United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4503-F)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 841-R-97-001
October 1997
Section 31© Success
Stories: Volume II

Highlights of State and Tribal
Nonpoint Source Programs

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INTRODUCTION                                                                   i

                                      STflTES                                     |

ALABAMA
Conserving Alabama's Lakes and Rivers — The Sand Mountain/Lake Guntersville
   Watershed Project	• .  .'	'....:'..-	 ...7
Volunteer Water Quality-Monitoring —The Alabama Water Watch	- . .  .  .  8

ALASKA
Alaska Piggybacks Environmental Projects —A Manual for Stream Crossings Provides Fish         .  '
   Habitat Improvements	..........:...	11

ARIZONA
Nonpoint Source Management Zones—A New Tool for the Upper Gila Watershed	•.  . 13.
Watershed Protection—Verde Watershed Management Zone.'.	 14

ARKANSAS
Cadron Creek Dairies Go Regional —A New Approach to Animal Waste Management  	 17
Moore's Creek and Beatty Branch :—A Subwatershed in the Muddy Fork Hydrologic Unit
   Area  . .  . .'	 ": .  ..:..  •.	•"...-	! .... 19

CALIFORNIA
The BIOS Project — Improving Conditions in Agricultural Watersheds	.••••'	21
Stream Restoration in Huichica Creek — Protecting Shrimp Habitat	 23

COLORADO
The Badger Creek Watershed Project'—Improving Fisheries on the Arkansas River . .  .,	24
Management Initiatives Along the South Platte River — The Northern Colorado Water
   Conservancy District .  '. ,	,	  . .  .	.26

CONNECTICUT
Responding to Urban Development — Communities in the Mattabesset River Watershed  .... 28
Lake Whitney Artificial Marsh Treats Urban Runoff	 30

DELAWARE
In the Christina River Basin — Delaware and Pennsylvania Work Together	 33

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Reviving the Anacostia — Freshwater Tidal Marsh Restoration	35

FLORIDA
Renaissance for Lake Jackson—An Outstanding  Florida Water	: ... 37
Florida's Silviculture Best Management Practices  — Test Sites  Rated "Excellent"	 39
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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      GEORGIA
      Restoration of a Riparian Forest — An Agricultural Water Quality Improvement Project  ...'.. 42
      Evaluating Best Management Practices — A Farm Demonstration Project in Rayie, Georgia  . .  . 43

      HAWAII
      A Modified Deep Litter Waste Management System—The Kealia Farms Model	 45

      IDAHO
      Protecting Bear Lake — The Thomas Fork Stream Channel Project		48
      Paradise Creek Restoration — Trout Return, Citizens Learn	49

      ILLINOIS
      Chain O'Lakes and Fox River Selected for Streambank Protection Project	51
      Creating Useful Beauty — The Skokie River Restoration Project	  . 53

      INDIANA
      No-Till Farming Saves Soil—A Reprieve for Starve Hollow Lake	55
      Constructed Wetlands — Treatment for Dairy Farm Wastewater	56

      IOWA                                                .
      Brown Trout Return to Iowa Streams— The Coon Creek Story .  .	 58
      Sny Magill Creek — The New Standard Agricultural Practices		  . 59

      KANSAS
      Banner Creek Water Quality Protection Project — Kansas-Lower Republican River Basin	61
      Clean Water Neighbor Projects— Local Initiatives Drive Public Awareness	63

      KENTUCKY
      The Tripplett Creek Project — On-site Wastewater Issues in Rural Areas	64
      Renovating a Constructed Wetland — Rock Creek's Answer to Acid Mine Drainage Treatment .  . 66
      Beginning with Information and Technical Assistance — Kentucky's Agricultural Water
         Quality Act  	67

      LOUISIANA
      Tangipahoa River Projects — Using an Ecosystem-Based Approach	 68
      Louisiana's Bayou Queue de Tortue Watershed — Incorporating BMP Demonstrations in
         Pollution Prevention Plans  	-	70

      MAINE
      The Taylor Pond Watershed Project — Increasing Public Awareness about Nonpoint Source
         Pollution	 . 73
      Bond Brook Responds to  Progress — Fish Habitats Improve	75
      Building a Local Watershed Alliance — A Common Sense Approach	77

      MARYLAND
      Constructed Wetlands —  Maryland Investigates  Dairy Waste Treatment Methods .	79
      The Sawmill Creek Project — Modeling the Watershed Approach	81
      MASSACHUSETTS
      Wetlands to the Rescue
• Spragues Cove Stormwater Remediation Project	84
ii
                          SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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MICHIGAN
Talking with "Farmers — The North Branch Chippewa giver 319 Watershed Project	  86
Saving Michigan's Blue Ribbon Trout Stream— The Boardman River Project	88

MINNESOTA
Lake Shaokatan Restoration Project — Improving Water Quality Through Reduced
    Phosphorus Loading	  , -.	90
The Lake Bemidji Watershed Management Project—.Clean Water is Good for Business	91

MISSISSIPPI
An Animal Waste Irrigation Project in Mississippi — Saving Farmers Money	93
Lake Hazle  Project Takes on Urban Runoff — Expects Return of Beneficial Uses ,	  . .  94
Mississippi Demonstrates Dead Chicken Composting — A Water-Quality Safe Disposal
    Method	  96 .

MISSOURI
Forage and Grassland Improvement — Livestock Producers Explore Best Management
    Practices '.,. ...........  ...'.	:	97
The Mark Twain Water Quality Initiative — Total Resource Management in Missouri's Upper
    Salt River Basin	-	99

MONTANA
Reducing Nutrients in Agricultural Runoff —The Godfrey Creek Project in Gallatin County  .  .  101
Reclaiming East Spring Creek — Greater Trout Populations	  . .	  103

NEBRASKA
Hanscom Park  Lake Rises tp New Heights  	•		  104

NEVADA
Controlled Flooding Helps Nature Take Care of Itself — The Truckee River Story .  .-...'.....  106
The Small Ranch Water Quality Program.— Teaching Residents about BMPs	  107
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Crystal Lake Preservation Association Tackles Urban Runoff	  109
The Connecticut River Watershed Project — Agricultural BMPs Enhance Stream Ecology  ...  Ill
NEW JERSEY
Navesink River Shellfish Beds Upgraded	.•'.	  113
NEW MEXICO
Grant County's Royal John Mine — A Full-Scale Site Reclamation Project	  115
Treating Acid Mine Drainage from the Oro Fino Mine	 . .	  117
NEW YORK
Village of Forestville — Water Quality and Water Quantity Improve	  119
Constructed Wetlands Block Passage of Nutrients — The Wayne County Project	  120
NORTH CAROLINA
Sediment Controls Installed along Timbered Branch — Common Sense Practices for Forest
    Roads	  121
Practice Makes Perfect — The Long Creek Watershed Project  ........	'.  122
Forestry Nonpoint Source Pollution Management	 124

SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I                                                     Hi

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NORTH DAKOTA
The Bowman/Hayley Watershed Project — Conservation Planning Succeeds in North Dakota ..  125
Protecting the Knife River — Improved Land Management Around Goodman Creek  ......  126

OHIO
The Maumee River Project — Curbing Sediment Delivery  	'	'  .	  128
Indian Lake — Limiting Pollution Inputs		,..,....  130

OKLAHOMA
Tulsa County Blue Thumb Program—Volunteers Make a Difference .  .	  131
Combining Oil Production and Water Quality — The Clearview Brine Reclamation Project .- .  .  132

OREGON
Coos Coquille Watershed — Haynes Inlet Project Allows Shellfish Beds to Reopen	  134
Tualatin River Vastly Improved — TDMLs and Section 319 Included in Basinwide Initiatives .  .  136

PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Adopts Nutrient Management Act — Package Includes  Education, Incentives,
   and Financial Help	:' . .	  138
Partners in Wildlife — The Pike Run Watershed Restoration Project.	:  139

RHODE ISLAND
The Greenwich Bay Initiative — Shellfishing Closure Challenges Rhode Islanders	  141
Flexible Zoning — The Scituate Reservoir Watershed Project	  142
Section 319 Helps Common Fence Point Improvement Association — The Portsmouth Salt
   Marsh Restoration Project	  143
Rhode Island's Septic System Maintenance Policy Forum— A Spearhead for Collaboration  .  .  144

SOUTH CAROLINA
Bush River-Camping Creek Watershed—A Priority Watershed in South Carolina .  .	  146
South Carolina Hones in on Nonpoint Source Pollution — Minigrants Program .Encourages
   Local  Participation	-.'		  148
Champions of the Environment — South Carolina Program Rewards  Student
   Environmentalists  .,	 . .'	'..-.'."	  150

SOUTH DAKOTA
Bad River Watershed Project — Watershed Management Model Works in South Dakota  ....  152
Riparian Improvement on the East River — Information and Education are Keys to  Success .  .  154

TENNESSEE
A New Era for the West Sandy Creek Watershed — Tennessee Works with Landowners to
   Reduce Erosion	  157

TEXAS                                                            -
Protecting the Edwards Aquifer — Urban Development BMPs in Central Texas  .........  158
Clean Texas 2000 — Urban Composting Program Meets Its Goals	  160
Wellhead Protection Program — Communities and Wellhead Protection Follow-up  .	'  162

UTAH
Rangeland Restoration — New Management Practices in the Otter Creek Watershed ......  164
Miles of Fences, Hundreds of Cows — Farmers on the Little Bear River Protect Water Quality  .  165

                                                SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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UERMONT
Agricultural Best Management Practices Lead to Less. Phosphorus in Lake Memphremagog .  .  167
Integrated Crop Management — Preventing Agricultural Pollution	  169

UIRGINIA
Lower Powell'River—Riparian Restoration and Karst Conservation Program .,	: .  .  171
Alternative Watering Systems for Livestock — The Middle Fork Holston River Builds on
   Success	'	  173

WASHINGTON
Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Moxee Drain — The Yakima River Basin Water
   Quality Plan	•....'	  175
Sediment Control in the Skagit and Stillaguamish River Basins —A Pilot Project,.  .......  177

WEST VIRGINIA
Certification Program for Timber Harvesters — Changes in West Virginia's Approach to
   Logging Sediments	'•-,-.	  179
Potomac Headwaters Water Quality Project — Poultry Production and the Environment  ....  180

WISCONSIN
In the East River Watershed — An Animal Waste Treatment Demonstration	  182
Water Action Volunteers Paint the Town — Wisconsin Citizens Work to Protect Their
   Resources	•  • •'	'•- •  184

WYOMING
Restoring. Riparian Areas Improves Trout Fishery — The Squaw and Baldwin Creeks-
   Watershed	'...	  185
Increasing Livestock Grazing on Plateaus — Water Development for Loco Creek . .	  187
                                   TERRITORIES
GUAM
Guam Environmental Protection Agency Shifts Course — Nonpoint Source Management
    Reduces Discharges to Tumon Bay	  189

NORTHERN MARIANAS ISLANDS
Turning Problems into Advantages — The Marianas Islands Responds to Nonpoint Sources  .
    in the Lau Bay Watershed  . . •!	  190

PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico's Nonpoint Source Management Program —:New Regulations Expected in 1997  .193

VIRGIN ISLANDS
Boaters Contribute to Water Quality — Education Leads to Better Marine Sanitation
    Practices	.:.....	  194
Erosion and Sedimentation on St. John — For Virgin Islanders, Knowledge is Action	  195
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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                                              TRIBES
       INDIAN NATIONS: Project Accomplishments and Long-term Plans	   197
       Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
       Cherokee Critical Area Treatment —Trout Return to Streams  	   198

       Mississippi Band of Cfioctaw Indians
       Choctaw Tribe Assesses Soil Erosion and Siltation — Proposes Water Quality Best
          Management Practices	'	   199

       Colville Confederated Tribes
       Owhi Lake — Restoring a Resident Fishery  	'	   201

       Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
       Demonstrating the Effects of Managed Grazing	   203

       Hoopa Valley Tribe
       The Hoopa Valley Tribe is Making Plans — A Soil Remediation Project to Remove Leaking
          Diesel Fuel   	   204

       Hualapai Tribe
       Hualapal Tribe, Northwestern Arizona	   205

       Seminole Tribe of Florida
       Projects on the Brighton and Tampa Reservations	   206

       Confederated Tribes of the UmatiKa Indian Reservation
       Protecting the Floodplain. Riparian, and In-stream Habitat  	   207



       GLOSSARY  .	   209

       INDEX	   213
vi
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                    SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES —
        The  Successful Implementation of the Clean Water Act's
             Section 319  Nonpoint Source Pollution Program
     This document is the second volume of
     Section 319 Success Stories, the first of which
     was published in November 1994. That
document illustrated the states' achievements
in their initial efforts to implement their
nonpoint source programs under section 319 of
the Clean Water Act. This second volume  •
demonstrates the maturation of the state
programs, replete with .many examples of •    .
documented water quality improvements,
improved fisheries, reduced loadings, and
increased public awareness that  are a result of
the many projects that have received section
319 funding,                         .
     Success Stories: Volume II contains .
approximately two stories per state and one
story per territory and tribe. Each story contains
an overview of a state, territory, or tribe's 319
project. Some of the stories are updates of
stories contained in the first volume of Success  .
Stories; but most are new stories about projects
that have been implemented since publication
of the first volume. Collectively, they represent
only a fraction of the section 319 project  .
successes.

Nonpoint source pollution
     The United States has made significant
progress during the last 25 years in its
commitment to clean up the aquatic
environment by controlling pollution from
industries and sewage treatment plants ("point
source pollution"). We did not, however, do
enough to control pollution that stems from
diffuse, or nonpoint, sources. Today, nonpoint
source pollution remains the nation's largest
source of water quality problems. It is the main
reason that approximately 40 percent of
surveyed rivers, lakes, and estuaries are not
clean enough to meet basic uses such as fishing
or swimming.       .
     Nonpoint source pollution occurs when
rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation runs over land
!or through the ground, picks.up pollutants, and
deposits them into rivers, lakes, and coastal
waters or introduces them into groundwater.
Nonpoint source pollution also includes
adverse changes to the hydrology of water
bodies and their associated aquatic habitats.
     The most.common nonpoint source
pollutants are soils and  nutrients that
stormwater runoff picks  up as it flows overland
to rivers and streams; for example runoff from
agricultural land and other treated open spaces,
'urban developments, construction sites, roads,
and bridges. Other common nonpoint source
pollutants include pesticides, pathogens
(bacteria and viruses), salts, oil, grease, toxic
chemicals, and heavy metals.
     The most recent National Water Quality
Inventory (1994) indicates that nonpoint sources
comprise .the leading sources of water pollution
in the United States  today. For example, of the
 17 percent of rivers and  streams surveyed by
states, 36 percent were found to be impaired,
and agriculture was found to be impairing 60
percent of those waters, with some of the other
leading sources including hydrological/habitat
modification (17 percent), urban runoff and
storm sewers (12 percent), removal of
streamside vegetation (10 percent), and forestry
(9 percent).'
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((

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                     SECTION 319(h) REGIONAL GRANT AWARDS
                        Fiscal Year 1995-1996 = $92,503,104
       Section 319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for FY 1996

       • , Cross Cutting NFS Category: $37,190,443

       S  Agriculture: $31,805,216

       B  Urban Runoff: $10,875,702

       !H  Silviculture: $1,960,411

       iD  Construction: $1,339,722

       03  Resource Extraction: $2,257,210

       •  Stowage and Land Disposal: $1,059,874

       E3  Hydrologic Modification: $2,126,552

       D  Other: $3,887,974
REGION 1
Connecticut, Maine, Massachuefts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
REGION 2
Now Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico,
Virgin Islands
REGION 3
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
REGION 4
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky;
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee
REGION 5
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio,
Wisconsin
$4,552,302
$3,939,508
$8,132,899
$17,225,800
$17,938,688
' , i
,-j
i
'-'''• ii
REGION 6
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, Texas
REGION 7
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
REGION 8
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
REGION 9
American Samoas, Arizona, California,
Guam, Hawaii, Nevada
REGION 10
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
$11,958,259
$8,089,152
$7,509,895
$7,588,195
$5,732,061
SOURCE: Section 319(h) grant award data was downloaded from EPA's Grant Reporting and Tracking System (CRTS) for section 319
grants in July 1997. CRTS is a program and project management tool to assist EPA headquarters, regions, and state participants in the
nonpoint source program.
      Nonpoint source pollution was also
found to be a very significant source of
pollution to lakes and estuaries as well. For
these reasons, most of the waters listed by
states under section 303(d) of the Clean Water
Act as failing to meet water quality standards,
are listed in whole or in significant part as the
result of nonpoint source pollution.
     Beach closures, destroyed habitat,'unsafe
drinking water, fish kills, and many other severe
environmental and human health problem are
related to nonpoint source pollutants. They
also spoil the beauty of healthy, clean water
habitats. Each year the United States spends
$100 million through the section 319 program
to restore and protect areas damaged by
nonpoint source pollutants.
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 Nonpoint Source Program—Section
 319 of the Clean Water Act
      Congress established the national  .'••
 nonpoint source program in J987 when it
 enacted the Clean Water Act amendments of   .
 that year. The amendments included a new
 section that considerably strengthened the
 states' capacity to respond to nonpoint'source
 pollution.  .      '  {    .'   '..   •...'•.'•'.
      Section 319 established a three-stage
, program whereby states;
     • conduct statewide assessments of their
      waters to identify those that are impaired •
      (that do not fully support state water    :
      quality standards) or threatened (that
      presently meet water quality standards
      but are unlikely to continue to meet water
      quality standards fully) because of
      nonpoint sources;   •

     • develop nonpoint source management
      programs to address the impaired or
      threatened waters identified in the
      nonpoint assessments; and

     • implement their EPA-approved
      nonpoint source management programs
      to support their implementation efforts.

      .EPA has now approved assessments and
 management programs for all states and   .
 territories, and most states are now reviewing
 and upgrading their nonpoint source
 management programs to address nine key
 elements:

     1. Each state program contains explicit
      short- and long-term goals, objectives,
      and strategies to protect surface and
      groundwater.

     2. The state will support working
      partnerships and linkages to appropriate
      state,  interstate, tribal, regional, and local
  .   • entities (including conservation districts),
      private sector groups; citizens groups,
      arid federal agencies.

     3. The state balances its  approach to
      emphasize .statewide nonpoint source
      nonpoint source programs and'
      on-the-ground management of local
  watersheds where waters are impaired or
  threatened.

4, The state program (a) abates known water
  quality impairments from nonpoint
  source pollution and (b) prevents
  . significant threats to waterquality from
  present and future nonpoint source
  activities.    ,              •

5, The state program identifies waters and
  watersheds impaired by nonpoint source
  pollution and unimpaired waters that are
  threatened or otherwise at risk.
  Subsequent to its identification of these
  waters, the state will include them in
  more detailed watershed assessments.
  The state will help local areas develop
  and carry out watershed implementation
  plans.

6. The state reviews, upgrades, and
 r implements all program components
  required by section 319(b) of the Clean
  Water Act, and establishes flexible,
  purposeful, and iterative approaches to-
  achieve and maintain beneficiaLuses of
  water as expeditiously as practicable.
  State programs include

   • A mix of water quality- or .
     technology-based programs  designed
     to achieve and maintain beneficial uses
     of water; and
   • A mix of regulatory, non-regulatory,   '
     financial and technical assistance as
     needed to achieve and maintain
     beneficial uses of water as
     expeditiously as practicable.

 7. The state may also identify federal lands
   and activities that are not managed
   consistently with its state nonpoint  ,
   source program objectives; if so, it may
   seek EPA help to resolve  issues.

 8, The state manages and executes its    .  •
   nonpoint source program efficiently and
   effectively, including necessary financial
   management.

 9. The state will periodically review and
   evaluate its nonpoint source
  SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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       management program using functional
       measures of success, and on this basis
       will revise its nonpoint source
       assessment and management program at
       least every five years.

       In Fiscal Years (FY) 1990 through 1997,
 EPA awarded nearly $571.5 million to states and
 territories under section 319. A small portion of
 the annual section 319 appropriation, one-third
 of one percent ($330,000), is by statute annually
 set aside for Indian tribes. To date, EPA has
 approved nonpoint source assessments and
 management programs for 11 tribes and they
 are receiving section 319 funding to support
 their nonpoint source programs (see page 197).
       EPA awards grants to states using an
 allocation formula  based on population,
 cropland acreage, critical aquatic habitats,
 pasture and rangeland acreage, forest harvest
 acreage, wellhead protection areas, mining, and
 pesticide use to determine the amount to be
 awarded to each state. Each year, the
 congressional appropriation for section 319 is
 multiplied by the applicable percentage based
 on the formula to determine each state's
 allocation for that year. Each state or tribe is
 required to provide a 40-percent nonfederal
 dollar match.

 Responsibility for the 319 program
      EPA is divided into 10 Regions, with
 offices in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia,
 Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver,
 San Francisco, and Seattle. Each EPA Region
 has a nonpoint source Coordinator who is
 familiar with the nonpoint source programs in
 each of the states, territories, and tribes in that
 region and the 319 funding process that
 supports them. In turn, each state has a
 designated nonpoint source Coordinator
 responsible for managing the state's nonpoint
 source activities and funds. In most states, this
 Coordinator is located in the state's water
 quality agency. In several states, however, the
 nonpoint source Coordinator is located in the
 state's conservation agency, health agency, or
agricultural agency.  Increasingly, decisions
about funding and program priorities are made
by a broad-based nonpoint source Task Force
 representing not only state agencies but other
 stakeholders at the state and local level.

 Defining success
       The objective of the Clean Water Act is to
 "restore and maintain the chemical, physical,
 and biological integrity of the Nation's waters."
 To help achieve this objective, EPA and the .
 states have agreed on the following Vision
 statement, which was published in the Nonpoint
 Source Program and Grants Guidance for Fiscal Year
 1997 and FutureYears (May 1996): "All states
 implement dynamic and effective  nonpoint
 source programs designed to achieve and
 maintain beneficial uses of water." EPA has also
 established a goal under the Government
 Performance and Results Act (GPRA) that is
 designed to move  us towards ultimate
 attainment of water quality standards: "By 2005,
 nonpoint source sediment and nutrient loads •
 to rivers and streams will be reduced. Erosion
 from cropland, used as an indicator of success
 in controlling sediment delivery to surface
 waters, will be reduced by 20 percent from 1992
 levels."
      Many of the projects contained in Success
 Stories-. Volume II directly address the Clean water
 Act goal of achieving water quality standards as
 well as the GPRA goals outlined above. In the
 "Highlights" discussion set forth immediately
 below, we summarize some of the  pertinent
 information relevant to achieving water quality
 standards and to reducing pollutant loads. In
 addition, we highlight other successful state
 nonpoint source programs and projects that
 have not yet resulted in demonstrated water
 quality improvement but can be expected to
 ultimately help the states achieve their water
 quality goals. These include a range of activities
 such as implementation of best management
 practices,, training programs, development of •
 new enforceable policies and mechanisms, and
 volunteer monitoring activities.

 Highlights

      Projects funded with section  319 dollars.
have over the past seven years resulted in a
variety of water quality improvements, load
reductions, and multilevel, interagency ,
partnerships in watershed projects. Section 319
                                                        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 Success Stories: Volume II showcases only some of
 these successes. In this document, examples of
 reduced nutrient concentrations, pathogens,
 and other pollutants in waterbodies can be
 found in'20 projects in 16 states. Examples of
 trout returning and improved fisheries are
 documented in 12 projects in 10 states. This
 document reports that in four 319 projects in
 four states, shellfish beds have reopened. We
 have included examples of load reductions
 (decreases in the amount of nutrients entering
 waterbodies) in 20 projects in 18 states and
 tribes. Success Stories-. VolumeII also provides
 descriptions of multilevel, interagency
 partnerships in 13 projects in 12 states, and six
 new laws in five states are giving states the
 authority they need to control certain nonpoint
 sources of pollution.

 > Trout return and fish habitats improve.
 Sediment from eroding croplands can enter
 streams. When it settles, this sediment covers
 the gravel beds that fish use as spawning
 grounds and alters the stream's overall
 characteristics. In addition, sediments often
 create wide, shallow streams that warm rapidly
 and provide habitat conditions that are
' particularly unfavorable for fish survival.
 Section 319, projects have resulted in many
 examples of trout returning and improved fish
 populations in rivers.  Best management
 practices (BMPs) have improved habitats,
 decreased nonpoint source flows, and created
 clean water diversions. Trout are returning or
 fish habitats are improving in rivers in Idaho,
 • Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, Wyoming, Ohio,
 Alabama, California, Colorado, the Cherokee
 Nation, and others.

 > Shellfish beds reopen. Pollution caused by
 urban runoff can adversely affect waters that
 contain shellfish beds. Elevated levels of fecal
 coliform bacteria (bacteria normally found in
 the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals)
 contribute to the pollution and eventual
 closure of shellfish beds. Section 319 projects
 that control soil erosion, redirect manure
 applications, or form  citizen monitoring
 programs have resulted in the reopening of
 shellfish beds in at least four states:
 Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode
 Island.,
>•- Reduced loadings. Rain washes silt and
other soil particles off plowed fields,
construction sites, logging sites and roads,
urban areas, and strip-mined lands into
waterbodLes. Sediment and siltation can
severely alter aquatic communities by
suffocating fish eggs; adding pollutants to a
waterbody, and interfering with recreational
activities. Nutrients and toxic chemicals may
attach to sediment particles-on land and run off
into surface waters when it rains. Section 319
grants used for vegetative filter strips in riparian
(streambank) areas, constructed wetlands,
detention basins, nutrient management,
integrated pest management, and conservation
tillage have all contributed to reduced loadings
of sediment into waterbodies. Load reductions
have been measured in projects in Washington,
.Michigan, Minnesota, Maryland, New York,
California, Ohio, South Dakota, and*other states.

> Partnerships. Section 319 projects have also
proved to be a catalyst for other groups and
projects. A habitat restoration project in Pike
Run Watershed, Pennsylvania, is a good
example of this "multiplier effect." A new
"Farmland Habitat Project" modeled after the
Pike Run project will be implemented on an
even larger scale by nine neighboring
watersheds with a generous monetary award
from a California Foundation. Other projects
with outstanding partnership efforts are located
in Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, South Dakota,
Arkansas, Missouri, and other states.   .  ,

>• New enforceable authorities. Section 319
of the Clean Water Act provides that states
include both nonregulatory and regulatory
programs to achieve nonpoint source controls.
While most states place a priority on promoting
nonpoint source controls through voluntary
approaches such as financial assistance,
technical assistance, and training, many states
supplement or back up these approaches with
enforceable authorities. These authorities range
from specific prescription of practices (e.g.,  to
control animal manure or to reduce erosion in
urban developments) to more general back-up
authorities that .enable a state to order
abatement of specific activities that are
causing, contributing to, or threatening to
create water quality problems. This volume
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      provides examples of some new state enforce-
      able policies and mechanisms established in
Kl   Vermont. North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky,
|i|   Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

      For more information
           The stories in this document are
      "thumbnail" sketches, nontechnical reviews that
reflect only a small portion of each project's
larger purposes. For further information, please
call the state or local-contact listed at the end
of the story you wish to know more about. You
may also contact EPA Headquarters Nonpoint
Source Control Branch, Washington., DC 20460,
at (202) 260-7100. You can also find us on the
Internet: www.epa.gov/owow/NPS.
                                                            SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $62,433

             S Agriculture: $1,338,156

             H Urban Runpff: $0

             E3 Silviculture: $20,286

             DID Construction: $Q

             E Resource Extraction: $0

             • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             H Hydrologic Modification: $0

             D Other: $640,680
                Conserving Alabama's Lakes and Rivers —
       The Sand Mountain/Lake Guntersville Watershed Project
     The Sand Mountain/Lake Guntersville
     Watershed Project, one of the first major
     nonpoint source projects in the
southeastern United States, encompasses four
hydrologic units that drain to Guntersville
Reservoir, a mainstem reservoir on the  '•
Tennessee River in northeastern Alabama. The
400,800-acre watershed has a predominantly
rural landscape;  it is characterized by small
towns and farms (45 to 50 acres), The local .
economy is driven by agriculture and
agribusiness, and is strongly influenced by
poultry and livestock production,
     Water quality problems in the watershed,
first noted in the 1979 State Agricultural Runoff
Management Plan, were underscored in 1981,
when Town Creek, one of the area's principal
streams, was rated as a critical watershed:
having a high potential for pollution. In 1985,
the entire watershed, consisting of the Town,
Short, Scarham, and South Sauty Creeks, was
designated a top priority watershed.
     In response;'the Soil Conservation
Service, now the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), and local soil and
water conservation districts developed a water
quality plan. This plan outlined the sources and
nature of water quality impairments in the
watershed and suggested some remedies.
Nutrients, bacteria, and sediment were among
the primary problems, and they had diffuse and
multiple sources: for example, animal waste
disposal,, on-site sewage disposal, dead animal
disposal, household wastewater, and cropland
runoff.    _               . -             .
     A large number of federal, state, and local
agencies helped the NRCS put the water quality
plan into action. Best management practices
were recommended, and technical and financial
assistance encouraged many landowners to use
best management practices as part of. their
routine. A large-scale cooperative effort had
begun.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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        Fishery is improving
             The Sand Mountain/Lake Guntersville
        Watershed Conservancy District was
        established in 1989 and a project coordinator
        position was created to better manage the
        project. Funding for BMP demonstrations and
        water quality monitoring was provided to this
        new entity through section 319. However, the
        installation of best management practices
        continued to be cost-shared between
        landowners and various agencies or programs,
        such as Agricultural Conservation Program,
        Water Quality Special Projects, and Hydrologic
        Unit Area.
            Significant changes in the status of water
        quality have been observed in the project area
        as a result of these cooperative and ongoing
        programs: fewer violations of annual in-stream
       water quality standards, a more balanced pH,
       and reduced nitrogen  inputs. The Alabama
        Department of Environmental Management
       receives fewer complaints, the fishery is
       improving in at least one of the major streams
       in the watershed, and  pollutant loadings have
       fallen as a result of better animal waste
       management and nutrient management
 planning. An annual volunteer monitoring
 contest for high school students in the
 watershed has increased involvement and  '
 awareness in water quality. More important, the
 cooperation fostered by and coordinated
 through the Conservancy District has improved
 relationships among the participants.
           Pollutant loadings have
      decreased in the project area as
      a result of these cooperative and
             ongoing programs.
      The Conservancy District is currently
 planning for sustainability and future growth.
 As the project progresses, new stakeholders
 become involved and additional problems are
 brought forward for solution. The ultimate goal
.is to provide for ongoing community
 involvement in the project area.

                       CONTACT: Steve Foster
 Alabama Department of Environmental Management
                                334213-4309
                          Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring —
                                  The Alabama Water Watch
            Scores of citizen groups interested in the
            conservation of lakes and streams have
            sprung up in Alabama in recent years.
       Such groups include lakefront home owner/boat
       owner associations, environmental clubs of
       high schools and universities, canoe or kayak
       clubs, and other statewide and national
       environmental organizations. Their motives
       range from pride and concern for a local
       resource to anger over unchecked pollution.
       The Alabama Water Watch Program (AWW), a
       statewide coalition of monitoring groups
       incorporated in 1995 to train and coordinate
       active monitoring groups in various Alabama
       watersheds, exemplifies this public interest:
           Dedicated to developing  citizen volunteer
       monitoring of Alabama's lakes, streams, and
       wetlands, AWW is funded,  in part, by a Clean
Water Act section 319 grant from U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 and
the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management. It is coordinated through the •
Department of Fisheries and Allied
Aquacultures of Auburn University. The goals of
the Alabama Water Watch Program are to
   • educate citizens about water issues in
    Alabama and the world,
   • train volunteers to measure the condition
    of water at sites of concern, and
   • improve environmental policy by
    challenging citizens to actively participate
    in identifying long-term water quality
    trends and specific problems that need
    immediate attention.
8
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I

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     AWW helps its members become
"globally aware and locally active" in aquatic
resource management. AWW is also a
grassroots program; each participating citizen
group has the privilege and responsibility to
plan its own agenda and use of data. Finally,
AWW is holistic in its approach. Water, AWW's
adherents say, is. the "grand  integrator" of all
that occurs within a watershed, and citizens
need to be .involved in the ecological,
sociocultural, and political aspects of land and
water use.          .'.-._

Training citizen monitors
     AWW conducts basic certification
workshops in which citizens are trained to
monitor and evaluate physical, chemical, and
biological water quality indicators. Six water
quality parameters form the core of water  -
quality data: water temperature, pH, total
alkalinity, total hardness, dissolved oxygen, and
turbidity. The training workshop shows each
monitor how to use a custpmized kit to collect
the chemical data.
      BIO-ASSESS,-an environmental game
developed at Auburn University, helps the
trainees prepare to do biological assessments.
They also learn  through field collection and
evaluations of stream macroinvertebrate
communities. About 30 to 50 percent of the
workshop time  (each workshop is six hours) is
spent in the field so that the monitors can
begin with hands-on monitoring experience.    .
Then, each participant selects one or more
sampling sites near home. The sites should be
convenient, accessible (physically and legally),
and safe.
      The most important aspect of a citizen
monitoring program is to protect the credibility
of the  data through an effective Quality
Assurance (QA) Program. EPA and Alabama's
Department of Environmental Management
approved a Quality Assurance/Quality Control
manual for statewide citizen volunteer water
quality data in September 1994. One of the first
citizen-based QA protocols  in the United
States, this manual addresses 16 elements of
data collection  and processing. It has also been
used as a tool for the annual recertification of
monitors and in the development of the test
kits. A fujl-time quality officer coordinates the
database and all QA protocols,
     By December 1995, about 950 people had
attended basic certification'workshops to
become, water quality monitors. About 160
water quality test kits were distributed and
several others had been purchased by citizen
groups or other organizations. Since the
program started in 1993, 52 citizen groups have
participated in the Alabama Water Watch, and
41 groups have sent in data within the last six
months. About 35 percent of these groups are
teachers and students.
       The potential for AWW citizen
       groups to create an integrated
      and in-depth database on water
       quality greatly exceeds that of
            government agencies
             and universities.
      Over 180 sites, on nearly 100 waterbodies
have been.monitored. More than 1,500 data
forms have been received from the'lO major
watersheds in Alabama. Even more, important,
all data have been entered  into a computer
database. The data are then summarized,
graphed, interpreted, and presented to the
monitors, policymakers, and other interested
citizens through two avenues: the semiannual
Alabama Water Watcfi newsletter (published by
Troy State University with funds from the EPA
and the state) and a bimonthly Water Quality
Bulletin (published by Auburn University).

