This agreement is to fund the state of montana's water quality management planning program to improve impaired water and protect unimpaired waters across the state by conducting planning that…

This agreement is to fund the state of montana'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 passthrough at least 40% of funding to regional or interstate watershed management planning agencies. Activities:the activities to be performed include the following water quality management planning activities: a) tracking water quality changes b) supporting montana's volunteer monitoring activities c) tracking the effectiveness of water quality improvement projects to inform future planning and implementation activities d) supporting local water quality improvement planning activities that will lead to on-the-ground water quality improvement projects subrecipient:subawards will support local watershed groups, conservation districts, and other eligible entities for supporting planning activities that will lead to on-the-ground water quality improvement projects. This may include development, refinement, or updating watershed restoration plans (WRP). Funding will be awarded through a competitive process that emphasizes outreach to landowners in impaired watersheds for implementation of activities that restore and/or protect water quality while increasing resilience to drought, flooding, and other extreme weather. Additional subawards will be used to track water quality changes over time. Projects that may fit into this objective are: - baseline or trend monitoring in areas with water quality threats or where progress is made with land, soil and water conservation improvements - monitoring at state borders - other long-term monitoring initiatives where possible, these efforts will be coordinated or carried out via partnerships with watershed groups, nonprofits, conservation districts or other local or regional entities. The data collected will be submitted to the national water quality portal as required for federal grants outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include the implementation of each monitoring program involves several components: designing and/or updating each monitoring program in an approved quality assurance project plan (qapp); conducting any monitoring according to an approved sampling and analysis plans (SAP) which will be developed under the auspices of the project qapp; validating and interpreting monitoring results; compiling results and the conclusions made into reports; and storing, summarizing and sharing monitoring results or task reports with DEQ/EPA and the public. The expected outcomes include the knowledge gained regarding the water quality condition of the sampled waterbodies. From this knowledge, water quality and quantity information will be used for local or regional restoration and protection planning efforts. DEQ will use the information to assess beneficial use support, long-term trends, and if necessary, develop or refine tmdls and water quality restoration plans via requests for analysis or as the data are analyzed during DEQ's statewide call for IR data. The main outcome of planning activities is voluntary application of restoration or management actions that result in water quality improvement. The intended beneficiaries include all the citizens of the state of montana and visitors.