SD3 - The Development of a Nutrient Management Strategy (As requested by SJR 165, 1987)

  • Published: 1989
  • Author: State Water Control Board and Department of Conservation and Historic Resources
  • Enabling Authority: Senate Joint Resolution 165 (Regular Session, 1987)

Executive Summary:
The 1987 Virginia General Assembly approved Senate Joint Resolution No. 165 which requests the state water Control Board and the Department of Conservation and Historic Resources' Division of Soil and water Conservation to cooperatively develop and implement a comprehensive nutrient limitation strategy by July 1, 1988. The resolution stated that this strategy· shall include the following:

(1) A nutrient standard or standards for the waters of the Commonwealth including the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay;

(2) Suggested target loads for the main Bay and each of its tributaries from point and non-point sources resulting from application of the water quality standard;

(3) Suggested regulations, guidelines, and budget projections as appropriate or necessary to implement the nutrient management strategy; and

(4) Recommendations for short-term and long-term data gathering, analysis, and research needed to fine tune the nutrient limitation strategy in future years to provide the most effective, equitable and cost-effective approach to controlling nutrient enrichment in the Bay and its tributaries.

This resolution recognizes the Water Control Board as having primary responsibility for regulating point source discharges of nutrients and the Division of Soil and Water Conservation as having primary responsibility for managing non-point source control programs. The resolution requests that these two agencies work together to cooperatively develop and implement a comprehensive nutrient management strategy for the Commonwealth. A copy of SJR 165 may be found in Appendix A.

The remainder of this status report presents the progress to date toward the development of a Virginia Nutrient Management strategy.