pollutants from septic tanks or drainfields (in the Missoula 

 area and possibly along the reservoirs and Lake Pend 

 Oreille) ; and sediments, metals, flow alterations, and 

 elevated temperatures from hydromodification. Some 

 hydromodification effects occur during construction of 

 hydroelectric power plants, during operational drawdown and 

 maintenance periods, and during the course of normal flow 

 regulation. 



Current NPS Programs 



A number of local, state, and federal programs have been 

 developed to identify and control nonpoint source pollution 

 problems in the state. These programs, many of which include 

 the Clark Fork Basin, are listed in Table 3-23. 



Most recently, a comprehensive NPS management program 

 has been initiated by the DHES-Water Quality Bureau. The 

 framework for this program was provided by Section 319 of the 

 Federal Clean Water Act, and it is considered the state 

 umbrella program for NPS pollution control. This and other 

 recent programs are discussed below. 



DHES-Water Quality Bureau 



The Federal Clean Water Act of 1987 established a new 

 direction for the control of water pollution. Because 

 nonpoint source pollution was recognized as a serious 

 impediment to meeting the goals of the act, it was amended to 

 include a new Section 319, entitled Nonpoint Source Manage- 

 ment Programs. This section provides the legal basis for 

 implementing nonpoint source progtams and sets forth certain 

 requirements that the states must meet to qualify for 

 assistance under the act. An assessment report and a 

 management program must be completed by a state to be 

 considered for Section 319 grants. The assessment report is 

 intended to be an analysis of nonpoint source water quality 

 problems. The management program sets forth a process for 

 correcting these problems. For the state of Montana, these 

 two items will be produced separately but will be considered 

 together as the basis for nonpoint source decision-making. 



The state assessment report must include the following: 



• Identification of navigable waters that require 

 additional action to control NPS so that water 

 quality standards and the mandates of the act can 

 be met 



3-97 



