Kentucky Water Quality Assessment Report

Assessed Waters of Kentucky by Watershed

Search for a waterbody within Kentucky

Features

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Summary Results

Kentucky (2010)

	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
	Size of Water
Good Waters	3,896.4	130,240.2
Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses	9.3
Threatened Waters
TMDL completed
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment
TMDL needed
Impaired Waters	6,877.5	89,177.6
TMDL completed	617.6
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment	1.8	301.0
TMDL needed	6,258.0	88,876.6
New TMDLs completed	109.1	.0
Remaining TMDLs needed	6,148.9	88,876.6

Total Assessed Waters	10,773.9	219,417.8
Total Waters	49,105.0	228,385.0
Percent of Waters Assessed	21.9	96.1

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Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2010

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Kentucky Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Miles

Assessed	10,773.9
Unassessed	38,331.1
Total Miles	49,105.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Miles

Good	3,896.4
Threatened	.0
Impaired	6,877.5
Total Miles Assessed	10,773.9

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Miles

All TMDLs completed	726.7
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	1.8
TMDL needed	6,148.9
Total Threatened and Impaired	6,877.5

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
Kentucky Rivers and Streams 2010

* 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
Cold Water Aquatic Habitat	398.4	83.7	.0	16.3
Domestic Water Supply	690.2	100.0	.0	.0
Fish Consumption	1,210.4	62.3	.0	37.7
Primary Contact Recreation Water	4,769.2	31.3	.0	68.7
Secondary Contact Recreation Water	1,951.1	68.2	.0	31.8
Warm Water Aquatic Habitat	9,571.8	50.6	.0	49.4

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
Kentucky Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	3,189.5
Fecal Coliform	Pathogens	2,607.8
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	1,629.0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	799.3
Specific Conductivity	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	770.7
Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	766.1
Cause Unknown	Cause Unknown	666.9
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	Pathogens	544.3
Habitat Assessment (Streams)	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	437.6
Physical Substrate Habitat Alterations	Habitat Alterations	378.7
Sulfates	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	281.1
Iron	Metals (other than Mercury)	257.0
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	256.2
Turbidity	Turbidity	219.7
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	Turbidity	217.4
Other Flow Regime Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	196.1
Mercury in Fish Tissue	Mercury	191.1
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	167.0
Phosphorus, Total	Nutrients	165.8
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	153.2
Methylmercury	Mercury	143.7
Chlorine	Chlorine	106.7
Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N)	Nutrients	68.7
Lead	Metals (other than Mercury)	61.4
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	52.1
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	47.8
Particle Distribution (Embeddedness)	Sediment	45.7
Temperature, Water	Temperature	42.3
Non-Native Fish/Shellfish/Zooplankton	Nuisance Exotic Species	41.4
Cadmium	Metals (other than Mercury)	40.2
Ammonia, Un-ionized	Ammonia	39.0
Nitrogen, Total	Nutrients	38.9
Other Cause	Other Cause	30.0
Ammonia, Total	Ammonia	28.5
Oil and Grease	Oil and Grease	20.9
Aquatic Algae	Algal Growth	20.2
Beta Particles and Photon Emitters	Radiation	18.6
Gross Alpha	Radiation	18.6
Chloride	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	17.6
BOD, Carbonaceous	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	16.9
Dissolved Oxygen Saturation	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	14.7
Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN)	Nutrients	14.4
Chlorophyll-A	Algal Growth	13.5
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	12.1
Zinc	Metals (other than Mercury)	11.8
Mercury	Mercury	11.4
Non-Native Aquatic Plants	Nuisance Exotic Species	10.1
Solids (Suspended/Bedload)	Sediment	10.0
Aquatic Plants (Macrophytes)	Noxious Aquatic Plants	9.2
Manganese	Metals (other than Mercury)	7.7
Ethylene Glycol	Toxic Organics	6.9
Excess Algal Growth	Algal Growth	3.6
Nickel	Metals (other than Mercury)	3.6
Low Flow Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	3.1
Chromium, Total	Metals (other than Mercury)	2.6
Selenium	Metals (other than Mercury)	1.5
Fish Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	1.2
Nitrates	Nutrients	.2