Ongoing activities, increasing benefits
      AWW monitoring groups are most active
in the northeast quadrant of the state,
especially in the Coosa, Tennessee, and
Tallapoosa watersheds. One of the largest
groups in AWW is the Coosa River Basin
Initiative. Based in Georgia, with monitors in'
both states, this group exemplifies an
important organizing principle: AWW monitors
are oriented to watersheds, not political
boundaries. Ongoing activities will help fortify
the program in the western and central parts of
the state, For example, the citizen group at
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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       Weeks Bay (in the Mobile watershed) has
       recently become very active.
             A series of Training the Trainers
       workshops began in March 1995 that added four
       to six citizen trainers to Alabama's statewide
       roster, An Alabama Water Watch Teacher
       Coordinator joined the staff of Troy State
       University in June  1995, and a volunteer
       Monitor Coordinator joined the Alabama Water
       Watch at Auburn University in January 1996. In'
       addition  to financial support from section 319'
       and state funding, the program has received
       two grants from Legacy, inc., to help pay for the
       annual replacement of chemical reagents in all
       water quality test kits and similar program
       needs. More important, citizen monitors have
       accrued thousands of hours in workshops and
       field sampling, which AWW can use as a
       valuable component in grant proposals for
       cost-share funding.
            The Water Watch program acknowledges
       its debt to previous and ongoing citizen
       monitoring projects around the country. It also
       benefits a variety of programs by sharing its
       concepts and methodologies with other states
       and countries. Indeed, the approach and
       resources of AWW have been implemented  or
       presented for possible implementation in the
       Philippines, Ecuador, and Vietnam.
 International Visitors from several countries
 have visited AWW groups on two occasions to •
 exchange ideas regarding citizen monitoring.
 Such exchanges have kept a true "global to
 local" focus within the AWW program.
     The potential for AWW citizen groups to
 create an integrated and in-depth database on
 water quality greatly exceeds that of
 government agencies and universities. Citizens
 can reach a greater number of sites, Visit or staff
 more trend stations, and sample with greater
 frequency and responsiveness to special
 sampling needs (e.g., pollution spills or storm.
 events). A large pool of citizen data serves as a
 first alert to water quality problems and
troubled waterbodies that need state resources.
To that end, the Department of Environmental
Management supports and applauds the
formation of a Citizen Advisory Council
composed of AWW monitors and citizen
leaders. The Council meets quarterly with the
department to discuss pertinent water issues
and ways of collaboration. .

                 CONTACT: William G. Deutsch
                        "Alabama Water Watch
   .  Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture
                             Auburn University
                                334844-9119
10
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME [(

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                                                             ALnSKn
             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $220,906

             S Agriculture: $0              .

             H Urban Runoff: $56.9,986
             03 Silviculture: $131,141

             11 Construction: $0
             B Resource Extraction: $33,936

             H Stowage and Land Disposal: $58,854
             H Hydrologic Modification: $0

             CD Other: $0     ' "  .   .
               Alaska Piggybacks Environmental Projects —
                  A Manual for Stream Crossings Provides
                          Fish Habitat Improvements
   Improper design and installation of stream
   crossings and other cross-drainage
   structures often results in'two major
 problems. First, they become barriers to the
 free movement of fish; second, they require
 more maintenance than properly installed
 crossings. The problem can be most acute in
' the oil fields on Alaska's North Slope, where
 ice and snow accumulations intensify spring.
 runoff events.
    . -The Alaska Department of Environmental
 Conservation, recognizing the seriousness of
 this problem, began working on its solution in
 the state's 1990 Nonpoint'Source Pollution
 Control Strategy. Specifically, the Department
 asked the Nonpoint Source Oil and Gas
 Working Group, consisting of industry, borough,
 and agency'representatives, to help the state
 determine a course of action.
    . After some deliberation, the working
 group recommended the development and
• publication of consistent design and
 installation standards for culverts, bridges, and
 pipeline crossings on all North Slope fish     .
 streams. A manual containing such standards is
 now available for all resource managers, mining
 operators, and residents of the North Slope..
     As predicted, the manual is used
 whenever new structures are needed and
 routinely to 'ensure that maintenance, either
 regular repairs or 'retrofits of older crossings,
 will adequately reduce pollution and improve
 fish passage.,

 Surveys  demonstrate project
 effectiveness
      This project is a companion task to a
 survey completed by the Alaska Department of
 Fish and Game under the same work plan. Fish
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME H
                                                                                           11

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        and Game surveyed 10 stream crossings and
        verified the success of fish habitat remedial
        actions at five high-priority stream crossings.
               The manual is used whenever
              new structures are needed and
              to ensure that maintenance will
             adequately reduce pollution and
                  improve fish passage.
     The database and conclusions generated
from the survey were intended to support
improvements in the stream crossings manual.
     In turn, the manual has helped reduce the
impact of culverts,  bridges, and cross-drainage
structures on wetlands and water and should
reduce permitting and project review times for
both industry and state agencies.

                 CONTACTS: Steve Willingham
                              Andrew Grant
  Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
                               907 465-5304
12
                                                            SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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                                                         ARIZONA
            319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
            • Cross Cutting HPS Category: $844,850

            S Agriculture: $270,964

            H Urban Runoff: $0

            03 -Silviculture: $0

            fflD Construction: $0

            E Resource Extraction: $0

            • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

            H Hydrologic Modification: $0

            D Other: $0
                 Nonpoint Source Management Zones —
                A New Tool for the Upper Gila Watershed
     The Upper Gila watershed occupies an area
     larger than five eastern -states. With 7,200
     square miles in Arizona, and another
5,000 square miles across the border in New
Mexico, it is a clear example of the usefulness
of organizing smaller nonpoint source
management zones for programs initiated
under section 3.19.
     Land ownership of the Gila management
zone is comprised of 10 percent private,
34 percent Indian Nation, 45 percent federal
and 15 percent state trust lands. The principal
industries are agriculture, ranching, mining,
recreation, and small businesses.. The Upper
Gila River violates water quality standards for ;
turbidity,  heavy metals, fecal cpliform, and
pH level.                   '       . •

It's all in the planning
     The San Carlos/Safford/Duncan Nonpoint
Source Management Zone, on the eastern side
of Arizona, was established in 1993..Led by

SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUMEH
volunteers representing a cross-section of
communities, the advisory group developed a
long-range strategic plan designed specifically
for the watershed to address known nonpoint
source pollution issues such as'salinity,
turbidity, and pesticides in groundwater. The
plan introduces time-tested strategies to
manage nonpoint sources holistically. A
significant component of the plan has been to
form a contract with Arizona State University to
perform an ecological inventory and analysis of
the Gila River. In cooperation with local
.community colleges, the study will focus on
collecting information and incorporating all
known historical data into one document. The '
study is expected to be a benchmark for all
future studies and projects involving this
management zone.

> Historically, throughout the Safford Valley,
high levels of salinity have threatened the
Gila River.The advisory group has introduced a
canal sampling program to monitor this
                                             13

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        problem and to gage the effectiveness of
        current irrigation practices. The-Arizona
        Geological Survey is also helping to profile
        saline deposits in the watershed.

        >• In most places, a  shallow upper aquifer of
        good quality water is Separated from a highly
        saline lower aquifer by a clay aquitard. Where
        the clay is fractured or discontinuous, artisan
        pressure forces saline groundwater into the
        upper aquifer, thereby creating local saline
        conditions.

        >• The advisory group sponsored a
        Farm*A*Syst program developed especially for
        the San Carlos/Safford/Duncan Nonpoint
        Source Management Zone by the University of
        Arizona. The Farm*A*Syst program helps
        farmers and ranchers  evaluate their land-use
        practices as possible sources of nonpoint
        source pollution.

       > Grazing allotments are common within this
        management zone, particularly in an area
       designated as a National Riparian Conservation
       Area, As a best management practice, the
       advisory group has installed fences in this area  ,
       to reduce the impact of livestock on water
       quality.

       > A toolbox of other BMPs for grazing,
       recreation, and sand and gravel operations,
  is being developed for implementation next
  year. Other activities that may contribute
  nonpoint source pollution to the environment
  must also be addressed through best
  management practices.
       The plan focuses on solutions to
           salinity and pesticides in
        groundwater, on Farm*A*Syst
         evaluations to help identify
        nonpoint sources, and on the
      introduction of fencing and other
             agricultural BMPs.
 >• Educational outreach is an important
 aspect of the advisory group's program.
 Methods such as special event displays, a
 speakers' forum, meetings with local special
 interest groups, and multimedia outlets for
 news, updates, and progress reports have been
 developed.

                        CONTACTS: Russ Smith
                                 602207-4509
                                    Mike Hill
                                 602207-4518
       Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
                                    Watershed Protection —
                           Verde Watershed Management Zone
         In central Arizona, the Verde River and its
         tributaries represent 170 miles of flowing
         desert stream. The river is marked with
      marshes, canyons, and woodlands, and travels
      through privately owned lands, national forests,
      canyons, woodlands, and high desert regions. A
      section of the river south of Camp Verde has
      received the distinction as a wild and scenic
      river. Archaeologic ruins dot the river's
      landscape, dating to thousands of years before
      the present, and serve as a constant reminder
      of the river's value to those who came before us.
           The Verde plays an important role for all
      who share its resources. Much of the river
ecosystem provides habitat for endangered
species, such as the bald eagle, peregrine  -
falcon, southwest flycatcher, and the spikedace
fish. The river also shares itself with those who
enjoy swimming, fishing, and boating. Others
depend on the river to irrigate their farmlands.
  •   A variety of historical and existing
land-use practices within the Verde watershed
directly or indirectly threaten the integrity of
the river's riparian ecosystem. Nonpoint source
pollution runoff from overgrazed riparian areas,
agricultural diversions, mining; sand  and gravel
operations, residential and commercial
development, and recreational activities affect
14
                                                             SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 the water quality of the Verde River and its
 tributaries. Impacts from these activities have
 degraded riparian zones and disturbed the
 balance of riparian ecosystems, threatening
 habitats and species survival.
      Yet the watershed's 5.2 million acres  •
 contains some of the most diverse and valuable
 natural and cultural resources in the Southwest.
 The population within the Verde watershed, has
 surpassed a million with no sign of slowing
 down. The central Verde corridor of Sedona,
 Cottonwood, and Prescott is the fastest growing
 area in Arizona. Current land uses within the
 watershed are forestry, grazing, residential and
 commercial development, irrigated agriculture,
 recreation, and mining.

 Watershed protection efforts
      Numerous efforts are underway to protect
 the Verde River and its watershed from further
 degradation. EPA, the Arizona Department of
 Environmental Quality, and other agencies and
 groups are engaged in regulatory and
 nonregulatory activities. Consider, for example,
• trie diversity of agencies and citizen groups and
 the strength of their mutual goals. Since
 recognition of the Verde as a nonpoint source
 management zone in  1993, a plethora of
 programs have become active. For example:

 > The Oak Creek National Monitoring
 Program is in its third year of monitoring Oak
 Creek and in its first year of implementing best
 management practices in the Oak Creek
 Canyon. The principal pollutant to Oak Creek is
 fecal coliform. Recreation, residential      .
 wastewaters, and wildlife have been identified
 by volunteer citizens as the principal sources of
 pollutants.         ;

 >• The U.S. Forest Service, Arizona State
 Parks, Coconino County Environmental Health
 Services, Yavapai County Environmental
 Service, and the Arizona  Department of
 Environmental Quality are developing a
 ' monitoring strategy for the entire length of Oak
 Creek to determine the health of the stream and
 to develop a management strategy for
 recreational users of the creek.

 >• Recreation Resource Management, Inc.,
 has'installed trash receptacles throughout Oak
 Creek Canyon as a measure to keep litter from
 entering the stream. Homeowners associations
 operate a watchdog network to identify
 recreational vehicles and individuals who
 deposit their toilet loads or wash soiled diapers
 in the creek. The Oak Creek Canyon Property
 Owners Association has developed a grant
 application to study the treatment capabilities
 of the canyon's soils, and the Coconino County
 Environmental  Health Service has implemented
 a sampling regime along popular recreational
1 reaches of the stream to test for fecal and E. coli
 contamination.
        The Verde plays an important
           role for all who share its
         resources. Much of the river
        ecosystem provides habitat for
       endangered species, such as the
        bald eagle, peregrine falcon,
        southwest flycatcher, and the
               spikedace fish.
 >• Slide Rock State Park hosts an average of
 2,000 visitors per day each year. Parking along
 the road allows another 4,000 people access to
 the popular recreation area. The U.S. Forest
 Service and Arizona State Parks have recently
 improved the trail leading to the tourist
 facilities located adjacent to the creek. The
 station was also extensively renovated to make
 it safer and more attrpctive to visitors.

 > Arizona State Parks has published a water
 quality booklet using state park funds, and
 printed in English and Spanish.

 *• Friends of the Forest have been awarded .a
 319 grant to develop an educational program
 for  the Sedona Oak Creek area. The program
 will target school-age children and.tourists
 driving through the canyon.

 >• The Arizona Department of Environmental
 Qualify, working with Coconino County
 Environmental Health Services, Yavapai County
 Environmental Services, and the Oak Creek
 Canyon Property Owners Association, has
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                                                                                 15

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        nearly completed the Oak Creek Septics
        Initiative. This initiative will allow residents
        living within the canyon to repair or replace
        failing septic systems. The property owners
        association has agreed to educate residents
        living along Oak Creek to encourage them to
        take advantage of this program.

        > The Oak Creek Canyon Task Force, a
        volunteer citizens committee of land resource
        managers and special interest advocates (e.g.,
        the Northern Audubon  Society, Keep Sedona
        Beautiful, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce,
        and the World Survivalist Foundation), is
        developing long-term strategies to maintain or
        improve Oak Creek's water quality.

        >• The Arizona Department of Transportation
        has installed over 300 yards of post and cable
        along Route 89A to limit parking access to the
        Creek. More fencing will probably be added.

       X The Verde Watershed Watch is a 319
        program that involves seven high schools
        located throughout the  Verde Watershed. Each
       school has established a sample area
       on the Verde or on a tributary to the Verde to
       measure water quality. The monitors also
       describe the riparian corridor and land uses
       around the sample area. The results are
       displayed during the town of Cottonwood's
       "Verde River Days," so several thousand people
       learn about the quality of the river's health.

       >• Verde Irrigation Diversion Program, also a
       319 program, is guided by a volunteer citizens
       group made up of government and local citizen
       representatives from the watershed. Its purpose
       is to develop and implement irrigation
       diversion structures that will have a minimal
 impact on the Verde River. Local cattle ranchers
 have played a vital role in this program.

 >• Verde Watershed Association, a volunteer
 group created by citizens of the watershed to
 look at water use planning, facilitate
 communication, and build consensus on
 natural resource issues, works primarily to ,
 ensure sufficient flows in the Verde River to
 maintain a healthy river ecosystem, and enough
 water supplies to accommodate realistic levels
 of future development within the Verde River
 basin. The Verde Watershed Association is
 currently undergoing a review of its structure
.and organization in an attempt to better meet
 the needs of the residents of the Verde
 watershed while maintaining the integrity of the
 Verde River.

 > The Verde Cooperative River Basin Study
 was initiated in 1994 at the request of local
 sponsors, the watershed association, and the
 six natural resources conservation districts
 within the Verde watershed. The Natural
 Resources Conservation Service conducted the
 study with the cooperation of EPA, the Arizona
 Department of Environmental Quality, and other
state and federal agencies. Its objective is to
gather all watershed'data into a central
database for general public access through
Verde's Internet home page (www.verde.org).
This database will help citizens understand the
watershed and its natural resources and support
better land use planning'despite pressures from
residential and commercial development,
grazing, sand and gravel operations, and
recreation.

                      CONTACT: Daniel Salzler
      Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
                                 602 207-4007
16
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              •  Cross Cutting NFS Category: $250,000

              S  Agriculture: $1,707,400

              H  Urban Runoff: $0

              EH  Silviculture: $0
              ED  Construction: $0

              E  Resource Extraction: $0
              •  Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H  Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D  Other: $0
                     Cadron Creek Dairies Go Regional —
              A New Approach to Animal Waste Management
      The Cadron Creek Watershed is a
      five-county, rural region in central
      Arkansas with a high concentration of
 poultry and dairy farms. Among its water
' resources, Cadron Creek is widely used for
 recreation, canoeing, and fishing; Brewer Lake
 provides drinking water to the cities of
 Morrilton and Conway. Other land uses in the
 project area include forestry (41 percent),
 grasslands (52 percent), and croplands
 (6 percent).     •

 Project goals and methodology
      All waters within the watershed are
 threatened by bacteria and nutrients from
 confined animal operations; at least 20 stream
 miles do not meet their designated uses, and it
 is likely that most small streams in the
 watershed do not meet the standard for contact
. recreation. To restore the watershed, the Van
 Buren County Conservation District used
 section 319 funds to begin an animal waste
management demonstration project in the five
counties: Van Buren, White, Cleburne, Conway,
and Faulkner.
     The district used the grant to purchase,
demonstrate, operate, and maintain a portable
land application system for liquid animal waste.
The system collects and land applies liquid
waste from 30 to 40 dairies to reduce water
pollution and return nutrients to pastures and
fields in the watershed. Monitoring on East and
West Ward Creek and the establishment of
on-farm waste management systems are other
key elements of the project to protect the
watershed's streams, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands,
and groundwater.

Early results
     Early results indicate some initial
progress toward solving the problem.-With only
slight incentive, farmers are voluntarily applying
best management practices (BMPs) to their
operations, among them:
    • dead poultry composting,
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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 X
 j
    • nutrient management planning,
    • pasture management,-
    • proper grazing use,
    • waste management systems, and
    • waste management ponds.
      The cooperation of so many helps make
 the communitywide system affordable and
 ensures its operation according to state
 approved methods.
      The project also functions as an
 educational tool; it shows farmers how to use
 dairy waste to return valuable nutrients to their
 pastures..and it addresses a sensitive public
 and regulatory issue, namely, the importance of
 using locally driven initiatives to protect local
 concerns (e.g., water quality). The Van Buren
 County Conservation Commission, working as a
 grassroots agency between the Arkansas
 Department of Pollution Control and  Ecology
 and the community, helps solve resource
 problems. Thus,  the project solidifies a viable
 working partnership between the producers and
 federal, state, and local agencies, including the
 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

 Restoring beneficial uses
     Water quality monitoring on the
 tributaries of Ward Creek before and after
 installation of the waste systems indicates that
 the system successfully decreases nutrient and
 bacteria loading  to the creek. For example, it
 has reduced the  measure of fecal coliform
 bacteria in the stream by a factor of 10 (from
 100,000 to 10.000 colonies per 100 mL). The
 count is still far higher than the 200 colonies
 per mL considered the maximum level for
 human contact; however, with  continued efforts,
 it should be possible to, restore swimming as a
 beneficial use of this  stream.
     Benthic macroinvertebrate communities
 (aquatic insects)  are another indicator of
watershed health and in-stream conditions.
Species diversity, a standard indicator of
benthic strength, is measured on the Family
Biotic Index (FBI): the lower the FBI, the more
                                                         Reel and Hose, and Big Gun Sprinkler for applying
                                                         liquid manure to, the land.
                                                         Irrigation pump for applying liquid manure to the land.
                                                         This is coupled to the sprinkler system.
                                                        diverse the community. The FBI in the
                                                        monitored stream improved from 5.38 to 4.27;
                                                        the first number indicates the probability of
                                                        substantial organic pollution; the second, the
                                                        .probability of slight organic pollution.
                                                             Project managers recommend that
                                                        appropriate agencies continue to educate dairy
                                                        producers and other citizens about the public
                                                        and private benefits of the BMPs.
                                                             Eric Staggs, District Director for the Van
                                                        Buren County Conservation District recently
                                                        received a U.S. Environmental Protection
                                                        Agency, Region 6, Environmental Excellence
                                                        Award for his contributions to this project.

                                                                               CONTACT: Bob Morgan
                                                          Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission
                                                                                         501 682-3954
18
                                                        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                     Moore's Creek and Beatty Branch —
       A Subwatershed in the Muddy Fork Hydrologic Unit Area
     The Muddy Fork Hydrologic Unit Area
     Project, in the Arkansas River basin,
     encompasses 47,122 acres, the tributaries
of the Illinois River and Lakes Lincoln, Budd
Kidd, and Prairie Grove. The entire area is a
USDA agricultural assistance, technology
transfer, and demonstration project, A section
319 water quality monitoring operation is also
ongoing in the hydrologic unit area, specifically,
in the Moore's Greek and Beatty Branch
subwatershed. Moore's Creek and Beatty
Branch are in the Grand Neosho part of the
Arkansas River basin between the Boston
Mountains and the Springfield Plateau. These
same tributaries form Lincoln Lake, a drinking
water reservoir serving Lincoln, Arkansas. The
319 project monitors these waters to help
establish the usefulness of nutrient-BMPs.     ;

Nutrient enrichment causes problems
     A major source of pollution in the project
area is nutrient enrichment resulting from
confined animal feeding operations and pasture
management. According to the state's 1996
Water Quality Inventory Report, a publication of
the Arkansas Department of Environmental
Protection, water in the Grand Neosho basin   .
only partially supports aquatic life, while land
uses, primarily poultry production and pasture
management, are major sources'of nutrients
and chronic high turbidity.
     Pathogens sampled in the Muddy Fork
Hydrologic Unit Area also exceed acceptable
limits for primary contact recreation
(swimming). This problem was reported:in the
1994 water quality inventory, and it, too, was
•traced to extensive poultry, swine, and dairy
operations in the Moore's Creek basin..
Essentially, all parts of the subwatershed are
impacted by these activities.

Monitoring nutrient practices
     The Muddy Fork project applied nitrogen
and phosphorus management practices
throughout the basin to help control the flow of
nutrients from confined animal feeding
operations. The 319 project began in September
1991, To demonstrate the integrated impact of
the nutrient best management practices on
water quality, five monitoring sites were
established on Moore's Creek and Beatty
Branch. At three sites, monitors collected
biweekly grab samples; at the other two
(downstream)  sites, they collected storm-event
samples in addition to biweekly grabs. All
sampling was conducted in accordance with an
EPA-approved Quality Assurance Plan.
       A major source of pollution in
        the project area is nutrient
         enrichment resulting from
         confined animal feeding
          operations and pasture
              management.
     Areas under BMP implementation were
matched to the monitoring stations. At the
Moore's Creek storm-event station, 24.3 percent
of the land has come under BMPs since the
project began. Since only about half.of the  A
watershed is in pasture, this figure represents ,
about half the available acreage. At the Beatty
Branch storm-event site, 36 percent of the total
land is under BMP protocols, or about
two-thirds of the available pasture.
     The grab samples were analyzed for
nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, total
Kjeldahl nitrogen, orthophosphorus, total
phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, total
suspended solids, fecal coliform, fecal
streptococci, pH,  conductivity, dissolved
oxygen, and temperature. The storm-event
samples were tested for the same parameters
with the exception of pH, conductivity,
dissolved oxygen, and temperature.

Logging interferes
     The project's original design was
threatened after the project began, when the
new owners of High Ocean  Ranch (800 acres of
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                              19

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       Moore's Creek bottomlands) decided to sell
       their timber. Logging began in late 1995, and .
       though it does not affect the Beatty Branch
       basin, logging sites above and below the
       sampling station could have had significant
       effects on the environment and might even
       have masked the results of project activities.
            To accommodate this situation, project
       managers installed an  additional sampling
       station in the Moore's  Creek basin above the
       logging activity. Background data collected at
       this station will help gage the impact of the
       logging operation and  make it possible to
       partition the effects of  the BMPs.

       Major accomplishments
            Monitoring during the first three years of
       the project (1991 to 1994) showed decreasing
       levels of ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen,
       chemical oxygen demand, nitrate, total
       phosphorus, and total  suspended solids. To
       determine whether these levels continue to
       decrease or stabilize at the 1994 post-BMP
 levels, the sampling regime has been extended
 to September 1997.
      The first three monitoring sites
 demonstrated significant improvements in
 water quality indicators — and, with time, the
 chemical oxygen demand also decreased in the
 subbasins. Concentration decreases (of nitrate
 nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and chemical
 oxygen demand) at the automated station sites
 on Moore's Creek and Beatty Branch are as
 follows:
    • Nitrate nitrogen (Nh3-N) declined
      66 percent per year on Moore's Creek;
      54 percent per year on Beatty Branch.

    • Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (NH3-N) declined
     ' 67 percent per year on Moore's Creek;
      54 percent per year on Beatty Branch.

    • Chemical oxygen demand (COD) declined
      44 percent per year on Moore's Creek;
      67 percent per year on Beatty Branch.

                       CONTACT: Bob Morgan
- • Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission
                    1     .        501 682-3954
20
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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              Section 319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for FY 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $3,258,358

              H Agriculture: $ 1,506,760

              H Urban Runoff: $363,984
              ED Silviculture: $207,900

              ID Construction: $0

              D Resource Extraction: $ 162,000
              H Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              El Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D Other: $0       •  .'   .
                                 The BIOS Project —
              Improving Conditions in Agricultural Watersheds
      The Biologically Integrated Orchard System
      (BIOS) project is a community-based
      pollution prevention program that uses
 biological methods to replace chemical farming
 practices..It began in 1993 to help California
 almond growers and other farmers lessen their
 reliance on synthetic pesticides.
      Initiating changes in agricultural
 watersheds depends in part on finding
 management measures that not only use
 natural resources efficiently but also protect
 and enhance the environment. An example of a
 successful management practice is underway in
 the San Joaquin and Sacramento "valleys in
 central California. Individual farmers,
 experimenting with various methods to
 increase production, improve quality, reduce
 costs, and enhance environmental conditions,
 are discovering a cost-cutting alternative to
 synthetic pesticides. The new method grows
'crops efficiently and makes a significant
 contribution to water pollution control.
     Most almond growers have relied on '
organophosphate pesticides, especially
diazinon, to protect their crops. Diazinon,
however, has been identified by state and
federal agencies as a significant pollutant in the
Central Valley's Sacramento, San Joaquin,
Tuolumne, and Merced rivers. As a result, some
chemicals have been taken off the market, and
costs are rising on others. In addition, the
University of California has had data for over a
decade showing that almond production
systems that rely'on biological  control and less
toxic pesticides produce as much quality and
total yield as those using diazinon and other
organophosphates.
     In 1988, two almond growers — Glen
Anderson, whose farm was organic, and his
brother Ron, who farmed conventionally	
decided to find out whether their different
methods produced different yields. Lennie .
Hendricks, a farm adviser with the Merced
County Cooperative Extension, compared the
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                              21

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       two orchards and found little difference in the
       number of rejected almonds. Other growers
       followed the Andersons' example and their
       combined experience provided the basis for
       BIOS.
              Participating growers adopt a
               whole-system management
            approach that in effect provides
            each grower with a new roster of
                   management tools.
            The BIOS project provides the
       information, expertise, and support needed to
       help California almond growers move from
       reliance on pesticides to biological farming
       practices. BIOS was founded in 1993 by the
       Community Alliance with Family Farmers
       Foundation (CAFF), the University of California
       Sustainable Agriculture Research and
       Education Program, and the Merced County
       Cooperative Extension. The U.S. Environmental
       Protection Agency provides funding through its
       Agricultural Initiative Program and a section
       319 partnership with the Central Valley
       Regional Water Quality Control Board.

       How BIOS works
            CAFF recruits farmers into three-year
       projects. Those recruited operate  farms that
       vary in size, soil types, irrigation systems, and
       chemical inputs. Each farmer enrolls 20 to 30
       acres in a regional project, and each project has
       20 to 30 enrollees. Each project is managed by
       a team composed of local farmers, pest control
       advisers, project/farmer organizers, and a
       Cooperative Extension agent. This team
       provides financial incentives and technical
       assistance to help the grower and pest control
       advisor create  a customized farm management
       plan for each BIOS parcel.
            Participating growers adopt a
       whole-system  management approach that in
       effect provides each grower-with a new roster of
       management tools. The approach considers all
       aspects of production: tillage practices;
       nutrient, water, and pest management; and soil
and water issues in the larger landscape. For
example, BIOS uses cover crops, compost, and
other natural fertilizers, to decrease soilborne
pest problems and promote soil health. It uses
biological controls — cover crops, natural
areas, and hedgerows — to provide habitat for '
predators and beneficial insects, and to reduce
or even eliminate plant diseases and pests; and
finally, it relies on  monitoring and observation
to determine when and if a  least harmful •
chemical should be applied.
     BIOS also facilitates the exchange, of
information among farmers, pest control
advisers, and researchers who are developing
these systems in their counties. In the past,
only a few farmers had access to this
information or were willing  to depart from
customary farming methods. Now with
university, government, and industry partners,
BIOS encourages farmers to share both  risk and
information. Participants in a BIOS project
learn through a comprehensive program of field
days, ongoing problem-solving meetings, visits
from the management team, program updates,
field notes, and 'other educational materials.  '.
     BIOS continues to attract additional
partners and new funding sources, including
state and local agencies, USDA agencies,
private and corporate sponsors, foundations,
and the Almond Commodity Board of
California. Its environmental benefits are
significant:
   • To date, 69 almond growers and 20
     walnut growers have about 10,514 acres
     under BIOS-type management.
   • The BIOS soil-building program increases
     the soil's capacity to hold and filter water.
   • Its cultivation of biological pest •
     management alternatives reduces the use
     of herbicides, insecticides, and
     pesticides, and therefore, their occurrence
     in  air and water.
   • Its use of cover crops  and hedgerows
     provides habitats and enhances
     biodiversity.
   • BIOS practices reduce dust and the
     incidence of airborne  organic
     compounds, thereby improving air quality
     in the Central Valley.
22
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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      BIOS projects are established among
 almond growers in Merced,, Stanislaus, Madera,
 and San Joaquin counties,, and among walnut
 growers in Yolo and Solano counties. As word  -
, spreads of their success, other BIOS-style
 projects are being developed by other
 organizations, including projects for prune
 systems, winegrapes, and raisins.

                        CONTACT: Sam Ziegler
 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
                                415744-1990
                   Stream  Restoration in Huichica Creek —
                            Protecting Shrimp Habitat
         Much of the Huichica Creek, California,
         watershed — formerly known for its
         dairies and cattle — is classic Napa
 Valley wine country; and the creek itself, a
 tributary to the Napa Marsh State Wildlife Area
 and San Pablo Bay (about 25  miles north of San
 Francisco), provides habitat for an endangered
 freshwater shrimp.
      Sediment problems, originally caused by
 overgrazing and poor dairy practices and later
 by the grape growers'- hillside tillage practices,
 including vertical tillage, have seriously
 destabilized the creek. As a result, runaway
 down-cutting of the stream channel, collapsing
 streambanks, and increased braiding threaten
 not only the creek but also the shrimp — and
 ultimately the grapes. However, stakeholders  in
 the watershed are using strong leadership,
 dedicated grower interest, and participation
 coupled with technical and financial assistance
 from state and federal agencies to provide a
 solution to these problems.

 A winning situation
      A restoration plan is now being
 implemented with section 319 funds. It uses
 bioengineering techniques and revegetation
 with native plants to stabilize the streambanks;
 in-stream.checks to reduce the stream gradient
 where necessary; and new, lower elevation flood
 terraces to .carry high flows and prevent
, streambank erosion.
     ' Project managers quickly discovered that
 repairing streambanks is only a partial solution.
 Controlling sediments from upland areas is
 critical to protect the work. Mutually acceptable
 solutions to upland sediment control include
 changes in land management practices, among
 them redirecting vertical rows and adding
.cross-slope diversions, terraced planting, runoff
 control through terrace backsloping, and
 planting grass between vineyard rows.
 Agencies, landowners, and managers worked
 together to develop a "Natural Resource
 Protection and Enhancement Plan."
        Sediment problems are less
      threatening when the experience
      and ingenuity of landowners and
      managers are combined with the
       technical abilities and assets of
           government agencies.
      This plan emphasizes land uses that
 benefit the owners economically, even as they
 protect and enhance the watershed's natural
 resources. Sediment problems are less
 threatening when the experience and ingenuity
 of landowners and managers are combined with
 the technical abilities and assets of government
 agencies.
      As sedimentation decreases, the shrimp-
 habitat increases as expected. A more
 surprising spin-off of this project has been the
 value added to the grape harvests. When
 grapevines grow too vigorously, they produce
 too much leaf cover, which can rob the grapes .-.
 of flavor. Planting grass between the rows not
 only helps control erosion, it also reduces the
 leaf cover, thereby enhancing the fruit.

                        CONTACT: Sam Ziegler
 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
                                415744-1990
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((
                                               23

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      n n i
     r
                                                          COLORADO
                3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $248,103

                S Agriculture: $366,777

                H Urban Runoff: $226,500

                EH Silviculture: $0

                U Construction: $0

                D Resource Extraction: $ 168,675

                H Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

                E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0

                D Other: $0
                       The Badger Creek Watershed Project —
                      Improving Fisheries on the Arkansas River
            Badger Creek, a tributary of the Arkansas
            River, is an important spawning stream
            for brown trout. However, this
      approximately 135.000-acre watershed also has
      a history, a reputation, for dumping
      sediment-laden flood waters into the Arkansas
      River, Working together, landowners, local
      governments, special interest groups, and state
      and federal agencies have made progress to
      improve the conditions of the watershed and
      reduce nonpoint source pollution.
           The project's goals are improved water
      quality in the Arkansas River, improved fisheries
      in the creek and river, and protection and
      improvement of the creek's historical
      significance as a brown trout spawning stream.
      To ensure the success of these larger goals, the
      project includes the following objectives:
         • establish flood and sediment controls
           throughout the watershed,
         • stabilize stream channels,
   • improve the vegetation in riparian areas,
     and

   » improve water and land management.

A work in progress

     A section 319 grant gave ranchers the
incentive to install fencing, alternative livestock
watering places, and erosion control structures
on state and private land. The Colorado State
Board of Land Commissioners provided addi-
tional funds to help their leaseholders install
best management practices on state-owned
land. Project-encouraged planned grazing
systems are now in place on 79,788 acres.
     The U.S. Forest Service constructed 124
erosion control dams and installed 344 miles of,
stockwater pipeline, four stockwater tanks, and
8.6 miles of fence to facilitate grazing. The
Forest Service also closed and revegetated 7.9
miles of unneeded roads.       . .
24
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I

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      The Bureau of Land Management
 completed a land exchange for 80 acres of
 important'riparian area, which included the
 primary source of perennial waterflow to
 the creek. With other partners they
 established a riparian grazing
 demonstration area to show land managers
 and owners how varying the number of
 livestock and grazing seasons can improve
 a riparian area.

 Reduction in sediment
      Monitoring results indicate general
 upward trends in characteristics .of
 vegetation, soils, and stream channels in
 areas where management actions have
 changed. Increased vegetative cover and
 species diversity provide shade and protect
 soils, which exhibit increased"
• microorganism activity, more consistent
 temperatures, and greater moisture.
 Willows are growing once more, with
 increasing vigor.
      As controlled
 grazing produces
 more vigorous
 vegetation on the
 streambanks, the
 stream channel
 begins to narrow and
 deepen at the
 monitoring sites.
 The vegetation helps
 to catch sediment
 and litter and build
 up streambanks.
 Sediment transport
 changes are also
 apparent, indicating
 a reduction in
 sediment transport
 per volume of water.
The mouth of Badger Creek as it empties into the Arkansas River.
                     New willow shoots sprouting along upper Badger Creek in the riparian grazing demonstration.


