COLUMBIA, SC, & WESTFORD, MA, May 20, 2005 (PRNewswire) -- The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has awarded ENSR International a Watershed Assessment Project to improve water quality of the Reedy River -- an integral part of the drinking water, natural resources and recreation systems of Greenville, S.C., and the upstate region. The 3-year project features measurement and evaluation of pollutant loads to the Reedy River and will establish a pollution reduction strategy known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) allocation to improve its water quality.
The TMDL project will assess point and non-point sources of pollution and develop an accurate assessment of ambient water quality conditions within the entire river system. Point and non-point sources of pollution include urban and agricultural stormwater runoff and municipal wastewater discharge. The project also includes a field investigation, water quality modeling/training for state personnel, a load allocation decision-making process, and formation of a stakeholder group to provide input on all phases of the project.
According to Ken Hickey, ENSR's project manager, "The successful collaborative stakeholder approach, effective water quality modeling, and cost benefit analyses of alternative management actions have proven very effective tools to support removing of water quality impairments and reducing pollutant sources to the river." This study will help to significantly reduce pollution loading all along the Reedy and its tributaries.
The stakeholder group of regulatory agency staff, regulated industry representatives, and watershed organization members has already formed and met. Water quality modeling training with state personnel is ongoing, and a field investigation is scheduled for Summer 2005 and beyond. An added benefit of the training enables state staff to use the water modeling in future water quality projects.
ENSR has completed hundreds of major water quality/watershed assessments projects throughout the US over the past 30 years. This is the third such watershed assessment project that we have conducted with the SCDHEC.
ENSR International (www.ensr.com) provides environmental consulting, engineering and remediation services to industry and government from 70 worldwide and 45 U.S. offices.
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