North Dakota Water Quality Assessment Report

Assessed Waters of North Dakota by Watershed

Search for a waterbody within North Dakota

Features

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Summary Results

North Dakota (2010)

	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
	Size of Water
Good Waters	47,514.1	190,865.9
Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses	114.3	1,014.1
Threatened Waters	4,206.8	12,808.0
TMDL completed	311.6	3,505.8
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment	176.4
TMDL needed	3,718.7	9,302.2
Impaired Waters	2,885.3	496,584.8
TMDL completed	141.1	135.0
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment	15.0
TMDL needed	2,729.2	496,449.8
New TMDLs completed	1,787.5	772.0
Remaining TMDLs needed	941.7	495,677.8

Total Assessed Waters	54,606.2	700,258.7
Total Waters	54,607.0	714,910.0
Percent of Waters Assessed	100.0	98.0

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

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

North Dakota Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Miles

Assessed	54,606.2
Unassessed	.8
Total Miles	54,607.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Miles

Good	47,514.1
Threatened	4,206.8
Impaired	2,885.3
Total Miles Assessed	54,606.2

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Miles

All TMDLs completed	2,240.3
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	191.5
TMDL needed	4,660.4
Total Threatened and Impaired	7,092.1

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
North Dakota 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
Agricultural	54,606.2	100.0	.0	.0
Fish And Other Aquatic Biota	5,407.4	43.1	42.8	14.1
Fish Consumption	497.0	19.2	.0	80.8
Industrial	54,606.2	100.0	.0	.0
Municipal And Domestic	2,122.9	96.0	4.0	.0
Recreation	6,987.3	21.3	52.0	26.7

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
North Dakota Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Fecal Coliform	Pathogens	5,135.2
Physical Substrate Habitat Alterations	Habitat Alterations	2,470.5
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	1,783.1
Fish Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	492.3
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	466.7
Methylmercury	Mercury	401.5
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	388.1
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	Pathogens	362.7
Combination Benthic/Fishes Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	356.9
Low Flow Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	253.7
Selenium	Metals (other than Mercury)	196.6
Cadmium	Metals (other than Mercury)	191.1
Arsenic	Metals (other than Mercury)	85.7
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	78.1
Lead	Metals (other than Mercury)	78.1
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	51.4
Temperature, Water	Temperature	40.7
Chloride	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	30.4
Other Flow Regime Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	20.6
Ammonia, Un-ionized	Ammonia	13.0
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	5.5
Non-Native Aquatic Plants	Nuisance Exotic Species	5.5

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
North Dakota Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones	Agriculture	5,411.0
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	Agriculture	3,545.3
Crop Production (Crop Land Or Dry Land)	Agriculture	2,575.0
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	2,441.6
Source Unknown	Unknown	910.3
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	Agriculture	723.4
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	645.3
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	634.9
Channel Erosion/Incision From Upstream Hydromodifications	Hydromodification	530.3
Streambank Modifications/Destabilization	Hydromodification	528.0
Drainage/Filling/Loss Of Wetlands	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	449.8
Rangeland Grazing	Agriculture	411.9
Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures)	Hydromodification	313.5
Channelization	Hydromodification	276.0
Wet Weather Discharges (Point Source And Combination Of Stormwater, Sso Or Cso)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	245.1
Wildlife Other Than Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	228.8
Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification	Hydromodification	226.7
Natural Sources	Natural/Wildlife	207.8
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	203.5
Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	166.2
Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment)	Construction	110.8
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	79.6
Sources Outside State Jurisdiction Or Borders	Other	59.6
Wet Weather Discharges (Non-Point Source)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	57.8
Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	36.1
Post-Development Erosion And Sedimentation	Hydromodification	32.3
Flow Alterations From Water Diversions	Hydromodification	27.2
Dam Construction (Other Than Upstream Flood Control Projects)	Hydromodification	13.1
Clean Sediments	Hydromodification	13.1
Golf Courses	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	13.0

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

North Dakota Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Acres

Assessed	700,258.7
Unassessed	14,651.3
Total Acres	714,910.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Acres

