Water Quality Protection Policy and Action Plan - Bernalillo County

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Water Quality Protection Policy and Action Plan• Perform detailed cost-benefit analysis of major policies prior to implementation.• Provide adequate funding for staff to implement the SPPAP.• Periodically review the progress of SPPAP implementation, and revise program budgetsas necessary to meet targets.• Review and formalize the roles of the WQPAB and the various citizen advisory andstakeholder groups, including the Ciudad SWCD and the MRG-A Reach WatershedGroup.Policy D: The City, County, and WUA shall undertake efforts to better understand the impact ofurban development on surface water quality—including its effect on the quality ofstormwater runoff—and balance the costs of implementing additional protectionmeasures with the benefits of those measures.Rationale: Stormwater runoff from urban and unimproved areas influences the quality ofsurface water in the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County area. However, the effect of stormwater onoverall surface water quality is poorly characterized due to the ephemeral nature of streamflowand the difficulty of measuring the impacts. Further, in order to evaluate and understandimpacts of stormwater on the quality of receiving waters, the quality of the receiving water mustfirst be understood. Many BMPs are available to improve stormwater quality, but theeffectiveness and implementation costs of these BMPs vary widely and should therefore beevaluated to identify the most effective BMPs.To implement this policy, the City, County, and WUA shall take the following measures:• Promote enforcement of and compliance with existing regulations.• Identify (or develop, if necessary) and adopt the most applicable BMPs and engineeringcontrols to improve the quality of stormwater runoff.• Identify and implement the best low-impact development methods for all newconstruction and development.• Continue reviewing available data on the quality of stormwater discharges throughestablished NPDES monitoring programs.• Thoroughly review and evaluate all data collected as part of surface water qualitymonitoring programs (including, but not limited to, NPDES monitoring, USGS and otherfederal monitoring programs, and state and local monitoring programs).• Encourage improved understanding of baseline water quality of receiving surfacewaterbodies during both wet weather and dry weather conditions.Section 2 27
Water Quality Protection Policy and Action Plan• Encourage improved understanding of the relationship between ambient water quality ofthe Rio Grande and contaminant loads due to stormwater runoff and other events.Policy E: The City, County, and WUA shall promote the establishment, implementation, andenforcement of federal, state, and local watershed protection programs to addressupstream threats in a manner that will protect surface water quality throughout theMiddle Rio Grande.Rationale: Although the City, County, and WUA do not have the authority to enforce state andfederal regulations, it is in their best interest and within their power to stay informed regardingpotential threats to surface water quality and to influence those that do have enforcementauthority.To implement this policy, the City, County, and WUA shall take the following measures:• Coordinate with federal and state programs that limit point and nonpoint sourcecontaminant discharges that have the potential to degrade surface water quality in theAlbuquerque/Bernalillo County area.• Participate in the NMWQCC Triennial Review process and the periodic evaluation ofsurface water quality.• Advocate and participate in development of appropriate reach-specific criteria for themunicipal water supply designation.• Support WUA efforts to develop and implement a Source Water Protection Plan, asdefined and supported by the NMED Drinking Water Bureau.• Develop recommended programs, and coordinate the collection and safe disposal ofhazardous chemicals, including those that may present a threat to human health and theenvironment but are not covered by current regulations.• Advocate improved environmental management from industrial areas, agricultural lands,and national laboratories in the watershed.• Evaluate the efficacy of existing controls to improve the quality of stormwater runoff.• Initiate and maintain communication with the appropriate federal and state agenciesthrough formal processes including Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and JointPowers Agreements (JPAs).• Participate in assessment programs to monitor the quality of surface water resources inthe community, consistent with the roles and responsibilities of the City, County, andWUA.28 Section 2
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Water Quality Protection Policy and Action Plan - Bernalillo County

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