The Yellow Creek Watershed TMDL
The Yellow Creek Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report was approved by U.S. EPA on March 18, 2010. TMDL reports identify and evaluate water quality problems in impaired water bodies and propose solutions to bring those waters into attainment with water quality standards.
The Yellow Creek and Little Yellow Creek watersheds drain directly to the Ohio River in eastern Ohio. Yellow Creek drains 239 square miles and Little Yellow Creek drains 45 square miles. Land use in the watersheds is predominantly forest (70%) with pasture (13%) and cropland (6%) interspersed. About 10% of the watershed is developed or urban land, most of which is accounted for by the urban and industrial areas of East Liverpool around Little Yellow Creek. There is little new land development underway and growth projections are very modest
Ohio EPA conducted a comprehensive physical, chemical and biological survey of the Yellow and Little Yellow Creek watersheds in 2005, and some problems were identified. The survey results were published in 2008 (see below). Much of the watershed displayed exceptional quality and parts of Yellow Creek and several tributaries scored very high on the biological and habitat indices. Primary causes of impairment for aquatic life uses are acid mine drainage and a large amount of algal production exported from small reservoirs. High concentrations of bacteria impaired recreation uses. Sources are failing septic systems, cattle with direct access to streams, historic surface and subsurface mines, and run-off from agricultural landscapes feeding lake production.
TMDLs are calculated for fecal coliform bacteria and phosphorus. Concentration based targets are established to guide abatement of acid mine drainage although these were structured as TMDLs. TMDL recommendations include:
- Reduce home sewage treatment system failures
- Restrict livestock access to streams and improve manure management
- Protect both floodplain and streamside areas and create effective buffer areas
- Employ nutrient management and soil erosion controls on farmland
- Adhere to recommendations provided in the acid mine drainage abatement and treatment plan that was developed for the Yellow Creek watershed.
The TMDL Report
Many of the documents referenced in the TMDL report can be found under Forms and Publications on the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water Web page.
Supplemental information
The following documents provide background information on the Yellow Creek watershed.
For more information contact:
Joann Montgomery
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Southeast District Office
2195 Front St
Logan, Ohio 43138
joann.montgomery@epa.state.oh.us