creek County to Arkansas River in Tulsa:  minerals, metals, turbidity, pesticides, pH and dissolved oxygen.

Monitor all three segments of Polecat Creek for water quality and possible 303(d) listing.

Watershed Planning, 2007 – 2009

Shell Lake and Shell Creek watershed in Sand Springs

Assess existing water quality and land use data and develop plan to protect Shell Lake water quality.

Shell Lake is a water supply for Sand Springs.  Future development should be consistent with water quality protection.

Low Impact Development Resource Development, 2007 - 2009

Benefit to all of Oklahoma

Gather and consolidate information on LID resources and projects in Oklahoma.

LID in Oklahoma needs consolidation of information about existing projects, methods, resources, and materials.