Water Quality

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PPACG is the lead water quality planning agency for the Pikes Peak region, which is home to five watersheds and portions of two major drainage basins—the South Platte and Arkansas rivers. With these natural features, PPACG employs a watershed approach to water quality management.

Through its 208 Water Quality Management Plan, PPACG identifies water quality issues and recommends future policies and technical strategies for all five of the watersheds. The plan provides specific guidance on water quality goals and the associated social, economic, and environmental costs and benefits. PPACG also coordinates the review of site applications for the development of new wastewater treatment facilities, lift stations and interceptors as well as modifications of existing wastewater treatment plants.

Water Quality Management Plan ("208 Plan")

PPACG is required under federal and state statutes to develop a Water Quality Management Plan ("208 Plan") to address water quality issues within the Pikes Peak region – El Paso, Teller and Park counties. The 208 Plan describes water quality programs and issues and recommends future policies and technical strategies. The 208 Plan recognizes that each watershed in the Pikes Peak region is uniquely different and that water quality problems can be both diffuse and site specific.

The 2010 208 Plan supersedes the previous update of the plan that was completed in 2003 and amended in 2007. The 2010 208 Plan was approved by the PPACG Board of Directors in October 2009, by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission in January 2011, and by the Governor in February 2011. The format and structure of the 208 Plan has remained unchanged between 2003 and 2010 and is still broken down into five watersheds to describe site-specific information. The changes in the 2010 208 Plan update include but are not limited to:

  • changes to the population projections;
  • revisions to the regional policies;
  • a revised water quality assessment that identifies the major water quality issues for each watershed;
  • a revised description of the point source dischargers and a point source summary sheet for each watershed;
  • updates to the nonpoint source assessment; and
  • revised conclusions and recommendations for each watershed.

This plan was developed by PPACG with the assistance of PPACG’s Water Quality Management Committee (WQMC). The WQMC consists of representatives of special districts and military installations involved with water quality management, along with local governments located within El Paso, Teller, and Park counties. During monthly meetings, members reviewed and made recommendations regarding information to be incorporated into the 208 Plan.

The Executive Summary provides an overview of the plan.

 

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