Surface Water Quality Bureau
Monitoring, Assessment & Standards
The US EPA-Approved TMDL for the Cimarron River Watershed
(Canadian River to Headwaters)

The Cimarron River Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) includes a package of thirty-one integrated TMDL planning documents for arsenic, bacteria, plant nutrients, and temperature in several distinct assessment units as outlined below. SWQB announced a 30-Day Public Comment Period for the Draft Cimarron River Watershed TMDL beginning on June 7th, 2010. Responses were accepted until July 7th, 2010. A public meeting was held to summarize the information and to provide a forum for interested parties to ask questions and provide comments. The meeting date allowed the public time to review the document and generate questions or comments. The meeting was held in Cimarron on Thursday, June 17th from 6-8pm at the Cimarron Watershed Alliance Offices at 301 East 9th Street. All comments and SWQB responses to the Public DRAFT version were incorporated into the Final Draft version, which was presented to the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) for approval at their regular meeting on Tuesday, August 10th, 2010.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reviewed the WQCC-Approved version and gave their final approval on September 3, 2010. The Surface Water Quality Bureau (SWQB) conducted a water quality survey of the Cimarron Basin of northeastern New Mexico in 2006.  Water quality monitoring stations were located within the Cimarron Watershed to evaluate the impact of tributary streams and ambient water quality conditions.  As a result of assessing data generated during this monitoring effort, impairment determinations of New Mexico water quality standards (WQS) include the following: DISSOLVED ARSENIC in Cimarron River (Cimarron Village to Turkey Creek), Cimarron River (Turkey Creek to Eagle Nest Lake), and Ute Creek (Cimarron River to headwaters); BACTERIA (E. coli) in Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), North Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Seally Canyon), Ponil Creek (US 64 to confluence of North and South Ponil), Ponil Creek (Cimarron River to US 64), Rayado Creek (Miami Lake diversion to headwaters), Sixmile Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), and Ute Creek (Cimarron River to headwaters); PLANT NUTRIENTS in Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), Cimarron River (Canadian River to Cimarron Village), Cimarron River (Turkey Creek to Eagle Nest Lake), Moreno Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), Ponil Creek (US 64 to confluence of North and South Ponil Creeks), Rayado Creek (Cimarron River to Miami Lake diversion), and Sixmile Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters); and TEMPERATURE in Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), Cimarron River (Cimarron Village to Turkey Creek), Moreno Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), Rayado Creek (Miami Lake diversion to headwaters), Sixmile Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), South Ponil Creek (Ponil Creek to Middle Ponil), and Ute Creek (Cimarron River to headwaters). SWQB data collections documented continued impairments of the New Mexico WQS.  These are “old” impairment listings that already resulted in a TMDL but continue to be impaired based on the 2006 data and assessments include: TURBIDITY on Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), North Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Seally Canyon), Ponil Creek (US 64 to confluence of North and South Ponil Creeks), and Sixmile Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters); TEMPERATURE on Middle Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Greenwood Creek), North Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Seally Canyon), and Ponil Creek (US 64 to confluence of North and South Ponil Creeks); and  SEDIMENTATION/SILTATION on Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters) and Rayado Creek (Cimarron River to Miami Lake diversion).

Shelly Lemon TMDL Development (505) 827-2814 PDF DOWNLOADS USEPA-Approved TMDL 2.2MB Individual Sections     Approval Letter 219 kb     Other SWQB work on the Cimarron River Watershed: Canadian River Watershed TMDLs - Pt.2, WQCC-Approved - 2011 TMDLs for the Waters of the Valle Vidal WQCC-Approved - 2011 Canadian River Watershed TMDLs - Pt.1, US EPA Approved - 2007 Dry Cimarron River TMDLs US EPA Approved - 2009 Canadian River & Tributaries Water Quality Survey Summary - 2006 635 kb Water Quality Assessments for Selected New Mexico Lakes including Conchas and Ute Reservoirs, Charette lakes, Lake Alice, and Lake Mayola - 2006 2.1 MB Valle Vidal Water Quality Survey Summary - 2006 252 kb 2005 Rationale for removal of the Chronic Aluminum TMDL for the Cimarron River (Canadian River to Turkey Creek) 78 kb TMDL for Metals (Chronic Aluminum) in Cieneguilla Creek - 2004 572 kb REVISED (January 2004) TMDL for Stream Bottom Deposits, Total Phosphorus, and Turbidity in the Canadian River Basin (Cimarron) - 2004 943 kb Canadian River Tributaries Water Quality Survey Summary- 2001 201 kb TMDL for Metals (Chronic Aluminum) in Cieneguilla Creek - 2001 235 kb TMDLs For Stream Bottom Deposits In Rayado Creek And Metals (Chronic Aluminum) In The Cimarron River - 2001 264 kb TMDL For Temperature On Middle Ponil Creek - 2001 2.1 MB TMDL For Temperature On Ponil Creek - 2001 1.6 MB TMDL for Turbidity in Middle Ponil and Ponil Creek - 2001 2.2 MB TMDL For Metals (Chronic Aluminum) In Ponil Creek - 2001 2.0 MB Dry Cimarron Water Quality Survey Summary- 2000 546 kb TMDL For Temperature On North Ponil Creek Canadian River Basin (Cimarron) - 1999 2.3 MB TMDL for Stream Bottom Deposits, Total Phosphorus, and Turbidity in the Canadian River Basin (Cimarron) - 1999 282 kb

