By Kimberly Mazza
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Water Quality Division (WQD) will host its first Wyoming Water Quality Conference at the University of Wyoming Conference Center in Laramie, Wyoming, October 17 – 18, 2023.
The free conference will explain primary elements of the WQD’s responsibilities during general sessions and four tracks – Wyoming Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WYPDES), Groundwater, Water and Wastewater (W&WW), and Watershed Protection.
The Watershed Protection Section is responsible for a variety of planning and water quality project implementation activities. The Section’s major functions include water quality standards, nonpoint source planning (NPS) and grant administration, water quality assessment and monitoring, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development, internal lab services, and maintaining data for quality assurance.
During the conference, the Watershed Program staff will provide information on how the DEQ identifies impaired surface waterbodies and how the DEQ develops strategies to restore them:
- The Wyoming integrated Report identifies all waterbodies that have been assessed to determine compliance with the applicable water quality standards.
- TMDLs and watershed plans are developed to address waters that are water quality impaired and for water quality protection.
- The NPS Program works with stakeholders to protect and restore water quality with grants focused on implementation projects and outreach.
Additionally, a new mapping tool that has been developed by the Watershed Protection Program will be introduced with an overview of its functions.
Those interested in attending can find more information, including a final agenda, and can register on the Wyoming Water Quality Conference website (https://deq.wyoming.gov/water-quality/water-quality-conference/ ).