Good	190,865.9
Threatened	12,808.0
Impaired	496,584.8
Total Acres Assessed	700,258.7

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Acres

All TMDLs completed	4,412.8
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	.0
TMDL needed	504,980.0
Total Threatened and Impaired	509,392.8

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
North Dakota 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
Agricultural	700,258.7	100.0	.0	.0
Fish And Other Aquatic Biota	686,279.4	98.8	1.2	.0
Fish Consumption	604,106.0	18.7	.0	81.3
Industrial	700,258.7	100.0	.0	.0
Municipal And Domestic	368,762.0	100.0	.0	.0
Recreation	686,242.6	79.5	19.7	.8

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
North Dakota Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Methylmercury	Mercury	490,946.0
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	140,549.7
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	5,857.0
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	4,692.1
Turbidity	Turbidity	1,567.8
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	36.8

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
North Dakota Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics	Atmospheric Deposition	490,946.0
Source Unknown	Unknown	485,928.0
Crop Production (Crop Land Or Dry Land)	Agriculture	140,863.5
Internal Nutrient Recycling	Natural/Wildlife	139,358.6
Rangeland Grazing	Agriculture	126,299.7
Drainage/Filling/Loss Of Wetlands	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	125,895.3
Wet Weather Discharges (Point Source And Combination Of Stormwater, Sso Or Cso)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	117,760.3
Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	117,697.0
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	117,697.0
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	Agriculture	15,922.7
Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones	Agriculture	14,647.5
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	Agriculture	13,484.2
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	9,607.2
Littoral/Shore Area Modifications (Non-Riverine)	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	7,648.9
Changes In Ordinary Stratification And Bottom Water Hypoxia/Anoxia	Natural/Wildlife	5,857.0
Sediment Resuspension (Clean Sediment)	Hydromodification	2,518.4
Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures)	Hydromodification	2,073.4
Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	2,073.4
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	413.6
Streambank Modifications/Destabilization	Hydromodification	392.5
Surface Mining	Resource Extraction	376.8
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	194.0
Land Application Of Wastewater Biosolids (Non-Agricultural)	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	55.2
Septage Disposal	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	55.2
Flow Alterations From Water Diversions	Hydromodification	36.8

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North Dakota 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)
Ammonia	13.0
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	1,237.2
Flow Alteration(s)	274.3
Habitat Alterations	2,470.5
Mercury	401.5	490,946.0
Metals (other than Mercury)	196.6
Nuisance Exotic Species	5.5
Nutrients	51.4	140,549.7
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	466.7	5,857.0
Pathogens	5,497.9
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	35.9	36.8
Sediment	1,783.1	4,692.1
Temperature	40.7
Turbidity		1,567.8

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North Dakota 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	5,894.0	141,049.0
Atmospheric Deposition		490,946.0
Construction	110.8
Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	2,483.0	131,470.8
Hydromodification	1,015.4	5,021.1
Industrial	79.6
Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks		55.2
Municipal Discharges/Sewage	848.2	127,422.7
Natural/Wildlife	472.7	139,513.1
Other	59.6
Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	13.0
Resource Extraction		376.8
Unknown	910.3	485,928.0
Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	748.7	118,110.6

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North Dakota TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2010

No TMDL Alternatives reported.

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North Dakota 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.
2003	1	2
2004	1	1
2008	2	4
2013	3	4

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North Dakota 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.
Pathogens	115
Sediment	69
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	45
Metals (other than Mercury)	41
Mercury	22
Nutrients	20
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	19
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	3
Ammonia	1
Turbidity	1
Temperature	1

Total: 337 Causes of Impairment

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North Dakota 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.
Fecal Coliform	48	52
Phosphorus	27	45
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	23	23
Dissolved Oxygen	12	12
Sediment	8	9
Nutrients	5	5

Total: 123 TMDLs; 146 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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North Dakota 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.
1997	11	11
2004	8	12
2005	1	1
2006	6	6
2007	10	10
2008	7	19
2009	26	30
2010	22	22
2011	16	16
2012	8	8
2013	8	11

Total: 123 TMDLs; 146 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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TMDL Document Search

Full Text Search of TMDL Documents

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