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
Kentucky Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Source Unknown	Unknown	2,392.3
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	1,475.7
Agriculture	Agriculture	1,319.4
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	826.3
Surface Mining	Resource Extraction	823.4
Channelization	Hydromodification	682.7
Non-Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	598.2
Package Plant Or Other Permitted Small Flows Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	591.0
Coal Mining	Resource Extraction	581.6
Crop Production (Crop Land Or Dry Land)	Agriculture	561.2
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	523.7
Streambank Modifications/Destabilization	Hydromodification	479.1
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	457.8
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	Agriculture	439.8
Habitat Modification - Other Than Hydromodification	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	362.3
Non-Point Source	Unspecified Nonpoint Source	360.1
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	351.9
Petroleum/Natural Gas Activities	Resource Extraction	331.6
Managed Pasture Grazing	Agriculture	327.4
Unspecified Urban Stormwater	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	322.0
Post-Development Erosion And Sedimentation	Hydromodification	264.9
Petroleum/Natural Gas Production Activities (Permitted)	Industrial	219.6
Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment)	Construction	199.7
Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones	Agriculture	198.7
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	182.9
Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	176.7
Silviculture Activities	Silviculture (Forestry)	173.7
Sand/Gravel/Rock Mining Or Quarries	Resource Extraction	149.3
Rural (Residential Areas)	Other	145.4
Acid Mine Drainage	Resource Extraction	123.4
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	Agriculture	117.4
Silviculture Harvesting	Silviculture (Forestry)	111.0
Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive)	Resource Extraction	106.9
Sewage Discharges In Unsewered Areas	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	106.5
Dredging (E.G., For Navigation Channels)	Hydromodification	104.9
Channel Erosion/Incision From Upstream Hydromodifications	Hydromodification	99.5
Unrestricted Cattle Access	Agriculture	85.0
Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	84.9
Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrastructure (New Construction)	Construction	83.2
Sanitary Sewer Overflows (Collection System Failures)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	78.7
Mountaintop Mining	Resource Extraction	74.1
Illegal Dumps Or Other Inappropriate Waste Disposal	Spills/Dumping	74.0
Inappropriate Waste Disposal	Spills/Dumping	70.1
Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification	Hydromodification	69.3
Unspecified Domestic Waste	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	66.7
Legacy Coal Extraction	Resource Extraction	66.5
Upstream Source	Other	51.5
Wet Weather Discharges (Point Source And Combination Of Stormwater, Sso Or Cso)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	50.6
Introduction Of Non-Native Organisms (Accidental Or Intentional)	Other	48.2
Coal Mining (Subsurface)	Resource Extraction	43.2
Landfills	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	42.4
Rangeland Grazing	Agriculture	41.6
Wet Weather Discharges (Non-Point Source)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	40.6
Manure Runoff	Agriculture	38.6
Dredge Mining	Resource Extraction	34.4
Residential Districts	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	31.5
Sediment Resuspension (Contaminated Sediment)	Hydromodification	30.4
Other Recreational Pollution Sources	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	29.4
Natural Sources	Natural/Wildlife	28.2
Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures)	Hydromodification	27.3
Woodlot Site Clearance	Silviculture (Forestry)	25.7
Impervious Surface/Parking Lot Runoff	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	25.5
Other Spill Related Impacts	Spills/Dumping	24.4
Unpermitted Discharge (Industrial/Commercial Wastes)	Spills/Dumping	23.3
Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics	Atmospheric Deposition	22.3
Runoff From Forest/Grassland/Parkland	Other	21.4
Dam Or Impoundment	Hydromodification	18.6
Coal Mining Discharges (Permitted)	Resource Extraction	17.9
Golf Courses	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	17.5
Erosion From Derelict Land (Barren Land)	Hydromodification	15.8
Permitted Runoff From Confined Animal Feeding Operations (Cafos)	Agriculture	15.6
Sediment Resuspension (Clean Sediment)	Hydromodification	11.6
Off-Road Vehicles	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	10.4
Drought-Related Impacts	Natural/Wildlife	9.8
Drainage/Filling/Loss Of Wetlands	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	9.1
Mine Tailings	Resource Extraction	9.1
Discharges From Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Ms4)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	8.3
Reclamation Of Inactive Mining	Resource Extraction	7.4
Wildlife Other Than Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	6.3
Subsurface (Hardrock) Mining	Resource Extraction	5.4
Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permitted)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	5.2
Commercial Districts (Industrial Parks)	Industrial	4.8
Dairies (Outside Milk Parlor Areas)	Agriculture	4.5
Combined Sewer Overflows	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	4.3
Sources Outside State Jurisdiction Or Borders	Other	3.6
Specialty Crop Production	Agriculture	3.6
Forest Roads (Road Construction And Use)	Silviculture (Forestry)	3.3
Upstream/Downstream Source	Other	3.3
Woodlot Site Management	Silviculture (Forestry)	2.8
Commercial Districts (Shopping/Office Complexes)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	2.6
Marina/Boating Pumpout Releases	Recreational Boating And Marinas	2.6
Nps Pollution From Military Base Facilities (Other Than Port Facilities)	Military Bases	2.5
Airports	Industrial	1.7
Septage Disposal	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	1.5
Natural Conditions - Water Quality Standards Use Attainability Analyses Needed	Natural/Wildlife	1.2

