Water Quality

What is TMDL?

Total

Maximum

Daily

Loads

It indicates the maximum number of pollutants that can enter a body of water while meeting the EPA's water quality standards.

The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), often referred to as a clean water plan, is a science-based strategy for cleaning up polluted water to ensure it meets state water quality standards. A TMDL represents a specific numerical value that indicates the maximum amount of a pollutant that a surface water body can receive while still complying with these standards.

The City of Coburg is implementing measures to lower its total maximum daily load to comply with state water quality standards.

For more information on the TMDL, go to Department of Environmental Quality: Total Maximum Daily Loads: Total Maximum Daily Loads: State of Oregon.

Pollutants dumped into storm drains go untreated and flow directly to the river, harming wildlife.

When pollutants are dumped into household drains, they undergo treatment at a water treatment facility before being discharged into the river. This process reduces the impact on wildlife.

What We Can Do!

Please clean up after your pet.
Please do not dispose of chemicals in storm drains.
Please report any suspected illegal dumping.
Please report any violations related to erosion control.
Minimize your property's impervious surfaces using porous paving options like wood decking, open-celled bricks, and concrete pavers.
Runoff from impervious surfaces flows directly into vegetated areas.

LAWN AND GARDEN

Allow dense vegetation or buffer strips to reduce runoff and absorb pollutants.
Consider planting drought-tolerant or native species whenever possible.
Aerate your lawn and reduce the amount of fertilizer you use.
Avoid watering the lawn during the hottest part of the day.

MOSS

Use rakes or shovels to remove moss.
Re-sow the scraped areas covered in moss with native grasses or shade-tolerant grass varieties.
To keep air circulating and moisture under control, consider aerating or de-thatching your lawn.
Cut less often. Mowing your lawn too frequently can stress the grass, making it less competitive against moss. Wait to mow until your lawn reaches a height of 3 to 4 inches to promote strength and health.
Always apply a minimal amount of moss killers to your roof, or consider using alternatives that do not contain zinc, iron, copper, or sulfur.

MAINTAINING VEHICLES

Prevent washing your car water from entering the storm system; keep it on the lawn.
Wash cars at a commercial car wash, where the wastewater will be treated appropriately.
Place ground cloths or drip pans beneath your vehicle to catch leaks or during engine maintenance. Clean up spills promptly and dispose of oil and grease properly.
Please place all used oil into containers that have tight-fitting lids.
Do not dispose of motor oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, or other engine fluids in road gutters, storm drains, catch basins, on the ground, or in ditches.

DEICING

Minimize salt and other chemicals by applying sand in high-traffic areas.
Shoveling more is an excellent workout for winter!

What are the common pollutants that harm wildlife?

Bleach
Fertilizer
Pesticides
Paint
Pharmaceuticals
Soap

Water treatment facilities are not designed to handle large amounts of harmful pollutants, and certain chemicals should only be disposed of at specialized disposal facilities.