RIVER WATER QUALITY AND CSO DISCHARGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT:COORDINATION CHALLENGES

The Gary Sanitary District (GSD), located in Gary, Indiana, performed two extensive river water quality and combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharge impact assessment studies to provide an initial assessment of water quality in the Grand Calumet River (GCR) and Little Calumet River (LCR) and evaluate effects that CSO overflows may have on each river's water quality. Seven National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)-permitted GSD CSO outfalls are located along the GCR and six along the LCR, rivers that flow to Lake Michigan. The studies presented numerous coordination and implementation challenges. Discussion of assessment study coordination and implementation procedures and challenges will provide assistance to improve coordination and implementation efforts regarding future water quality studies and development of point and non-point source pollution controls.