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Kentucky Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Acres

Assessed	219,417.8
Unassessed	8,967.3
Total Acres	228,385.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Acres

Good	130,240.2
Threatened	.0
Impaired	89,177.6
Total Acres Assessed	219,417.8

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Acres

All TMDLs completed	.0
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	301.0
TMDL needed	88,876.6
Total Threatened and Impaired	89,177.6

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
Kentucky Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

* 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
Cold Water Aquatic Habitat	2,519.0	100.0	.0	.0
Domestic Water Supply	194,221.9	99.7	.0	.3
Fish Consumption	205,634.5	58.9	.0	41.1
Primary Contact Recreation Water	62,149.0	100.0	.0	.0
Secondary Contact Recreation Water	217,337.0	94.3	.0	5.7
Warm Water Aquatic Habitat	217,760.4	96.1	.0	3.9

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
Kentucky Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Methylmercury	Mercury	63,170.5
Mercury in Fish Tissue	Mercury	21,729.1
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	9,353.0
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	8,723.0
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	8,270.0
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	5,479.0
Organic Enrichment (Sewage) Biological Indicators	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	4,204.0
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	Turbidity	3,040.0
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	2,318.0
Aquatic Plants (Macrophytes)	Noxious Aquatic Plants	607.0
Chlorophyll-A	Algal Growth	409.0
Manganese	Metals (other than Mercury)	317.0
Dissolved Oxygen Saturation	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	64.0
Taste and Odor	Taste, Color and Odor	43.0
Cause Unknown	Cause Unknown	43.0

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
Kentucky Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics	Atmospheric Deposition	58,556.0
Source Unknown	Unknown	33,651.6
Upstream Source	Other	13,867.0
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	8,210.0
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	6,129.0
Agriculture	Agriculture	5,837.0
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	3,560.0
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	Agriculture	3,356.0
Internal Nutrient Recycling	Natural/Wildlife	3,248.0
Non-Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	3,145.0
Surface Mining	Resource Extraction	3,040.0
Natural Sources	Natural/Wildlife	2,200.0
Littoral/Shore Area Modifications (Non-Riverine)	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	507.0
Rural (Residential Areas)	Other	353.0
Shallow Lake/Reservoir	Other	338.0
Unspecified Urban Stormwater	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	170.0
Crop Production (Crop Land Or Dry Land)	Agriculture	137.0
Septage Disposal	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	98.0
Golf Courses	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	78.0
Streambank Modifications/Destabilization	Hydromodification	37.0
Post-Development Erosion And Sedimentation	Hydromodification	37.0
Contaminated Sediments	Legacy/Historical Pollutants	18.0