                                                                          CONTACT: Bill McKee
                                                          Colorado Department of Public Health and
                                                                                   Environment
                                        •                                           303692-3583
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                       25

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I
Management Initiatives Along the South Platte River -
   The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
            The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy
            District (based in Loveland, Colorado)
            begins north of the Denver metropolitan
       area and extends more than 1.2 million acres
       along the South Platte River and its tributaries
       to the Colorado-Nebraska border. The alluvial
       aquifer along the South Platte has been
       extensively developed for irrigation, industrial .
       and municipal purposes, and drinking water.
       However, high nitrate levels are presently found
       in wells serving several municipalities. These
       communities have been forced to seek
       alternative drinking water supplies. The
       available alternatives, ranging from reverse
       osmosis treatment plants to participation in a
       regional water supply pipeline, are costly to
       residents.
            In addition to health concerns (in some
       areas, the nitrate level may be as high as 40
       parts per million |ppm] — four times the
       recommended level for drinking water), the
       nitrogen also potentially jeopardizes the
       production of high quality sugar beets and
       malting barley, the district's major cash crops.
       While corn for grain is the largest acreage crop,
       approximately 40,000 acres of sugar beets are
       also grown in the basin, with gross revenues
       exceeding $30 million annually.

       Demonstrating total resource
       management
            Among projects undertaken to protect the
       aquifer and the South Platte River, the Northern
       Colorado Water Conservancy District is
       sponsoring a demonstration of total resource
       management for irrigated cropland. Two small
       farms of 45 and 20 acres, respectively, provide
       area producers an opportunity to evaluate
       whole farm management and the transferability
       of similar management practices to their own
       operations. At the same time, they can assess
       the program's cost-effectiveness because the
       farms have real expenses and income.
            Since a major environmental goal of the
       project is to use best management practices to
       reduce the amount of nitrate-nitrogen in soil
                                        and water, initial phases of the project focused
                                        on nutrient and irrigation management. Later
                                        phases will demonstrate sediment control with
                                        conservation tillage and polyacrylamide use.
                                        Polyacrylamide, also known as PAM, is a soil
                                        additive that acts as a flocculent to consolidate
                                        soil particles suspended in the irrigation water. . .
                                        The consolidated particles drop out of
                                        suspension and stabilize the furrow surface.
                                             Two chapters of the Colorado Young
                                        Farmers Education Association — the
                                        Thompson Valley Young Farmers and the Valley.
                                        Young Farmers — provided the demonstration
                                        farms. Together these Young Farmer chapters
                                        have more than 80 active members farming an
                                        estimated :20,000 irrigated  acres in the project
                                        area. 'Each chapter served as the advisory
                                        committee for operations at its farm site.
                                      Northern Colorado Water
                                        Conservancy District
                                                                    Northern Coloiado Wats?
                                                                     Conservancy District
                                                                       DgflHUisirailoit Site for
                                                                  Irrigation and Nitrogen Management
                                             (above and right)
                                             Signs posted at
                                             demonstration sites.
                                             The agribusiness community near each
                                        farm also made significant contributions; it
                                        provided inputs for crop production, including
                                        seed, agrichemicals, compost,'manure, and
                                        equipment. The young farmer organizations
                                        prepared the ground prior to planting and
                                        provided seed, fertilizer, chemicals, and the
                                        water for irrigation. The District was'responsible
                                        for planning and performing all other field
                                        operations necessary for normal crop
                                        production.
26
                                              SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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Surge irrigation valve and gated pipe set up for surge furrow
irrigation in sugar beet field near Johnson's Corner, Colorado.
     Irrigation practices and results
          All fields were furrow irrigated. The
     control fields were conventionally irrigated,
     while water was applied to the others with
     surge valves and gated pipe. Surge valves pulse
     water across  the field, cycling water back and./
     forth between two alternating sets of furrows,
     using a solar powered controller. The valves  :
     allow the field alternate wetting and drying  .
     cycles during irrigation, which permits more
     uniform application across the field and
     generally improves the efficiency of water use.
     Efficiencies can be expressed as the ratio of
     water needed or used for crop production to the
     volume of water applied to the field. The closer
     the value of crop water use is to the actual
     application, the greater the efficiency.
     Conventional furrow irrigation ranges from 25
     to, 60 percent efficiency; surge irrigation
     efficiencies range from 30 to 80 percent.
          Irrigations were scheduled using the root
     zone water balance  method along with soil
     moisture readings. Average irrigation
     efficiencies for the project are depicted in
     Table 1.
          Groundwater was analyzed for
     nitrate-nitrogen oh the Thompson Valley Farm, .
     using samples from four observation wells: The
     wells were sited so that one" pair represented
     water-entering the site, while the other pair
     represented water leaving the site (Table 2).
Table. 1 .'—Irrigation effieienees on demonstration
farms along the South Platte.
THOMPSON VALLEY YOUNG FARMERS
FIELD, CROP,
IRRIGATION
METHOD
Sugar Beets - surge
Corn 1 - surge
Corn 2 - surge
Corn - conventional
FIELD SIZE
5.7 acres
6.5 acres
5.8 acres
1 8 acres
Irrigation Efficiencies
1995
59% -
52%
48%
31%
1994
36%
33%
34%
N/A
VALLEY YOUNG FARMERS
Corn 1 - surge
Corn 2 - surge
Corn - conventional
5.8 acres
4.8 acres
1 0 acres
' 46%
39%
36%
21-36%'
21-37%'
N/A
Fields were conventionally irrigated during first half of season
at 2 1 % efficiency. Surge valves were used during second half .
of season, increasing efficiencies to 36% and 37%.
Table 2.— Nitrate-nitrogen in groundwater
observation wells, in parts per million (ppm).


1994
1995
GROUNDWATER
ENTERING SITE
low
4.9
9,9
high
23.0
26.7
avg.
13.7
16.6
GROUNDWATER
LEAVING SITE
low
1.9
3.5
high
8.0
8.9
avg.
5,4
6.5
      In addition to the field demonstrations,
 the District also operated a surge valve trial
 program. Cooperating producers had free use of
 a surge valve for one irrigation season, as a way
 of introducing them to the unfamiliar
 technology. District personnel provided
 technical assistance in programming the valve
 and suggesting installation options. Where
 practical, irrigation application efficiencies were
 calculated from measures of the amount of
. water applied and field runoff. Of the 72 valves
 loaned during a three-year period, 60 percent
 were subsequently purchased by the producers.

                          CONTACT: Bill McKee
          Colorado Department of Public Health and
                                   Environment
                                   303692-3583
    SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                 27

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                                                 CONNECtlCUT
               3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting UPS Category: $266,000
               ED Agriculture: $169,000
               a Urban Runoff: $481,500

               E3 Silviculture: $0
               (QD Construction: $99,000

               D Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
               E3 Hydrologic Modification: $53,000
               D Other: $20,000
                        Responding to Urban Development —
                 Communities in the Mattabesset River Watershed
           The Mattabesset River Watershed Pollution
           Management Project, initiated in 1992,
           targets nonpoint source pollution and the
      restoration of riparian areas along the river and
      throughout the watershed. Sponsored jointly by
      the Middlesex and Hartford county soil and
      water conservation districts, the project is
      funded primarily by grants under sections 319
      and 604(b) of the Clean Water Act, with
      nonfederal matching contributions from the
      districts and watershed communities.
           The Mattabesset River is a major tributary
      of the Connecticut River in central Connecticut,
      flowing 18 miles from its headwaters in New
      Britain to its confluence with the Connecticut
      River in Middletown. The watershed's 44,000
      acres are highly urbanized and include portions
      of seven towns. As a result of intense
      development, water quality is impaired, and
      important habitats and riparian areas have
      been  lost. The major project objectives, related
      to these conditions, are to
   • develop a constituency for protection and
     improvement of the river;
   • conduct chemical and biological water
     quality monitoring to establish baseline
     conditions and measure progress;
   • establish critical area treatment sites to
     demonstrate best management practices;
   • develop and implement water quality
     management programs for the
     municipalities in the watershed; and
   • reduce erosion and sedimentation from
     urban development sites.  • ,  .
     To achieve these objectives, the
conservation districts have conducted
stormwater management workshops for
municipal officials and staff in the watershed
communities. The workshops served as a forum
for ideas and provided an opportunity for
municipal staff from neighboring communities
to build working relationships. The districts  -
28
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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Benthic monitoring on the Mattabasett River.
also have provided "one-on-one" technical
training to help municipal staff conduct site
plan reviews and field-based problem solving.
General workshops were conducted for
municipal land use commissioners as part of
regular commission meetings,
     The Connecticut RiverWatch Program,
(CRWP) helps the project identify baseline
conditions and water quality problems in the
Mattabesset River. CRWP, a volunteer water
quality monitoring, protection, and improve-
ment program initiated in 1992, is an integral
part of the watershed project. This ongoing
monitoring program has helped the watershed
project focus its efforts to reduce pollution,
especially sediment, nutrients, and bacteria.

Project milestones
     Project work in the Mattabesset
watershed has focused on remediation and
restoration. BMPs for sediment control'are
incorporated in new developments, municipal
maintenance measures have been expanded to
preserve riparian values and reduce nonpoint
source pollution, and people are becoming
 more involved through education and outreach
 programs.

 K At Progress Park, an industrial park adjacent
 to the Mattabesset in Cromwell, a severely
 eroding site from which the topsoil had been
 stripped prior to development was stabilized. In
 addition, a sediment delta that  had formed at
 the site's discharge point to the river was
 removed, helping to restore the hydrological
 conditions in that stretch of the river.

 >• On West Swamp Brook in Middletown, an
 innovative bioengineering method using
 coconut fiber rolls and live plants was used to
 stabilize and restore a section of streambank
 where loss of riparian vegetation had resulted
 in severe erosion. The newly stabilized banks
 protect property and water quality.

 >• At a public school playing field adjacent to
 Belcher Brook in Berlin, custodians roped off
 a 10-foot-wide strip along the water's edge to
 form a natural vegetative buffer. Previously, the
 playing field was being mowed  right up to the
 streambank.

 >* In Cromwell Meadows, a significant tidal
 marsh in the mouth of the Mattabesset River,
 junk cars and trash we're removed, and cleanup
 activities have continued on an annual basis.

 > The town of Cromwell used bacteria  data
 collected from Coles Brook to help justify a
 sewer expansion project. A brochure about
 septic system maintenance was also distrib-
 uted to help residents deal with this problem.

      Street sweeping and catch basin pumping
 also have decreased sediment and nutrient
.pollution, and district staff are helping the
 towns' public works departments develop
 pollution prevention plans for town garages'
 and  parking lots.                     ,
      The Mattabesset watershed project has
 improved the quality of the Mattabesset River
 and  its tributaries. It also has been successful
 at encouraging behavior changes that may  .
 ultimately stem the tide of nonpoint source
 pollution. Degraded areas have been
 restored and pollution controls designed and
 implemented for the new development
 projects. -'.'•.'
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME [[
                                               29

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           Town staff and land use commissioners,
      developers, and contractors are more aware of
      best management practices to control nonpoint
      source pollution and are beginning to adopt
      these best management practices as standard
      practices. Most promising of all — town staff,
      developers, and contractors have developed
      stronger working relationships, spurred by a
      clearer understanding of the necessity for
      nonpoint source pollution controls. In sum, the
      project has led to increased communication
      and cooperation among the watershed towns.
     Project managers view the new, grassroots .
Mattabesset River Watershed Association as an
important measure of their success. Citizens
from the watershed communities have formally
established this organization as a
community-based group. The project believes
that this new group will maintain its vision of a
restored watershed, advocate for its support,
and provide services to ensure the long-term
protection of the river and its watershed.

                          CONTACT: MeJ Cote
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1
                                617565-3537
                                Lake Whitney Artificial Marsh
                                      Treats Urban Runoff
            Lake Whitney, in Hamden, Connecticut
            (about three miles north of New Haven
            Harbor and Long Island Sound) is a
      public water supply reservoir owned by the
      South Central Connecticut Regional Water
      Authority. The lower portion of the watershed is
      heavily developed; approximately 70 percent of
      land use is for commercial, industrial, or
      high-density residential development. Because
      of the large amount of impervious surface, the
      watershed used section 319 funding to
      demonstrate how constructed, multicelled
      wetlands (or artificial marshes) can reduce the
      impacts of urban runoff.

      Describing the new system
            The South Central Connecticut Regional
      Water Authority's design called for redirecting a
      stormwater outfall draining about 20 acres of
      primarily small residential lots (with 45 percent
      impervious cover) into a new multicell
      treatment system. The new system consists of a
      sediment forebay, a sediment basin, and an
      artificial marsh and wet pond. The cost was
      reasonable (less than $50,000) and the system
      was compact, covering only about a half-acre or
      2.6 percent of the contributing drainage area.
            Multi-celled systems have many
      advantages. The sediment forebay effectively
      traps coarse sediments and trash, is easy to
      clean, and preserves system storage volumes.
      Subsequent treatment stages are easily
accommodated in the other cells, including
further sediment removal in the sediment
basin, and biological treatment, filtration/and
other pollutant removal mechanisms in the
marsh and wet pond cell. Long, narrow shapes
were used in both the sediment basin and wet
pond to maximize detention time and pollutant
removal, The system is visually attractive,
provides habitat for wildlife, and effectively
removes a variety of pollutants from urban
runoff.                  .     .    '   .
     Monitoring of the system indicates that
while the sediment basin has variable removal
rates, the combined sediment basin and wet
pond removes conventional pollutants and
heavy metals in excess of 50 percent. Minimal
maintenance is needed, and with the exception
of some nuisance wildlife problems, no serious
functional problems have arisen.
     Although better water quality is the
primary objective, multicell systems with
artificial marshes and wet ponds are also
visually attractive and valuable habitat for
wildlife. Additional benefits include the
simplicity of their design and low maintenance
requirements. Publicity generated by the  Lake
Whitney project has increased awareness of
urban runoff issues within local government as
attested by several recent land-use decisions
within the watershed. For example, a 30-acre
shopping center has been approved, at least in
part because its developers included plans for a
30
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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                                                         (left) Lake Whitney Marsh in August 1995
                                                         (below) in Summer 1996
comprehensive stormwater '
management system designed to
minimize adverse impacts to water
quality.

Planning a stormwater
management system
     This project identified a
number of issues that should be
considered during the planning,
design, construction, and operation
of multicelled stormwater management systems:

> Incorporate multicell concepts in the
treatment design, with each cell-having its own
primary function. Sediment forebays are
effective; preserve system storage volumes, and
simplify maintenance. Subsequent stages can
be designed to serve many physical and
biological treatment needs.  ..

>•' Consider water quality goals, the quality of
incoming runoff, available land, and costs
during the design phase. The,detention volume
should be sufficient to treat .at least one-half
inch of runoff over the.impervious areas;
however, additional volume and
by-pass/overflow provisions may be desirable
for winter thaw and rain storms that can
overwhelm a system of this size.           -

>• Increase the potential for pollutant
removal bymaximizing overland flow and
buffering vegetation. When using buffers to
detain flow, flows should be distributed across
the buffers as.evenly as possible.
> Enhance visual attractiveness by using
curvilinear pond shapes, peninsulas, and
wetland.and flowering plants; by substituting
vegetation for riprap; and by retaining existing
trees where practicable.

> Consider in advance possible nuisance
wildlife that could damage vegetation and
affect the appearance, structural integrity, and
function of the system. At Lake Whitney, for
example, the project was plagued by muskrat
burrows and Canada geese droppings.
Three-to-one side slopes, wire mesh barriers,
riprap in certain areas, winter drawdown, and
trapping, grates, and screens over outlet pipes
are'possible countermeasures. Selecting less
palatable plant species may also discourage
nuisance wildlife.

> Design to facilitate maintenance. Ramps
allow heavy equipment access to sediment
removal areas.:        ...          ,
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                                                                31

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       >• Design inflow and outflow structures with
       adjustable water levels and flows. Removable
       weir boards can be used to adjust water levels
       or temporarily bypass flows. A high-flow bypass
       serves as an emergency spillway and can be
       used to lower water levels for maintenance.

       >• Project managers should communicate
       with local officials early in the planning
       process to facilitate local zoning approval. A
       stormwater management project may be a new
       concept to local boards or may not fit existing
       land-use regulations. In some cases, amending
       local regulations may be necessary to expedite
       the process.

       >• Reuse stripped topsoil on basin side
       slopes and bottoms. In some places, it may be
       necessary to place topsoil over excessively
       stony or gravel bottoms to ensure successful
       wetland planting.
 > Establish a permanent inspection and
 maintenance program to monitor system
 performance and vegetative cover and
 plantings. Maintenance and landscaping crews
 should be educated about how each
 component functions and how to maintain it;
 for example, these personnel should be
, instructed on whether vegetation should be
 mowed, removed, or left undisturbed. Crews
 should also check system structures for erosion
 and subsidence, and look for wildlife damage,
 sediment and debris accumulation, and
 vandalism. Sediment forebays should be
 cleaned every two to three years, although local
 conditions, such as excessive soil disturbance,
 may require more frequent cleaning.

                           CONTACT: Mel Cote
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1
                                 617565-3537
32
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $322,331

             S Agriculture: $213,246

             H Urban Runoff: $0

             §3 Silviculture: $0

             W Construction: $0

             E Resource Extraction: $0

             • Stowage and Land Disposal: $41,7QO

             H Hydrologic Modification: $ 164,905

             D Other: $37,309
                         In the Christina River Basin —
                Delaware and Pennsylvania Work Together
A       watershed program shared by Delaware
       and Pennsylvania establishes a
       common goal to preserve the beneficial
uses of Christina River basin waters.
     The basin's streams begin in Pennsylvania
and Maryland and flow through the hills of
northern New Castle County, Delaware, to the
Delaware River. The four major streams,
Brandywine Creek, White Clay Creek, Red Clay
Creek, and the Christina River, currently have
impaired water quality with higher than normal
levels of sediment and bacteria. Nitrogen and
phosphorus levels exceed acceptable limits
during the summer, and when stream flows are
low in the fall. These conditions threaten the
public drinking water supply for northern New
Castle County.
     For years, Delaware and Pennsylvania had
different views on how to solve the basin's
problems. The major differences involved water
quality standards, perceptions of uniqueness,
forms of government, and equal representation.

SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
Delaware regards the Christina Basin as a
drinking water source and requires a higher
degree of protection than Pennsylvania. In
Pennsylvania, the Christina River is used for
wastewater assimilation and water supply
purposes.
     Finally, the Delaware River Basin
Commission (DRBC) established a committee
with representatives from both states. The
bistate Christina River Basin Water Sources
Committee, chaired by DRBC, is made up of
district, county, state, and federal agencies. Its
principal purpose is to coordinate the water
quality management policies of Pennsylvania
and Delaware within the watershed.
     After collecting watershed data from both
states, the committee found that soil and
geology maps differ across state lines. These
inconsistencies point to the need for interstate
consultation and a watershed-based approach
to water problems.
                                              33

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      Differences in water quality standards and
 government may be at the root of the problem.
 Delaware is made up of a small number of
 county governments, which permits easier
 administration of stormwater quality standards.
 But in Pennsylvania's portion of the basin, over
 40 different jurisdictions have each imple-.
 mented a different stormwater quality program.
      The Christina Basin Water Resources
 Committee is now developing a unified strategy
 for improving the quality of streams that supply
 drinking water to residents on both sides of the
 Mason-Dixon line. The five-year cooperative
 effort will address point and nonpoint source
 pollution, beginning with monitoring and
 identifying various sources and types of
 pollutants.
      Using a Total Maximum Daily Load
 approach will help control wastewater
 discharges and provide the foundation for
 developing  a water quality management model
of the watershed. Once this step is taken, an
assessment and identification of nonpoint
sources, such as sediment, road oils, fertilizers,
and metals, will be incorporated into the
model. Both Delaware and Pennsylvania will
use the watershed model to develop projects to
control stormwater runoff and reduce water
quality impacts to the receiving streams.
     The plans, which extend through
       2000, include bioengineering
          and riparian restoration
      demonstration projects, public
         awareness programs, and
      stormwater detention retrofits.
                     CONTACT: Nancy Goggin
    Delaware Department of Natural Resources and
             •           Environmental Control
                                302739-3451
                                                      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((

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                  DISTRICT  OFIOQLiU
            319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
            • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $0

            S Agriculture: $0

            B Urban Runoff: $525,665

            E3 Silviculture: $0

            HI Construction: $0

            E Resource Extraction: $0

            • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

            S Hydrologic Modification: $0

            D Other: $0
                           Reviving the Anacostia —
                    Freshwater Tidal Marsh Restoration
     The decline of the Anacostia River, one of
     the nation's most threatened rivers,Is a
     familiar tale. To make way for urban
growth, its freshwater tidal marshes were filled,
its meanders straightened, and its banks diked
and walled. Eventually the watershed was
paved and piped, leaving the river vulnerable to
high nutrient inputs from combined sewer
outfalls and excessive sedimentation from
eroding streamban.ks.
     Historically, expansive tidal freshwater
marshes had helped buffer the river from the
urban' environment, but population pressures
soon overcame the wetlands' natural ability to
process and trap excessive nutrients and sedi- ,
ments. Dredging operations to deepen the river
channel ajid the threat of illness from sewage in
the marshes led to the diking and filling of most
of the Anacostia's unique wetlands.
     The Kenilworth Marsh, which is
connected to the Anacostia  River in northeast
Washington, D.C., is one of the last unfilled

SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
marshes in an area that once was dominated by
tidal wetlands.,This marsh, and the surrounding
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, is managed by the
U.S. National Park Service, which is now in the
process of restoring it. The goal is to restore a
portion of the emergent tidal wetlands that
once characterized the Anacostia River.
     The National  Park Service sees the
Kenilworth's restoration as one in a series of
steps to save the Anacostia from high nutrient .
and sediment loadings, while simultaneously
expanding the habitat of native species — a  .
function of the marshes that all but
disappeared during the last century.
     Opportunity to begin the Kenilworth
Marsh restoration coincided with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers' mandated dredging of the
Anacostia River. A lack of suitable upland .
disposal sites and the National Park Service's
longstanding intention to restore the marsh
lead to a proposal for an innovative use of the
dredge material. The subsequent filling of the
                                            35

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       Aerial view of the Kenilworth Marsh.
       marsh mud fiats with the dredged river material
       created favorable conditions for emergent  .
       macrophyte growth. The project had begun.
             Preliminary tests were conducted with
       cells of different macrophyte species grown
       under varying degrees of tidal inundation.
       These tests determined that substrate elevation
       and resulting tidal inundation were the limiting
       factors in emergent vegetative growth.

       A partnership of many agencies
             The Kenilworth project involved several
       federal and local agencies. The Army Corps of
       Engineers did the primary construction work
       with the National Park Service as the lead
       agency for planning and coordination. The
       District of Columbia's Water Resource
       Management Division, the Metropolitan
       Washington Council of Governments, and the
       interstate Commission on the Potomac River
       Basin were among the local agencies consulted.
       The Army Corps of Engineers provided the
       funds to construct the marsh.
            The reconstruction and revegetation of
       Kenilworth was completed in July 1993. The
 Kenilworth Marsh Monitoring Committee, a
 workgroup and advisory committee, then
 planned and initiated a detailed physical,
 chemical, and biological monitoring program to
 track the development of the new marsh.
      The District of Columbia uses a 319 grant
 to monitor the restored marsh. Its findings
 contribute to the compilation of an overall
 database on the evolving, essentially new,
 wetland ecosystem. The aquatic biological
 monitoring design used by the District can also
 be used to gather baseline data on areas
 targeted for future wetlands restoration.
      The first season after the replanting saw a
 dense greening of the major areas. The seed
 bank in the fill sediments contributed greatly to
 this rapid growth, and even eliminated the   •
 planted species in some areas. Growth in the
 remaining barren areas occurred in the second
 year of the project.
      Studies of the surface sediment found the
 sediments clean after the filling and planting
 operations. Nutrient studies and surveys of
 birds and various aquatic communities, for
 example, fish, plankton, benthic, and
 m'acroinvertebrate communities, are ongoing,
 multiyear efforts. Monitoring the restored
 Kenilworth Marsh is expected to be a five-year
 process that will afford valuable insights into
 the early successional stages of large-scale   ,
 wetland reconstructions.
      Findings from the Kenilworth Marsh will
 help other partnerships develop successful
 wetland restoration projects on the Anacostia
 River. At this time, several such projects are in
 the planning and implementation stages. These
 new restoration projects have already benefited
 from the Kenilworth data, and it is believed that
the Kenilworth experience will lead to more
accurate and less costly restorations.

                     CONTACT: Sheila A. Besse
   District of Columbia Department of Consumer and
                             Regulatory Affairs
                                 202645-6601
36
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             • Cross Cutting HPS Category: $ 1,484,583

             S Agriculture: $693,118

             H Urban Runoff: $1,477,299

             E3 Silviculture: $0

             HE] Construction: $0

             E Resource Extraction: $0

             • Stowage and Land Disposal: $20,000

             H Hydrologic Modification: $225,000

             D Other: $0
                       Renaissance for Lake Jackson -
                         An Outstanding Florida Water
     Lake Jackson in northcentral Leon County,
     Florida, became known for its bass
     fishing in the late' 1950s and was held in
high esteem until the early 1970s when rapid
urbanization of its watershed resulted in
dramatic changes to the lake: The lake is a
relatively closed, system with no outlets other
than several sinkholes. In fact, its renown   .
followed a natural drawdown after the collapse .
of a solution sinkhole.
     In addition to the stress of residential
and other urban development, a major federal
highway, Interstate I-10, was built through
the Megginnis and Fords Arms subbasins in
1972. Above average rainfall during the
highway's construction, coupled with  .
inadequate sediment controls, created a
large turbidity plume over the southern third
of the lake. Subsequent efforts to protect the
lake turned Megginnis and Fords Arms into
sediment traps.
A clean lakes remedy
     Many studies conducted between 1974
and 1976 indicated widespread problems,  •
including increased sediment, nutrient loading,
•and contamination of the bottom sediments by
heavy metals and other pollutants. The
Northwest Florida Water Management District
compiled and evaluated this research in a 1977
report. The report concluded that, storm water
runoff was the primary cause of Lake Jackson's
water quality degradation. It recommended that
nutrient and sediment loads to the lake be
reduced.
     In 1981, a partnership-was established
between the Florida Department of
Environmental Regulation, the Northwest
Florida Water Management District, and, EPA.,
Using a section 314 Clean Lakes program grant,
the partners built a detention pond, sand filter,
and marsh system to reduce the flow of
stormwater pollutants through Megginnis Arm.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME H

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            This system, completed in 1984, was
       studied extensively for the next four years and
       eventually refined for optimal performance..No
       matter how efficiently the system operated, it
       was still undersized in relation to development
       within the watershed. Stormwater loadings .were.
       substantially reduced, but the lake and
       Megginnis Arm continued to deteriorate.

       Removing sediment
            In 1990, the Florida Department of
       Environmental  Regulation committed section
       319 funding to the Northwest Florida Water
       Management District to remove the
       troublesome sediments from Megginnis Arm.
       Analyses indicated that the sediments were well
       within the limits for land application.
            The project broke ground October 11,
       1990. The first tasks centered on the
       establishment of sediment controls and site
       barricades. Favorable weather and minimal
       equipment problems enabled rapid
       construction of the disposal area and a
  sheetpile dam to isolate Megginnis Arm from
  the main body of Lake Jackson.
       Dredging started on Decembers, 1990.
  Low water levels facilitated progress until they
  were too low to support the dredge.
  Groundwater provided by the city of Tallahassee,
  was then used to augment the pool;
       Concerned that the dredge slurry could
  not be effectively controlled in the disposal
  area, the project used a section of an adjacent
.constructed marsh as a polishing pond. To
  counter unusually heavy rains from January to
  March 1991, hay bales were placed between
  sections of the marsh to protect the main area,
 while increased alum treatments helped control
 turbidity.
       Dredging in Megginnis Arm was
 completed by July 1991, followed by
 reconditioning of the marsh area, removal of
 the sheetpile dam,.and consolidation of the
 disposal area. Remaining details such as
 grading and landscaping the containment area
 were completed by May 1992. All told, the
 project removed more than  100,000 cubic yards
 of contaminated sediment from Megginnis Arm.

 Streambank stabilization
      Following the dredging project, workers
 (again using section 319 funds) helped  remove '
 exotic or nuisance vegetation (primarily
 Chinese  tallow and alligator weed) from the
 littoral area of Megginnis Arm 'and began to
 reestablish native species. The project originally
 called for planting 150,000 herbaceous wetland
 plants and 200 woody plants on 44 acres of the
 littoral zone. However, these plans were
 substantially revised because water levels
 remained unusually high and wild seed stock   -
 quickly stabilized the area. Ultimately, 40,000
 herbaceous wetland plants and 700 trees were
 planted in Megginnis Arm to enhance the
 basin's natural biological communities..

Effects  on water quality
      In general, sampling analyses indicate
poorer water quality at the inflows to the lake
(i.e., at Megginnis and Fords Arms) and  better
water quality in more open areas. Data trends
from the  northernmost part of Megginnis Arm
show that the project to remove nonpoint
source pollution from the watershed is
38
                                                              SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME !l

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Table 1.- Water quality measures in Lake Jackson, 1970 to 1990.
PERIOD
Early 1 970s
Late 1970s
Early 1 980s
Mid 1 980s
Early 1 990s
Mid 1990s
Average
NO3-N02
mg/L
.054
.087
.035
.038
.010
.008
.039
TN
mg/L
	
.882
.559
.427
.605
.670
.629
NO3-N02 = nitrate-nitrite
TN = total nitrogen
Orth. P. = orthophosphorus
Orth. P.
mg/L
.015
.046
.048
.012
.042
.005
.028
TP
mg/L
.394
.464
.131
.055
.073
.037
.192
Chi a
ng/L
— -
16.10
26.40
22.97
12.54
	
19.50
TP = total phosphorus
Chi. a = chlorophyl a
Cond.
(jmho/em
61
87
82
127
67 -
55
80
Turbidity
NTU
55.07
14.10
21.91
9.48
5.70
— -
	

Sfc. DO
mg/L
5.81
9.64
10.10 .
8.47
6.55
9.10
8.30
Cond. = conductivity
Sfc. DO = surface dissolved oxygen
achieving success. The values shown in Table 1
are means for the various periods.
     Nitrate-nitrite, orthophosphorus, total
phosphorus, turbidity, conductivity and
chlorophyl a are at their lowest levels in over 20
years. Dissolved oxygen concentrations at the
surface are near all-time highs and, even more
important, were above 8 milligrams per liter at
mid-depth and bottom during sampling in April
and July 1996.
     The Lake Jackson project exemplifies
section 319's contribution to successful
nonpoint source management. This program
financed the restoration of impaired areas and
provided for better management of Lake
Jackson in the future. The lake has been
designated an "Outstanding Florida Water" and
is included in the state's aquatic preserve
program. Consequently, it will continue to merit
attention, protection, and restoration. The
partnerships formed on behalf of Lake Jackson
will continue to achieve remarkable results.

                     CONTACT: Eric Livingston
    Florida Department of Environmental Protection
                                904921-9915
           Florida's Silviculture Best Management Practices—
                          Test Sites Rated "Excellent"
     Florida's silviculture NFS management
     program was cooperatively developed by
     the Florida Department of Environmental
Regulation, the Florida Division of Forestry, the
U.S. Forest Service, and the forest industry,
acting in response to requirements set forth in
Section 208 of the Clean Water Act. In 1976,
responsibility for the program passed to a
newly formed Silviculture Technical Advisory
Committee. The major goal of this committee
— whose members included 12 paper
companies, the relevant state and federal
agencies, a consulting forester, the University of
Florida School of Forest Resources and


SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
Conservation, and the Florida Forestry
Association — was to develop a workable set of
best management practices (BMPs) to minimize
water quality impacts associated with forestry
activities.

Early developments get results
     Between 1977 and 1979, the technical
advisory committee, together with the
Department of Forestry, developed a set of
practices, including streamside management
zones, minimum bare ground exposure, culvert '
and cross ditches, water turnouts, broad-based
dips, and a variety of nonstructural BMPs to
                                              39

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       Testing for forestry BMP effectiveness using biological sampling.
       minimize stream crossings and other potential
       nonpoint sources of pollution created by
       forestry activities. In 1979, these practices were
       published as the Silviculture Best Management
       Practices Manual.
            The practices are intended for use with
       forestry activities in discretionary zones
       adjacent to waterbodies. The width of these
       zones and the specific BMPs to be used within
       them are recommended, depending on a "site
       sensitivity classification" (SSC), an index that
       identifies sedimentation potential. The SSC is
       based on soil erodibility, slope, and proximity
       to a waterbody.
            Initial implementation of the program
       was voluntary. In 1982, as part of the state's
       stormwater regulation, forestry activities
       conducted in accordance with the BMP manual
       were exempt from stormwater permitting. When
       the Department of Environmental Regulation
       delegated the stormwater program to the
       regional water management districts, the
       silviculture exemption became a noticed
       general permit. Its only requirement was to
       identify the location and timing of planned
       forestry activities.

       New issues prompt review
            In November  1991, the Department of
       Forestry held a  public meeting to review the
       silviculture NFS management program. .
       Participants at this meeting identified 12 major
       BMP issues, and a 22-member Technical
       Advisory Committee was formed to conduct a
            comprehensive review of the BMP
            manual. This committee, like its
            prototype, had broad stakeholder
            representation — this time also
            including nonindustrial private
            land owners and conservation
            organizations. The review was
            undertaken in expectation  that a
            revised updated manual would
            result. This revision occurred
            between January 1992 and  March
            1993, with funding provided by a
            1992 section 319 grant.
                 The revised Silviculture Best
            Management Practices greatly •
            increases the water quality
            protection associated with forestry
            activities. Though many of the
 original BMPs were retained, their use  has been
 expanded to address other water resources .
 such as sinkholes, small lakes (less than 10
 acres), canals, and wetlands. Streamside
 Management Zones were renamed Special
 Management Zones (SMZ). The width of the
 primary-zone of the SMZ was expanded from. 35
 feet to up to 200 feet, depending on stream
 width and waterbody classification. In addition,
 general'ecological considerations and wildlife
 habitat values were added as specific BMP
 objectives. An entirely new set of BMPs were
 developed for forestry activities conducted in
 wetlands or  during wet weather.

