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- Alabama Assessment Summary
- Water Quality by Waterbody Type
- Causes of Impairment
- Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
- Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
- TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
- Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
- Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
- Cumulative Number of TMDLs
Data are also available for these years: 2002 2004 2008
Waterbody Changes from Prior Cycle
Comparison Summary by Reporting Year
For More Information:
Alabama Assessment Report
State Water Quality Program
Alabama 2006 Water Quality Assessment Report
Assessed Waters of Alabama by Watershed
Search for a Waterbody within Alabama
NOTE: The data provided in this report differs slightly from the information provided in the original Alabama 2006 305(b) report. This is a result of differences between the Alabama State assessment database and the summary data provided in Alabama's 2006 Integrated Report, which is available at http://www.adem.state.al.us/WaterDivision/WQuality/305b/WQ305bReport.htm
NOTE: The data provided in this report differs slightly from the information provided in the original Alabama 2006 305(b) report. This is a result of differences between the Alabama State assessment database and the summary data provided in Alabama's 2006 Integrated Report, which is available at http://www.adem.state.al.us/WaterDivision/WQuality/305b/WQ305bReport.htm
Alabama Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table| Size of Water | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Ocean and Near Coastal (Square Miles) |
||||||||||||
| Good Waters | 6,983.6 | 91,229.2 | 78.7 | ||||||||||||
| Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses |
|||||||||||||||
| Threatened Waters | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL completed | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | |||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | |||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | |||||||||||||||
| Impaired Waters | 2,547.3 | 81,837.8 | 426.8 | 201.0 | |||||||||||
| TMDL completed | 701.6 | 28,886.7 | |||||||||||||
| TMDL alternative | 52.9 | ||||||||||||||
| Non-pollutant impairment | 22.8 | ||||||||||||||
| TMDL needed | 1,770.1 | 52,951.1 | 426.8 | 201.0 | |||||||||||
| New TMDLs completed | 87.6 | .0 | .0 | .0 | |||||||||||
| Remaining TMDLs needed | 1,682.6 | 52,951.1 | 426.8 | 201.0 | |||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
| Total Assessed Waters | 9,530.9 | 173,067.0 | 505.5 | 201.0 | |||||||||||
| Total Waters | 77,242.0 | 490,472.0 | 610.0 | Unavailable | |||||||||||
| Percent of Waters Assessed | 12.3 | 35.3 | 82.9 | Unavailable | |||||||||||
Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2006
Alabama Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006
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Alabama Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired |  % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 % Threatened |
|||||
 % Impaired |
|||||
| Contact Recreation | 6,359.6 | 83.7 | .0 | 16.3 | |
| Drinking And Food Processing | 728.3 | 95.8 | .0 | 4.2 | |
| Fishing | 9,495.7 | 76.0 | .0 | 24.0 | |
| Industrial And Agriculture Uses | 9,512.0 | 95.1 | .0 | 4.9 | |
| Outstanding Alabama Water | 270.1 | 67.1 | .0 | 32.9 | |
| Propagation Of Fish And Wildlife | 6,310.4 | 71.5 | .0 | 28.5 | |
Alabama Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Sedimentation/Siltation | Sediment | 931.2 |
| BOD, Carbonaceous | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 832.0 |
| Fecal Coliform | Pathogens | 800.0 |
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | 538.9 |
| Nitrogenous BOD | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 476.0 |
| Mercury | Mercury | 435.6 |
| Ammonia, Total | Ammonia | 310.9 |
| Nitrogen, Total | Nutrients | 167.6 |
| Iron | Metals (other than Mercury) | 118.2 |
| Turbidity | Turbidity | 110.5 |
| Aluminum | Metals (other than Mercury) | 72.4 |
| Zinc | Metals (other than Mercury) | 65.7 |
| pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 58.1 |
| Cyanide | Toxic Inorganics | 57.0 |
| Cause Unknown | Cause Unknown | 56.8 |
| Endosulfan | Pesticides | 50.7 |
| Methyl Parathion | Pesticides | 50.7 |
| Benzo[a]pyrene (PAHs) | Toxic Organics | 44.6 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 42.2 |
| Lead | Metals (other than Mercury) | 35.0 |
| Chromium, Trivalent | Metals (other than Mercury) | 29.2 |
| Dieldrin | Pesticides | 24.3 |
| Atrazine | Pesticides | 23.4 |
| Chlorpyrifos | Pesticides | 23.4 |
| Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) | Total Toxics | 21.1 |
| Dissolved Oxygen | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 19.6 |
| Arsenic | Metals (other than Mercury) | 19.6 |
| DDT | Pesticides | 18.8 |
| Copper | Metals (other than Mercury) | 15.8 |
| Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 5.2 |
| Other Flow Regime Alterations | Flow Alteration(s) | 3.2 |
| Chlordane | Pesticides | 2.0 |
| Chloride | Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | .2 |
Alabama Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations) | Agriculture | 579.7 |
| Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | 555.1 |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | 528.0 |
| Agriculture | Agriculture | 404.5 |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 323.9 |
| Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive) | Resource Extraction | 311.0 |
| Non-Irrigated Crop Production | Agriculture | 299.0 |
| Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment) | Construction | 282.5 |
| Animal Feeding Operations (Nps) | Agriculture | 232.5 |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | 188.3 |
| Surface Mining | Resource Extraction | 114.7 |
| Sanitary Sewer Overflows (Collection System Failures) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 103.0 |
| Contaminated Sediments | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | 65.2 |
| Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrasturcture (New Construction) | Construction | 56.4 |
| Habitat Modification - Other Than Hydromodification | Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | 56.4 |
| Loss Of Riparian Habitat | Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | 56.4 |
| Landfills | Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | 44.8 |
| Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics | Atmospheric Deposition | 43.3 |
| Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification | Hydromodification | 42.7 |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 28.1 |
| Mill Tailings | Industrial | 17.5 |
| Mine Tailings | Resource Extraction | 17.5 |
| Natural Sources | Natural/Wildlife | 17.0 |
| Historic Bottom Deposits (Not Sediment) | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | 3.8 |
Alabama Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006
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Alabama Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Acres Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
|||||
| % Impaired |
|||||
| Contact Recreation | 159,318.8 | 76.7 | .0 | 23.3 | |
| Drinking And Food Processing | 80,531.3 | 77.2 | .0 | 22.8 | |
| Fishing | 173,067.0 | 53.6 | .0 | 46.4 | |
| Industrial And Agriculture Uses | 172,981.3 | 93.3 | .0 | 6.7 | |
| Propagation Of Fish And Wildlife | 161,463.0 | 49.8 | .0 | 50.2 | |
Alabama Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus, Total | Nutrients | 66,189.1 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 57,715.1 |
| BOD, Carbonaceous | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 44,209.5 |
| Nitrogenous BOD | Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 43,682.2 |
| pH | pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 12,702.5 |
| Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators | Nutrients | 9,249.8 |
| Sedimentation/Siltation | Sediment | 2,840.5 |
| Mercury | Mercury | 739.3 |
| Ammonia, Total | Ammonia | 527.3 |
| DDT | Pesticides | 85.7 |
Alabama Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Acres Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification | Hydromodification | 48,878.8 |
| Sources Outside State Juristiction Or Borders | Other | 42,329.5 |
| Contaminated Sediments | Legacy/Historical Pollutants | 32,281.9 |
| Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | 22,499.2 |
| Industrial Point Source Discharge | Industrial | 12,276.8 |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 12,276.8 |
| Non-Irrigated Crop Production | Agriculture | 4,201.0 |
| Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations) | Agriculture | 2,300.2 |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | 2,213.5 |
| Sanitary Sewer Overflows (Collection System Failures) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 527.3 |
| Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive) | Resource Extraction | 412.5 |
| Spills From Trucks Or Trains | Spills/Dumping | 412.5 |
Alabama Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006
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Alabama Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Square Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
|||||
| % Impaired |
|||||
| Contact Recreation | 505.5 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Fishing | 505.3 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Industrial And Agriculture Uses | 490.7 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Propagation Of Fish And Wildlife | 484.8 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Shellfishing | 447.5 | 4.6 | .0 | 95.4 | |
Alabama Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Enterococcus Bacteria | Pathogens | 426.8 |
Alabama Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers | Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | 376.3 |
| On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems) | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 138.8 |
| Municipal Point Source Discharges | Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 18.8 |
| Source Unknown | Unknown | 1.0 |
Alabama Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2006
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Alabama Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2006*
* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.
