FINAL Comment Response Document for the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) of Phosphorus and Sediments to Clopper Lake in the Seneca Creek Watershed Montgomery County, Maryland Introduction The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has conducted a public review of the proposed Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for nitrogen and sediment loadings in Clopper Lake. The public comment period was open from November 16, 2001 through December 17, 2001. MDE received two sets of written comments. Below is a list of commentors, their affiliation, the date comments were submitted, and the numbered references to the comments submitted. In the pages that follow, comments are summarized and listed with MDE’s response. List of Commentors Author Affiliation Date Comment Number James A. Montgomery Department of December 7, 1 through 7 Caldwell Environmental Protection 2001 Erica Shingara City of Gaithersburg December 17, 1, 5 through 9 2001 Comments and Responses 1. Both commentors questioned the need for a 39% reduction in annual phosphorus loads, given that the data from 1991, 2000, and 2001 shown in Table 3A of Appendix A indicates only one chlorophyll a concentration greater than 20 µg/l. Additionally, there exists no evidence of nuisance seasonal algae blooms or documentation of fish kills due to low dissolved oxygen (DO) caused by decomposition of the low levels of algal biomass. Response: The commentor is correct that there is ...