 Training
     Once the new manual was published,
 distribution  and training began. In July  1994,
 the Department of Forestry asked the
 community to identify individuals who  could
 serve as BMP trainers within their respective
 companies, agencies, or area; and in
 September, 28 prospective trainers — 18 from
 the forest industry and 10 from state and
 federal agencies — attended a "train the
 trainers" session in Tallahassee.
     Following that initial training session, the
 Department  of Forestry conducted BMP
workshops throughout the state, beginning in
 northwest Florida and working toward the
south. By May 1994, 47 BMP workshops had
been conducted with over 1,500 participants,
primarily loggers, foresters, forest landowners,
40
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((

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and regulatory agencies' staff. These workshops
and distribution of the manual continue to be a
key component of Florida's silviculture program.

Effectiveness assessments
    . In addition to reviewing the BMP manual,
the 1991 Silviculture Technical Advisory
Committee was also charged to evaluate the
environmental effectiveness of the practices. To
lead this effort, a BMP Effectiveness
subcommittee was created. Working with the .
Departments of Forestry and Environmental
Protection, the BMP Effectiveness
subcommittee has also designed a monitoring
program that will use recently developed
bioassessment protocols to evaluate the
impacts of forestry activities on aquatic
ecosystems. This assessment is unrelated to
compliance, since in every case the forestry
activities are already in compliance. The
effectiveness study is to determine whether the
BMPs actually protect the water resources as
planned.
     The effectiveness evaluation, which began
in the fall of 1995, includes two components-.
long-term BMP effectiveness monitoring and
project-duration monitoring for BMP
effectiveness under select, controlled
conditions including before and after
disturbance. An example of this second
component is the nearly completed "319
Biological Assessment of the Effectiveness of
Forestry Best Management Practices in
Protecting Stream Biota." This project used a
before and after control impact design to
sample sites up- and downstream of forestry
activities. The  sampling parameters included
benthic macroinvertebrates (resident biota),
habitat assessment, and standard physical and
chemical measurements.
      Four streams in, north Florida were
chosen for this project. Then, in February 1996,
on each of these streams, three stations
upstream and three stations downstream of a
proposed clear-cutting operation were
monitored to determine the streams before
treatment condition. In February 1997,
investigators went back to the identical stations
to sample for the after treatment condition.
      At three of the test streams, the
       reference and test sites were
       rated "excellent"; at the other
         stream, they were "good.
     Next, the data were used to calculate the
Stream Condition Index (SCI) for each stream
segment studied. The Stream Condition Index
(a composite of seven invertebrate parameters)
has been calibrated to reflect the regional
conditions in undisturbed streams. Its final
result supports the effectiveness of the
silviculture BMPs.
     Based on the SCI, no statistically
significant changes were observed between the
reference and test sites after silviculture
activities in which the BMPs are strictly adhered
to during all aspects of the operation. At three
of the test streams, the reference and test sites
were rated "excellent"; at the other stream, they
were "good." Results from habitat assessment
showed no major adverse habitat changes from
the forestry operations. The project analysts
also found the precision (that is, the
repeatability) of the SCI measures very
satisfactory.
     The development of forestry BMPs is thus
shown to be an effective solution to a nonpoint
source environmental problem.

                     CONTACT: Eric Livingston
    Florida Department of Environmental Protection
                                 904921-9915
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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                                                                 GEORGIA
                319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $ 1,882,100

                S Agriculture: $38,500
                H Urban Runoff: $ 115,000
                03 Silviculture: $0

                W Construction: $290,400
                B Resource Extraction: $0
                Q Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
                E3 Mydrologic Modification: $0
                D Other: $0             .  . .
                           Restoration of a Riparian Forest —
                 An Agricultural Water Quality Improvement Project
         Intensively farmed areas can maintain good
         water quality if riparian forests are left in
         place along the streams draining agricultural
      areas. Such forested areas are usually wetlands;
      they filter water and prevent excess chemicals,
      dissolved solids, nutrients, and sediments from
      reaching downstream waters. Therefore, the
      reestablishment of riparian forests that have
      been cut or drained can also be expected to
      contribute to water quality improvements.
           Until now, the benefits of restored
      riparian forests on water quality have not
      been demonstrated or evaluated in the
      Southeastern Coastal Plain. This 319 project
      — a riparian restoration in the Suwanee River
      Basin nearTifton, Georgia, became the first to
      focus on the efficiency of the restored
      forested wetland to store and remove
      nutrients.
           The project was designed to reestablish
      a riparian forest to ameliorate the water
' quality impacts of applying liquid manure to
 cropland; that is, to determine whether a
' restored riparian forest—trees, shrubs, and
 native grasses—would improve the quality of
 runoff leavingthemanureapplicationsiteand
 moving through the riparian area to the stream.
 It was conducted in conjunction with an
 agricultural project at the University of
 Georgia's Coastal Plain Experiment Station
 nearTifton.
     The USDA Agricultural Research Service
 participated.in the section 319 project to
 restore a streamside riparian forest receiving
 runoff from the USDA-funded liquid manure
 application and forage crop production site.
 The Tifton project sought to demonstrate the
 conservation and water quality effects of
 using minimum plowing and liquid manure to
 grow forage crops. It  was funded by the U.S.
 Department of Agriculture's Low
 Input/Sustainable Agriculture Program.
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      The project demonstrated that
      riparian forested wetlands can
        be restored to help prevent
      nonpoint source pollution from
         manure application sites.
Obstacles and successes
     Riparian vegetation was successfully
restored in the project area, but not before
several obstacles had been' overcome, for
example, knowing which species to plant.
Yellow poplars were not a good choice for wet
conditions; black gum and green ash were
effective substitutes. Within two months it was
apparent that there would be low survivorship
among the poplars, since they were not locally
produced seedlings and did not thrive in wet,
saturated soils. Black gum and green ash were
substituted since it was thought they would
tolerate wet conditions.
      Project workers evaluated the effects of
 the riparian restoration by measuring changes
 in surface and subsurface water quality
 indicators in the field where manure was
 applied and again after the runoff had moved
, through the restored riparian area toward the
 stream. Results of the monitoring
 demonstrated that the restored riparian area
 removed nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment
 in the first two years of the project. Nitrate
 levels leaving the area in shallow groundwater
 were higher than in  mature riparian forest sites.
      The.project demonstrated that riparian
 forested wetlands can be restored to help
 prevent nonpoint source pollution from manure
 application sites. Information gleaned from this
 project, and others,  has been incorporated in
 an interim USDA Natural Resources
 Conservation,Service and U.S. Forest Service
 specification for Riparian Forest Buffer Systems.
 The guide recommends a three-zone buffer
 system in riparian areas.

                      CONTACT: Frank Carubba
           Georgia Department of Natural Resources
           •                      404651-5492
                  Evaluating Best Management Practices —
             A Farm Demonstration Project in Rayle, Georgia
      Traditional methods of allowing livestock
      free access to streams and pastures must
      change as modern farming methods
 intersect with environmental concerns.
      With this commitment, the Georgia
 Resource Conservation and Development.,
 Council, Inc., several conservation districts,
 federal agencies, and the University of Georgia
 arranged a farm demonstration to teach area
 cattlemen that new practices to keep livestock
 out of streams could be cost-effective and
 practical. After selecting a dairy farm, the
 partners helped install and monitor the
 following practices: proper grazing
 management,  nutrient management, animal
 waste management systems (including holding
 pond, solid separator), loafing area, geotextile
 walkway, and livestock exclusion.
       The dairy farm is located within a
 385-acre watershed in northeastern Georgia's
 Savannah River Basin near Rayle. In fact, it sits
 on an unnamed tributary that flows into a pond
 next to the most heavily used section of the  .
 dairy. The unnamed tributary continues through
 a wetlands (actually, another pond that had
 been breached) and flows into the Broad River.
       The 793,000 acres of agriculture land
 within the watershed contain the following
 animals: 22,000 dairy cows, 185,000 beef cows,
 95,000 swine, and about 22 million poultry
 (layers and broilers). These animals potentially
 contribute to the nonpoint source pollution
 problems in the watershed and river basin.
 Direct access of livestock to streams and runoff
 from loafing areas have degraded the watershed
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME H
                                                                                               43

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                                                                       (left) The geotextile walkway and
                                                                       (below) the solid waste separator at
                                                                       Wilkes County Dairy.
       and Impaired water quality, wildlife habitat, and
       recreational activities.
            The project managers planned an
       extensive water quality monitoring program to
       demonstrate that the recommended best
       management practices were cost-effective and
       practical. Water quality measurements included
       biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical
       oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids
       (TSS), fecal coliform, fecal streptococci, nitrate,
       ammonia, and orthophosphate. Additional in
       situ parameters monitored by an automated
       sampler included pH, temperature,
 conductivity, ammonia plus ammonium,
 turbidity, depth, and dissolved oxygen.
      Comparing the results from post-BMP
 and pre-BMP monitoring show a marked.
 improvement in water quality. Statistical
 analyses have indicated significant decreases
 (p = 0.05) in ammonia, orthophosphate, TSS,
 COD, BOD, and fecal streptococci. Extensive
 water quality monitoring has quantitatively
• demonstrated that the recommended BMPs are
 both cost-effective and practical.

                     CONTACT: Frank Carubba
          Georgia Department of Natural Resources
                                 404651-5492
44
                                                              SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                                 No data available from the state.
         A Modified Deep Litter Waste Management System —
                            The Kealia Farms Model
        New animal waste management systems
        are helping hog producers in Hawaii
        deal with the costly and potentially
 polluting aspect of hog farming. Among new
 systems, the Modified Dry Litter Waste
 Management System has a definite advantage.
 This model, unlike traditional water-based
 waste management systems, does not use water
. to wash down the pens and transport animal
 waste to a storage lagoon, which can be a major
 pathway for surface and groundwater pollution.
     An interagency team convened by the
 Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts
 and supported by a 319 grant, developed a
 Hawaiian style waste management system by
 modifying the dry litter waste management
 systems currently being tested in other
 land-limited countries, for example, the
 Netherlands and Japan. In this system, the hogs
 are housed in sloping pens and dry litter or
 bedding is used to help push the waste down
 slope into a composting or storage pit. Various
slope ratios and types of dry litter help
determine the effectiveness of the system and
the quality of the composted product.

How the  system works
     The Kealia Farm's model significantly
improves the original dry litter waste
management system by incorporating pen sizes
with slopes ranging from 15 to 1 to 20 to 1. The
optimal pen size for these slope ratios are 8 feet
by 16 feet, which is typical of pen designs used
in the United States (but smaller than a typical  •
pen in Japan and the Netherlands)..
     Wood chips and grass cuttings were used
as litter; both are excellent bedding materials
for the  hogs and keep the pens dry, but the
Kealia and Masazu Farms (in Kona District,   •
Hawaii) achieved their best results using
macadamia nut (Macadamia integrefolia) husks.
The hogs crush the bedding materials and the
manure with their hooves; the mix dries  and
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I
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       A look at the Modified Dry Utter Waste Management System
       Kealia Farm.
       begins to decompose (compost), and it
       eventually moves down slope into a
       composting or storage pit, where high
       temperatures finish the job.
            Temperatures in the composting pit range
       on average from 140 to 150°F. When the team
       analyzed the cooked, or composted, product, it
       contained 2,6 percent nitrogen, 0.6 percent
       phosphorus, and 2.6 percent potassium with a
       carbon to nitrogen ratio of 13:1 — making it a
       good medium for organic farming. A typical pen
       operated under this system can convert about
       30 cubic yards of green waste into 20 cubic
       yards of valuable compost annually.

       Healthy hogs
            As the green waste is an excellent
       bedding for the hogs and keeps the pens dry
       except where the hogs are watered, the
        modified dry litter waste management
        system also produced healthy hogs. In
        fact, feeder hogs produced under the
        modified dry litter waste management
       . system easily matched and exceeded the
        industry's national production standard.
        Feeder hogs in the modified dry litter
        pens averaged a daily weight gain of 1.20
        to 1.69 pounds; the national standard is
        an average daily weight gain of 1.25
        pounds.
             During the trials, small feeder hogs
        entered the system weighing an average of
        22.0 Ibs. Atypical system has 16 pens (Fig.
        1). Each pen can be stocked with 30
        wean-offs at the beginning of the growth
        cycle, then each group can be subdivided
       .as they reach heavier wights to prevent
       overcrowding.            .   .  .

       Environmental and other assets
            Because it does not rely on wash
       downs to move the waste out of the pen
       and subsequently to a lagoon or storage
       tank, the modified dry litter waste
       management system eliminates one of the
       major potential sources of contaminated
       runoff on the farm. And it has other
at      attractive benefits: lower water bills and
       labor costs to the farm because pen
       washing is virtually eliminated.

       Odor production is practically nil.
  Hydrogen sulfide levels recorded throughout
  the production and storage areas were
  considerably less than the conventional wash
  down or scrapper system. The dry litter waste
  management facility produced 10.7 parts per
  billion hydrogen sulfide levels and 5.0 parts per
  billion in the production and storage area. The
  control or conventional wash-down facility had
 measurements of 54.3 parts per billion and an
 average of 104.5 parts per billion at the effluent
 entry to the waste lagoon.
       The modified dry litter waste
 management system succeeds in turning a
 potentially polluting waste product into a
 lucrative income stream. A yard of compost
 imported from the mainland United States
 normally sells for about $100 per cubic yard
 including freight costs. The organic farmer on
46
        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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          Figure 1.—Typical Modified Dry Litter Waste Management Facility.
the island of Hawaii can obtain similar material
at farms with the modified dry litter waste
management system at approximately one-third
that price. Therefore, each pen can produce
about $660 of compost annually.

Expanding benefits
     The prospects are bright that as more
farmers learn about the system, other hog farms
in Hawaii will install modified dry litter waste
management systems. The technology is
scheduled to be exported to the rest of the  .
Pacific Basin Islands supported by additional
section 319 funding.

                      CONTACT: Randall Rush
                 Polluted Runoff Control Program
                   Hawaii Department of Health
                                 808*586-4309
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                                                                          IDAHO
                 319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                 • Cross Cutting MPS Category: $235,654
                 H Agriculture: $407,731
                 S Urban Runoff: $339,130
                 EO Silviculture: $10,000
                 BID Construction: $127,787
                 D Resource Extraction: $ 199,000
                 • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
                 EJ Hydrologic Modification: $0
                 D Other: $0
                                   Protecting Bear Lake —
                       The Thomas Fork Stream Channel Project
            The Thomas Fork Watershed in Bear Lake
            County, Idaho, and Lincoln County,
            Wyoming, is a 144,366-acre agricultural
       watershed near Bear Lake. This geologically old
       lake, which is one of Idaho's Special Resource
       waters, has developed unique physical,
       chemical, and biological characteristics. It has
       more endemic fish species than any other lake
       in North America, including five species found
       nowhere else in the world. Thomas Fork is a
       major tributary to the Bear River, immediately
       upstream from its diversion into Bear Lake.
            Thomas Fork is a valuable resource to ,
       Bear Lake; however,  its condition also concerns
       the Bear Lake Regional Commission. Excessive
       streambank erosion in the watershed and high
       nutrient levels in runoff from Thomas Fork and
       the Bear River have accelerated eutrophication
       throughout the watershed and lake. Historical
       data show the increase of phosphorus and
       nitrogen in the area. Bank erosion is largely the
       result of earlier channel modifications
 undertaken to support agricultural land uses.
 When the natural meander patterns of Thomas
 Fork were broken, severe down-cutting and
 unstable streambanks exceeded the river's
 capacity to restore equilibrium.

 Project description lures local
 landowners
     Recently, the Bear Lake Regional
 Commission began to interest local landowners
 in streambank restoration. Several farmers and
 ranchers came forward to begin the project,
 which was funded through Idaho's section 319
 program. Initial plans called for regrading a.
 600-foot section of the streambank to restore
 the nearly vertical 4 to 10 foot high banks along
 the stream to a 3:1 grade. Materials removed
 from the banks were used by area farmers to
 level the low, spots in their fields.
     The Bear Lake Regional Commission also
obtained a U.S. Forest Service tree cutting
permit and, with the help of area farmers and
48
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 ranchers, cut and transported a number of trees
 to the site. The trees, approximately 15 to 20 feet
 in length, were placed in the stream channel in
 an overlapping fashion as flow deflectors and
 temporary fish habitat. They were anchored to
 the streambank using special anchors.
       A project review found many fish
         in the area though none had
          been recorded before the
              restoration began.
      Large rocks and boulders were placed at
 intervals to also act as flow detectors and to
 protect willow plantings along the
 reconstructed banks. After a final grading, the
 area was seeded with native Sodar grass (a
 streambank wheat grass), and covered with a
 thin layer of straw to minimize erosion. The
 reseeded area was fenced to keep cattle from
 trampling the banks before the plants could
 mature and stabilize the banks.
      During the summer of 1996, a project
 review found many fish in the area though none
 had been recorded before the restoration
 began. Photographs taken after the
 construction and during later stages help.
 document the project. Community and area
 farmers have enthusiastically supported the
 project; and the site has been, and continues to
' be, the focus of many watershed tours. Area
 ranchers, farmers, county commissioners, state
 legislators, state and federal agency staff, and
 citizens have, visited the site.
     'Additional work using 319 grants will be
 completed in 1997. When finished, the project
 will decrease the flow of nutrients to the
 Thomas Fork by 25, percent and to' Bear Lake  by
 10 percent. The Bear Lake Regional
 Commission and the 31.9 program is slowing
 the pace of eutrophication in Bear Lake and
 reducing the impact of human activities on the
 watershed.,              ,

                    CONTACT: Charlie Bidondo
        Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
                                 208 373-0274
                          Paradise Creek Restoration —
                            Trout Return, Citizens Learn
       Paradise Creek, a fourth order tributary to
       the South Fork of the Palouse River, is
       approximately 19 miles long and drains a
 34.5-square-mile priority watershed in
' northcentral Idaho. The watershed's upper
 portion is forested with very steep slopes, while
 the middle and lower portions are largely
 dryland agriculture with moderately rolling
 hills. Paradise Creek also flows through the city
 of Moscow,  Idaho, where much of the sinuous
 nature of the original channel has been
 modified, that is, lost to channelization.
      The Palouse-Clearwater Environmental
 Institute, using a grant  from Idaho's section 319
 program, took the lead  in rebuilding a
 1,200-foot reach of Paradise Creek. The project
 site is owned by Moscow School District,
 number 281; several state and city agencies,
 local conservation districts, and the nearby city
 of Pullman, Washington, actively supported the
 project. The Palouse-Clearwater Environmental
 Institute provided oversight and design,
 coordinated volunteers, and communicated
 with the public. Its information and educational
 program was extensive.     .

 According to plan
      Detailed design plans, including a site
 plan, revetments, plantings, and general
 erosion controls, were completed in 1994.
 Because no aerial views of the original channel
 were available, aerial photographs of an
 adjacent stream channel were used to provide a
 meander pattern and flood channel design. The
 final plan called for widening the channel nearly
 200 feet to accommodate a low flow center   ,
 channel with a 2:1 slope ratio and a floodway
 channel with a 3:1 slope.
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ([
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            The restoration began in September 1995
      with permits from the state and the U.S. Army
      Corps of Engineers. Within a week, nearly
      12,000 cubic yards of earth were moved to
      create the channel and a five-acre floodplain.
      Volunteers, including school children,
      university students, and community members,
      did much of the rest of the work.
             The restored channel no longer
                looks like the old, muddy
             Paradise Creek, and trout have
                 returned to the creek.
            Volunteers from the Palouse-Clearwater
      Environmental Institute built and
      demonstrated three revetment structures to
      stabilize the streambanks. These structures
      included a 175-foot log crib, a 175-foot rock and
      root wad, and a 175-foot BioLog®. Volunteers
      also seeded and mulched more than 3,000 feet
      of stream bank and the five-acre floodplain,
      installed more than 6,000 feet of geotextiles,
      and planted more than 750 native plants.
A model for future projects
     The new configuration is functioning as
designed, and this project has become a model ,
for future restoration work in the Palouse
region. Not only are the project's partners
pleased with the, project, it has also become an
educational laboratory for students from the
Moscow City School District and the
Universities of Idaho and Washington State.
     Long-term monitoring will help
determine how long it takes such projects to
fully restore beneficial uses within creeks. In the
meantime, the physical evidence at this site
points to improved water quality. The restored
channel no longer looks like the old, muddy
Paradise  Creek, and trout have returned to the
creek. The restored Paradise Creek now
provides  a working flood plain and  stream
channel system in an area frequently ravaged by
spring floods, habitat for fish and wildlife, and a
sense of community pride in protecting,
restoring, and preserving its natural resource.

                    CONTACT: Charlie Bidondo
        Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
                              .208 373-0274
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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                                                               ILLINOIS
              Section 319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for FY 1996
              • Cross Cutting MPS Category: $ 1,818,762
              S Agriculture: $1,054,156
              H Urban Runoff: $1,048,280
              EHI Silviculture: $0

              HI Construction: $0

              E -Resource Extraction: $0
              • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0
              D.Other: $0
                    Chain O'Lakes and Fox River Selected
                      for Streambank Protection Project
      The Chain O'Lakes and Fox River is an
      Illinois river system with an on-stream
      lake in western Lake County and eastern
 McHenry County that provides recreational
 opportunities for more than a million visitors
 each year. This beneficial use is, however,
 potentially threatened by nonpoint sources in
 the watershed. The lake and river are affected by
 runoff, shoreline and bank erosion, and land
 disturbances'(development). In addition, heavy
 boat traffic on the lake often stirs up the
 bottom sediments, resuspending them in the
 waterway.
      To counter these problems; watershed
 partners began a bank protection demonstration
 project. That is, using 319 funding, they
 'implemented various bank protection methods,
 thereby modeling a wide variety of management
 tools. Among the many tools available, the
 project emphasized natural or vegetative
 solutions, nonstructural management solutions,
 and other methods to hold the soil.
 Biotechnical methods

      To demonstrate biotechnical protection
 methods, the project put advanced erosion
 control materials and riparian vegetation at the
 base of the eroding shoreline, where scour from
 wave action usually occurs. Special fabrics,
 natural fiber products, wave breaks, or several
 of these in combination protect root systems
 arid trap sand, silt, and gravel along the water's
 edge.. The result is an aesthetically pleasing
 natural landscape that routine maintenance will
 protect and improve. Leaving a buffer strip of
 plants at least 10 feet long and mowed no lower
 than 6 inches is simple, inexpensive/and
 protective.
     The benefits of biotechnical methods are
 many; they are cost-effective, improve boating
 conditions (wave energy from boats and wind is
 absorbed, not reflected), offer attractive and
 improved shoreline habitat, and yield better
water quality. While native plants are
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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       (above) Material laid under the a-jacks for additional
       support, (below) Nylon mesh was placed over the
       newly Installed sod to protect it and to keep it from
       washing away.
            recommended, other plants can
            be used. Species selected for
            revegetation projects should be
            adaptable to a moist shoreline
            setting and local soil conditions.
            Common choices include red osier
            dogwood, prairie cord grass, blue
            flag iris, and arrowhead.
            Biotechnical methods prevent
            shoreline erosion, which in turn
            prevents sediments from entering
            the water. Their use in this project
            led to the following overall
            improvements:
            • erosion prevention control,
            • shoreline stabilization, and  .
            • habitat restoration.

Created wetlands
     The Chain O'Lakes and Fox River project
also made the first inland use of a "geotube" to
create new wetlands along  the Fox River. This
fabric tube — 30 feet in circumference and 1*40
feet long — is a piece of woven polyester that
can be filled with dredged sediment. Geotubes
should last at least 15 years under normal
weather conditions, and they also act as a
buffer against waves.
     "It has worked amazingly well," said Karen
Kabbes, the former executive director of the Fox
Waterway Agency. The agency hopes to use a
series of geotubes, linked together in  a giant
circle, for long-term protection. Wetland plants
are added once the interior is filled with
sediment.

Nonstructural methods
      Nonstructural management techniques
include the creation of no-wake zones and
no-motor areas. The redirection of traffic routes
to deeper locations, strict dredging rules,
monitoring and educational efforts (with some
especially directed to boaters)  are other
proposed management methods.

                  CONTACT: Laura Rinbenberger
     Chain O'Lakes Fox River Waterway Management
                                       Agency
                                  708 587-8540
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                              Creating Useful Beauty —
                      The Skokie River Restoration  Project
   A   brochure for the Chicago Botanic
  £-\ Garden invites people to "experience the
 JL  Vbeauty that extends beyond floral color."
 This beauty now extends to the banks of the
 Skokie River which flows through this 300-acre
 living museum. The Chicago Botanic Garden
 has recently completed a restoration project on
 the Skokie River with section 319 funding.
      The project was a partnership,- the  '
 Chicago Botanic Garden, Illinois Environmental
 Protection Agency, Northeastern Illinois
 Planning Commission, and Applied Ecological
 Services shared responsibilities and resources
 to save the river. In all, approximately 100,000
 plants of various native species were planted
 along the river's edge.

 A troubled past
      The Skokie River,.a 23-mile-long tributary
 of the North Branch of the Chicago River, flows
. along Lake Michigan in Lake and Cook counties
 in northeastern Illinois. The river is much
 altered from its presettlement conditions. •
 Original  land maps from the area indicate that
 it was once a wet prairie, about
 one-quarter-mile wide. Today, it is a channel
 not more than 20 to 40 feet wide.

     'The river was channelized in  1957,
 and over the last 30 years, its banks have
 severely eroded. The Skokie also
 encounters pollution as.it flows along a
 major expressway.- siltation, organic
 enrichment, nutrients, urban runoff,
 hydrologic modifications, and habitat
 alterations are serious problems.
      Erosion has exposed many
 underground pipes, and the river is
 often green with mats of algae.
 Sedimentation downstream has created
 wide, shallow channels with poor
 habitat and degraded buffer zones that
 also provide poor pollution filtering
 capabilities.
 Project toolbox

      The Skokie River Restoration Project
 began during the summer of 1994 in response
 to these degraded conditions. The project's
 goals are to stabilize eroding streambanks,
 improve water quality, and enhance the
 streamside buffer zones. It also serves as an
 educational tool. Workshops sponsored  during
 the project provide information about effective
 and economical restoration and management/
 techniques. Landscape professionals, urban
 and environmental planners, conservation
 groups, and engineers are using information
 provided by the project:
      The project has used seven basic tools to
 help restore the river:
    • Streambank planting. Native prairie
      grasses that have deep, dense roots were
      planted to protect the river against
      erosion.
                I
    • Brush layering. Horizontal layers of
      willow and dogwood branches were
:  ,    placed along the bank to hold the. soil in
      place and reduce the energy of the water
      against the bank.
                                       One of the five wetland areas created as a biofilter.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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Rock riffle (riffle enhancement) was installed.


    • Willow posts. Dormant willow posts,
      which root profusely, were pounded into
      the ground as a bank stabilization
      technique.
    » Coir fiber rolls. Biodegradable coconut
      fiber rolls planted with native wetland
      plants and placed along banks or
      in-stream further stabilize and enhance
      aquatic habitats.
    • Riffle enhancement. Placing large rocks
     and boulders in existing riffles improved
     water aeration and habitat.

    • No-till drill seeding. Approximately 11
     acres of streamside buffer were planted
     with native prairie plants.

    • Wetland creation. A five-acre wetland
     was created on the river to treat runoff.
     Approximately 48 species of native
     wetland plants will grow in this system.

     Information and education are integral
components of the Skokie 'River Restoration
Project. The partnership developed a fact sheet
that explains the multifaceted project and
streambank stabilization techniques and a
30-minute video that documents the project's
progress and describes its techniques,
methods, and materials/Students have even
used the site to learn water monitoring
methods.
     The Skokie River Restoration Project will
remain an invaluable model of inexpensive,
vegetative solutions to impaired aquatic habitat
and water quality. Using native vegetation to
stabilize and buffer the riverbanks requires little
maintenance and improves pollutant filtering
and aquatic habitat. ,                   •
                      CONTACTS: Cynthia Baker
                       Chicago Botanical Garden
                                  847 835-8300

                                  Scott Ristau
           Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
                                  217782-3362
                                                          SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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               319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $ 1,395,957

               S Agriculture: $443,880

               H Urban Runoff: $169,200

               E3 .Silviculture: $0

               ED Construction: $0

               B Resource Extraction: $0

               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

               H Hydrologic Modification: $0

               D Other: $ 107,303
                           No-Till Farming Saves Soil —
                       A Reprieve for Starve Hollow Lake
      The Jackson County (Indiana) Soil and
      Water Conservation District used 319
      funding to help landowners in the Starve
 Hollow Lake watershed install best
 management practices on sandy soils. The goal
 of the project was to reduce the flow of
 sediment to Starve Hollow Lake. This 145-acre
 lake, constructed in a 1938 flood control
 project, drains 4,400 acres of agricultural,
 recreational, and woodland areas.
      The Starve Hollow watershed has serious
 sedimentation problems. By 1980, it had
 already lost about 20 acres to sedimentation. A
 combination of sandy soils and intensive land
 uses.— including specialty crop production
 (melons and vegetables), other agricultural
 practices, logging, and livestock production —
 are eroding the watershed.
      To begin  the project, the Soil and Water
 Conservation District (SWCD) convened
 landowners, SWCD supervisors, and
 representatives of other local agencies. These
 people realized the importance of forming a
 cooperative unit to gain credibility and support.
 They became the project's steering committee,
 committed to solving the problem.
      Dredging was considered, but quickly
 dismissed as an option, since it would cost .
 nearly $400,000, and not stop the flow of
 sediment to the lake. Everyone agreed that the
 steering committee's choice had to be more
 effective than dredging. This agreement, more
 than anything else, indicated how serious the
 problem had become, and how concerned the
 residents were. Instead of dredging, local
 landowners agreed to take responsibility for
their activities on the land. "
     They began using cover crops and
 borrowed the SWCD's two no-till drills to plant"
 no-till crops. Others began rotational grazing
practices, moved feedlots from highly erodible
land, converted croplands to additional
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                              55

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pasture, and used fencing to protect riparian
buffers. Eventually, the treated acreage was
coextensive with the watershed.
       "The project has cut down on
         erosion. Now we have less
      sediment in the lake, no mud on
       the county road, and everyone
             was cooperative."
     The Indiana Department of Natural
Resources, Division of Soil and Conservation,
provided technical assistance, and the
Cooperative Extension Service provided
information and conducted outreach for the
project. Several field days and tours to highlight
the practices were held for interested
individuals and groups.
     The SWCD' also worked with the County
Highway Department to install several new
culverts on roads adjacent to the project area.
The project reduces erosion by an estimated
2,751 tons of soil annually on 379 acres of land.
The county road that had previously been
buried in six inches of mud and,soil after each
rain is now.clean. As one landowner says: "The
project has cut down on erosion. Now we have
less sediment in the lake, no mud on the county
road, and everyone was cooperative."

                          CONTACT: Jill Ebner
  Indiana Department of Environmental Management
                                 317308-3216
                             Constructed Wetlands —
                    Treatment for Dairy Farm Wastewater
   Indiana has used section 319 funds for a pilot
   project to monitor the water quality effects
   of a constructed wetland system on runoff
from a dairy farm in Koskiusko County in the
Upper Tippecanoe watershed. The Upper
Tippecanoe is a priority hydrologic unit area
included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Water Quality Initiative. The constructed
wetland system was designed to treat 70 adult
cows (1,400 pounds) and 70 heifers/dry cows
(800 pounds).
      Typical wetlands (and constructed
wetlands) remove dissolved organic and
inorganic contaminants in  runoff, using aquatic
vegetation for plant uptake and absorption. The
one-acre constructed wetland in this pilot
project has two small wetland cells, operating
in series, to allow for periodic drawdown and
regular maintenance of one cell while the other
continues to function. The first cell is
rectangular; the second, horseshoe shaped.
      Solids are removed from wastewater on a
concrete drying pad above a septic manure pit.
Barn washwater is directed into the pit, but
solid animal waste is stacked on the pad.
Liquids remaining  in the solid waste stack drain
into the septic pit through slots. The combined
liquids then drain by gravity from the pit to the
first cell through a distribution pipe. Flow from
Cell 1 into Cell 2 is also through a distribution
pipe. Yard runoff is diverted around the drying
pad to the first cell. After passing through the
two cells, wastewater enters a holding pond,
then a grassed infiltration area. The yard from
which runoff is diverted .is 25,300 square feet,.,
and was designed with a theoretical holding
time of 60 days based on average rainfall.
      The Koskiusko County operation began in
the spring of 1994 and was monitored through
 1995. The treatment's effects on water quality
were determined through chemical monitoring
of the surface water (to  determine its nutrient
load), and the observation of plant and animal
dynamics. Monitoring occurred at several sites
along the feedlot-wetland-outflow continuum,
including the cell inlets and the entrance point
for yard runoff to Cell 1, the outlet of Cell 2, the
holding pond, and the infiltration area. A ditch
channel downhill from the infiltration area was
also monitored. The ditch received water from a
subsurface tile beneath the infiltration area
 (see Fig. 1).
                                                        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                                          Cropland
                Yard Runoff Collection
                                                                 RunoffDiversion
           Drying
           Pad
                                 Flow Control  Switching Valve
                                                                       Infiltration
                                                                         Area
      Figure 1.—Diagram of the constructed wetland system used.
      Early in the project, samples taken at the
 monitoring sites showed a complete absence of
 coliform bacteria between the Cell 1 inflow and
 the Cell 2 outflow, and declining phosphorus
 and nitrogen levels as well. In 1994, the
 following improvements in water quality were
 observed.
    • Between the barnyard runoff inflow point
      to Cell 1 and the outlet of-.Cell 2: fecal
      coliform bacteria (75 percent); phosphate
      (35 percent), and total phosphorus (45
      percent).

    • Between Cell.l inflow and Cell 2 outflow:
      ammonia (68 percent); total suspended
      solids (60 percent); total nitrogen (54
      percent); and conductivity (24.1 percent).

      In 1995, reductions between Cell 1 inflow
 and Cell 2 outflow included fecal coliform
'bacteria (95 percent), ammonia.-total
 suspended solids, total nitrogen, phosphate
 (79 percent), total phosphorus (83 percent), and
 conductivity (56 percent). Routine maintenance
 and year-round management were required for
 successful treatment. These improvements
Resulted from the high motivation of the
 landowners to maintain the system.   .
      The system was also designed to work
 with minimal input from the farmer; that is, it
 was properly integrated with the layout of the
 farm, and it was designed to treatonly runoff,
 not manure. The manure was scraped and
 stacked for future use.
      The system's appeal to wildlife was an
 added benefit throughout the project. Mallards
 with fledglings, blackbirds, frogs, a crane, and a
 red-tailed hawk frequent the site.

