Recent Additions | Contact Us Search: All EPA This Area

• You are here: EPA Home
• Water
• WATERS
• Water Quality Assessment and TMDL Information
• Georgia Water Quality Assessment Report

---

Georgia Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

	Size of Water
	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)	Bays and Estuaries (Square Miles)	Coastal Shoreline (Miles)
Good Waters	5,345.0	211,380.0	33.0	163.9
Previously impaired waters       now attaining all uses	26.0
Threatened Waters
TMDL completed
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment
TMDL needed
Impaired Waters	7,589.0	130,397.0	14.0	47.3
TMDL completed	5,633.0	98,104.0	14.0	34.0
TMDL alternative	2.0
Non-pollutant impairment
TMDL needed	1,954.0	32,293.0		13.3
New TMDLs completed	273.0	.0	.0	.0
Remaining TMDLs needed	1,681.0	32,293.0		13.3
Total Assessed Waters	12,934.0	341,777.0	47.0	211.3
Total Waters	70,150.0	425,382.0	854.0	Unavailable
Percent of Waters Assessed	18.4	80.3	5.5	Unavailable

Top of page

---

Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2008

Georgia Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table Assessed Status Miles Assessed 12,934.0 Unassessed 57,216.0 Total Miles 70,150.0

Description of this table Attainment Status Miles Good 5,345.0 Threatened .0 Impaired 7,589.0 Total Miles Assessed 12,934.0

Description of this table TMDL Development Status Miles All TMDLs completed 5,906.0 TMDL alternative 2.0 Non-pollutant impairment .0 TMDL needed 1,681.0 Total Threatened and Impaired 7,589.0

Top of page

Georgia Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008*

* 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
Coastal Fishing	25.0	100.0	.0	.0
Drinking Water Supply	479.0	43.2	.0	56.8
Fishing	12,573.0	40.8	.0	59.2
Recreation	211.0	41.7	.0	58.3
Scenic River	70.0	100.0	.0	.0
Wild River	70.0	100.0	.0	.0

Top of page

Georgia Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Fecal Coliform	Pathogens	4,433.0
Fish Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	1,746.0
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	1,280.0
Mercury in Fish Tissue	Mercury	991.0
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	629.0
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	352.0
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	278.0
Other Cause	Other Cause	221.0
Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET)	Total Toxics	36.0
Temperature, Water	Temperature	26.0
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	22.0
Zinc	Metals (other than Mercury)	17.0
Tetrachloroethylene	Toxic Organics	4.0
Single Sample Toxic Exceedence	Other Cause	3.0
Dieldrin	Pesticides	3.0
Lead	Metals (other than Mercury)	2.0
Mercury	Mercury	2.0
Carbon Tetrachloride	Toxic Organics	1.0

Top of page

Georgia Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Rivers and Streams
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Non-Point Source	Unspecified Nonpoint Source	5,603.0
Unspecified Urban Stormwater	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	2,144.0
Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permitted)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	253.0
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage	191.0
Combined Sewer Overflows	Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage	93.0
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	66.0
Dam Or Impoundment	Hydromodification	13.0

Top of page

---

Georgia Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table Assessed Status Acres Assessed 341,777.0 Unassessed 83,605.0 Total Acres 425,382.0

Description of this table Attainment Status Acres Good 211,380.0 Threatened .0 Impaired 130,397.0 Total Acres Assessed 341,777.0

Description of this table TMDL Development Status Acres All TMDLs completed 98,104.0 TMDL alternative .0 Non-pollutant impairment .0 TMDL needed 32,293.0 Total Threatened and Impaired 130,397.0

Top of page

Georgia Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008*

* 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
Drinking Water Supply	19,668.0	15.4	.0	84.6
Fishing	30,160.0	87.8	.0	12.2
Recreation	311,392.0	59.3	.0	40.7

Top of page

Georgia Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	92,555.0
Chlorophyll-A	Algal Growth	32,911.0
Mercury in Fish Tissue	Mercury	4,067.0
Temperature, Water	Temperature	650.0
Fecal Coliform	Pathogens	194.0
DDE	Pesticides	20.0
DDD	Pesticides	20.0

Top of page

Georgia Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Non-Point Source	Unspecified Nonpoint Source	73,603.0
Unspecified Urban Stormwater	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	60,788.0
Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permitted)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	55,950.0
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	650.0

Top of page

---

Georgia Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table Assessed Status Square Miles Assessed 47.0 Unassessed 807.0 Total Square Miles 854.0

Description of this table Attainment Status Square Miles Good 33.0 Threatened .0 Impaired 14.0 Total Square Miles Assessed 47.0

Description of this table TMDL Development Status Square Miles All TMDLs completed 14.0 TMDL alternative .0 Non-pollutant impairment .0 TMDL needed .0 Total Threatened and Impaired 14.0

