The road to clean water: Building collaboration and stakeholder relationships

I n a 1998 court decree, the state of Kansas agreed to develop and implement a plan to restore the health of water resources that do not meet water quality standards for designated uses and protect water resources that currently meet water quality standards, as required by the US Clean Water Act. The process for water quality restoration and protection included the establishment and implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), the quantitative objectives, and strategies needed to achieve water quality standards. The TMDL process included identifying the following: By 2004, the state of Kansas classified and prioritized their streams, published a list of streams and water bodies that do not meet water quality standards, and established TMDLs for the high-priority…