                          CONTACT: Jill Ebner
  Indiana Department of Environmental Management
                                 317308-3216
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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                                                                           IOWA
               319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $922,300
               S Agriculture: $1,035,417

               S Urban Runoff: $0
               03 Silviculture: $0
               ID Construction: $0
               E Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

               E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0

               D Other: $0
                        Brown Trout Return to Iowa Streams
                                   The Coon Creek Story
            Recent stream surveys by the Iowa
            Department of Natural Resources
            indicate that trout are once again
      reproducing in some northeastern Iowa
      streams. A 1994 survey of 15 streams in  .
      Allamakee, Clayton, and Fayette Counties found
      natural trout populations in seven streams,
      including (in two streams) the state's first
      documented reproduction of rainbow trout.
           Natural trout have not yet been observed
      in sufficient quantities to support heavy fishing
      pressure, so the practice of stocking
      hatchery-raised trout will continue. Brown trout
      reproduction is, however, extensive in the upper
      portion of French Creek, and here stocking has
      been discontinued.

      Lost spawning grounds
           Sediment frequently enters Iowa's trout
      streams, much of it carried in runoff from
      eroding croplands. When it settles, this  -
sediment covers the gravel beds that trout use
as spawning grounds and alters the stream's
overall characteristics. For example, sediments
often create wide, shallow streams that warm
rapidly and provide habitat conditions
unfavorable for trout survival.
     In recent years, significant progress has
been made to control soil erosion in Iowa's
watersheds — much of which can be credited to
conservation provisions in the 1985 and  1990
federal farm bills, especially conservation
compliance and continuance of the
Conservation Reserve Program. Other Iowa
streams, for example, Coon Creek, have been
further protected through participation in state
and federally funded water quality projects.
     Coon Creek, a small coldwater stream
located in Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties,
illustrates the progress that these combined
programs have made in protecting and
improving many of Iowa's trout streams
58
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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          During the 10-year period
          ending in 1995, sediment^—"'
       movement into Coon Creek was
      reduced by 42 percent annually.
 andother water resources. During the 10-year
 period ending in 1995, sediment movement
 into Coon Creek was reduced by 42 percent
 annually (from an estimated 24.5 thousand tons
 per year in 1985 to 14.1 thousand tons per year
 in 1995). The conservation provisions of the
 farm bill were responsible for most (nearly
 90 percent) of this reduction.
      Then, from 1992 to 1994, a water quality
 project funded by the 319 program took place at
 Coon Creek. This project, too, was highly
 successful. It helped install 11  settling basins,
 three manure storage structures, and 1,500 feet
 of clean water diversions. These structures were
 used for animal waste treatment; specifically,
 they helped treat the animal waste from 35
 percent of the livestock produced within 0.5
 miles of Coon Creek. The treatment reduced
 manure movement into the stream by an
 estimated 1,330 tons annually. In addition, the
 project prevented livestock from having direct,
 access to the stream; particularly in areas where
 their access had already caused significant
 water quality problems.

                       CONTACT: Ubbo Agena
                Environmental Protection Division
            Iowa Department of Natural Resources
                                 515281-6402
                                 Sny Magill Creek —
                  The New Standard Agricultural Practices
      Sny Magill Creek, one of 25 coldwater
      streams identified by the state of Iowa as
      a priority, has impaired water quality
primarily resulting from nonpoirit sources,
particularly agricultural nonpoint sources such
as sediment, animal waste, nutrients, and
pesticides.
      Sny Magill Creek is also one of the more
widely used streams for recreational trout
fishing in Iowa. It drains a  22,780-acre
agricultural watershed consisting of row crops,
pasture, forest and forested pasture, and
farmsteads. Approximately 140 grain, dairy,
beef, and swine producers live and work in the
watershed.
      The watershed is characterized by narrow,
gently sloping uplands that break into steep
slopes with abundant rock outcrops. Up to 550
feet of relief occurs across  the watershed. The
stream bottom (of Sny Magill and its
tributaries) is primarily bedrock and gravel with
frequent riffle areas. Along the lower reach of
the creek where the gradient  is less  steep, the
stream bottom is generally silty. Sny Magill
Creek empties into the Wildlife and Fish Refuge
part of Effigy Mounds National Monument.

Sediment reductions
      Estimates based on the Universal Soil
Loss Equation suggest that landowners' use of
best management practices (BMPs) has
decreased sediment delivery to Sny Magill
Creek by over 40 percent since 1991. The BMPs
preferred by landowners are contour terraces,
water and sediment control basins, contour
stripcropping, and conservation tillage.

Streambank revetments
      Streambank erosion is a major source of
sediment. Demonstrations that use multiple
bank-stabilization techniques, ranging from
willow posts to rock riprap, are being installed.
Many landowners have adopted animal waste
management systems because they are not
expensive and they provide an economic
benefit from nitrogen and phosphorus crediting
in an overall nutrient program. About 30 animal
manure utilization plans have been developed
since the demonstration projects began.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME [[
                                              59

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      Soil blocnglneering along the streambank.
      Integrated Crop Management
            Integrated Crop Management (ICM) is a
      method used to help producers balance
      nutrient and pesticide applications with plant
      and soil needs. For example, a project
      coordinator served as a crop consultant and
      hired a crop scout to make field observations.
      By recommending the use of pesticides and
      herbicides only as needed and using soil tests
      to balance fertilizer applications with plant
      needs, applications within the watershed have
      decreased by 39,450 pounds of nitrogen, 33,625
      pounds of phosphate, and 28 pounds of corn
      rootworm insecticide. ICM activities, in fact,
      produce savings for the farmer of about $13.85
      per acre.
      The project has developed an
education-based Nutrient and Pest
Management Program to help smaller
producers refine their ICM systems on their
own. Workshop sessions instruct producers on
proper soil-sampling techniques, soil-test
interpretation, manure nutrient management,
.fertility planning, and pest management!
Producers then independently develop and
implement their own crop management plans.

                       CONTACT: Ubbo Agena
                Environmental Protection Division
            .Iowa Department of Natural Resources
                                 515281-6402
60
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUMEII

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                                                              KANSM
              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $ 1,094,000

              S Agriculture: $399,374

              H Urban Runoff: $65,890

              Ell Silviculture: $0

              OH Construction: $0

              E Resource Extraction: $0

              • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0.
              D Other: $0
            Banner Creek Water Quality Protection Project —
                    Kansas-Lower Republican River Basin
   In 1993, construction of a lake began near the
   City of Holton in Jackson County, Kansas.  '
   Sponsored by the Jackson County Rural
Water District #3, Delaware River Watershed
Joint District #10, and Jackson County, this
multipurpose lake was-designed primarily for
public water supply, flood retention, and
recreation. Its watershed (in northeastern
Kansas) encompasses 12,610 acres and
includes multiple land uses, including
woodlands, agricultural crop and grazing lands,
residential developments, and county roads
and highways. Dam construction was designed
for 520 surface acres and completed in 1996.

Protecting the lake for long-term uses
     Kansas law (K.S.A.82a-1608) provides  that
any.multiple purpose small lake dam receiving
state funding must have a nonpoint source
management plan. The plan must include an
evaluation of projected water quality conditions
in the watershed and in the proposed
waterbody (based on current conditions) and
an identification of the protection measures
that will be needed to achieve, lake water quality
given these conditions. Accordingly, in 1993,
Kansas State University and the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment, using
a lake model called Eutromod, began
evaluating the flow of nutrients to the lake. The
resulting data and their involvement in the
approved nonpoint source management plan
helped the Jackson County Conservation
District secure EPA section  319 funding to
supplement,and enhance earlier planning and
implementation activities.   _- .
     The Conservation District's objective and
three-year project is to develop and implement
a comprehensive and holistic watershed and
lake protection plan for the Banner Creek Lake.
Information and education'— both in print and
through demonstration projects — financial
incentives, and water quality sampling are major
elements in the Conservation District's strategy
for success.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((
                                            61

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      Milestones
           Two water quality monitoring stations
      have been established. Samples from 11 runoff
      events and three base flows at each of the two
      sites identify some pollutants and their relative
      impact on the lake. The Conservation District is
      successfully using these data to determine
      which best management practices it should
      focus on in this watershed. These relationships
      are shown in Table 1.
Table 1 .—Common pollutants in runoff to
Banner Lake, keyed to management strategies.
POLLUTANT
pesticides
bacteria
suspended solids
phosphorus
nitrate
ammonia
BOD
AVERAGE
infrequent
high
moderate
high
low
low
moderate
PRACTICE FOCUS
maintain practices
waste/disposal/
management
erosion control
erosion/nutrient/organic
waste
maintain practices
maintain practices
nutrient/organic waste
management
           The project has encouraged residents and
      agricultural producers to maintain the following
      practices:
          • conservation tillage — by purchasing a
           no-till drill to rent to producers;
          • biological monitoring — by involving
           local students in sampling insect larvae,
           snails, crayfish, and other
           macroinvertebrates;
          • zoning — by establishing a buffer area
           around the lake to protect it from
           residential development and the effects
           of construction-generated pollution;
       The project has installed two
       diversions totaling 695 cubic
      yards, four ponds, 4,453 linear
       feet of tile terraces, and two
         streambank stabilization
          projects, and upgraded
             10 septic systems.
    • nutrient and pesticide management —
     by implementing plans on brome grass
     and croplands.
     Nutrient and pesticide management
plans are now in effect.on 37 acres of cropland
and 132 acres of brome grassland,, and 147
acres are under crop residue management
practices (i.e.,'no-till or 30 percent residue). An
additional 34 acres have been planted with
native seedings, and 10 acres of brome pasture
have been renovated.
    • Finally, the project has installed two
diversions totaling 695 cubic yards, four ponds,
4,453 linear feet of tile terraces, and two
streambank stabilization projects, and
upgraded 10 septic systems. Riparian
management projects, stream stabilization
projects, and tree and shrub plantings are
likewise included in the project's goals. In 1996,
3,780 trees and 12,878 shrubs were installed in
mitigation areas of Banner Creek; the Holton
Central Schools' third grade classes planted 86
trees.

                 CONTACTS: Scott Satterthwaite
     Kansas Department of Health and Environment
                                 913296-8038

                                   Don (ones
             Jackson County Conservation District
                                 913 364-4638
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                        Clean Water Neighbor Projects —
                    Local Initiatives Drive Public Awareness
       Glean Water Neighbor, funded by the 319
       program, is designed specifically to
       involve local groups and individuals in
 voluntary nonpoint source pollution programs.
 Thus/it also seeks to enhance the public's
 awareness of water quality problems, their
 causes, and the best management practices and
 individual behaviors that can lead to their
 control .and elimination.

 Cooperation is key
      Clean Water Neighbor projects are local
 initiatives. They involve a range of participants,
 various degrees of difficulty, and diverse goals.
 Indeed, the idea of neighbor helping neighbor
 may be the only common element among many
 projects. The following projects, exchanges, or
 alliances, are Clean Water Neighbors:  '

 > Wichita State University's "Teaching
 Teachers." Two  members of the Biology
 Department hold workshops to teach high
 school teachers stream monitoring techniques.
 Teachers then teach their students these same
 methods. The University has also added a full
 course to its curriculum so that secondary
~ teachers can request academic credit.

 > High school monitoring projects. In
 separate projects,' four high schools established
 stream monitoring projects. Each school
 developed its own program and follow-up
 activity. One high school began to compile a
 computer database for stream quality in
 Topeka; another completed a stormdrain  •
 stenciling program in Wichita. The third planted
 1,100 tree seedlings along streambanks; the
 fourth hauled a large quantity of debris from a
 number of county streams.
       Clean Water Neighbor projects
      are local initiatives. They involve
       a range of participants, various
          degrees of difficulty, and
               diverse goals.
> Faculty and graduate students of the
School of Architecture and Urban Design,
University of Kansas designed a watershed
identification project to teach midd.le school
students to delineate the watershed and to
understand the way human activities affect
watershed health.

> Riparian vegetation surrounding Cheney
Lake, the primary source of Wichita's drinking
water, sustained significant storm damage.
Clean Water Neighbor funds contributed to the
debris cleanup that followed the storm and to
the cost of replanting riparian vegetation that
had sustained storm damage.

> Fort Scott, Kansas,  completed two good
neighbor projects: monitoring to determine
pollutant sources affecting a local lake, and a
citywide composting effort.

     Other Clean Water Neighbor
projects-in-progress include establishing
wetlands and sand filters/wetlands monitoring,
distributing nonpoint source pollution
literature for middle schools, and household
hazardous waste disposal efforts.

                       CONTACT: Judy Scherff
     Kansas Department of Health and Environment
                                913296-8038
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                              63

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                                                           KENTUCKY
               319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $526,008

               S Agriculture: $651,966

               H Urban Runoff: $0

               03 Silviculture: $0

               M Construction: $30,000

               B Resource Extraction: $0

               Q Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

               Q Hydrologic Modification: $0

               D Other: $261,471
                             The Tripplett Creek Project —,
                       On-site Wastewater Issues  in Rural Areas
           The Tripplett Creek Project, a 20-month
           program to reduce septic system effluent
           in Rowan County's Tripplett Creek
      watershed, was developed and implemented by
      the Gateway District Health Department in
      response to high in-s'tream levels of bacteria,
      mostly downstream from older residential
      clusters. The overall goal of the project was to
      reduce pathogen loadings into Tripplett Creek
      by reducing or eliminating the number of
      unpermitted straight-pipe discharges,
      increasing compliance with home septic .
      regulations, installing and demonstrating best
      management practices (BMPs) (including
      constructed wetland wastewater treatment
      systems), and initiating a maintenance and
      management educational program for owners
      of home septic systems and other on-isite
      wastewater treatment technologies.
           Graduate students from Morehead State
      University's Environmental Science program
      monitored the watershed during all phases of
the project, which also featured an extensive
public education and outreach component:
walking surveys, direct contact with
homeowners, news media releases, feature
articles, radio and television interviews, and
presentations to various student and
community groups.  .   •

Background and results
     Tripplett Creek was part of an ongoing
effort by the Nonpoint Source Section of
Kentucky's,Division of Water to explore ,
innovative strategies to address on-site
wastewater treatment problems, in low-income
rural areas. Project staff have been advocating
the development of a statewide cost-share, plus
a low-interest loan program to encourage
low-income rural residents to comply with
on-site wastewater treatment regulations.
     Replacing failed septic system
components, eliminating straight pipes, and
64
      SECTION 31 & SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME 11

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installing demonstration systems in places that
have substandard systems are the obvious ways
tb.reduce human pathogens in the watershed.
Success in the project area will determine
whether it can be carried over to other
'low-income rural counties.
       This project's extensive public
        education outreach program,
         BMP demonstrations, and
           successful formation of
         partnerships have fostered
       tremendous contributions and
         progress toward assuring a
        bright future for the Triplett
          Creek watershed and its
                inhabitants.
      More than a hundred applications for
assistance were distributed to businesses and
individuals in the project area, with other
referrals provided by county agencies and
health department staff. The project received
more than 48 applications for cost-share funds,
and approved 30 for assistance. Eligibility for
cost-share support was determined using
conventional public assistance program
guidelines. A three-member committee
approved all cost-share projects, and
arrangements for repairs to existing but
inadequate systems were handled on a
case-by-case basis. Health department
environmental staff designed and inspected all
installations and repairs.     ,
      Applicants who had substandard septic
.systems were eligible for subsidized
replacement of the wastewater line (from the
residence to the septic tank); the concrete,
 1,000-gallon tank; the line from the tank to the
distribution box; and the distribution box.
Installation of the remaining components (e.g.,
trench and gravel lateral field, leaching
chambers, and plant/rock filters) was the
responsibility of each property owner, who
agreed to complete the work within a specified
time period.
      Project success, in terms of
improvements in the water quality of Triplett
Creek, will be measured by follow-up pathogen
monitoring, which is scheduled to begin during
late summer 1997. However, other measures of
project success have already been documented.
For example, in addition to the many
homeowners who repaired or upgraded their
pn-site wastewater systems with section 319
funds, 20 additional community members used
their own money to voluntarily correct their
on-site wastewater disposal problems as a
result of this project.   "  .           ,
      Although the specific factors motivating
these 20 individuals are not known, this
, project's extensive public education outreach
program, BMP demonstrations, and successful
formation of partnerships have, fostered
tremendous contributions and progress toward
assuring a bright future for the Triplett Creek
watershed and its inhabitants.

                      CONTACT: David Daniels
              Gateway District Health Department
                                 606674-6396
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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                           Renovating a Constructed Wetland —
               Rock Creek's Answer to Acid Mine Drainage Treatment:
               Mining practices in the coal-bearing
               strata of Appalachia have created a
               serious water pollution problem in
       the Rock Creek Watershed. When pyrite is
       exposed to the atmosphere, it forms acid mine
       drainage (AMD), a low pH, iron- and
       sulfate-rich, highly acidic water.
            In 1989, a 1,022-square-meter surface flow
       wetland was constructed at Jones Branch, a
       tributary of Rock Creek, to reduce the effects of
       acid mine drainage. Metal concentrations and
       acidity were reduced substantially during the
       first six months of treatment; however, the
       system failed thereafter. It did not sufficiently
       use the treatment area and produced
       inadequate alkalinity and metal overloading.
            In an attempt to improve treatment
       efficiencies, a two-phase renovation project was
       developed that incorporates the use of anoxic
       limestone drains and a series of anaerobic
       subsurface drains that promote vertical flow
       through limestone beds overlain by rich organic
       compost. The modified design is intended to
       increase pH and bicarbonate alkalinity through
       limestone dissolution and bacterially mediated
       sulfate reduction. Moreover, the subsurface
       drains force the interaction of AMD within the
       substrate, leading to increased residence time
       — and possibly increased filtering of
       contaminants within the wetland system.

       Looking for results
            Analyses of postconstruction water
       quality monitoring data are encouraging. Mean
       iron concentrations have decreased from 788 to
       35 mg/L; pH increased from 3.41 to 6.38; and
       acidity has been reduced from 2,280 to 124
       mg/L CaCO?. The renovated wetland retains the
       following pollutants (figures after each element
refer to how much of the total pollutant load is
retained): aluminum, 98 percent; iron, 95.5
percent; acidity, 94.4 percent; sulfate, 57.3
percent; and manganese, 48.6 percent. Monthly
performance data revealed dramatic( changes in
water quality after construction and have
continued to indicate good consistency in
treatment efficiency ever since.
        Results from the renovation
       indicate that sulfate-reducing
          bacteria are effectively
       precipitating heavy metals as
     insoluble sulfides and producing
      a net alkaline drainage capable
        of neutralizing acidity from
             metal hydrolysis.
     Prior to renovation, the surface flow
system was curtailed by a, two-hour residence
time and an acid-forming environment: Results
from the renovation indicate that
sulfate-reducing bacteria, are effectively
precipitating heavy metals as insoluble sulfides
and producing a net alkaline drainage capable
of neutralizing acidity from metal hydrolysis. In
addition, an increased residence time in the
subsurface flow system of nearly 94 hours has
been observed through the use of a bromide
tracer. Thus, modifications from the renovation •
have enhanced heavy metal removal efficiencies
and contributed to the increased  life expectancy
of the treatment system.

               CONTACT: Dr. A.K. Karathanasis
                         University of Kentucky
                                606257-5925
66
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUMEII

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        Beginning with Information and Technical Assistance —
                 Kentucky's Agricultural Water Quality Act
   In 1994, Kentucky's legislature passed an
   Agricultural Water Quality Act that requires
   the use.of best management practices on all
logging and farming operations larger than 10
acres. A 15-member panel, the Kentucky
Agriculture Water Quality Authority, also
established by the act, representing farmers
and loggers, environmental groups, agriculture
and forestry agencies, commodity groups, and
industries, then examined water quality data
and evaluated management practices.
     With additional input from 250 producers
and commodity groups, the Authority
developed a manual of best management
practices (BMPs) to be used by all state
agencies. The manual includes 58 BMPs and
encompasses a broad range of land uses:
livestock, crops, farmsteads, and silviculture. A
special category was also created for stream
protection management.
     Kentucky farmers and loggers must
develop and implement a management plan
based on this selection of BMPs. A producer's
notebook that accompanies the manual
provides a series of questions to help them
make appropriate selections among the
practices.                   ,
     Producers have five years to implement
their management plans. This schedule ensures
that education — and technical and financial
assistance — will precede the statutory
requirements statewide. After that, enforcement
will, rely primarily on complaints or
documented water quality problems. A "bad
actor" protocol will be the enforcement arm for
implementing this statute.
      The Kentucky Agriculture Water
       Quality Authority developed a
       manual of best management
      practices to be used by all state
      agencies. The manual includes
       58 BMPs and encompasses a
         broad range of land uses:
       livestock, crops, farmsteads,
             and silviculture.
     If documented water quality problems are
occurring because of agricultural operations,
these operations will be reviewed and if they
have not implemented all appropriate BMPs,
they will be given another opportunity to do so.
Should a producer fail to comply with this
statute, the producer is subject to a "notice of
violation" and enforcement action, and may no
longer be eligible to participate  in cost-share
programs.

                     CONTACT: Jack A. Wilson
                            Division of Water
   Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection
                                502 564-3410
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                             67

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                                                            LOUISIANA
                319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $512,986
                S Agriculture: $415,748

                B Urban Runoff: $1,003,075
                03 Silviculture: $135,600
                fflD Construction: $0

                E Resource Extraction: $98,991
                H Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
                E3 Hydrologic Modification: $250,000
                D Other: $0
                               Tangipahoa River Projects —
                          Using an Ecosystem-Based Approach
           The Tangipahoa River flows for 79 miles
           southeast across the Mississippi and
           Louisiana state lines to Lake
      Pontchartrain. The northern segment of the
      river is an upland stream that flows through
      rolling hills above a sand and gravel substrate;
      the southern segment is a lowland stream that
      widens and flows through a cypress/tupelo
      swamp before entering Lake Pontchartrain.
      Most of the watershed is rural, consisting of
      pine forests, pastures, truck farms, and upland
      dairies, with swamps and marshes in the lower
      portion.
           Dairy farming is a predominant land use
      in the watershed; Tangipahoa Parish alone has
      273 dairies. Other agricultural land uses —
      truck farms, beef, poultry, fish, and swine
      operations — follow dairy farming in that order.
      Industries in the area are primarily agricultural,
      such as milk, fish, and meat processing.
A potential health hazard
     Public concern for the safety of the
Tangipahoa River for swimming and tubing
began in October 1987, when a graduate
student concluded .that the river was not
meeting water quality standards for primary
contact recreation; and, later, that high levels of.
fecal coliform in heavily used beach areas could
pose a health hazard.
     A review of historical fecal coliform data
from the Tangipahoa River and preliminary
results of a sampling program begun in October
1987 confirmed her judgment. In 1988, the
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals,
in conjunction with the Louisiana Department
of Environmental Quality, issued an advisory to
residents along the Tangipahoa River of a
potential health hazard from primary and
secondary contact recreation in the river. The
entire river was not in violation of the bacteria
standard; however, the standard is exceeded
68
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 periodically at all sampling stations, thus, the
 advisory covered the entire length of the
'Tangipahoa River.

 Source assessments
      Bacterial contamination in the
 Tangipahoa River includes both point and
 nonpoint sources. Fecal coliform bacteria reside
 in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded;
 mammals, both humans and animals, and are
 released to the environment in wastewater and
 from nonpoint sources. During an initial
 investigation,  11 wastewater treatment  facilities
 were inspected, and enforcement action was
 recommended for nine of these facilities.
 Nonpoint sources of pollution were also
 identified, including runoff from unseweredor ,
 poorly sewered communities and recreational
 campgrounds, and animal wastes from dairy
 farms-ahd other animal holding operations.

 Wastewater treatment
      Communities with no sewage systems or
 poor sewerage worked with the Tangipahoa     :
 Parish sanitarian and the Household Sewage
 Committee to reduce the level of untreated
 sewage entering the river. In recent years,  more
 than 7,882 new home sewerage systems have
 been installed in the parish. The Louisiana
 Department of Environmental Quality has also
 contracted with the Louisiana Cooperative  ,
 Extension Service to implement a'n education
 program focusing on the maintenance of
 existing septic systems and installation of
 traditional individual sewage systems.
      The U.S. Environmental Protection
 Agency also awarded funding to Tangipahoa
 Parish for the construction of a sewage treatment
 plant to alleviate problems faced by the parish
 resulting from a shortage of available locations
 for the proper disposal of septic tank sludge. The
 sewage treatment plant was completed in 1995
 and began full operation in the spring of 1996.
 The section 319 grant supported lagoon  clean-out
 programs and education programs for the proper
 siting, selection,  and maintenance of home
 sewage systems.   .

 Controlling dairy runoff
      To control runoff from dairies, the
 Department of Environmental Quality
 requested that all farmers in the parish apply
for NPDES permits or install no-discharge
animal waste management systems (lagoons).
Over 125 farmers agreed to install treatment
systems. Design specifications were developed
by the Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) and the Louisiana Cooperative
Extension Service. These agencies also
provided technical assistance for the
construction of lagoons or other waste
treatment structures.
        Both projects emphasize the
      importance of leaving trees and
      other vegetation along the edge
      of the bayou or drainage canal,
         since these riparian areas
       provide filtration for nonpoint
          sources of pollution and
           nutrient assimilation.
     Farmers are eligible for federal cost-share
assistance through the Farm Service Agency,
NRCS, and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Foundation and for state cost-share assistance
through the Louisiana Departments of ,
Environmental Quality and Agriculture and  .
Forestry.
     During 1996, 120 dairies were inspected
to determine their status on installing
no-discharge animal waste management
systems and applying for wastewater discharge
permits for their dairy operations. These
inspections resulted in 60 notices of violation
and one compliance order. The remaining dairy
operations have agreed to participate in the
program.       ,    '

Additional projects
     Based on the most recent data from the
Tangipahoa River, average and median levels of
fecal coliform continue to decrease, meeting
state water quality standards for primary and
secondary contact recreation during portions of
the year. The Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality will continue to monitor
the river closely"to determine when the health
advisory can be lifted.
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                               69

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      Other projects in the watershed have
 emerged from the cooperation between federal
 and state agencies working to restore the
 Tangipahoa River. These projects include, for
 example, a Forestry Nonpoint Source Task Force
 and a Hydromodification Demonstration
 Project modeling alternative methods for
 control of vegetation along streambanks,
 waterways, and canals.
      Both projects emphasize the importance
 of leaving trees and other vegetation along the
 edge of the bayou or drainage canal, since
 these riparian areas provide filtration for
 nonpoint sources of pollution and nutrient
 assimilation. As more  native habitats are  •
 encouraged and maintained along the
 streambank, water quality should improve and
 maintenance costs decline.
      Volunteer monitoring programs have also
 been .implemented along the.Tangipahoa River,
 and their results indicate that conditions in the
 river continue to improve. In sum, these
 cooperative efforts lead to a better
 understanding of water quality problems in the
 Tangipahoa River; they are-also helping to
 'reduce pollution to levels that will soon,
 residents hope, permit the lifting of the health
 advisory.

                       CONTACT: Jan Boydstun
   Louisiana Department of Environmental Protection
                                 504 765-0546
             Louisiana's Bayou Queue de Tortue Watershed
                     Incorporating BMP Demonstrations in
                            Pollution Prevention Plans
       Bayou Queue de Tortue — its French
       name means "tail of the turtle" — is
       located in the Mermentau River Basin in.
southwest Louisiana. The area is often referred
to as the "rice capital of the world." One of the
first watersheds in the state targeted for
nonpoint source implementation activities,
Bayou Queue de Tortue exemplifies most of the
problems in the Mermentau River Basin. Since
the Mermentau has more bayous not meeting
their designated uses than any other Louisiana
basin, demonstration projects in Bayou Queue
de Tortue can have a significant areawide
impact on water quality.
     The Bayou Queue de Tortue Task Force
began in 1989 as a joint cooperative effort to
coordinate section 319 programs with USDA
programs such as the President's Water Quality
Initiative. The task force included staff from the
Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality, the Louisiana State University Rice
Research Station, the USDA Natural Resource
Conservation Service (NRCS), the Louisiana
Cooperative Extension Service, and the Farm
Service Agency (FSA).
     Most bayous in the Mermentau River
Basin are impacted by sediment, nutrients,
organic enrichment, and low dissolved oxygen
levels, all of which affect fish habitats and
fisheries. Agriculture and hydromodification are
the two primary activities that contribute to
water quality impairments in the basin. .

Rice growing in the watershed.
      In the Bayou Queue de Tortue Watershed,
92 percent of the land is used for agriculture,
primarily rice and soybeans. Farmers here and
throughout the basin use mudding-in and
water-seeded rice as cultural practices to
control the weed, red rice. As a result, water
used to irrigate rice fields before and during the
planting season is laden with solids, nutrients,
and metals. Its discharge affects the streams
and bayous, especially during the spring
planting season when most traditional
mudding-in practices are used.
     Working rice fields in water results in
suspension of soil particles in irrigation water. If
irrigation water is discharged before soil
particles settle out, topsoil is lost and sediment
is deposited in the receiving water. Because of
the prolonged time period for settling of soil
particles, removal of even 50 percent of the
sediment is a challenging goal.
                                                       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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     As rice field discharges are released from
fields through drainage canals to the bayous,
bottom sediments are resuspended, creating a
sediment oxygen demand (SOD) in the bayou.
Dissolved oxygen levels in the bayous barely
average 2.0 to 3.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L),
and when rice field discharges are  released,
these levels are significantly reduced, ranging
from 0.2 to 0 mg/L.
     Beginning with the.1990 planting season,
farmers participated in a multiyear
demonstration project to
evaluate the effectiveness of
rice management practices
in improving water quality .
in the Mermentau River
Basin. The Farm Service
Agency provided cost-share
assistance to rice growers in
the project area (the Bayou
Queue de Tortue
Watershed), while NRCS.
and local soil and water
conservation  district.staff
provided technical;
assistance to the
participating  farmers.
     The project developed
and recommended four
management practices for
rice:    '
   • no-till rice planting — water planting
     into previous crop residue with no
     mechanical soil disturbance;
   • mudding-in with a 15-day settling
     period — flood water is retained in a
     closed levee system constructed prior to
     soil disturbance;
   • dry cultivation with clear water planting
     '— clear water planting into a prepared
     seed bed; and
   • mudding-in with a vegetative filter strip
     — retention of flood water in a closed
     .levee system,constructed prior to soil
     disturbance; flood water is drained into
     an adjacent area where native vegetation
     is maintained.
     The clear water and no-till rice plantings
were equally effective in reducing sediment
(right) A rice
field and
(below) the
Louisiana rice
field day at the
Research Station
in Growley, LA.

   concentrations in the initial discharges.
   Mudding-in with a vegetative filter strip also
   significantly reduced sediments from rice fields
   as compared with the traditional mudding-in
   practice. Results from the project indicate that
   all four management practices can improve the
   quality of rice field discharges, though results
   differ, depending at least in part on historic
   conditions in the treatment streams.

   Numeric evaluation — water
   monitoring  .
        Department of Environmental Quality
   analyses of Bayou Queue de Tortue and other
   bayous in the Mermentau River Basin show
   improvements in dissolved oxygen
   concentrations. Dissolved oxygen levels showed
   declining tendencies from 1982 to 1989, before
   the demonstration project was implemented.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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 The reverse is true from 1990 to 1995, when
 average dissolved oxygen concentrations
 increased from 2.434 mg/L in the preproject
 time period (1982-1989) to 3.335 mg/L during
 the project implementation time period
 (1990-1995).
      Other data also illustrate the success of
 this project. For example, from 1991 through
 1994, FSA cost-share funding helped support
 the four recommended rice best management
 practices (BMPs) on over 80,000 acres. Since
 then, interest in water quality improvement and
 BMPs has continued without FSA cost-share
 assistance. Rice growers voluntarily used the
 recommended BMPs on over 3,200 acres in
 1996 — motivated by concern for water quality
 and topsoil losses from their farms.
      According to a report from the Louisiana'
 State University (LSU) Rice Research Station,
 conservation tillage practices were used to
 plant an estimated 99,600 acres statewide
 during the 1996 planting season. This acreage
 represents approximately 20 percent of the total
 rice acreage in Louisiana. Of the acres planted
 with conservation tillage practices, 13,000 acres
 were within the project area, and 10,000 acres
 were in adjacent areas in Vermilion Parish.
      In 1996, the Farm Service Agency
 submitted Bayou de Queue Tortue as one of
 three priority watersheds for additional
 cost-share funding through the Water Quality
 Incentive Program, a move that will result in the
 use of additional BMPs on rice fields.

 Narrative  evaluation — ongoing
 activities
      The Bayou, Queue de Tortue Task Force
 continues to support activities to improve the
 bayou's water quality. First, to address the.
 sediment problem more directly, the Louisiana
 Department of Environmental Quality and the
 Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service have
 developed a suspended sediment test kit to
enable rice producers to reduce soil loss by
determining the amount of sediment
suspended in irrigation water. The test kit
contains a chart that indicates (in parts per
 million) the amount of suspended sediment
contained in the sample and also estimates (in
inches) the amount of topsoil that would be
 lost in 100 years if the water were released when
. tested instead of after the soil particles had
 settled out.
      During the 1996 planting season, the LSU
 Agricultural Center disseminated 750 test kits
 free of charge to rice producers in the
 Mermentau  River Basin. During the 1997
 planting season, a total of 1,500 kits were
 distributed.
      Second; the Louisiana Department of
 Environmental Quality, the state legislature,
 USDA, and various agricultural commodity
 producer groups, such as parish, regional, and
 state rice growers' associations, provide ideas
 and funding for many educational programs to
 help reduce  nonpoint source pollution in the
 Mermentau  River Basin and to encourage other
 farmers to adopt the BMPs used in the Bayou
 Queue de Tortue Watershed.
      These  agencies are also helping farmers  "
 build their pollution planning skills. Because 82
 percent of the rice growers and 75 percent of
 Louisiana's total rice acreage are located in the
 Mermentau  River Basin, Cooperative Extension
 will develop a model pollution prevention plan
 (PPP)-for introduction  in this area. (Since 1990,
 Louisiana has required that all agricultural
 producers must develop and follow such plans).
      To ensure that the rice field PPP will cover
 most if not all potential sources of nonpoint
 pollution encountered by rice producers, initial
 field tests in the Mermentau River Basin are
 planned for  1997. Once the model has been
 developed, the public will be made aware that
 additional help is available to those needing to
develop farm-specific PPPs; and the tenets and  '
practices in the model plan will be adapted as
 lesson plans for use by 4-H agents, volunteer
 leaders, and teachers in grades K through 12.
This aspect of the project is still in the
development process, and extension agents
have submitted a proposal to expand the  effort
to the entire Mermentau River Basin. The
Department  of Environmental Quality
anticipates initiation of this project  during 1997.

