The Agricultural Chemicals and Groundwater Protection Act took effect on July 1, 1990, and established the Groundwater Protection Program. Its purpose is to reduce agricultural chemicals' negative impacts on groundwater and the environment. Agricultural chemicals covered under this legislation include commercial fertilizers and all pesticides. The goal is to prevent groundwater contamination before it occurs by improving agricultural chemical management. This report summarizes the first 15 years of the Agricultural Chemicals and Groundwater Protection Act and provides an overview of activities and monitoring data.
The purpose of this document two fold. First, it is to provide a comprehensive background summary of the Eagle Mine Superfund Site, the remedial activities that have taken place to date and to show the commensurate improvement in water quality and load reduction that have occurred as a result of the remedial actions. Secondly, the purpose of this document is to analyze the available metals loading data to determine if newly proposed water quality standards based on EPAs Recalculation Guidance for zinc, copper and cadmium are attainable.
At the request of Cherry Creek State Park, GEI Consultants, Inc. completed a study to evaluate the potential influence of companion pets and their fecal wastes on microbial soil and water quality near the designated use area. Cherry Creek 12-Mile Multi-Use Area located upstream of the reservoir, the western border of which is Cherry Creek. The most commonly cited water quality concern as related to pet waste is microbial contamination, typically related to fecal coliforms. Fecal coliform bacteria are a sub-group of the total coliform group found in the feces of warm-blooded animals such as people, livestock, wildlife, and pets.
Based upon a list of potential sources, APCD directed BBC to focus on potential control measures for electric generating units (EGUs), cement plants and petroleum refineries. The research summarized in this report is based entirely on existing studies and information developed by other regulatory agencies and industry sources. No new, original research was undertaken for this study and engineering assessments of specific Colorado facilities have not been conducted.
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is used to determine the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body may receive and still maintain water quality standards. The mainstem of Silver Creek from a point immediately below the Town of Ricos water supply diversion to the confluence with the Dolores River is included in the 2006 303(d) list for exceeding the Aquatic Life use standards for zinc and cadmium.
The Division has identified 2018 nitrate visibility impacts at Wheeler Peak (WHPE) Wilderness Area that trigger interstate consultation with New Mexico. Also, Colorado nitrate impacts are of concern at two other nearby New Mexico Class I areas (BAND & SAPE), Canyonlands National Park (CANY) in Utah, and Wichita Mountains NWR Wilderness in Oklahoma. The "concern" visibility impacts are at or slightly above the arbitrary threshold criteria established by the Division. The Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) Implementation Working Group (IWG) has not formally established threshold criteria on interstate Class I area impacts but an informal threshold of 10% has been suggested among member states. If the Division were to utilize the informal threshold criteria of the WRAP Colorado would have only one 2018 visibility impact on two nearby Class I areas exceeding the 10% threshold.