As a result of assessing data generated during this monitoring effort, SWQB staff also documented improvements in water quality which resulted in several impairments being removed (US EPA Letter) from the 2010-2012 CWA §303(d) List of Assessed Waterbodies. These “delisted” waters include:

	ALUMINUM on Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), Cimarron River (Canadian River to Cimarron Village), Cimarron River (Cimarron Village to Turkey Creek), Ponil Creek (Cimarron River to US 64), and Ponil Creek (US 64 to confluence of North and South Ponil Creeks);
	BACTERIA (Fecal Coliform) on Cieneguilla Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters) and Moreno Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters);
	SEDIMENTATION/SILTATION on Middle Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Greenwood Creek), North Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Seally Canyon), Ponil Creek (Cimarron River to US 64), and Ponil Creek (US 64 to confluence of North and South Ponil Creeks);
	TEMPERATURE on Ponil Creek (Cimarron River to US 64); and
	TURBIDITY on Middle Ponil Creek (South Ponil Creek to Greenwood Creek), Moreno Creek (Eagle Nest Lake to headwaters), and Ponil Creek (Cimarron River to US 64).

This TMDL document addresses the above noted impairments as summarized in the Executive Summary tables.  The data used to develop this TMDL were collected during the 2006 Cimarron Watershed survey with follow-up collections in 2007, 2008, and 2009.  The 2006 study identified other potential water quality impairments which are not addressed in this document.  Additional data needs for verification of those impairments are being identified and data collection will follow.  If these impairments are verified, subsequent TMDLs will be prepared in a separate TMDL document.

The SWQB’s Monitoring, Assessment & Standards Section will collect water quality data during the next rotational cycle.  The next scheduled monitoring date for the Cimarron Watershed is 2016 at which time TMDL targets will be re-examined and potentially revised as this document is considered to be an evolving management plan.  In the event that new data indicate that the targets used in this analysis are not appropriate and/or if new standards are adopted, the load capacity will be adjusted accordingly. When water quality standards have been achieved, the reach will be moved to the appropriate category in the State's CWA §303(d)/§305(b) Integrated Report.

The SWQB’s Watershed Protection Section will continue to work with watershed groups to develop Watershed-Based Plans to implement strategies that attempt to correct the water quality impairments detailed in this document.  Implementation of items detailed in the Watershed-Based Plans will be done with participation of all interested and affected parties.

The full 178-page US EPA-Approved document with its six appendices is now available as either a single master file (2.2 MB PDF) or nineteen individual interlinked Adobe® Acrobat® sections for more convenient downloading:

Front Page & Table of Contents		572 kb
Executive Summary		112 kb
1.	Introduction	67 kb
2.	Cimarron River Watershed Characteristics	603 kb
3.	Arsenic	140 kb
4.	Bacteria	126 kb
5.	Plant Nutrients	201 kb
6.	Temperature	396 kb
7.	Monitoring Plan	76 kb
8.	Implementation of TMDLs	35 kb
9.	Applicable Regulations and Stakeholder Assurances	31 kb
10.	Public Participation	28 kb
11.	References	33 kb

Appendix A:	Conversion Factor Derivation	74 kb
Appendix B:	Probable Sources of Impairment	335 kb
Appendix C:	Thermograph Summary Data and Graphics	133 kb
Appendix D:	Hydrology, Geometry, and Meteorological Input Data for SSTEMP	160 kb
Appendix E:	Public Participation Flowchart	166 kb
Appendix F:	Response to Comments	170 kb

   

SPECIAL NOTICE: In previous DRAFT versions of the Cimarron River Watershed TMDL, the NPDES permit number for Angel Fire was listed as NM0028011 in Table 4.7 and in textual references on pp. 43 and 59. These citations were incorrect. Any reference to NM0028011 in this TMDL should actually refer to NPDES Permit Number NM0030503. NMED-SWQB regrets this editing error.

 

A TMDL is a planning document that establishes specific goals to meet water quality standards in waterbodies where pollutant limits are exceeded. It includes current pollution loadings, reduction estimates for pollutants, information on probable sources of pollution, and suggestions to restore or protect the health of the waterbody.

For more information, please contact Shelly Lemon at the address or phone number provided above.

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