Description of this table| Designated Use | Square Miles Assessed | Percent Good | Percent Threatened | Percent Impaired | % Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Threatened |
|||||
| % Impaired |
|||||
| Contact Recreation | 201.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Fishing | 201.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
| Industrial And Agriculture Uses | 201.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Propagation Of Fish And Wildlife | 201.0 | 100.0 | .0 | .0 | |
| Shellfishing | 201.0 | .0 | .0 | 100.0 | |
Alabama Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Cause of Impairment | Cause of Impairment Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Mercury | 201.0 |
Alabama Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Ocean and Near Coastal
Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| Probable Source | Probable Source Group | Square Miles Threatened or Impaired |
|---|---|---|
| Source Unknown | Unknown | 201.0 |
Alabama Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Ocean and Near Coastal (Square Miles) |
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| Ammonia | 310.9 | 527.3 | |||||||||||||
| Cause Unknown | 56.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Flow Alteration(s) | 3.2 | ||||||||||||||
| Mercury | 435.6 | 739.3 | 201.0 | ||||||||||||
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 237.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Nutrients | 538.9 | 75,438.9 | |||||||||||||
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 856.8 | 44,209.5 | |||||||||||||
| Pathogens | 800.0 | 426.8 | |||||||||||||
| Pesticides | 95.8 | 85.7 | |||||||||||||
| pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 58.1 | 12,702.5 | |||||||||||||
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 42.2 | 57,715.1 | |||||||||||||
| Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | .2 | ||||||||||||||
| Sediment | 931.2 | 2,840.5 | |||||||||||||
| Total Toxics | 21.1 | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic Inorganics | 57.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Toxic Organics | 44.6 | ||||||||||||||
| Turbidity | 110.5 | ||||||||||||||
Alabama Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2006
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined Probable Source Group to see a list of specific state Probable Sources making up the Probable Source Group. | |||||||||||||||
| Probable Source Group | Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres) |
Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles) |
Ocean and Near Coastal (Square Miles) |
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| Agriculture | 1,097.7 | 4,728.2 | |||||||||||||
| Atmospheric Deposition | 43.3 | ||||||||||||||
| Construction | 282.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification) | 56.4 | ||||||||||||||
| Hydromodification | 42.7 | 48,878.8 | |||||||||||||
| Industrial | 193.2 | 12,276.8 | |||||||||||||
| Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks | 44.8 | ||||||||||||||
| Legacy/Historical Pollutants | 69.0 | 32,281.9 | |||||||||||||
| Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage | 427.2 | 12,276.8 | 157.6 | ||||||||||||
| Natural/Wildlife | 17.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Other | 42,329.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Resource Extraction | 425.7 | 412.5 | |||||||||||||
| Spills/Dumping | 412.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Unknown | 528.0 | 2,213.5 | 1.0 | 201.0 | |||||||||||
| Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater | 555.1 | 22,499.2 | 376.3 | ||||||||||||
Alabama TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2006
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment " value to see a listing of those Causes of Impairment. | ||||||||||||||
| Cause of Impairment | Number of TMDL Alternatives |
Rivers and Streams (Miles) |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc |  3 |
53 | ||||||||||||
| Ammonia, Total | 1 |
45 | ||||||||||||
| BOD, Carbonaceous | 1 |
45 | ||||||||||||
| Benzo[a]pyrene (PAHs) | 1 |
45 | ||||||||||||
| Copper | 1 |
4 | ||||||||||||
| Cyanide | 1 |
45 | ||||||||||||
| Lead | 1 |
4 | ||||||||||||
Total: 9 TMDL Alternatives
Alabama Previously Impaired Waters Now Attaining All Uses
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those waters now attaining all uses. | ||
| Cycle Attaining | Number of Waters Attaining | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
1 |
Alabama Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment. | |
| Cause of Impairment Group Name | Number of Causes of Impairment Reported |
|---|---|
| Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion | 86 |
| Pathogens | 55 |
| Sediment | 48 |
| Nutrients | 48 |
| Mercury | 35 |
| Metals (other than Mercury) | 24 |
| pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions | 13 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | 9 |
| Pesticides | 7 |
| Cause Unknown | 4 |
| Total Toxics | 4 |
| Ammonia | 3 |
| Turbidity | 2 |
| Toxic Inorganics | 1 |
| Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates | 1 |
Total: 340 Causes of Impairment
Alabama Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant
This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.
Description of this table| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant. | ||
| Pollutant | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonaceous Bod |  59 |
60 |
| Fecal Coliform | 48 |
48 |
| Phosphorus, Total | 43 |
59 |
| Nitrogenous BOD | 31 |
31 |
| Sediment | 28 |
31 |
| Nitrogen, Total | 18 |
19 |
| NH3-N | 10 |
12 |
| Ammonia | 5 |
5 |
| Aluminum | 3 |
3 |
| Iron | 3 |
3 |
| Pathogens | 3 |
3 |
| Endosulfan | 2 |
2 |
| Methyl Parathion | 2 |
2 |
| pH | 2 |
2 |
| Atrazine | 1 |
1 |
| Chemical Biological Oxygen Demand 5 Day Average | 1 |
1 |
| Chlorpyrifos | 1 |
1 |
| Copper | 1 |
1 |
| Enterococcus Bacteria | 1 |
1 |
| Priority Organics - PCBs | 1 |
1 |
| Turbidity | 1 |
1 |
| Zinc | 1 |
1 |
Total: 265 TMDLs; 288 Causes of Impairment Addressed
Alabama Cumulative Number of TMDLs
EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.
Description of this table
| NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year. | ||
| Fiscal Year | Number of TMDLs | Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 20 |
22 |
| 2003 | 113 |
116 |
| 2004 | 27 |
27 |
| 2005 | 38 |
41 |
| 2006 | 4 |
4 |
| 2007 | 24 |
24 |
| 2008 | 8 |
9 |
| 2009 | 31 |
45 |
Total: 265 TMDLs; 288 Causes of Impairment Addressed