                       CONTACT: Jan Boydstun
  Louisiana Department of Environmental Protection
                                 504 765-0546
                                                        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                                                                  MMNfi
             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             •  Cross Cutting MRS Category: $459,002

             S  Agriculture: $288^222

             H  Urban Runoff: $10,080

            '_ HI  Silviculture: $0        -

             W  Construction: $O

             B  Resource Extraction: $0

             •  Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             H  Hydrologic Modification: $0

             D  Other: $0        \
       The Taylor Pond Watershed Project— Increasing Public
               Awareness about Nonpoint Source Pollution
From past to present
     Taylor Pond is a 644 acre pond
encompassed by a 15-square-mile watershed
located in Auburn, Maine, about 25 miles
southwest of Maine's .capital city of Augusta.
Land use in the watershed is predominantly
residential. Other land uses include two active
commercial farms and several small logging
operations. Although slopes throughout the
watershed are highly variable, the eastern shore
of Taylor Pond is moderate to steeply sloping
and creates problems for the two- and
three-tiered developments existing in .the.area.
     Water quality data have been collected for
Taylor Pond since 1941, and during the past
decade the lake has been monitored regularly by
the Taylor Pond Lake Association and the Maine
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Local residences generally dispose of waste-
water through septic systems or connection with
the Auburn Sewer District. Many lakefront
homes are occupied year-round, camproads are.
traveled throughout the year, and road and
shoreline erosion problems are common.
Present water quality is not suitable to sustain
a coldwater fishery, exhibiting documented .
signs of below-average water clarity, severe
dissolved oxygen depletion, habitat loss, .and
increasing total phosphorus levels.
    . The cumulative effects of annual
phosphorus loadings from various sources and
the conversion of forest land to developed land
are primary, causes of Taylor Pond's water
quality decline.             ,   /

A community protects its lake
     Over the years, most Taylor Pond
residents were unaware of the exact nature of
nenpoint so.urce pollution and even less able to
manage it.  More important, few recognized that
they were part of the problem. This condition
changed in 1992, when the Androscoggin Valley
Soil and Water Conservation District and the
Taylor Pond Lake Association began the Taylor  '
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                             73

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 Pond Watershed Project with the cooperation of
 landowners, the nearby towns of Auburn and
 Minot, and local, state, and federal government
 agencies. Partial funding for the project was.
 provided by a section 319 grant. The objectives
 of this 319 grant project were primarily water
 quality-related: to stabilize or improve the lake's
 water quality, and to reduce phosphorus and
 sediment inputs to the lake through widespread
 use of best management practices (BMPs).
              The centerpiece
      accomplishment of this project is
      its design and implementation of
       BMPs that successfully reduce
          phosphorus and sediment
             loading to the lake.
Technical assistance
      From the beginning, the project faced a
substantial challenge. It was accomplished,
however, in two phases that continued from
1992 through 1995. A project steering
committee including an aquatic biologist,
several engineers, conservationists, municipal
representatives, and local residents, delineated
focus areas. Issues needing the greatest
attention included education about nonpoint
sources, creation of BMP demonstration sites,
direct technical assistance to landowners, and
implementation of a phosphorus ordinance.
      When volunteers, contractors, town and
government officials, students, teachers,
planners, homeowners, and  even some
admitted skeptics of the operation eventually
pitched in, the project became a community .
effort to reduce nonpoint source pollution
sources in Taylor Pond. Many residents received
one-on-one assistance with erosion problems
that seemed of little consequence to
individuals, but which when added together
contributed significantly to lake pollution.
Problems and solutions ranged widely, from
repairing and maintaining eroding camp and
forestry roads,  ditches, and driveways to
preventing washwater discharges and excessive
use of lawn and garden fertilizers.
      Technical assistance helped landowners
 know why and how to use BMPs effectively, and
 road crews learned how to perform roadway and
 ditch maintenance activities to reduce
 sedimentation and avoid future maintenance
 costs. Inspections and technical assistance
 encouraged town planning boards and
 developers to incorporate BMPs into local
 development projects.
      Even with technical help and a solid plan
 of action, success would be difficult without
 local notice of ongoing project activities.
 Newsletter articles were distributed to teachers
 and municipal officials. Brochures and other
 resource materials illustrating the effects of
 erosion and phosphorus were developed and
 distributed at presentations and workshops for
 schools, associations, construction engineers,
 and town officials. A watershed ecology
 curriculum series with expert guest speakers
 was presented to local grade school teachers,
 who incorporated the information into daily
 instruction.

 Lasting accomplishments
      According to methodology developed by
 the Maine Department of Natural Resources
 and applied by the Department of
 Environmental Protection, Taylor Pond's yearly
 transparency data and long-term average
 means for water transparency do not indicate a
 statistically valid rise in water quality over the
 past 16 seasons of data collection, because a 90
 percent  confidence level was not attained. Yet,
 the information does indicate a positive
 increasing trend in water transparency at the  84
 percent  confidence level, suggesting that
 statistically proven and  "quantifiably
 measurable" water quality improvement  may be
 just around the corner for Taylor Pond.
     The centerpiece accomplishment of this
 project is its design and implementation of
 BMPs that successfully reduce phosphorus and
 sediment loading to the lake. Each BMP
 demonstration site was  carefully chosen  to
 model effective low-cost erosion and
 sedimentation controls and stormwater runoff
 management. The project team worked
extensively with individual landowners and
towns to construct these sites. Local residents
and those of other nearby watersheds (Sabattus
                                                       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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Lake, Range Pond, Crystal Pond, Mud Pond)
toured the sites, and local public works
departments donated signs and other displays
to inform people about the project.
     Thus, the project increased the public's
awareness of the variety of nonpoint pollution
sources to Taylor Pond and their effects on
water quality. It showed landowners that each
of them has a personal stake and responsibility
in protecting water resources, and emphasized
the difference each of them can make acting
individually and as a community. Their
sustained energy and enthusiasm will be the
deciding factor in whether this effort continues
to be successful in the years to come.

                    CONTACTS: Tony St. Peter
                                 207287-3901
                              Norm Marcotte
                                 207287-7727
     Maine Department of Environmental Protection
                     Bond Brook Responds to Progress —
                               Fish Habitats Improve
         Maine's 20-square-mile Bond Brook
         watershed has long'been a victim to
         the wheels of progress in Augusta,
Maine. A tributary to the venerable Kennebec
River and a popular fishing attraction for
residents of Maine's state capital, this once
vibrant trout and salmon fishery had declined
significantly over the years, as a result of rapid
development. The brook was still a source of
recreation for many but compared to earlier
times, it was clearly in trouble.
     Local ordinances were insufficient to
protect Bond Brook from the effects of:
uncontrolled development, poorly constructed
or maintained roads and ditches,  agricultural
and mining activities, and unstabilized,
naturally eroding streambanks. With so  many
forces pressing the brook to the brink of col-
lapse, local residents began to consider Bond
Brook as a resource-that could not be saved.
     Then the Kennebec County Soil and
Water Conservation District came up with an
idea. Active in watershed protection efforts
throughout Kennebec County, the district saw
Bond Brook as an opportunity to augment its
ongoing water quality improvement efforts and
to address major problems within the brook
watershed. With help and funding from  the
Maine Department of Environmental
Protection's (DEP) nonpoint source program,
the Conservation District sought a 319 grant to
begin the work. In 1991, the district contacted
the City of Augusta and the Maine DEP,
proposing to restore the worst portions of the
brook's eroding shoreline'and reduce recurrent
discharges ,of sediment into the brook.

Project design invites approval
     the district's overall approach was
simple: repair significant erosion sites
immediately adjacent to the brook and attack
the problem at its root by teaching the public
about nonpoint source pollution.
     The district presented a work plan to the
DEP that called for stabilizing eroding banks,
implementing and demonstrating best
management practices (BMPs) on multiple sites
within the watershed, and establishing a basic
information flow about erosion and BMPs. Led
by Water Quality Specialist Mitch Michaud, the
Conservation District undertook the Bond
Brook Watershed Project in cooperation with
other city, state, and local agencies and
partners. Significant accomplishments
followed, including:
    • construction and demonstration of an
     innovative livestock exclusion and
     watering site;
    • training for local residents in the use and
     , importance of forestry BMPs (erosion
     controls, buffer strips, runoff control, and
     road construction techniques);
    • production of newspaper articles and
     presentations featuring the restoration of
     Bond Brook;
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                               Z5

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    • presentation of the project's goals and
      efforts at the 1993 Northeast Fish and
      Wildlife Conference; and
    • erosion control BMP demonstrations at
     ' seven sites within the watershed.
      The BMP demonstrations included riprap
 installations, vegetative planting and mulching,
 and slope preparation. Other satellite projects
 were generated from these project activities.
 Technical assistance was provided to these
 additional projects but no 319 funds were spent
 on them. These projects included instruction in
 fill placement and soil stabilization techniques,
 storrnwater runoff control, revegetation plan
 reviews, ditch construction and maintenance,'
 and assistance in fish ladder permitting and
 construction at the Governor Hill State Fish
 Hatchery,

 Teamwork and commitment
      Teamwork was a key ingredient to the
 success of the Bond Brook grant project, as
 shown in the following examples of project
 activities:

 >• Several eroding streambanks were
 revegetated using mostly volunteer  help from
 local groups (e.g., Trout Unlimited) and
 neighboring residents.

 >• A large section of streambank was
 riprapped to prevent the landowner's septic
 system and 20 feet of severely slumping
 shoreline from washing into the brook. This
 repair required contractor expertise but also
 received ample roll-up-your-sleeve volunteer
 help from Maine DEP staff, Natural Resources
 Conservation Service staff, and the landowner
 himself.

>• Still another heavily eroded bank, located
within 100 feet of Bond Brook, was repaired
with help from the City of Augusta, who agreed
 to purchase and remove some of the  eroding
clay material for use as landfill cover,
 facilitating sloping and ditching of the site  for
 final hydroseeding.

     From armoring an all-terrain vehicle
crossing to planting trees in an eroding
playground, the variety of repairs conducted by
 a similar variety of people during the fieldwork
 segment of this project created a team
 atmosphere that carried on through the entire
 project.
       The district's overall approach
        was simple: repair significant
          erosion sites immediately
      adjacent to the  brook and attack
          the problem at its root by
          teaching the public about
         nonpoint source pollution.
Higher fish survival rate
      The Bond Brook project was completed in
1996, and preliminary results point to at least
some water quality improvements/According to
recent observations by Maine's Department of
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, higher salmonid
survival rates (brown trout) are evident within
Stone Brook (a major Bond Brook tributary).
Further observation shows that brook trout are
doing well in the upper reaches of Bond Brook,
and sites repaired during the project are
contributing significantly less sediment to the
brook than sites that were not repaired.
    .  More needs to be done to fully restore
Bond Brook, and additional work is being
planned to.restore riparian buffer habitat in the
upper watershed in 1998. Without water quality
monitoring having been performed over many
years, it is virtually impossible to gauge the
success of project activities or determine the
long-term effects on water quality in the
watershed. But one thing is certain. The
cooperation and commitment of the
participants in this project offer new hope that
Bond  Brook.can become the exceptional
clean-water recreational and fisheries resource
that it was in its earlier days.

                    CONTACTS: Tony St. Peter
                                207287-3901
                              Norm Marcotte
                                207287-7727
     Maine Department of Environmental Protection
                                                        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I

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                   Building a Local Watershed Alliance —
                           A Common Sense Approach
      Ghina Lake, Webber Pond, and Threemile
      Pond are culturally eutrophic lakes in'
      central Maine — in the towns of China,
Vassalboro, and Windsor. Combined, these
lakes drain an area of approximately 52 square
miles. Because they are primarily used for
recreation, the improvement and maintenance
of their water quality directly affects the
economic base for the communities in this.
region.
      During the 1980s, in-lake treatment,
funded in part by section 319, was employed on
Webber and Threemile Ponds to help address
declining water quality. Threemile was treated ,
with aluminum salts to achieve a reduction in
internal nutrient cycling, and a new outlet
structure was constructed on Webber to
facilitate  annual drawdowns. In both lakes,
restoration efforts focused primarily on these
measures rather than on the continual influx of
phosphorus from the combined watersheds.
Eventually, coordinating efforts between the
towns began to make sense as  residents
recognized the value of pooling resources and
providing landowners with technical assistance
for repairing nonpoint source problems — with
landowners contributing to the cost of repair
materials.
      The idea gained additional support when
local volunteers suggested that a regional
alliance be created to share knowledge,
experience, and human and financial resources
to establish a coordinated and long-term .total
watershed management system over the
three-town area. The Maine Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) and EPA
Region 1, also saw this innovative approach to
lake restoration as a unique opportunity to
establish, with partial funding support from
section 319, a permanent, and self-sustaining
lake protection presence in the region.
      In 1994, the China Region Lakes Alliance
was. formed between the three  towns as a
regional nonprofit corporation, with a board of
directors representing the lake associations, the
towns, and the Kennebec Water District (a local
utility). Core program funding from section 319
allowed the Alliance to establish itself and
obtain local public and private funding, along
with grant funding from various sources. Since
its inception, the China Region Lakes Alliance.
has been creative in finding effective solutions
to nonpoint source problems within its
jurisdiction.           •
      Local volunteers suggested that
      a regional alliance be created to
       share knowledge, experience,
         and human and financial
          resources to establish a
      coordinated and Ibng-term  total
      watershed management system
         over the three-town area.
Partnership-based protection
     The Maine DEP section 319 Nonpoint
Source Program has become a vital player in
this ongoing regionally integrated watershed
management effort. EPA Region 1 and the state
have worked with the Alliance to fund and
implement the first and second phases of the
Webber and Threemile Ponds Watershed
Project; a third phase is currently under review
for possible implementation in 1998-1999.'
     These efforts are bringing the Threemile
and Webber Pond watershed programs up to
the level of China Lake's program. A full-time
resource specialist and summer Youth
Conservation Corps workers-receive watershed
survey results from trained local volunteers,
facilitate design and implementation of erosion
controls around the ponds, help educate  the
public about nonpoint source pollution, and
assist landowners install best management
practices.
      Results of the China Region Lakes
Alliance program are impressive. Working
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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Youth Conservation Corps workers installing best management practices in
China Lake.
              labors of 20 Erskine Academy
              students (who would be
              considered "at risk" in a
              traditional school setting) to
              repair eroding banks on a heavily
              silted section of Jones Brook, a
              major tributary to the south
              basin of China Lake. These
              energetic students learned about
              erosion control techniques and
              water quality protection while;
              also learning the basic
              ingredients for teamwork and
              cooperation. Since this work was
              completed, gravel has
              reappeared on the stream
              bottom and brown trout are
              again occupying this traditional
              salmonid spawning area.
 cooperatively with state, federal, and local
 agencies and landowners is producing tangible
 results, among them:
    • a highly successful local public and
      private nonpoint source remediation
      program;
    • education and employment opportunities
      for local high school students involved in
      helping the China Region Lakes Alliance
      install scores of cooperative erosion
      control projects;
    • a locally-enacted Phosphorus Control
      Ordinance currently serving as a
      statewide model;
    • employment of prison inmate volunteers
      on large projects;
    • a strong financial and human resources
      commitment from the Federal Highway
      Administration and the Maine
      Department of Transportation; and the
    • implementation of ongoing projects
      aimed at restoring and protecting the
      three-lake area and its tributaries.
> The Erosion Control Demonstrations —
China Lake Watershed. This 319 project
focuses on 10 stream and lakeshore sites where
various structural and vegetative techniques
new to central Maine are employed to stabilize
existing erosion problems. Some sites were
more successful than others, but all were
educational and will continue to be employed
as regional training sites.

      Through this comprehensive grassroots
process, the local public are becoming aware,
informed, and  involved with resource
protection in the China Lake/Threemile
Pond/Webber Pond watershed. As the water
quality of the resources is improved and
protected, the  local economy and property
values will also increase. Public safety will be
enhanced as a result of local road
improvements. Over time, the result will be a
locally funded, perpetual watershed
management program that produces continuing
and comprehensive environmental and
economic benefits for this valuable lakes region.
     Among the latter projects, two were
outstanding:

>• The Jones Brook Restoration Project. This
also is a 1995 319 grant project that used the
                    CONTACTS: Tony St. Peter
                                 207287-3901
                              Norm Marcotte
                                 207 287-7727
     Maine Department of Environmental Protection
                                                        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $296,322

              S Agriculture: $735,894

              H Urban Runoff: $438,396

              EB Silviculture: $71,368

              HID Construction: $O

              E Resource Extraction: $0

              H Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D Other: $0
                             Constructed Wetlands —
         Maryland Investigates Dairy Waste Treatment Methods
       Untreated dairy effluent contains high
       concentrations of nutrients, oxygen-
       demanding substances, and solids that
can adversely affect water quality and the
health of aquatic organisms in downstream
waters. To address this threat, the State Soil   .
Conservation Service (now the Natural
Resources Conservation Service [NRCS])
constructed a waste treatment system consist-
ing of two settling basins, two wetland cells, and
a vegetated filter strip at a dairy farm near
Frederick, Maryland, in the Monocacy River
watershed in July 1993. Other partners.in this
319 project are the University of Maryland at
College Park, the Maryland Department  of
Natural Resources, and dairy farmer Clyde Crum.

Background
      The project is designed to investigate
whether constructed wetlands can provide a
cost-effective alternative to conventional
technologies, such as lagoons and land
application, for controlling animal waste runoff
from dairy farms. While constructed wetlands
have been found.to be effective for treating
other waste types (e.g., domestic sewage and
industrial waste), few quantitative data are
available to document the effectiveness of
constructed wetlands for treating  dairy waste.
     Controlling nutrient releases from dairy
farms has some urgency, since Maryland and
other states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
have agreed to reduce the input of nutrients to
the Bay to 40 percent of 1985 levels by the year
2000. Animal waste, particularly from dairy
cows, is a major source of nutrients to the
Monocacy River, which flows into the
Chesapeake Bay.                    .

Wetland treatment systems
     Effluent from the dairy milking parlor
flows through one of the settling basins and is
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME H

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       then split to flow into both of the wetland cells
       in parallel. Runoff from the barnyard flows
       through the other settling basins and then into
       one of the wetland cells. Effluent from the
       wetland cells then flows through the vegetated
       filter strip and out through a culvert at the
       downstream end.
                The project is designed to
             investigate whether constructed
                 wetlands can provide a
               cost-effective alternative to
             conventional technologies, such
             as lagoons and land application,
               for controlling animal waste
                 runoff from dairy farms.
            To assess the effectiveness of the wetland
       treatment system, researchers from the
       University of Maryland collected surface water
       samples once each month in each of two
       settling basins receiving effluent from the
       milking parlor and barnyard, at the inflow to
       each wetland cell, and at four to six sites across
       the length of each cell. Additional samples were
       taken at the outflow pipes of the cells if
       discharge was occurring, at a culvert at the
       downstream end of the vegetated filter strip,
       and at a groundwater seep area within the strip.
       The samples were analyzed for several water
       quality parameters including five-day
       biochemical oxygen demand (BOD?), total
       suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen
       (TKN), nitrate-nitrogen (NOs-N),
       nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N), ammonia-nitrogen
       (NHs-N), orthophosphate (PO4-P), and total
       phosphorus (TP).
 Reductions in nutrients
      Based on the results of sampling and
 analysis conducted between May 1995 and
 January 1997, the treatment system as a whole
 achieved considerable reductions in all
 parameters except nitrate and nitrite. The
 percentage of overall reduction (from the
 settling basin receiving milking parlor effluent
 to the outlet of the vegetated filter strip) was 87
 percent for BOD, 99.8 percent for TSS, 59  .
 percent for ammonia, 97 percent for total
 nitrogen, 88 percent for orthophosphate, 94
 percent for total phosphorus. Nitrate and nitrite
 increased from 5.7 to 12.4 mg/L (117percent),
 and most of the increase in nitrate and nitrite
 occurred in the filter strip, suggesting that the
 strip is a  site of nitrification (a precursor to
 nitrogen  removal via denitrificatiort). The
 settling basins reduced TSS but had .little effect
 on BOD or nutrients.
    .  Guidelines developed by the NRCS
 specify as design objectives that constructed
 wetlands'for treating agricultural waste should
 reduce BOD and TSS to below 30 mg/L and
 ammonia-nitrogen to below 10 mg/L. Filter strip
 effluent contained average concentrations of
 TSS (60 mg/L), BOD (144 mg/L), and ammonia
 (30 mg/L) that exceeded design objectives.
 Nonetheless,  these concentrations are within
 an order of magnitude of design objectives and
 represent a tremendous improvement over
 conditions that existed prior to the treatment
system.                                  •
      Our results suggest that the system could
be improved by recirculating effluent through
the system or creating another wetland  cell
downstream of the .existing system. The
 University is continuing to work.with the NRCS
and Mr. Crum to develop design modifications.

              CONTACT: Andrew Baldwin, Ph.D.
    Department of Biological Resources Engineering
                         University of Maryland
                                 301405-1198
80
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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                          The Sawmill Creek Project —
                      Modeling the Watershed Approach
      Sawmill Creek — one of four watersheds
      selected by the governor's Chesapeake
      Bay Work Group to develop,
 demonstrate, and evaluate a coordinated
 approach to improving water quality and
 habitat conditions for living resources — is
 using an adaptive management approach to
 reverse declines in water quality and habitat.
 Substantial habitat improvements have already
 been made to a tributary to the creek, and the
 project may also provide some of the first
 documented research on the lag times
 associated with restoration activities.
Project description
     A wide spectrum of land owners and land
management agencies have pooled their
resources to develop the new approach and
restore Sawmill Creek: five Anne Arundel county
government departments, seven state agencies,
three federal agencies, five  nongovernmental
organizations, several local businesses, and
numerous private citizens. Each partner is
mandated to use existing programs to achieve
the goal. No new funds were allocated for the
project, and even section 319 funding was used .
solely for assessment and monitoring.
 Profile of the watershed

      Sawmill Creek is a second order
 freshwater stream on Maryland's
 coastal plain. The watershed drains
 approximately 8.4 square miles,.and
 the creek flows about 5 miles from its
 headwaters to its mouth, a tidal
 estuary near the mouth of the
 Patapsco River and Baltimore Harbor.
      The region was originally known
 for its productive fruit and vegetable
 farms. Approximately two-thirds of the
• watershed has been converted to
 residential and  light industrial land
 uses over the past 50 years.
 Development of a major
 transportation network has had a
 significant effect on the watershed.
 The Baltimore Washington
 International Airport is the center of a
. web of interconnecting rail lines and
 interstate highways.
      Groundwater withdrawals for
 municipal drinking water have
 increased dramatically, and excessive
 pumping from an  unconfined aquifer
 has reduced the annual base flow in
 the creek from an  average of six cubic
 feet per second in 1965 to less than
 one cubic foot per second during
 more recent dry years.
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                              81

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            The adoption of a watershed perspective
       (i.e., the coordinated and integrated approach
       called for by the governor's work group) is
       intended to be a continual and permanent
       change in management practice. In this case,
       the monitoring and implementation teams
       acted concurrently. The implementation team
       began to address obvious flaws in historic
       management practices, while the monitoring
       team investigated the subtle, cumulative
       impacts of various land-use practices.
            The implementation team drafted a
       restoration strategy that described the
       geographic location of each environmental
       problem, prescribed a general restoration goal,
       and identified the responsible management   •
       agencies for each major problem. The partners
       then used feedback from the monitoring team's
       ongoing investigations to revise and improve
       the details of each restoration project. This
       interactive process has been described as
       adaptive management. It continues, but after
       three years the emphasis has shifted from
       assessment and planning to implementation
       and evaluation.

       Examples culled from the
       implementation phase
            The implementation phase began in 1994
       and actively continues. A wide variety of best
       management practices have been, and will be,
       installed as the partners revisit each site using
       biological health and
       stream conditions to
       guide their
       determination of overall
       conditions. Thus, for
       example, the project
       used a biological survey
       (EPA's Rapid
       Bioassessment
       Protocols) to assess and
       quantify stormwater
       problems. Table 1
       compares habitat scores
       and fish populations in a
       reference stream and a
       Sawmill Creek tributary
       before and one year after
       restoration. The scores
       shown for each  stream
parameter are reported as a percentage of a
theoretically perfect stream. The last line shows
the number of fish species that were found in
each stream.
       There is documented evidence
       that six species of fish survive
           in the restoration area.
     The reference stream indicated in Table 1
is covered with second growth forest. It is not
pristine but the stream ecosystem is in good
condition for a western shore coastal-plain
stream. Tributary 9, by comparison, is in an
urban portion of the watershed and has
approximately 50 percent impervious cover. It
drains an area mostly covered by subdivisions
built in the late 1940s. Much of the upper
stream network was buried in drain pipes under
the streets with no stormwater management
plan in place to control either the quantity or
the quality or runoff.
     Habitat improvements on Tributaiy 9
consisted of reshaping the eroded channel to
restore a stable cross-section, gradient, and
plane geometry to accommodate the increased
stormwater discharge rates. The new channel
was stabilized with bioengineering techniques
including root-wad-revetments, rock weirs, and
dense riparian plantings..
Table 1.— Habitat scores and fish species on Sawmill Creek.
HABITAT PARAMETERS
Substrate and cover
Enbeddedness
Flow
Channel alteration
Scouring and deposition
Pool/riffle/run ration
Bank stability
Bank vegetative stability
Stream side cover
TOTAL SCORE
FISH SPECIES
REFERENCE
STREAM
80%
65%
60%
93%
67%
87%
80%
90%
80%
78%
9
TRIBUTARY 9
PRE-IMPLEMENTATION
50%
25%
45%
13%
40%
47%
30%
40%
60%
39%
1
TRIBUTARY 9
POST-IMPLEMENTATION
75%
60%
30%
67%
60%
87%
70%
90%
50%
65%
6
82
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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      Table I indicates the significant habitat
 improvements that have evolved from the
 stream restoration practices installed on
 Tributary 9. The habitat scores are expected to
 continue to improve as the riparian plants
 develop into a mature forest buffer.
 Experimental stocking of resident nongamefish
 species has also been accomplished, with help
 from a local junior high school science club.
 Thus far, there is documented evidence that six
 species of fish survive in the restoration area.

 Lessons learned
      The Sawmill Creek project shows that an
 ecosystem-based approach can be used to  set
 priorities for watershed management planning.
 Quantifiable measures of biological health  and
 stream  stability can be used to guide the
 integration of a wide variety of best
management practices. The approach can be
used for both restoration and planning
purposes. However, lag time — the time that
elapses between the installation of a best
management practice and the first improved
conditions —- is highly variable depending on
the level of action and specific site conditions.
As monitoring continues in the watershed,'
section 319 funding may contribute to.research
on this aspect of watershed management.

                     CONTACTS: Larry Lubbers
                                 410260-8701
                 Watershed Restoration Division

                       Elysabeth Bonar Bouton
                                 410260-8734
              Coastal Zone Management Division
        Maryland  Department of Natural Resources
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                              83

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                         * V •  1 • 4
                      I  I, >1 f ( Jl I, (
                                      MriSSACHUSETtS
              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting MPS Category: $666,160

               S Agriculture: $0
               H Urban Runoff: $66,578 •

               E3 Silviculture: $0
               3H] Construction: $0

               BQ Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

               0 Hydrologic Modification: $390,000
               D Other: $128,762
                               Wetlands to the Rescue —
                 Spragues Cove Stormwater Remediation Project
        In June 1995, Marion, Massachusetts,
        completed construction of a wetlands
        system designed to reduce stormwater
      pollutant discharges that were adversely
      affecting Spragues Cove. Elevated levels of fecal
      coliform bacteria were the primary concern;
      before the wetlands system was built, they had
      contributed to the closure of shellfish'beds in
      the cove and threatened nearby swimming
      beaches.
           To obtain funding for the remediation
      structure, the town joined the Buzzards Bay
      Project of the National Estuary Program in
      competing for a section 319 grant. In
      Massachusetts, the 319 grant program is
      administered through the Department of
      Environmental Protection, Office of Watershed
      Management. The town also received grant  .
      monies from the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
      and the Marion Cove Trust.
           Once grant funding had been  obtained,.
      the Buzzards Bay Project requested  technical
assistance from the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS put
together an interdisciplinary team of engineers,
biologists, soil conservationists, a geologist,
and a soil'scientist to'work with the town and
the Buzzards Bay Project. This team helped the
partners identify alternatives and select best
management practices. Several alternatives
were considered, including chlorination, UV
dissectors, vegetative swales, and infiltration
structures. The constructed wetlands system
was deemed the most feasible solution based
on site-conditions, pollutant removal
capabilities, capital costs, and operation and
maintenance requirements and costs.

Constructed wetlands
     The constructed wetlands system is
comprised of a sediment basin, two shallow
marshes located on both sides of a deep pool,
and a stone-lined channel. Project workers used
design criteria from a Florida manual to size the
84
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME ((

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 system: it was made to store 1.0
 inch of runoff with an average
 detention time of 14 days.
      Although wet weather
 monitoring has been limited
 since the construction of the
 wetlands system (because of
 summer drought conditions in
 Massachusetts), thejatest data
 indicate fecal coliform counts of
 10 organisms per 100 milliliters
 in Spragues Cove. In
 Massachusetts, the Water Quality
 Standard for shellfish harvesting
 without depuration is 14
 organisms per 100 milliliters.
      Prior to construction of the
 wetlands system, fecal coliform
 counts as high as 20,000
 organisms per 100 milliliters were
 recorded. Monitoring of-the
 discharges from the wetlands
 system and Spragues Cove will
 continue on a regular basis. The
 data will help determine ther
 effectiveness of the system in
 reducing stormwater pollutant
 loads and thus, project the future
 status of the shellfish beds.
 Shellfish beds open for
 harvesting
      At this time, it appears that
 the wetlands system has  -
 successfully reduced the stormwater
 pollutant loadings to levels that
 permit the valuable shellfish beds of .
 Spragues Cove to be open for harvesting.
      In addition, the project has given the
 town an aesthetically pleasing landscape.'The
 restoration reclaims a former salt marsh that
 had been filled with dredge materials in the
 1950s. The townspeople of Marion have shown
 their support for this project by helping to
 replant the shallow marshes and stabilize the
                            BEFORE the project
                             - ---,,-,; T ":.;„ —,,_ ^p;,*^r rEr^-pi.J* ,*5^5-J,,.™=a ^, .•»,_

shoreline. They have also continued to replant
the vegetation that died during the drought.

                  CONTACT: Elizabeth McCann
                   Division of Municipal Services
       Massachusetts Department of Environmental
                                    Protection
                                 617292-5901
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                85

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                                                             MICHIGAN
               319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting MPS Category: $1,395,957
               H Agriculture: $710,213
               H Urban Runoff: $335,000
               03 Silviculture: $35,000
               ID Construction: $0
               E Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
               E3 Hydrologic Modification: $113,000

               D Other: $300,000
                                  Talking with Farmers —
            The North Branch Chippewa River 319 Watershed Project
           The North Branch of the Chippewa River,
           located in the center of Michigan's lower
           peninsula, forms a subwatershed of the
      Saginaw Bay basin. The North Branch begins in
      Isabella County and flows into the Chippewa
      River near Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
           Land use in the 49,000-acre watershed is
      78 percent agricultural, including a mixture of
      dairy, beef, and rowcrop farming. Row crops are
      grown on 33,000 acres or 67 percent of the
      watershed (87 percent of the agricultural area)
      and livestock are found on 100 (53 percent) of
      the roughly 189 farms in the watershed.
           Clay soils and rolling typography, along
      with an intensive network of agricultural
      drainage tiles,  lead to unstable flows — to high
      water velocities that transport large quantities
      of nutrients and suspended solids during storm
      events. Excessive rainfall or a heavy snowmelt
      only intensifies the problem.
First Steps
     The Isabella County Soil Conservation
District received a section,319 planning grant
for the watershed in 1990. Since the
Conservation District's primary goal was to
reduce sediment, -phosphorus, and fecal
coliform levels in the North Branch, it began
the project by surveying the watershed to
identify the major sources of these pollutants.
The district's watershed planner walked all the
tributaries in  the watershed and recorded and
ranked sources of nonpoint pollution on aerial
photos. In addition, the district hosted local
advisory meetings to promote awareness and
participation.
     The water quality problems were
sediments, nutrients (particularly phosphorus),
and fecal coliform. The sediments and nutrients
derived mainly from soil erosion on
row-cropped fields, while uncontrolled cattle
access was a source of fecal coliform. Fully 25
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 river miles and 26 miles of tributaries
 were affected. The basis for ranking
 the nonpoint sources on the aerial
 photos was the watershed planner's
 experience and expertise in
 • recognizing and diagnosing the
 problems and solutions. In effect,
 each problem area was scored in the
 field as low, medium, or high priority
 in consideration of the project's
 . overall goals.
      Once the priority sources were
 identified, the watershed planner
 contacted individual landowners and
 met with them at their farmsteads.
 During these meetings, the planner
 proposed an appropriate system of
 farming practices that would address
 all known and potential nonpoint
 sources — and meet the landowners'
 specific farming needs.
      The watershed planner
 identified the priority areas and
 actively sought farmers in these areas
 to develop plans for implementing
 best management practices (BMPs). In
 other watersheds (i.e., those that .were
 not designated as priority areas),
 those interested in participating in the
 program contacted the. district to sign
 up for cost-share funding. The
 "one-on-one" interaction with
 landowners in the priority areas contributed
 greatly to the project's overall success/

 Reducing loadings result
      Implementation of BMPs began in 1991
 and continued for three years. During this time,
 the project installed 49 erosion control
 structures, over 7 miles of fencing, numerous
 stream crossings, 24 acres of filter strips, a
 grassed waterway, 0.5 miles of diversions, an
 agricultural waste management system, over
 17 acres of critical area seeding, and 2.7 miles
 of streambank stabilization that included seven
in-stream check dams. All livestock in the North
Branch of the Chippewa River are now restricted
by fencing from access to the main tributaries.
     These structural practices have prevented
12,015 tons of sediment from entering the
North,Branch; they have also saved an
estimated 6,248 pounds of phosphorus and
78 pounds of nitrogen.

                      CONTACT: Amy Peterson
                          Nonpoint Source Unit
     Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
                                 517373-2037
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((
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                   Saving Michigan's  Blue Ribbon Trout Stream —
                                The Boardman River Project
         In 1992, the Grand Traverse Soil Conservation
         District received a section 319 grant to treat
         streambanks and  road crossings that were
      contributing sediment to the Boardman River, a
      295-square-mile blue ribbon trout stream  •
      located in northwest lower Michigan. To ensure
      that the diversity of river users would be
      honored, the District developed a steering
      committee that topped 200 members, including
      local townships, numerous state and county
      agencies, communications companies, utilities, .
      recreational groups, a regional land
      conservancy, construction companies, and
      other businesses.

