NJ Statewide Mercury TMDL Overview
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• 2010 Statewide Mercury TMDL addressed
  122 HUC14s identified in 2009 (shown in blue).
  
  
• 2011 Addendum identified 14 additional HUC14s
  (shown in green) that were eligible for but not
  adopted as new Mercury TMDLs.
  


• 2020 Adopted Mercury TMDLs (7/20/2020)
  adding the 14 HUC14s identified in 2011
  and an additional 12 HUC14s (shown in pink)
  identified in the adoption for a total of 26 new
  TMDLs subject to the allocations specified in the
  2010 Statewide Mercury TMDL.
  An update to the “Statewide Total Maximum Daily
  Load for Mercury Impairments Based on Concentration
  in Fish Tissue Caused Mainly by Air Deposition” has
  been adopted.

Over 600 TMDLs are covered in 50 TMDL documents that have been developed in New Jersey. The pollutants addressed by these TMDLs include pathogens, total phosphorus, mercury, PCBs, and various other pollutants described below and in the New Jersey TMDLs table.

The top ten causes of water quality impairment in 2020 are shown in the chart below. Of all causes of impairments, five of the top ten are associated with the aquatic life designated use, including total phosphorus. TMDLs have been established for 68% of the pathogens, 65% of the mercury and 41% of the total phosphorus causing impairment.

Pathogen TMDLs have been developed for most of the watersheds assessed as not supporting the shellfish harvest for consumption use (79%). See the maps below for additional information.

2020 Top Ten Causes of Use Impairment

*Footnote: Use impairment is explained further HERE.

To find out what TMDLs are in your area use the TMDL look-up tool and enter the county and municipality of interest.

To view a map of areas covered by a TMDL use the DEP’s NJ-GeoWeb. Select the “TMDL” layers found in the table of contents.

DEP also provides TMDL shapefiles for download from the Bureau of Geographic Information Services. Select the appropriate layer available in the dropdown on DEP Digital Data Downloads in ArcGIS Shape file format.

CLICK HERE to access the New Jersey TMDLs List and Reports.

*To FIND a specific TMDL click Crtl+F (for pc) Apple+F (for mac)

A TMDL Look-Up Tool is also available that allows the user to quickly identify if an approved TMDL is associated with surface waters within or bordering their municipality. This tool was developed to help municipal stormwater coordinators implement requirements of municipal separate storm sewer (MS4) permits but may be used by anyone with an interest in water quality in New Jersey.

TMDL Look-Up Tool