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Kentucky Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment Group	Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment
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. See also Pollution categories summary document (PDF) (20 pp, 557K, About PDF) for brief, non-technical descriptions of general cause categories.
Cause of Impairment Group	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
Algal Growth	37.3	409.0
Ammonia	67.5
Cause Unknown	666.9	43.0
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	445.4
Chlorine	106.7
Flow Alteration(s)	196.1
Habitat Alterations	378.7
Mercury	346.1	83,387.6
Metals (other than Mercury)	317.8	317.0
Noxious Aquatic Plants	9.2	607.0
Nuisance Exotic Species	51.5
Nutrients	1,767.3	8,723.0
Oil and Grease	20.9
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	891.6	8,558.0
Other Cause	30.0
Pathogens	3,068.8
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	256.2	8,270.0
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	198.1	9,353.0
Radiation	18.6
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	1,229.0
Sediment	3,198.0	2,318.0
Taste, Color and Odor		43.0
Temperature	42.3
Toxic Organics	6.9
Turbidity	422.9	3,040.0

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Kentucky Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source Group	Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments
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	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
Agriculture	2,707.0	8,982.0
Atmospheric Deposition	22.3	58,556.0
Construction	266.8
Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	1,788.9	507.0
Hydromodification	1,380.3	37.0
Industrial	409.0	8,210.0
Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	42.4
Legacy/Historical Pollutants		18.0
Military Bases	2.5
Municipal Discharges/Sewage	1,679.6	6,847.0
Natural/Wildlife	45.5	5,448.0
Other	261.8	14,522.0
Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	57.3	78.0
Recreational Boating And Marinas	2.6
Resource Extraction	1,569.9	3,040.0
Silviculture (Forestry)	311.1
Spills/Dumping	191.8
Unknown	2,392.3	33,651.6
Unspecified Nonpoint Source	360.1
Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	1,104.0	170.0

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Kentucky TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2010

No TMDL Alternatives reported.

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Kentucky Previously 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards

Description of this table

Year Attaining	Number of Waters Attaining	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those previously 303(d)-listed waters now attaining all applicable water quality standards.
2008	1	1

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Kentucky Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment Group Name	Number of Causes of Impairment Reported
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.
Sediment	661
Nutrients	433
Pathogens	414
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	371
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	223
Cause Unknown	170
Turbidity	99
Metals (other than Mercury)	73
Ammonia	60
Mercury	41
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	41
Chlorine	24
Temperature	16
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	16
Oil and Grease	7
Other Cause	5
Radiation	4

Total: 2,658 Causes of Impairment

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Kentucky Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant

This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.

Description of this table

Pollutant	Number of TMDLs	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
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.
Pathogens	91	92
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	89	89
Fecal Coliform	34	34
pH	21	22
Chlorides	5	5
Carbonaceous Bod	3	3
NH3-N	3	3
Phosphorus, Total	2	2
Low pH	1	1
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	1	1
Total Residual Chlorine	1	1

Total: 251 TMDLs; 253 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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Kentucky Cumulative Number of TMDLs

EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.

Description of this table

Fiscal Year	Number of TMDLs	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year.
1998	16	16
1999	7	7
2000	2	2
2001	18	18
2004	4	4
2006	12	12
2007	9	9
2008	19	19
2009	40	40
2010	47	49
2011	60	60
2012	17	17

Total: 251 TMDLs; 253 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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TMDL Document Search

Full Text Search of TMDL Documents

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