Top of page

Georgia Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008*

* 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
Coastal Fishing	4.0	.0	.0	100.0
Fishing	43.0	76.7	.0	23.3
Recreation	21.0	100.0	.0	.0

Top of page

Georgia Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Square Miles Threatened or Impaired
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	14.0

Top of page

Georgia Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Bays and Estuaries
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Square Miles Threatened or Impaired
Unspecified Urban Stormwater	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	14.0
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	14.0
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage	14.0
Non-Point Source	Unspecified Nonpoint Source	10.0

Top of page

---

Georgia Assessed Waters
Summary of Water Quality Attainment for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table Pie chart not displayed because total size for Coastal Shoreline is unavailable. Assessed Status Miles Assessed 211.3 Unassessed Unavailable Total Miles Unavailable

Description of this table Attainment Status Miles Good 163.9 Threatened .0 Impaired 47.3 Total Miles Assessed 211.3

Description of this table TMDL Development Status Miles All TMDLs completed 34.0 TMDL alternative .0 Non-pollutant impairment .0 TMDL needed 13.3 Total Threatened and Impaired 47.3

Top of page

Georgia Assessed Waters
Designated Use Support for Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008*

* 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
Fishing	185.4	74.7	.0	25.3
Recreation	25.9	98.3	.0	1.7

Top of page

Georgia Causes of Impairment
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	32.0
Other Cause	Other Cause	30.0
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	26.0
Fecal Coliform	Pathogens	7.0
Enterococcus Bacteria	Pathogens	4.3
Mercury	Mercury	4.0
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	4.0
Toxaphene	Pesticides	4.0
Cadmium	Metals (other than Mercury)	2.0

Top of page

Georgia Probable Sources of Impairments
for Threatened and Impaired Coastal Shoreline
Reporting Year 2008

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	28.0
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage	21.0
Unspecified Urban Stormwater	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	13.0
Non-Point Source	Unspecified Nonpoint Source	12.3
Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permitted)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	9.0

Top of page

---

Georgia Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2008

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)	Coastal Shoreline (Miles)
Algal Growth		32,911.0
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	2,257.0
Mercury	993.0	4,067.0		4.0
Metals (other than Mercury)	34.0			2.0
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	1,280.0		14.0	32.0
Other Cause	224.0			30.0
Pathogens	4,433.0	194.0		11.3
Pesticides	3.0	20.0		4.0
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	278.0
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	352.0	92,555.0		26.0
Temperature	26.0	650.0
Total Toxics	36.0
Toxic Organics	5.0

Top of page

---

Georgia Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2008

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)	Coastal Shoreline (Miles)
Hydromodification	13.0
Industrial	66.0	650.0	14.0	28.0
Municipal Dishcarges/Sewage	284.0		14.0	21.0
Unspecified Nonpoint Source	5,603.0	73,603.0	10.0	12.3
Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	2,325.0	116,738.0	14.0	22.0

Top of page

---

Georgia TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2008

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)
Tetrachloroethylene	2	4
Carbon Tetrachloride	1	1
Other Cause	1	3
Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET)	1	6

Total: 5 TMDL Alternatives

Top of page

---

Georgia 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
2002	15	15

Top of page

---

Georgia 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
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	160
Pathogens	103
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	16
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	13
Algal Growth	7
Mercury	4
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	2
Other Cause	2
Temperature	1
Pesticides	1

Total: 309 Causes of Impairment

Top of page

---

Georgia 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
Fecal Coliform	660	661
Sediment	232	260
Phosphorus, Total	101	101
Nitrogen, Total	99	99
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)	99	99
Siltation	72	72
Mercury	61	64
Oxygen Demand	46	46
Priority Organics - PCBs	34	37
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)	26	26
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	26	29
Copper	14	14
Dissolved Oxygen	12	12
Zinc	7	7
Chronic Toxicity	6	6
Lead	6	6
Low pH	6	6
Toxicity	6	6
pH	6	6
Carbonaceous Bod	5	5
Mercury in Fish Tissue	5	5
Nitrogenous BOD	5	5
Dieldrin	4	4
Cadmium	3	3
Fish Consumption Advisory - PCBs	3	3
Chlordane	2	2
Temperature	2	2
Toxaphene	2	2
Ammonia	1	1
Chlorides	1	1
Cyanide	1	1
DDD	1	1

Total: 1,554 TMDLs; 1,592 Causes of Impairment Addressed

Top of page

Georgia 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
1996	2	2
1998	114	114
2000	37	39
2001	87	99
2002	591	596
2003	62	68
2004	107	114
2005	94	97
2006	54	54
2007	182	182
2009	224	227

Total: 1,554 TMDLs; 1,592 Causes of Impairment Addressed

Top of page

---

TMDL Document Search

Top of page

• EPA Home
• Privacy and Security Notice
• Contact Us