           Working together for almost
      four years, these partners stabilized
      96 sites on the Boardman River and,
      as a result, prevented over 1,200
      tons of sand from entering the
      system each year. To maximize
      resources, the District worked with
      the Michigan Department of
      Corrections to obtain prison labor
      for the project. They  also used
      numerous bioengineering practices
      to further stretch their 319 funding.
      Bioengineering practices used
      included
          • transferring native plants from
           elsewhere in the watershed to
           the site needing vegetation,
          • using whole tree revetments at
           the toe of some slopes,
          • using log cribbing to terrace a
           steep slope,
          • bringing vegetation to near the water's
           edge, and
          • planting vegetation with rock riprap.
           These practices stabilized the sites at a
      lower cost than traditional rock structures and
      helped blend the new sites into the
      surrounding landscape.
           Other practices also proved useful in the
      Boardman River. For example, working with
             fisheries managers, the District added fish
             lunkers to several of the sites to help provide
             habitat for trout. The wooden lunkers were   •
             installed at the toe of a bank, covered over with
             rock and topsoil, then seeded. Amazingly, the
             sites with lunkers look no different than sites
             without lunkers.
                  And — a final example — using
             composted .leaves became a regular practice for
             the District. The leaves were donated by
             Traverse City and mixed into the soil prior to
             seeding or hand planting vegetation: This
             practice has been especially helpful, on
^•UKMi^^BMHH«R*MH*!BB:. _.«t*fti*«i™*SB»fl^Tii«K*«a9«M^»««»«^           	    	
Log cribbing, shown in the foreground (right), was used on the Boardman
River to impede the downward movement of soil on a bank. Here, seed,
individual plantings of native shrubs, and stairs were used with the log
cribbing to create a natural-looking access site.
             south-facing sandy slopes where it is usually
             difficult to get vegetation to grow.

             Ongoing and long-term management
                   Having addressed the primary sources of
             sediment in the watershed, the District
             installed and developed  long-term agreements
             with individuals and groups to maintain four.
             sand traps, each of which, when cleaned, will
             remove an additional 1,000 tons of sand from
             the river.
88
                    SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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       To promote the watershed
 restoration efforts, the District also
 developed an information/education
 campaign,that included watershed
 brochures, a project display, T-shirts,
 an educational video, and three
 30-second public service announce-
 ments (PSAs). The educational video,
 entitled "Currents of the Boardman,"
 was filmed and produced by a local
 utility company,  MichCon, which also-
 filmed and produced the PSAs. The
 PSAs have been  aired over 1,000
 times on local television.
       Now that 319 funding has
 ended, the District has joined forces
 with the Grand Traverse Regional
 Land Conservancy and local
 businesses to continue the project.
 The Conservancy is a nonprofit land
 protection organization that has
 already worked with local landowners
 to protect nearly 600 acres
 in the Boardman River watershed.  In
 addition, an endowment fund for the-
 Boardman .River  has been.established
• through the Conservancy. The interest
 from this fund will provide for the
 long-term management of the
 Boardman River  system,

            CONTACTS: SteVe Largent
        Boardman River Project Director
                         616941-0960-

                       .Amy Peterson
                 Nonpoint Source Unit
  Michigan Department of Environmental
                              Quality
                         517373-2037
               aSSr  "*sfcs. ••agjJjg**"»*ug"BUBi»um; i imss vis* • a uji/^/n •
               yw j«^p»i|«^r SK^SS- y jiir=s5r="~51-<^-JE»'*' *,  Ag   -
               jg.  jf "*.j% yFj^f^f. *jB # ayjpg^i- .fTfepw JEM** *   s*'
               2*-" -«. a sf*s—• •^T Ha*15*- .. .n*. ,.*~»» «A-» »™ .
This site on the Boardman River was contributing sediment to the river.
Here, workers are applying composted leaves to help create a better
growing medium for vegetation on this "hot" slope. Photo by Steve Largent,
Grand Traverse Soil Conservation District.
The same site after one growing season. Note how the composted leaves
and seed were brought to the water's edge — on top of some of the rock
riprap — to provide a more natural-looking finish. Photo by Steve Largent,
Grand Traverse Soil Conservation District.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES; VOLUME (I
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                                                      MINNESOTA
               3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $2,829,742

               S Agriculture: $298,843
               H Urban Runoff: $92,158

               0 Silviculture: $0
               (H Construction: $0

               B Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $ 159,263
               03 Hydrologic Modification: $146,737

               D Other: $76,947
                 Lake Shaokatan Restoration Project — Improving
               Water Quality Through Reduced Phophorus Loading
           Lake Shaokatan is a shallow prairie lake
           located in western Minnesota,on the
           South Dakota border. The lake water
      quality severely deteriorated in the 1980s as a
      result of excessive nutrient loading associated
      with watershed land-use practices. Nuisance
      algal blooms dominated the open water season
      and occasionally produced algal toxins alleged
      to have resulted in the death of dogs and cattle.
           The lake has a surface area of 1,018 acres,
      a mean depth of 7.3 feet, and drains about
      8,054 acres. The Yellow Medicine River
      Watershed District initiated a Clean Water
      Partnership project in 1990 that subsequently
      discovered extremely high levels of total
      phosphorus (average summer value of 270
      ug/L). Chlorophyll a concentrations were
      episodic with concentrations noted to exceed
      100 pg/L (with summer means of 20 to 30 ug/L).
      The major source of the phosphorus was
      attributed to feedlot and drain tile operations
      within the watershed.
Assessing nutrient budgets
     To counteract these problems, the
watershed began an extensive monitoring
program in 1991. The data were expected to
help residents understand watershed nutrient
loading and lake response dynamics. Using
seven state-of-the-art stream measurement
sites, the monitors obtained water and mass
loading estimates and determined lake system
balances. The basic approach was to manage
the lake nutrient budget to achieve a total
phosphorus goal of 90 pg/L (as defined by EPA's
ecoregion analyses).

Watershed restoration
     After completion of the monitoring effort,
a complete watershed restoration program
began. Since late 1991, this program has
    • diverted a stream from a swine operation,

    • rehabilitated a feedlot-impacted wetland,
90
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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      bought out,a swine operation to
      eliminate it as a nutrient source
      to the lake,
      upgraded a dairy feedlbt
      operation,
      repaired shoreline septic
      systems, and

      restored four wetland
      complexes in the watershed.
Lake Shaokatan in June 1995 — after restoration.
      These actions reduced phosphorus
loading rates by 58 to 90 percent (over a range
of years). They cost about $3 to $ 11 per
kilogram of reduced phosphorus.
           Nuisance algal blooms
         dominated the open water
          season and occasionally
      produced algal toxins alleged to
        have resulted in the death of
              dogs and cattle.
     The watershed's responses to these
corrective actions was immediate and
significant as both nutrient and sediment
losses were reduced. Concurrently measured
           average summer total 'phosphorus
           concentrations dropped from 270 to 89 ug P/L
           by 1994. The intensity and duration of seasonal
           algal blooms have been curtailed with all values
           now less than 20 pg/L.
                These trends are expected to continue as
           the Yellow Medicine River Watershed District
           and local management groups continue
           additional watershed actions. Project
           monitoring is conducted mostly by farmers and
           others in direct contact with landowners who are
           most knowledgeable about land-water
           interactions and causal relationships between
           their operations and water quality.

                               CONTACT: Margaret Velky
                                    Water Quality Division
                             Watershed Assistance Section
                         Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
                                           612296-8834
          The Lake Bemidji Watershed Management Project —
                       Clean Water is Good for Business
     The Lake Bemidji Management Project is a
     cooperative effort between 21  local, state,
     and federal groups and citizen
organizations (including EPA's Clean Lakes
Program). It began seven, years ago with a'single
objective: to improve and maintain Lake
Bemidji's water quality by reducing nonpoint
sources of pollution.
     The Lake Bemjdji watershed contains
more than 400,000 acres and includes the
headwaters of the Mississippi River and its first
major tributary, the Schoolcraft River. The City
of Bemidji, justly proud of being the "first city
on the Mississippi," has helped bring massive
lake management changes to the watershed
over the past 15 years.
           Accomplishments along the way
                With help from its many partners, Lake
           Bemidji and its city have avoided confrontation
           and legal proceedings. Instead, the
           management project has defined specific lake
           management goals and pursued corrective
           actions worth about $1 million. Examples of
           their accomplishments illustrate the power of a
           true partnership. Among other activities, the
           project has
              • established a state-of-the-art flow
                monitoring and sampling program to
                define river and in-lake conditions,
              • created three stormwater basins to treat
                runoff from downtown Bemidji,
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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          • installed multiple sediment traps to treat
            runoff from other downtown areas,
          • conducted winter litter clean-up
            campaigns with many cooperators (the
            area's a virtual city on the ice during
            winter),
          • rehabilitated about 400 feet of severely
            eroded Mississippi  riverbank, and

          • revegetated a wetland on the new
            downtown sediment basin/Chamber of
            Commerce learning center (next to the
            historic Paul Bunyan and Babe statues).
            Notwithstanding this'impressive list, a
      crowning accomplishment may well be the
      project's extensive education and outreach
      program. The partners sponsor educational
      seminars, give television interviews, and teach
      countless secondary education
      classes, from which the project has
      drawn many student volunteers. The
      partners also distribute informational
      brochures (more than 95,000 so far),
      file newspaper inserts, sell placemats
      and bait shop clean-up bags, plant
      trees (more than 250,000 to date), and
      help develop forestry plans.

      Water quality, the first and
      final goal
            The Lake Bemidji Management
      Project has achieved its long-term
      goals for the Lake Bemidji basin.
      Phosphorus levels are in the 15 to
      22 ug/L range (down from the 30 to
      40 pg/L range observed in the 1970s
      and 1980s), Of more significance,
      however, is that they have also'achieved
      widespread agreements to protect those levels.
      The City of Bemidji continues (without outside
      funding) to install sediment basins to treat
      urban runoff.
            These commitments will help maintain
      the lake despite its draw of 536,000-visitor days
      of water-based recreation annually. Water
      quality and the watershed's economic health
      are thus intimately related. Among its other
      findings, the Lake Bemidji management project
      discovered that recreationists will seek
      alternative bodies of water or reduce their level
                                ENTERING


                               W1SM
(above) These signs were placed on the watershed borders
along every major road entering the watershed.
(below) Two of the Girl Scouts who labeled storm sewer inlets.
      of activity whenever water pollution is an issue
      — particularly in an area where people expect
      to find a "land of .sky blue water," And they   ;,
      estimate that a 10 percent reduction of visitor
      activity can result in economic losses of
      millions of dollars per year. "Clean water," in the
      words of the Lake Bemidji Watershed
      Management Project, "is good for business."

                           CONTACT: Margaret Velky
                               Water Quality Division
                         Watershed Assistance Section
                    Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
                                     -  612 296-8834
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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $955,000

              S Agriculture: $329,515

              H Urban Runoff: $359,919

              [JE Silviculture: $100,000

              Hffl Construction: $0

              E Resource Extraction: $82,700

              11 Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D Other: $82,866
           An Animal Waste Irrigation Project in Mississippi —
                              Saving Farmers Money
         Mississippi's Soil and Water
         Conservation Commission has
         initiated a demonstration project
that will ultimately change the way lagoons
and other animal waste facilities are managed.
A relatively simple description explains the
activity: farm workers remove (pump) solids
from improperly functioning animal waste
lagoons and apply them to the land with a
traveling gun irrigation system.
     Animal waste is a contributing factor
to the high level of nitrogen, phosphorus,
and fecal coliform found in some Mississippi
streams. However, on land, the fecal coliform
die and the nitrogen  and phosphorus become
a rich source of natural fertilizer. Production
values increase when animal wastes are
recycled, and the water stays cleaner.

Improperly functioning lagoons?
     Animal waste lagoons stop functioning
properly if they are being misused, that is, if
they are too small; or if they are not properly
maintained. Suppose one has an older lagoon,
one built for 50 head of cattle. If the herd
increased to 100 head, the old lagoon will fill up
twice as fast. Further, removing the solids that
accumulate in any lagoon is a standard operating
procedure that should be performed regularly.
     This project, which was funded through a
319 program grant from EPA, began in the
Amite, Pike, and Walthall County Soil and Water
Conservation Districts in southwestern
Mississippi. Those districts were selected for
the first demonstrations to help remedy water
quality problems in the Tangipahoa River. Once
the irrigation system was demonstrated in this
area, other districts began to serve as
demonstration sites.

Nutrient management plans
     Demonstration sites must have a suitable
amount of pastureland or cropland near the
lagoons being pumped out. Landowners
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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      participating in the demonstration (or choosing
      this option as a best management practice) are
      required to consult with the Natural Resources
      Conservation Service. An approved animal
      waste management plan should be developed
      for each lagoon system.
            Production values increase when
            animal wastes are recycled, and
                the water stays cleaner.
            The waste management plan may also
      include a nutrient management plan. Farmers
      must know the nutrient content in their lagoon,
      the amount of nutrients already available in soil
      resources, and plant nutrient needs before they
      can determine how much waste can be properly
      applied.

      An economic and environmental
      success
            During the entire time period of this
      proiect, a total of 12 lagoon systems were
      pumped out. Of these, 10 were dairy lagoon
      systems, one was a swine lagoon system, and the
      other a poultry lagoon system. The total amount
      of land used for the applications included 192
      acres of cropland and 206 acres of pasturelahd.
            The total volume of lagoon effluent
      irrigated onto these acres contained 72,402
      pounds of nitrogen, 34,911 pounds of
      phosphorus/and 82,715 pounds of potassium.
      The dollar value of those nutrients — that is,
      the money landowners saved in fertilizer costs
      — was $19,548.54 for nitrogen, $6,633.09 for
      phosphorus and $9,925.80 for potassium.
     The landowners who.participated in this
demonstration project were pleased with the
outcome. They knew that a positive impact was
being made on water quality through this
system and agreed with the  Mississippi Soil
and Water Commission that the demonstration
contained at least the following benefits:
    • The irrigation system helps alleviate
     lagoon overflow problems, thus
     preventing water quality problems in the
     demonstration areas.

    • The project shows that more expensive
     and time-consuming equipment is not
     necessary for.the adoption of this lagoon
     management practice. Tank trucks and
     tractors, which cause soil erosion and
     compaction, can be eliminated.

    • Production costs are' significantly lower
     when nutrients are recycled to crop and
     pasture systems. The alternative practice,
     commercially formulated fertilizers, is
     more expensive.

     This system has now been transferred to
the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation
Commission who will continue to demonstrate
its benefits, especially in Mississippi's priority
watersheds. Having received numerous
requests for use of the system, the  Commission
applied for, and received, an additional grant
from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Land
and Water 201 program to purchase an
additional system. That system is now in use in
the 32 TVA counties in Mississippi.

                       CONTACT: Gale Martin
Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission
                                601  354-7645
                     Lake Hazle Project Takes on Urban Runoff
                             Expects Return of Beneficial Uses
            Lake Hazle, a 22-acre public lake in
            Hazlehurst, Mississippi (about 40 miles
            south of Jackson), is used for fishing,
      wildlife, and aesthetic quality. Nearly
      one-quarter of its 400-acre drainage area has
      been developed for commercial or residential
      use. Approximately 50 acres of the surrounding
      land contribute sediment runoff. Service
stations, auto repair shops, streets, highways,
and parking lots collect oil and grease, and
highway construction and commercial
developments are another major source of
contaminated runoff and sediment. The impacts
from these nonpoint sources of pollution are
keeping Lake Hazle from meeting its designated
uses.
94
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      The purpose of the Lake Hazle Project
was to identify and correct the nonpoint
sources of urban runoff, thereby restoring the
recreational values and aquatic life resources of
the lake to their full potential. EPA provided  319
funding for the project. Several, other state,
federal, and local governmental agencies were
cooperating partners, including the Mississippi
Soil and Water Conservation Commission;
Copiah County Soil and Water Conservation
District; the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service; the Department of
Environmental Quality, Office, of Pollution
Control; the City of Hazlehurst; and the
Southwest Resource Conservation
Development Office.
         Lake Hazle's water quality
         has clearly improved since
        the implementation of BMPs
         throughout the watershed.
      In 1990, EPA's Region 4 provided
guidance on the proposed Lake Hazle
monitoring plan. The Water Quality Assessment
Branch of the state Department of
Environmental Quality implemented the
monitoring plan to document improvements to
water quality from the installation of best
management practices in the Lake Hazle
watershed.
      Section 319 grant funds funded up to 60
percent of the best management practices
(BMPs). Nine BMPs were installed to treat
runoff from 233 acres.  Of the nine practices, six
were critical area plantings; one, a grade
stabilization structure; and two were water and
sediment control wet detention basins. As a
result of these activities', 2,238 tons of soil
annually are retained on properties adjacent to
the lake. Although water quality has improved,
additional practices are needed to bring Lake
Hazle to its fullest potential.
Awareness and water quality increase
      Comparisons of monitoring samples taken
before and after the practices were installed
show a dramatic decrease in suspended solids
following the, installation of stormwater
controls. The critical area plantings and other
practices had a similarly dramatic effect, as did
the BMPs installed to manage stormwater
sediment. The depth of the euphotic zone (water
clarity) increased 72 percent, thereby taking
sunlight to greater depths and increasing
photosynthesis in the lake. Other water quality
parameters were also monitored:
    • Dissolved oxygen and temperature data
      are less conclusive, but indicate that
      dissolved oxygen did increase, though
      slightly, at both-middle and bottom
      depths during the post-BMP period.
    • Tests indicate a reduction in
      nitrate-nitrogen concentration greater
      than 61 percent. The reduction of total
      nitrogen in stormwater runoff had a
      positive effect on nitrogen within the lake.
      Once BMPs were introduced around the
      lake, the in-lake total nitrogen
     "concentration fell by 54 percent.
    • Stormwater runoff concentrations of
      phosphorus declined by 50 percent. Lake
      samples indicate that the combined
      project activities reduced phosphorus
      loading to the lake by 34 percent.
    • Pre-BMP stormwater monitoring showed
      a very high number of fecal cpliform
      (bacteria) colonies; post-BMP levels fell
      by 84 percent.
      Lake Hazle's water quality has clearly
improved since the implementation of BMPs
throughout the watershed. However, it is still
too early to determine the long-term'effects of
these activities. As project activities continue
and lake users become more aware of  how
nonpoint sources affect water quality,  it is
possible to anticipate that Lake Hazle  will be
restored sufficiently to support its original
designated uses.

                        CONTACT: Gale Martin
Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission
                                 601 354-7645
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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              Mississippi Demonstrates Dead Chicken Composting —
                          A Water-Quality Safe Disposal Method
        A  t the time this project began,
       /•A southcentral Mississippi was bracing for
      JL   Xa rapid expansion of the poultry
      producing industry. It was widely predicted that
      the poultry population in a six-county area
      would increase to approximately seven million
      birds. In fact, in 1993,62 growers handled 7
      million birds and by 1997, 150 growers reported
      a census of 16.2 million birds. In an industry
      this large, the disposal of dead birds must be
      carefully managed to avoid potential threats to
      surface and groundwater resources.

      Alternative methods
           Traditionally, dead birds have been
      disposed in burial pits or incinerated.
      Unapproved methods were sometimes
      discovered, such as exposing the carcasses or  .
      dumping them in streams or roadside ditches.
      But even the approved methods carry some risk
      of water contamination that adds to the cost of
      production. Arkansas, another major
      poultry-producing state, has recently prohibited
      the use of pits for dead bird disposal, and other
      states are likely to take this action in the near
      future. The Arkansas ban tells the story: often
      the carcasses decay only partially and  leachate
      from the pit poses a danger to surface and
      groundwater.
           In Mississippi's case, several agencies
      worked with local soil and water conservation
      districts to educate and advise area producers
      about the composting project, then provided
      technical assistance to those who cooperated.
      The original project plan called for one
      composter to be constructed in each district
      included in the demonstration, but the project
      was so well received in two conservation
      districts that ah additional composter was
      constructed with cooperators electing to divide
      the cost-share funds among themselves.
           Following construction, workshops were
      held in each of the participating conservation
districts to give participants an opportunity to
relate their experiences. Local producers who
had not participated and the general public
were also invited to learn more about the use of,
cofnposters to protect water quality. The
Department of Environmental Quality expects
more composting facilities to be constructed if
producers can obtain funds to cover the cost of
construction.
      And area farmers are realizing
      an additional benefit. Many are
     saving up to $25 per ton by using
        the composted material as
      fertilizer, thereby reducing their
      purchase of and dependence on
      commercial fertilizers for land
               applications.
Benefits that distinguish composting
from other methods
     Approximately 194,400 birds per year will
be disposed of by composting in a manner that
reduces the chance of groundwater
contamination. And area farmers are realizing
an additional benefit. Many are saving up to
$25 per ton by using the composted material as
fertilizer, thereby reducing their purchase of and
dependence on commercial fertilizers for land
applications. When composting is combined
with other practices such as soil testing and
nutrient management planning, it reduces the
risk of nutrient enrichment to nearby surface
waters.

                   CONTACT: Robert Seyfarth
   Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
                                601 961-5160
96
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting MPS Categpry: $487,721

             .S Agriculture: $1,577,680

              H Urban Runoff: $210,994

              §3 Silviculture: $0

              M Construction: $0

              G Resource Extraction: $0

              • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             • H Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D Other: $0
                   Forage and Grassland Improvement —
       Livestock Producers Explore Best Management Practices
        Missouri's "show-me" livestock
        producers demonstrated their forage
        management project with great
enthusiasm. "Except for areas where I cut hay,
we haven't used any nitrogen, phosphorus, or
potassium in three years," says Joe Ewing of
Polk County, Missouri. •
     Ewing has been a Clean Watershed  '
Cooperator with the Missouri Department of
Natural Resources since the Forage and
Grassland Improvement Demonstration Project.
began in 1992. Previously, his pastures had
been straight Kentucky 31 tall fescue, and more
than 80 percent was infected with the
endophyte fungus. Now Ewing has adopted a
more intensive grazing system. He also tests his
soil for fertilizer and pH; and overseeds the
grass with a mixture of red clover, white clover,
and annual lespedeza.
     "We retest soils each year," he said. "But
so far, the only plant nutrients needed have
been calcium and magnesium. We try to
maintain soil pH in the 6,5 range. Phosphorus
and potash have stayed up well, and the
legumes fix enough nitrogen for the grass."
     In the rotational grazing system used for
this project, livestock graze a section of pasture
for one to three days before moving on to the
next section. Each section is rested 18 to 40
days between grazings. Ewing manages three
separate grazing cells. He uses' electric polywire
fencing to subdivide pastures into grazing
paddocks. One cell is divided into 12 paddocks
of 3 acres each; a second, larger cell has 8
paddocks of about 12 acres each; and the third
cellconsists of 6 paddocks, each about 7 acres
in size.
     Ewing turns cattle into a paddock when
the grass, is 6 to 8 inches tall and lets them
graze the forage down to 3 to 4 inches. This still
leaves enough leaf surface for good
photosynthesis and quick regrowth. Depending
on how fast the grass regrows, each paddock -
gets a rest period of 18 to 26 days. Ewing said
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                             97

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       his steers gain weight at the rate of 1.76 pounds
       per day, which is an added incentive for
       rotational grazing — it brings home a tidy profit
       when Ewing sells the steers after 173 grazing
       days.
              "Except for areas where I cut
                hay, we haven't used any
                nitrogen, phosphorus or
               potassium in three years."
      Other producers buy the project's
      claims
            In all, 15 demonstration sites in
      southwest Missouri participated in the Forage
      and Grassland Specialist Improvement Project.
      The Top of the Ozarks and the Southwest
      Missouri Resource Conservation and
      Development councils conducted the project
      from mid-1992 through 1995. As incentives to
      participate, producers received guidance on
      how to design, install, and maintain the  grazing
      and watering systems and additional
      information on pasture establishment
      measures.
            The success of this project owes much to
      the dairy producers and ranchers who
      cooperated, and to the soil and water
      conservation districts, Cooperative Extension,
      Natural Resources Conservation Service
      (NRCS), and Missouri's Department of Natural
      Resources (DNR) — who all who shared  their
      time,  technical knowledge, and management
      skills  during the project. Two Resource
      Conservation and Development councils, the
      Missouri DNR. the NRCS, and EPA'(using 205
      and 319 program grants) funded a grasslands
      specialist to implement the  project.
            The project site, a 23-county area in
      southcentral and southwest Missouri, has the
      highest concentration of beef and dairy cattle in
      the state. (Missouri ranks second in the nation
      as a producer of beef cows.) The area's five
      recreational lakes and several scenic rivers
      provide a base for tourism and residential
      development in the area. This potentially
uneasy mix of land uses works as smoothly as it
does because so many of its residents are
willing to participate in demonstration projects
of this kind and adopt practices that protect
their valuable water resources. ••

Related benefits also count
      The farms ranged in size from 40 to 4,000
acres. Mark Kennedy, the project's grassland
specialist, tested .soils on the farms and helped
producers maintain a satisfactory plant fertility
level through nutrient recycling. Improved
manure distribution also eliminated the need
for supplemental fertilizers. What is more, the
grazing livestock "harvested" many weeds, such
as ragweed and lambs quarters, thereby
eliminating the need for herbicides.
      Practices implemented in this project
helped protect recreational waters and
increased profitability in the forage and
livestock enterprises. Rotational grazing
systems provide the following actions and
benefits:
ACTIONS
Reduced bare soil exposure
Alternative watering supplies
and fences, thus, (1) limited
cattle access to streams
(2) improved water quality
for consumption
Even distribution of manure
Reduced fertilizer application
Improved forage qualify
Reduced weeds, thus reduced
herbicide
BENEFITS
Reduced field erosion
(1) reduced strearnbank
erosion and improved wildlife
and aquatic habitat
(2) improved cattle and dairy
performance
Reduced nutrient runoff
Reduced nutrient runoff
Improved cattle and dairy
performance
Reduced chemical runoff
     "From an animal waste standpoint," says
Kennedy, "management-intensive grazing
ensures that plants are in a high state of
nutrition  when livestock graze. From a plant
standpoint, it provides respite, and from an
environmental standpoint, it more evenly
distributes manure .over the grazing area. It ties
the animal needs to the plant needs."
98
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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Extending the program statewide
     In an unusual twist to the project, farmers
who implemented the grazing systems did not
receive cost-share. Kennedy explains that the
cash-flow benefits of the systems were their
selling point. "It would have defeated the .
purpose of the demonstration project if other
farmers who wanted to apply the grazing
systems could not obtain cost-share."
     In 1994, however, the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources recognized
the benefits of grazing systems and initiated a
pilot cost-share program for three counties.
This year, the cost-share program was extended
to nine counties and statewide. The program is
administered by local soil and water
conservation districts.
      Missouri livestock producers who have
• tried the system agree that the demonstration
project offered convincing evidence for the
notion that changing livestock systems to
reduce inputs in favor of increased
management results in positive water quality
and income benefits — a change that Kennedy
says, "replaces horsepower with brain power."

                       CONTACT: Ruth Wallace
         Missouri Department of Natural Resources
                              ,.  573 526-7687
      The Mark Twain Water Quality Initiative — Total Resource
            Management in Missouri's Upper Salt River Basin
     The Mark Twain Water Quality Initiative is a
     dual project designed to implement
     on-farm BMPs and inform and educate
citizens on the importance of watershed
management in northeast Missouri. The two
portions of the project include the Mark Twain
Water Quality Demonstration Project and the
Mark Twain Public Information Project. The
paragraphs that follow describe the Water
Quality Demonstration Project.
     The Mark Twain Water Quality
Demonstration Project expedites the adoption
of innovative best management practices
(BMPs) through technical assistance to
producers. Led by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, the original project
targeted portions of seven counties draining
into the. Mark Twain Lake, but the focus has.
been expanded to include a major portion of
the Upper Salt River Basin. The project.is
designed to help farmers
    • develop, implement, and evaluate total-
     resource management (TRM) systems or
     whole-farm plans that emphasize nutrient
     and pesticide strategies;
    • plan, design, and install animal waste
     systems; and
    • provide assistance to field personnel in
     the formulation and implementation of
     TRM systems training.
      The project area consists of
 approximately 630 square miles in northeast
 Missouri and includes all of the drainage area
 of the Crooked, Otter, and North Fork
 tributaries located within the hydrologic or
 political boundaries of Knox, Monroe, Shelby,
 Macon, Marion, Rails, and Randolph counties
 that empty into. Mark Twain Lake.
      Agricultural land comprises 55 percent of
 the project area's Jand use and is the number one
 industry in the basin. Soybeans, corn, wheat,
 grain, sorghum (milo), and other feed grains
 and forage crops are the major crops grown in
 the basin, and agricultural chemicals are used
 extensively throughout the area.
      Upland and bottom lands of the basin are
 intensively cropped, and the basin is also a
 major hog producing region, with Shelby and
 Monroe Counties among the top 10
 hog-producing counties in Missouri. The two.
 counties have over 300 swine facilities in
 operation with an additional 100 dairy and beef
 operations in existence. Animal waste produced
 in the counties has a human population
 equivalent of 144,500 (6,845 in Shelby County
 and 8,872 in Monroe County).
      The total resource management plans
 include BMPs such as manure and nutrient
 management, intensive rotational grazing
 systems, alternative water supplies for
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                                                              99

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       livestock, waste production storage and  '
       treatment programs, erosion control, prairie
       restoration, woodland and wildlife
       management, precision farming, crop rotation,
       farm dump cleanups and alternatives to illegal
       dumping, insect scouting, weed mapping, dead  .
       animal composting, pesticide container,
       recycling, nitrogen-fixing legumes for reduced
       fertilizer applications, and soil and water testing.

       Fertilizer savings
            On one farm in the project area,
       84-year-old Lucille Redman has planted
       lespedeza clover — and also grass and legume
       species such as brome, orchard and ladino,
       along with red clover on her hay field. "My cattle
       have had more grass to eat than ever before, yet
       my fertilizer bill has gone down," she says. At
       one point, the hay field was so tall Redman had
       to bring in her cattle between hayings, which in
       turn gave their usual grazing pasture a resting
       period for regrowth.
            Redman also maintains a buffer strip
       along the riparian corridor which helps to
       stabilize streambanks and filter runoff. Soil
       erosion and rainfall runoff are major hazards on
       about 80 percent of the cropland and pasture in
       the project area, she reminds her visitors and
       friends. The sediment is really bad," she says.
       "Since nutrients and chemicals adsorb to clay
       and silt and are deposited with them in  lakes
       and streams."
            Redman's reduced fertilizer bill indicates,
       however, that there is less potential for nutrient
       runoff under the Water Quality project than
       before the project began. The result is a cleaner
       drinking water supply for residents in Monroe
       City as well as an increase in profit for area
       farmers like Redman.
            On still another project  site, Clarence
       Seiber notes that half of his farm borders the
       Sugar Creek Lake reservoir north of Moberly,
       Missouri. Sugar Creek is one of the six drinking
       water resources threatened by sediment and
       runoff from the project area.
            Before Seiber took over, the land his farm
       is on had been stripped of its terraces and
      greatly deforested. He was faced with working
       up glacial plains land that had lost a
      considerable amount of topsoil. More recently,
      Seiber has been working with the Randolph
 County Soil and Water Conservation District,
 the Missouri Department of.Conservation, the
 Natural Resources Conservation Service, and
 the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
 in an effort to rebuild the highly erodible land.
       "My cattle have had more grass
       to eat than ever before, yet my
        fertilizer bill has gone down."
 Increased profitability
      Tdidn't believe hay production could be
 any more profitable than grain, he says, "but
 I've learned through this program that with this
 kind of soil I can produce hay in higher quality
 and for higher profit than grain."
      In addition to reducing fertilizer inputs on
 the hayfield, Seiber and his son Max are
 involved in a Wildlife and Forestry program and
 a Stewardship Incentive Program. Now the
 cooperation among the many agencies, and the
 family's hard work, is beginning to pay off: in
 soil conservation, fertilizer savings, improved
 wildlife habitat, and increased hay quality — all
 of which mean, less polluted runoff in Sugar
 Creek Lake and an increase in profits for
 Clarence Seiber.

 Actions expended, benefits received
     The combined actions and benefits from
 the Redman and Seiber projects are examples.
 of TRM. Each producer selected management
 actions that would limit bare soil exposure,
 reduce his or her dependence on fertilizer,
 improve crop or forage quality, control weeds,
 and save herbicides.
     In short, each one chose management
 actions that would benefit the whole farm. In
 addition, both took some action to protect
 riparian areas, buffer zones, and wildlife.
     As a result, their farms and communities
 reaped whole benefits, including improved
water quality, less field and streambank
erosion, more plentiful wildlife and beneficial
pests, fewer chemicals and nutrients in runoff,
and not. least, increased yields and income.
                       CONTACT: Ruth Wallace
         Missouri Department of Natural Resources
        '•                  '    -   573526-7687
100
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             •  Cross Cutting UPS Category: $638,311

             S  Agriculture: $666,949

             H  Urban Runoff: $0

             E3  Silviculture: $0

             W  Construction: $0

             D  Resource Extraction: $0

             •  Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             S  Hydrologic Modification: $0

             D  Other: $82,000
               Reducing Nutrients in Agricultural Runoff —
               The Godfrey Creek Project in Gallatin County
     The Godfrey Greek project, initiated in 1989
     by the Gallatin County Conservation
     District and other key agencies, has two
primary objectives: to demonstrate agricultural
best management practices that will reduce
suspended solids, fecal coliform, and nitrates in
runoff from dairy operations, grazing, and .
farming practices; and to develop an education
program for producers in the watershed.
     Several animal confinement operations
(dairies, swine, and beef operations) are located
immediately adjacent to Godfrey Creek and are
the major sources of impairment. But grazing
management, riparian area degradation, and
crop farming also add to the problem. The
education program can help the agricultural
community in general understand how its
actions impact water quality, the environmental
and financial consequences of the impact, and
the benefits of improvement. .
Farmers turn out
     All landowners became actively involved
in project implementation — at least to the
extent of making management changes in their
operations. Over 80 percent participated in
major efforts such as fencing riparian areas,
adopting improved grazing systems, removing
livestock from riparian areas, establishing buffer
zones, improving manure-handling systems,
and improving irrigation water management. In
addition, nearly all landowners participated in
informational  tours and meetings.
     Because of the expense associated with
improvements to the dairies' waste
management systems — lagoons or similar
structures can cost $60,000 to $80,000 each —
the District pursued multiple funding sources .
for this project. Major funding was provided by
the USDA, section 319, and the state of
Montana.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME [(
                                                                                            101

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        (left) Water gap approximately one year following installation in 1992. (right) Same area in 1994.
       Reductions in nutrients

             The District collected baseline data on
       various water quality parameters for this
       project, including total suspended solids,
       nitrate + nitrite, total phosphorus, fecal
       coliform, and macroinvertebrate samples. To
       monitor the effectiveness of the project, data
       collected prior to 1994 were considered
       preproject; data collected since 1994 were
       considered postproject.
             Samples of these parameters were taken
       11 to 19 times a year at each of three sites.
       Annual means were computed from monthly
       averages of the  raw data to eliminate potential
       effects of seasonal bias that might occur from
       an increase in sampling frequency part way
       through the project. The hydrograph data and
       relationship between flow and pollutant
       concentration were also examined to ensure
       that flow variability would not influence the
       results.
             Postproject data (samples taken in 1995
       and 1996) are sufficient to prove that water in
       Godfrey Creek watershed did improve as a
       result of project activity. Estimated reductions
 in mean annual concentrations are 58 percent
 for total phosphorus and 64 percent for total
.dissolved solids over preproject conditions (see
 attached figures). Fecal coliform data also  .
 indicate a dramatic 82 percent decline in
 bacterial contamination. These improvements
 were not, however, matched by reductions in
 nitrate plus nitrite. Instead, the data show an
 (estimated) average increase of nitrate plus
 nitrite of 24 percent.
      Though it. has not yet reached its goal of
 80 percent reductions in these key indicators
 (except for fecal coliform), the project is
 successfully helping landowners gain control of
 the factors that influence surface and bank
 erosion and nutrient  runoff. Agricultural
 practices that can be managed to help control
 nitrate include a combination of irrigation and
 manure disposal methods. Future project
activities may need to emphasize these
practices to ensure the full realization of
Godfrey Creek's potential.

