Formula Grant 00160023

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT IS TO FUND THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT'S WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROGRAM TO IMPROVE IMPAIRED WATER AND PROTECT UNIMPAIRED WATERS ACROSS THE STATE BY CONDUCTING PLANNING THAT INFORMS AND SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTATION OF CLEAN WATER ACT PROGRAMS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 205(J)(3), UNLESS A WAIVER REQUEST IS APPROVED BY EPA, THE RECIPIENT WILL JOINTLY DEVELOP WORKPLANS WITH AND PROVIDE AT LEAST 40% OF THIS AWARD TO REGIONAL OR INTERSTATE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLANNING AGENCIES. THIS AGREEMENT IS SUPPORTED BY FUNDING PROVIDED UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) (PL 117-58).ACTIVITIES:SPECIFICALLY, UNDER THIS GRANT THE RECIPIENT WILL: 1) COMPLETE ADDITIONAL WATER QUALITY DATA COLLECTION IN WEST THOMPSON LAKE TO SUPPORT WATER QUALITY MODELING AND TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD (TMDL) DEVELOPMENT; 2) DEVELOP AN INITIAL BIOLOGICAL CONDITION GRADIENT MODEL TO ENHANCE LAKE BIOASSESSMENT IN CONNECTICUT; AND 3) PROVIDE ON-GOING SUPPORT OF THE CONNECTICUT 604(B) COORDINATOR.SUBRECIPIENT:A. ADDITIONAL WATER QUALITY DATA COLLECTION IN WEST THOMPSON LAKE TO SUPPORT WATER QUALITY MODELING AND TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD (TMDL) DEVELOPMENT THE SUB-AWARDEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING A QAPP DETAILING PROJECT PROCEDURES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE COLLECTION OF WATER-QUALITY SAMPLES, INSTANTANEOUS STREAMFLOW, ANALYTICAL METHODS USED, AND USGS QA/QC PROTOCOL AND PROCEDURES. THE SUB-AWARDEE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MONTHLY COLLECTION OF STREAM-SAMPLES, LAKE-SAMPLES, WATER-QUALITY PROFILES AND OPERATE A CONTINUOUS WATER-QUALITY MONITOR IN WEST THOMPSON LAKE. THE SUB-AWARDEE SHALL REVIEW, APPROVE, AND CHARACTERIZE THE DATA COLLECTED DURING THE CONTRACT PERIOD, AND COMMUNICATE THIS INFORMATION TO THE CTDEEP TECHNICAL LEAD. DURING THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT PERIOD THE SUB-AWARDEE SHALL SUBMIT QUARTERLY REPORTS AND A FINAL REPORT TO CTDEEP TECHNICAL LEAD. B. ENHANCING LAKE BIOASSESSMENT IN CONNECTICUT THE SUB-AWARDEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS TO WORK ON THE INITIAL PHASES OF THE BIOLOGICAL CONDITION GRADIENT (BCG) MODEL, DELIVERING A REPORT OF THE COMPILED RESULTS FROM INITIAL WORK TO THE CTDEEP TECHNICAL LEAD. THE SUB-AWARDEE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING QUALIFIED LABORATORIES TO ANALYZE SEDIMENT SAMPLE COLLECTED BY CTDEEP. THIS INCLUDE DELIVERING THE DATA AND ASSOCIATED REPORTS FROM THE LABORATORIES TO THE CTDEEP TECHNICAL LEAD. DURING THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT PERIOD THE SUB-AWARDEE SHALL SUBMIT QUARTERLY REPORTS AND A FINAL REPORT TO CTDEEP TECHNICAL LEAD.OUTCOMES:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WITH ADDITIONAL WATER QUALITY DATASETS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF A TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD (TMDL) TO ADDRESS NUTRIENT RELATED IMPACTS IN WEST THOMPSON LAKE BY: 1) COMPLETING A WATER QUALITY DATA COLLECTION QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN; 2) COLLECTING WATER QUALITY DATA; 3) COMPLETING LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF WATER SAMPLES; AND 4) COMPLETING CONTINUOUS MONITORING INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO: 5) DEVELOP A LAKE SEDIMENT DIATOM BIOLOGICAL CONDITION GRADIENT (BCG); 6) COMPLETE TAXONOMIC IDENTIFICATION OF DIATOMS IN SEDIMENT SAMPLES; 7) COMPLETE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SEDIMENT SAMPLES; AND 8) GRANT ADMINISTRATION. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE THE GENERAL POPULATION IN CONNECTICUT AND ITS SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS AND POLICY MAKERS.