Wisconsin Administrative Code › Department of Natural Resources › NR 100-199 - Environmental Protection - General › Chapter NR 111 - Cooling Water Intake Structures › Subchapter II - Existing Facilities › Section NR 111.14 - Monitoring requirements

Current through June 24, 2024
At a minimum, the WPDES permit for a facility subject to
					 this subchapter shall require the permittee to monitor, as required in ss. NR
					 111.12, and 111.13, according to all of the following:
(1) MONITORING REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPINGEMENT
				  MORTALITY. The department may establish monitoring requirements to quantify
				  impingement mortality in addition to those specified in s. NR 111.12, including
				  biological monitoring, intake velocity, and flow measurements. If the
				  department establishes additional monitoring requirements, the specific
				  protocols shall be determined by the department.
(2) MONITORING REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRAINMENT.
				  The department shall determine monitoring requirements for entrainment on a
				  site-specific basis, as appropriate, to meet requirements under s. NR 111.13.
				  The department may establish entrainment monitoring requirements in addition to
				  those specified in s. NR 111.13.
(3) FLOW RATE MONITORING. The owner or
				  operator of the facility shall monitor the total volume of water withdrawn and
				  the percent used for cooling on a daily basis. Additionally, if applicable,
				  make-up water and blowdown daily flow rates shall be monitored. Alternatively,
				  an owner or operator of the facility complying with s. NR 111.12(1) (a) 1. may
				  monitor cycles of cooling in lieu of flow monitoring. Also alternatively, an
				  owner or operator of the facility may report percent of flow used for cooling
				  on a less frequent basis if daily monitoring is infeasible or overly burdensome
				  and if the department approves an alternate method of estimating this value.
				  The department may require additional monitoring as necessary to demonstrate
				  compliance with s. NR 111.21.
(4)
				  VISUAL OR REMOTE INSPECTIONS. The owner or operator of a facility shall conduct
				  either visual inspections or employ remote monitoring devices during the period
				  the cooling water intake structure is in operation. The owner or operator of a
				  facility shall conduct inspections at least weekly to ensure that any
				  technologies operated to comply with ss. NR 111.12, 111.13, and 111.16 are
				  maintained and operated to function as designed. The department may establish
				  alternative procedures if this requirement is not feasible, such as in the
				  cases of offshore intakes, velocity caps, intakes inside dams, or monitoring
				  during periods of inclement weather.
(5) REQUEST FOR REDUCED MONITORING. For a
				  facility that is subject to s. NR 111.12(1) (a) 7. and where the facility's
				  cooling water intake structure does not directly or indirectly affect
				  threatened or endangered species or federally designated critical habitat, the
				  owner or operator of the facility may request that the department reduce
				  monitoring requirements after the first full permit term in which these
				  monitoring requirements are implemented, on the condition that the results of
				  the monitoring to date demonstrate that the owner or operator of the facility
				  has consistently operated the intake as designed and is meeting the
				  requirements specified in s. NR 111.12.
(6) ADDITIONAL MONITORING REQUIREMENTS. The
				  owner or operator of the facility shall comply with any additional monitoring
				  for impingement or entrainment at the cooling water intake structure, including
				  any of the following:
(a) The department may
				  require additional monitoring if there are changes in operating conditions at
				  the facility or in the source waterbody that warrant a re-examination of the
				  operational conditions specified in s. NR 111.41(7).
(b) The department may require additional
				  monitoring for species not subject to the BTA requirements for impingement
				  mortality under s. NR 111.12. Such monitoring requirements shall be determined
				  by the department on a site-specific basis.