DEVELOPMENT OF TMDL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WITH CONSENSUS MODULE OF WARMF

Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework (WARMF) is a decision support system that presents scientific information for stakeholders to evaluate alternatives and make political decisions on an implementation plan through a consensus process. WARMF contains TMDL and Consensus modules. The TMDL module calculates various combinations of point and nonpoint loads that can meet the water quality criteria. The Consensus module allows stakeholders to evaluate alternatives that can be implemented to meet the water quality criteria. The alternatives may include the combinations of controls on atmospheric deposition, point source load, water diversions, fertilizer application, street sweeping, and buffer strip. The Truckee River stakeholders use WARMF to evaluate the benefit of buying water right to reduce flow diversion for irrigation that may decrease agriculture nonpoint load and increases the point source waste load allocation. The Muddy Creek stakeholders use WARMF to evaluate the sediment loads from land surface erosion and bank erosion, which led to the selection of two bank stabilization projects. The Blue River stakeholders use the loading output to decide whether to sewer or to stay with septic systems in their watershed that contributes nutrients to the Dillon Lake, which is a water supply reservoir for Denver.