Tedmical Summary 



sources (such as highways, equipment maintenance areas, and certain agricultural 

 operations) that contribute the most significant loadinp of the most serious contaminants. 



Waterbody Use Designations 



DEM and CRMC water quality and area use designations contribute to 

 difflculties in maintaining management consistency. Basically, the conflict turns 

 on differences between program mandate and on jurisdictional inconsistency. DEM places 

 program emphasis on impacts of discharges to receiving waters, concentrating on 

 waterbody character, while CRMC's broad resomce management mandate encompasses 

 appropriateness of use. CRMC tends to interpret its land use control jurisdiction narrowly, 

 placing heavy emphasis on the need for support from local zoning, but claims primary 

 jurisdiction with regard to determining appropriateness of water area use. 



A water quality characterization process should be used to link 

 biological integrity with effects of present use to the maximum extent 

 possible. Waste load allocations and effluent limits should be established to coordinate 

 the simultaneous imposition of point source discharge limits and non-point source controls. 

 Guidelines developed should include specific standards to govern the siting and design of 

 development and so as to consider water quality concerns as a basis for siting, operation, 

 and maintenance. The revision process should be utilized as an oppormnity to develop a 

 firamewoik allowing for significandy strengthened consideration of cumulative effects. 

 Where direct causal linkages cannot be established between non-point 

 source discharges and ambient water quality, technological controls or 

 verifiable technology-based effluent limitations should be used to establish 

 a uniform approach to control. 



Remedial Action Measures 



Although remedial activities will be accorded lower priority dian attention to preventive 

 action in rapidly developing areas, the benefits of retrofitting may be dramatic, particularly 

 where highway and drainage facilities are concerned. Retrofitting techniques applied to 

 existing structures, and their impacts in restoration of degraded resource areas should be 

 fully examined. Other states' experience with grant-in-aid programs encouraging 

 retrofitting aiKl use of post-storm restoration opportunities in retrofitting shoidd be carefully 

 evaluated. 



Retrofitting should be heavily emphasized in development of harbor and 

 shoreline SAM plans, and through the Coastal Community Assistance grant 

 program. 



Acquisition 



Certain sensitive areas which contribute to non-point source loadings (such as highly 

 erodible areas or saturated soils having high effluent content) or mitigate non-point source 

 loadings (such as floodplain runoff storage areas) shoidd be considered as having high 

 priority for public acquisition, as these areas may be more easily managed as open space or 

 recreation areas. Similarly, fragile Bay watershed areas which are highly 

 vulnerable to non-point source inputs, and which influence Bay habitat 

 quality, should be given priority attention. 



