When the actual water quality of water affected by this subsection attains any more stringent characteristic or criteria of that water's classification, that water quality must be maintained and protected.

SUMMARY

This bill requires ongoing monitoring of certain water quality conditions at the hydropower project at Gulf Island Pond. It also requires forecasting of water conditions and, if required based upon the forecasting, implementation of changes to the operating regimen of the hydropower project at Gulf Island Dam. If the monitoring and forecasting predict the likelihood of algae blooms, these changes must be implemented immediately and include, without limitation, lowering water body temperatures, changing river flow or implementing water drawdowns at selected periods during summer stratification of the water body. These changes will improve the suitability of the water body for water contact recreation by preventing the algae blooms that contribute to unsuitable aesthetic conditions for swimming. This bill also provides that the wastewater discharge licensees will pay for the appropriate monitoring and modeling system in order to implement this legislation. The modeling must be conducted under the supervision of the Department of Environmental Protection. After the modeling is complete, this bill provides that this program be in place 3 summer seasons prior to consideration of additional phosphorus limitations being placed on the wastewater discharge licensees.