                      CONTACT: Bob Bukantls
    _ Montana Department of Environmental Quality
                                 406444-4684
102
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UQLUMEII

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                        Reclaiming East Spring Creek —
                             Greater Trout Populations
      The East Spring Creek Project
      was initiated in 1987 by the
      Flathead County Conservation
 District with support from the EPA
 and the Montana Departments of
 Environmental Quality, Natural
 Resources and Conservation,
 and Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Project
 goals were to improve water quality
 by reducing accumulated in-stream
 sediments, improving the riparian
 habitat, restoring the trout fishery,
 and removing debris and debris dams.
      East Spring Creek flows through
 a suburban area near Kalispell,
 Montana, that is bounded by 194
 individual tracts. Thus, the stakeholders, as well
 as the management activities needed to achieve
 these goals, were many, and the changes
 required might have been resisted. However, an
 exceptional public relations campaign
 convinced all but two landowners along the
 stream corridor to participate in the project.
      As a result, management changes were far
 easier to recommend than anyone thought
 possible, and a number of best management
 practices (BMPs) were implemented, including
 'fencing, stoekwater development, flow control
 structures, channel reconstruction, erosion
 control, fish habitat improvement, and riparian
 vegetation planting. These activities are, in fact,
 complete, though the monitoring phase
 continues.
      Biological monitoring on East Spring
 Creek measures water quality and the project's
, effectiveness. The Montana Department of
 Environmental Quality sampled
 macroinvertebrate  communities  using EPA's
 Rapid  Bioassessment Protocol III (RBP-III), and
 the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and
 Parks took fish population surveys.
      Based on these data, conditions
 improved in two out of three sites included in ,
 the macroinvertebrate data. One of the sites
 iroproved from moderately to slightly impaired,
Manure pit installed to reduce animal waste.
             while the other improved from moderately •. .
             impaired to unimpaired.
                  Project success was also clearly indicated
             by improved trout populations. Trout densities
             quickly responded to improved habitat from
             channel reconstruction. Table 1 shows the
             results of fish density estimates on a reach of
             East Spring Creek sampled from 1988 to 1995.
             Estimates of trout density have increased
             almost threefold since the channel was
             reconstructed in 1989. When fish biologists
             sampled a nearby reach of East Spring Creek
             that had been left in the preproject degraded
             condition, they found about one-fifth as many
             trout as were in  the restored reach.
Table 1.— East Spring Creek trout .abundance
(per 150 M)
s/J^J-
Brook
Rainbow
Cutthroat
& **i f
1988
41, ,.
5
0
RESTORED REACH
1989
.15
3
0
1991
87
27
2
1994
104
42
5
1995
82
27
1
UNRESTORED
1995
19
0
0
                                   CONTACT: Bob Bukantls
                  Montana Department of Environmental Quality
                                             406 444-4684
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                                           103

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m	?	!)	•	fci	;	fi	«»!	~	*	1	s	:^
', -.    	;,iiiii,i	iii!,(ii»i	jiiijg	i	it,	•• •• •''«'"' ">:;''"
^:*W,M.^:::sJ),'.w.
                                                            NEBRASKA
                3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $30,000
                S Agriculture: $2,265,776
                EH Urban Runoff: $0
                E3 Silviculture: $0
                On Construction: $0
                E Resource Extraction: $0
                • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

                E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0
                D Other: $0
                       Hanscom Park Lake Rises to New Heights
             Hanscom Park, the oldest remaining park
             in the Omaha, Nebraska, park system,
             provides numerous recreational
      activities for city residents. Its lake provides
      winter ice skating and summer fishing
      opportunities and serves as the aesthetic focal
      point of the park. Recently, however, the lake
      fell victim to age. Its banks collapsed and
      eroded, filling the lake with sediment. The
      shallow water became eutrophic; sediment
      continually resuspended and dissolved oxygen
      all but disappeared. The lake lost its aesthetic
      value, and the fishery failed.
           In 1992, the City of Omaha's Parks,
      Recreation, and Public Property Department in
      cooperation with the Papio-Missouri River
      Natural Resources District, the Nebraska
      Department of Environmental Quality, and EPA
      Region T.began to restore Hanscom Park Lake.
      Project objectives were to increase the water
      depth to restore the fishery and prevent further
      degradation by redesigning and replacing
      shoreline structures. The six major components
      of the restoration project included removing
                                             sediment, stabilizing the shoreline, replacing
                                             the overflow and inlet structures, installing an
                                             aeration system, and improving access to the
                                             lake.

                                             Lake reconstruction activities
                                                  Restoring Hanscom Park Lake was a multi-
                                             task activity, beginning with dredging the lake to
                                             a new depth of 8 feet. Among shoreline improve-
                                             ments, a new concrete footing was constructed
                                             below water level with a stone wall extending 1
                                             foot above the original grade. This design
                                             increased the lake's depth at minimum cost.
                                                  Next, drainage pipes were installed to
                                             allow the .springs to discharge under the stone
                                             wall lather than weep through it. The old inlet
                                             pipe was removed and a new 2-inch copper line
                                             was extended from an existing water line to a
                                             new access hole and inlet structure. The drain
                                             line now extends under the stone wall and
                                             discharges out of sight below the water line.
                                             Finally, an electric-powered fountain aeration
                                             system was installed to maintain oxygen levels
                                             and serve as an aesthetic focal point.
104
                                                   SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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Landscaping
iriiprovementis
      Access to the lake was
also improved. A walkway
was constructed and
•shoreline pads were
extended from the walkway
to the stone wall. The      .
walkways provided a
stabilizing structure around
the lake and directed foot
traffic away from the
shoreline. The shoreline
pads allowed close access
to the lake, however, so that
visitors may fish in deep
water without.disturbing the
shoreline. The newly
restored lake was quickly
restocked with carpi a
favorite of park fishing
enthusiasts.
Hascom Park Lake, Omaha.
 Data collection and analysis
      Monitoring results indicate that the
 project has had a positive impact on water
 quality (Table 1). The concentration of total
 suspended solids was reduced from an average
 of 21 milligrams per liter (mg/L) to 5.0 mg/L.
 Total phosphorus decreased from  0.08 mg/L to
 0.05 mg/L. Organic nitrogen declined from an
 average of 0.85 mg/L to 0.72 mg/L. The concen-
 tration of chlorophyll a decreased from 27.17
 mg/m3 to 0.24 mg/m3.  Water clarity'increased
 from an average of 7.5  inches to 96 inches. It
 should be noted that while these differences
 are large, statistical confidence cannot be
 assessed because the sample,size is too small,
Table 1.— Monitoring results.
PARAMETER
Total suspended solids
Total phosphorus
Total nitrogen
Chlorophyll a •
Water transparency
WATER QUALITY
IMPROVEMENT
76 percent reduction
38 percent reduction
1 5 percent reduction '
99 percent reduction
1 1 00 percent increase
                           The aesthetics of Hanscom Park Lake are
                     vastly improved and the lake area is much
                     simpler to maintain as a result of this
                     restoration project. Increased recreational use
                     of the lake and adjacent areas for fishing, family
                     and group picnicking and walking is '
                     immediately apparent. Pedestrian traffic around
                     the lake has increased as people come-to the
                     park in greater numbers and with more
                     frequency. Use of the walkway and shoreline
                     pads makes the lake accessible but reduces the
                     visitors' encroachment oh the shoreline.
                           Because section 319 funding was
                     available for this project, the city of Omaha was
                     able to leverage city funds otherwise dedicated
                     solely to Hanscom Park Lake to initiate a
                     watershed management planning effort for the
                     much larger Zorensky Lake.

                                           CONTACT: Elbert Traylor
                          Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
                                                      402471-2585
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                                                                 105

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                                                                    NEVADA
                 3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                 • Cross Cutting MPS Category: $494,066
                 S Agriculture: $253,526
                 H Urban Runoff: $64,787
                 0 Silviculture: $ 11,000

                 ID Construction: $0

                 B Resource Extraction: $130,000
                 • Stowage and Land Disposal: $20,000
                 E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0
                 D Other: $0
              Controlled Flooding Helps Nature Take Care of Itself —
                                   The Truckee River Story
         A  n innovative restoration effort has taken
        /•A advantage of two winters of abundant
      JL   Vsnowfall and spring floods to bring
      hundreds of trees back to the lower Truckee
      River in northwestern Nevada. The Pyramid
      Lake Paiute Indian Tribe's reservation
      surrounds the lower Truckee River and the
      desert lake toward which the water rushes.
      Pyramid Lake is home to two endangered fish,
      the Lahontan cutthroat trout and the cui-ui, an
      ancient desert sucker found nowhere else.

      Giving water back to the river
            All along the lower reaches of the Truckee
      River, patches of cottonwoods are beginning to
      cover the raw banks. Unlike the situation in
      most reforestation projects, however, these
      trees were not planted by people. The river
      itself did the work. But it took a concerted effort
      by the Nature Conservancy, working with the
      tribe, federal agencies, and local governments,
      to put enough water in the river to do the job.
     These cottonwood saplings grew from
seeds that floated down on carefully controlled
floods in the last two summers. They are the
first visible signs of success for a cooperative
effort to make a tightly controlled river that
furnishes much water for farms and cities
behave more like a free-running river. Scientists
managed the river to mimic the natural flood
cycles that were lost when water was diverted to
farms and cities.
     Natural cottonwood regeneration
depends on just the right combination of spring
floods and summer water levels; the levels must
drop slowly enough that young tree roots
beside the river can stay in contact with the
declining water table. For the last two summers
on the Truckee, those natural conditions  have
been artificially created with releases from
reservoirs. Last year, the tribe experimented
with excavated basins on the bare, gravelly
banks.to bring the ground surface a little closer
to the water table and give the cottonwood
106
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUMEII

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One of
thousands of
cottonwood
seedlings along
the lower
Truckee River.
Photo by Jonathan
R. Kfotz, University
of Nevada, Reno.
seedlings an even better chance for survival.
This spring, several of the basins were covered
with tiny cottonwoods, grasses, and wildflowers.
     If this newborn cottonwood forest
survives and expands, the endangered
Lahontan cutthroat trout and cui-ui will benefit
from a narrower, shadier, and cooler river in
which to spawn. Weeds that cover riverbanks .
will be crowded out by a healthy forest along
the riparian zone and at least some of the 42
species of songbirds  that currently avoid the
hot riverbanks of the lower Truckee can be
expected to return.

                    CONTACT: Jim  Smitherman
                    Department of Conservation
       Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
                                 702687-4670
                   The Small Ranch Water Quality Program —
                           Teaching Residents about BMPs
        The Small Ranch Water Quality Program
        was developed as a pilot program to teach
        suburban property owners about best
   management practices and decrease nohpoint
   source pollution in Dry Greek — and ultimately
   in the Truckee River, Reno, Nevada's most
   important source of drinking water. The project
   watershed contains only 1,500 acres, but Reno's
   water treatment system serves about 164,000
   people.

   Program promotes land-use
   management
         Pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus,
   sediment, and salts are present in small
   amounts all over the Truckee River watershed,
   and their effect on the environment is
   cumulative. For example, sediments that
   " accumulate downstream of Reno clog spawning
   gravels and smother fish eggs, and phosphorus
   and nitrogen stimulate algae growth, which
   leads to reduced levels of dissolved oxygen in
   the water and the death of coldwater fish such
   as trout. Therefore, a program that promotes
   land-use management techniques that reduce
   nonpoint source pollution along each small
 tributary can be expected to improve the overall
 water quality in the Truckee River.

 BMPs also increase beauty
      Agricultural experts were recruited from
 the University of Nevada, Reno, the Desert
 Research Institute, the USDA Natural Resource
 Conservation Service, and the U.S. Geological
 Survey to teach a series of indoor classes and
 outdoor workshops. The program coordinator
 made individual visits to small ranches to
 document conditions and provide plans for
 best management practices. People opted to
 increase the beauty and value of their small
 ranch properties by adopting practices to
 protect the water and habitat of Dry Creek in
 southwest Reno. Among the practices
 demonstrated:
    • replacing lawns around wells with
      drought-tolerant vegetation,
    • pasture regrading and renovation,
    • no-till seeding,
    • composting (several projects and
      different methods),
    • grazing systems and fencing,
    SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUMEII
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                                                         (left) This pre-renovation pasture shows the effects of
                                                         overstocking and over grazing.
                                                         (below) During renovation the pasture is rested and
                                                         furrows are installed for more efficient irrigation.
        ,	"»	=;-	•'•:•',•!••••••	*v> • »•• •'^.^^jS^"^is^5^SfiS^
      »^s-.-»r-*^w^	iiilff8?^!*^^!^^^




           • riparian plantings at creek side for
             temperature control, and
           • upsizing of septic systems.
             Each summer participants hold a
       barbecue to celebrate progress and share
       success stories. The program, which is ongoing,
       was the first of its kind in Nevada, and quickly
       reached an audience of 450 ranchers. It recruited
       61 ranches (14 percent) as active volunteer
       participants, and continues to recruit new
       participants through various outreach programs.

       Promoting wise decisions
            A Small Ranch Manual promoting       \
       management for green pastures and clean water
       was published and distributed to all
       homeowners in the Dry Creek watershed. This
       96-page illustrated guide covers irrigation
       system management, erosion control, and
       animal waste management; care of wells and
       septic systems; control of weeds, rodents, and
       insects; landscape planning and care; and
       protection of creeks, ponds, ditches, and wet
       pastures. Photographs, diagrams, and tables of
       information were designed to assist wise
       decisions on property management. Using this
       manual and pooling their labor, residents
       worked very hard to improve their properties
       and the quality of water for everyone. The
       publication is now used in 30 states and five
       foreign countries, and has received a national
       publication award.
            A monthly newsletter is distributed to 450
       ranches. Each issue explains a relevant BMP in
       detail. A telephone tree network has been







                                                                         m^i
                                                                         ...... ...^



 established to help organize work parties for
 BMP implementation. Demonstration projects
 completed to date include pasture renovations,
 planned grazing systems, structural measures
 and vegetation establishment for erosion
.control, planting of drought-tolerant species,
 animal waste composting and reuse, and
 noxious weed control.

 Reductions in pollutants result
     Water samples collected in Dty'Creek in
 1994 and 1995 will provide a baseline for
 monitoring trends in water quality. Monitoring
 of local irrigation water at one demonstration
 project site already has shown a drop in
 phosphorus levels from 2.1 grams/day to 0.5
 grams/day, and reduction in suspended
 sediment from 238.7 g/day to 11 g/day.
     In 1996, the Small Ranch Water Quality
 Program received two national awards-, the
 Search for Excellence Award from the National
Association of County Agricultural Agents and
the Environmental Achievement Award from
 Renew America. The program has been written
up in the journal of Soil and Water Conservation
 (51(1): 41-45).

                    CONTACT: Jim Smitherman
                     Department of Conservation
      Nevada Division  of Environmental Protection
                                 702687-4670
108
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year  1994
              • Cross Cutting HPS Category: $141,225

              H Agriculture: $200,005
              H Urban Runoff: $10,623
              HE Silviculture: $0
              HI Construction: $0
              G Resource Extraction: $0
              • Stowage and Land Disposal: $128,206
              H Hydrologic Modification: $80,459
              D Other: $24,992
                    Crystal Lake Preservation Association
                               Tackles Urban Runoff
      Successful watershed projects usually
      have two common elements: active
      community participation and a relatively
small geographic area. The Crystal Lake
Watershed Project in Manchester, New
Hampshire, is the first 319 project in that state
with contract funds awarded directly to a
volunteer organization with no professional
staff. Members of the Crystal Lake Preservation
Association (CLPA) have a direct stake in the
lake's water quality and an active presence both
within the watershed and in city government.  •
The watershed is about 200 acres and includes
about 300 homes.

Project description
     Crystal Lake is a small urban lake (21.2
acres), that is also an important recreational
resource. Its watershed lacks tributaries during
dry weather; the lake is recharged by
groundwater and stormwater runoff. The source
Of all tributaries is the interface between
                                       stormwater runoff and groundwater. A
                                       diagnostic/feasibility study completed in 1985
                                       documented that 67 percent of the phosphorus
                                       contribution to the lake is from stormwater  .
                                       runoff. Anecdotal information, such as dumping
                                       crankcase oil in storm drains and grass  -
                                       clippings in drainage ditches, indicated that
                                       residents did not understand that stormwater
                                       drains into the lake without treatment.
                                             Crystal Lake's 319-project began in 1994
                                       and ended in June 1996. It had three
                                       interrelated components: storm drain
                                       stenciling; street sweeping/stormwater quality;
                                       and an informational kiosk.  Educational
                                       activities were included in all project activities.
                                       For example, a workshop on stormwater was
                                       held prior to storm drain stenciling. Volunteer
                                       stencilers were equipped with doorknob flyers
                                       that let residents know why  they should be
                                       concerned about stormwater drainage.
                                             Additional workshops were held to   .
                                       educate watershed residents about shoreline
| Sy|^|| ST0?{fS: VOLUME (I
                                                                                              109

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       Crystal Lake Preservation Association volunteers Blanche
       Manning and Kacle and Elizabeth Cardln participate in a
       clean-up day at Crystal Lake Park.
       vegetation, lake water quality trends, and
       proper disposal of household hazardous
       wastes. To inform the public about long-term
       lake issues, the CLPA constructed an
       information kiosk on which they could post
       water quality monitoring results,
       announcements about upcoming events, and
       lake protection tips for homeowners.

       Pollutant levels decrease
            Water quality benefits from educational
       activities are difficult to measure; however,
       volunteer lake assessment data collected
       monthly during the growing season from 1991
       to 1995, indicate that pollutant levels have been
       reduced to levels at which alum treatment,
       recommended in the diagnostic/feasibility
       study, is no longer needed.
      The project's street sweeping/stormwater
 quality component included storm event
 monitoring to measure the effectiveness of
 street sweeping. Stormwater runoff was
 monitored at four entry points to the lake   •
 during similar storm events before and
 immediately after street sweeping. After street •
 sweeping, pollutant levels  were significantly
 lower. For example, phosphorus declined by 48
 percent; lead by 78 percent; total suspended
 solids by 75 percent; turbidity by 68 percent;
 copper by 67 percent; and zinc by 33 percent.
      E. coli bacteria increased after street
 sweeping — from a range of 30 to 70 colonies
 per 100 mL to a range of 10 to 2,000 colonies
 per 100 mL, for reasons unknown to the
 monitors.  ,
      The CLPA complements the lake project
 with political action. Local politicians now
 participate in CLPA meetings and trust their
 ideas. The planning board  has required at least
 one developer to redesign  Stormwater drainage
 included in his proposed building plans, based
 on CLPA objections. CLPA  is also lobbying for
 sewer line extensions into  the watershed.

 New project planning
      Using its Stormwater monitoring data,
 CLPA has identified the subwatersheds that
 contribute the greatest pollutant load to Crystal
 Lake, and will in the near future (and in
 partnership with other stakeholders) install a
 structural best management practice that will
 intercept and filter Stormwater that flows into
 the lake from these sources. The watershed
 residents' heightened awareness of nonpdint
 source issues combined with Stormwater
 monitoring has helped create a long-term
vision for controlling pollution.

                       CONTACT: Eric Williams
      New Hampshire Department of Environmental
               ;                   •  Services
                                 603271-2358
110
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                The Connecticut River Watershed Project —
                Agricultural BMPs Enhance Stream Ecology
        New Hampshire does not have a
        significant agricultural nonpoint
        pollution problem statewide. However,
 the Connecticut River watershed (in central
 New Hampshire, midway along the New
 Hampshire/Vermont border) does have
 significant dairy farming and other agricultural
 activity (corn and field crops) and associated
 water quality impacts. Many of the farms are
 old and worked on the margin; few of their
 owners have money available for dealing with
 agricultural nonpoint problems. To address
 certain needs, the New Hampshire Department
 of Environmental Services' Nonpoint Source
 Program funded the Upper Connecticut River
 Watershed Project in 1991 with a 319 grant.
      Part of this project included working with
 farmers to demonstrate agricultural best
 management practices (BMPs). The
 demonstration site chosen for intensive
 monitoring — whose owner was a willing
 participant in the project — was Dale Lewis'
 farm (the Rocky Hill Farm). This dairy operation
 is located near the headwaters of Morris Brook
 (which has, a total length of about 2 miles and  .
-drains about 3  square miles), a tributary to
 Oliverian Brook which feeds into the
Connecticut River in Haverhill. Problems with
sediment and stream turbidity, cow manure,
and fertilizers were the main focus. Beginning in
1991, agricultural BMPs were installed to
address these problems.
     BMPs included construction of manure
storage areas and application of manures to
avoid contamination of the brook, construction
of concrete pads in heavy animal use 'areas to
minimize soil disturbance, addition of house
and barn roof drains to divert clean runoff away
from the dairy, and a brook crossing for animal
control'(to prevent streambank erosion). In
1992, the River Watch Network (RWN) was
contracted to monitor the water quality
(chemical and macroinvertebrate monitoring)
of Morris Brook to assess the effectiveness of
the BMPs. Volunteers and staff of the
Connecticut River Watch Program collected the
water and macroinvertebrate samples and
performed the data analysis.

Improved macroinvertebrate
community
     River Watch Network's summary report,
The Impact of Agricultural Waste Management Practices
on Morris Brook, 1992-1994, included chemical
A stream crossing
for cattle was
installed at
Morris Brook to
reduce impacts
from stream
access at Rocky
Hill Farm. This is
one of the BMPs
that helped
improve the
macroinvertebrate
community in
Morris Brook.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                             111

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      and biological monitoring and sampling for
      total phosphorus, turbidity, temperature, and
      E. coli bacteria at six sites and for
      macroinvertebrates at three locations. Elevated
      bacteria were found in Morris Brook at all sites
      (including the upstream control sites), both
      during storm events and during dry weather.
      RWN's findings indicate that the source of
      bacteria is not runoff related, but from a
      constant source such as manure deposited
      directly into the brook or a failing septic
      system. Samples tested for phosphorus and
      turbidity were somewhat elevated below the
      farm most of the time.
            The macroinvertebrate community
      downstream from the demonstration site
      showed significant improvement.
      Macroinvertebrates are stream insects and
      other tiny life forms that are excellent
      indicators of pollution, since some are more
      pollution tolerant than others. Over the three
      years, the previously impacted sites
      downstream from the farm changed. They
      began to show greater diversity and fewer
      pollution-tolerant organisms.
            Over the years, RWN observed an  increase
      in the percentage of the mayflies, stoneflies,
      and caddisflies in the sample, from about 55
      percent in 1993 to over 75 percent in 1994. In
      addition, the dominant group shifted from
      worms in 1993 to mayflies in 1994. This
      represents a shift from pollution-tolerant to
      pollution-intolerant organisms; thus, the
      quality of the water was improving.
       BMPs included construction of
         manure storage areas and
      application of manures to avoid
        contamination of the brook,
      construction of concrete pads in
         heavy animal use areas to
         minimize soil disturbance,
      addition of house and barn roof
        drains to divert clean runoff
     away from the dairy, and a brook
         crossing for animal control
      (to prevent streambank erosion).
      In its report, RWN stated "the waste
management practices implemented on the
farm reduced organic pollution and improved
the quality of the brook's ecological integrity,
despite consistently elevated bacteria levels."
      Had this assessment relied solely on
water chemistry as a measure of BMP success,
the project may not have demonstrated any
improvements. On the other hand, RWN noted
.that without the bacteria monitoring, the
continuing E. coli problem would have been
missed. The Morris Brook report recommends
continued annual monitoring to document
continued improvements,  and the installation
of additional BMPs isuch as streambank fencing
to keep out livestock along the entire stream).

                      CONTACT: Eric Williams
      New Hampshire Department of Environmental
                                     Services
                                 603271-2358
112
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1995
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $855,100

              S Agriculture: $75,000

              H Urban Runoff: $481,000

              H Silviculture: $40,000

              HI Construction: $0

              B Resource Extraction: $0

              • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              S Hydrologic Modification: $226,000

             . D Other: $49,000
                  Navesink River Shellfish Beds Upgraded
        On January 1, 1997, the Navesink River  ;
        was approved for unrestricted shellfish
        harvesting for the first time in 25 years.
Water quality in the Navesink River has
improved significantly as a result of a major
interagency initiative involving federal, state,
and county governments, private institutions
(representing the environment, health, and
agriculture), and the general public. The
Navesink flows through Monmouth County,
New Jersey, near the Atlantic coast.

Success through partnership
     The primary goal of this initiative, which
has been underway for several years in the
Navesink River watershed, is to reduce
nonpoint sources of pollution sufficiently to
reopen the river- to unrestricted shellfish
harvesting. Harvesting in the Navesink has been
restricted since 1971.
     A comprehensive, coordinated
management plan was implemented in 1987 to
reduce bacterial loadings to the estuary and
restore recreational and commercial shellfish
harvesting. At that time, a Memorandum Of
Understanding was signed by the New Jersey
'Department of Environmental Protection
(NJDEP), the New Jersey Department of    '   •
Agriculture, U.S. EPA, and the USDA Natural
Resource Conservation Service. It. was also
endorsed by 12 county, municipal, academic,1
and private organizations. The agreement
formalized each one's commitment to the
Navesink River Watershed Management
Program and its goals. The water quality
improvements in the Navesink are a direct
result of successful nonpoint source pollution
controls implemented by these partnerships
over many years.
      In the 1980s, the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection's Environment
Planning Program initiated the Navesink
nonpoint source study, which included  •
intensive watershed/land-use analysis,
inventory and compliance assessment of point
source permits, evaluation of potential
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                             113

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      nonpoint sources and monitoring of the estuary
      and its tributaries. Sources of contamination
      were subsequently attributed to a combination
      of stormwater runoff associated with residential
      development, agricultural waste, and
      marina/boat associated pollutants.
              A total of nearly 4,800 acres
             were upgraded in the shellfish
              reclassification as a result of
              improvement in overall water
               quality, bringing the total
                 harvesting acreage to
                     over 580,000.
            Over the last 10 years the NJDEP (Land
      Use Regulation, Shellfisheries and Marine
      Water Classification and Analysis programs)
      successfully carried out a joint project review
      strategy to "red-flag" coastal development
      applications (Coastal Area Facilities Review Act
      and Waterfront Development permits) for
      individual docks, marinas, and multiunit
      development projects in the Navesink
      watershed. Proposed projects considered for
      approval were scrutinized to assure that
      nonpoint source best management practices
      (BMPs) were incorporated in the design plan.
      The NJDEP also designated the Navesink a
      "Special Water Area" in the Rules on Coastal
      Zone Management (N.J.A.C. 7:7E-3.1). which
      provides an additional measure of protection.

      Innovative  measures
            Many innovative measures were
      implemented to control nonpoint source
      pollution in the Navesink watershed:
          • Construction of a manure composting
            facility with federal and county funds to
            reduce animal waste runoff. Manure is  .
            removed from the waste stream through
            composting.
          • Comprehensive stormwater controls as
            part of coastal permits. Project
            applications in the coastal zone portion
     of the Navesink watershed were not
     approved for permits unless adequate
     stormwater management controls were
     part of the plan.
   • Putting in place berms and concrete pads
     to redirect manure and contaminated
     runoff away from tributaries that drain to
     the Navesink.
   • Initiation of a citizen monitoring program.
   • Formation of the Navesink Municipalities
     Association and the Navesink
     Environmental League, which meet
     monthly to represent local government
     and citizen stakeholder interests in the
     watershed.
   • State and federal funding for public
     education on ways to reduce nonpoint
     source pollution in the watershed,
     including hiring a public outreach
     coordinator;  completing a 30-minute film
     documentary, Navesink — the Restoration of a
     River, that aired periodically on PBS
     television; a  quarterly newsletter, Navesink
     News-, and a Navesink watershed
     worldwide Web page on the Internet.
   • State funding for a free public boat
  •   pumpout facility, which led the way to
     other pumpout facilities and a pending
     application to EPA for a "No Discharge
     Zone" in the Navesink River.
   • Development of subwatershed approach
     to environmental planning,'monitoring,
     and implementation of BMPs.
     There was an upgrade in classification for
623 acres of waters east of the Oceanic Bridge
that allowed shellfish to be harvested every year
from November through April without need for
purification. A total of nearly 4,800 acres were
upgraded in the shellfish reclassification as a
result of improvement in overall water quality,
bringing the total harvesting acreage to over
580,000.

                          CONTACT: Bob Scro
                 Office of Environmental Planning
 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
                                 609633-2003
114
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I

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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $ 128,560

              S Agriculture: $ 1,061,324

              H Urban Runoff: $0

              E3 Silviculture: $0

              M Construction: $0

              B Resource Extraction: $34,192

              HI Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $80,783

              D Other: $0
                       Grant County's Royal John Mine —
                    A Full-Scale Site Reclamation Project
      The Royal John Mine, located in the Gila
      National Forest on the headwaters of the
      Mimbres River, produced lead, zinc, and
silver ores enriching a variety of owners for pver
100 hundred years, until the 1960s.
      This portion of the Gila Forest (about
'25 miles east of Silver City, New Mexico) is the
dominant drainage for a large closed desert
basin,in Grant, Sierra, Hidalgo, and Luna
counties in southwestern New Mexico. Drainage
is through Cold Creek to the Gila River. The mine
area consists of several buildings, walls, and
foundations, including the mine portal and two
acres of waste rock and tailings. Present, too, are
typical riiine yard dumps and refuse materials.
      In the early 1990s, a single open portal
still emitted a perennial metal-laden flow, and
approximately two acres of mine waste
remained, bisected by a six-foot-deep incised
channel. The Forest Service monitored the
contaminated water flowing from the open
mine portal, and New Mexico's nonpoint source
staff used x-ray fluorescent technology to
document the transport of the polluted water
and sediment from the mine and mill to sites
located more than three miles downstream.
     Water samples routinely contained
copper (46.0 ppm), zinc'( 16,0 pprn), aluminum
(4.5 ppm), iron (2.4 ppm), and lead (1.0 ppm).
These concentrations exceed the applicable
state standards for all five metals. In addition,
turbidity measurements in the water were quite
high, over 1,000 nephelometer turbidity units
(NTUs), and the. water was also slightly acidic
(pH=5). Initial attempts to divert this perennial
drainage away from the mine waste as it
emerged from the portal failed; the material
beneath it was too porous.

Installing best management practices
     Having determined that only a full-scale
mine reclamation project would protect the
Gila River and Cold Creek, the Nonpoint Source
Section of New Mexico's Environment
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((
                                             115

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                    -
           ^'""^ jf if ( » "•„!	   	„ ,1
           ' «•/.'•"<'"•»'•""**	 5:5::,:
                 '''
      Royal John Mine after reclamation — showing lined
      channel and revegetation.
                          >
      Department — with a 319 grant and with other
      state and federal agencies as partners — began
      the installation of the critical best management
      practices (BMPs). By project's end, they had
      installed an adequately sized sediment control
      basin downslope of the waste materials and
      reconstructed the central drainage channel.
            The reconstructed drainage (some 300
      feet in length) was lined with a geotextile fabric
      to reduce infiltration during runoff events, then
      meticulously armored by hand with limestone
      riprap. The drainage channel was designed with
      as much sinuosity as the physical constraints of
      the site allowed to provide for reduced slope.
      The deeply incised waste piles  were graded
      back toward the adjacent undisturbed slopes.
            Project managers constructed an energy
      dissipator apron along the last 50 feet of this .
      channel that connects into the sediment
      control basin. The slopes adjacent to the
      channel were graded to blend with the
      surrounding undisturbed land area. This
      topographic configuration was then covered
      with 12 inches of topsoil and growth media,
      mainly biosolids obtained from local stock
      tanks, and hand seeded with 40 pounds per
      acre of dry-season range grass. The entire
      reclaimed area was mulched with wheatstraw to
      retain soil moisture, and this material was then
      crimped into place with bulldozer cleats.
            The perimeter of the reclaimed area was
      fenced to reduce grazing impacts. The perennial
      seep from the mine portal created a saturated
      zone along the south side of the project area,
      covering approximately 1,500 square feet. This
 entire area was hand planted with emergent
 wetland vegetation. The fringes of the wetland
 and the sides of the .reconstructed channel were
 planted with woody riparian .species. All of this
 work was completed in late 1994 and early 1995.
      In March 1996, an additional 600 willows
 were planted in the reclaimed riparian
 enclosure at the Royal John, in April 1996, a
 french drain consisting of a trench lined with
 clay and filled with limestone was constructed
 to divert mine drainage away from an old.mill
 building. This drain also expands the wetted
 area associated with the previously
 reconstructed stream channel. In July 1996, the
 local Boy Scout troop and parents of some of
 the boys planted 300 willows along the full
 length of the restructured channel, bringing  the
 total to about 1,100 willows. In September 1996,
 staff of the New Mexico Environment   '
 Department's Silver City field office, along with
. members of the Friends of Cold Creek
 Watershed Association, spread native grass
 seed and mulch at the Royal John Mine site.
      After the initial reclamation, the Silver
 City field office assumed management
 responsibility for the Hot/Cold Springs
 Watershed project of which the Royal John
 reclamation was a part. Members and parents
 of a local Boy Scout troop planted additional
 willows in July 1996. Other adults have also
 planted willows as part of their community
 service work (in a partnership arranged though
 a local district attorney's office). Staff of the
 Silver City  field office participated in and
 coordinated these efforts.

 Mine wastes stabilized
      The first sediment control basin
 downslope of the wastes received an effective
 test when two severe storm events occurred
 only two weeks apart shortly after its
 installation. During both events, turbidity
 values exceeding 1,000 NTUs were measured
 entering the sediment basin; however, the
 effluent discharged from the basin ranged from
 20 to 25 NTUs during these intense storm
 events. Clearly, this BMP worked as intended.
      As of early May 1995, the grass cover on
- the reclaimed area was over 75 percent, and 95
 percent of the riparian  pole plantings were
 sprouting leaves. The willow plantings of 1996
116
        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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 improved the site further by establishing
 riparian vegetation in the upper portion of the
 enclosure and supplementing the willows in the
 lower portion.
       Sediment from upstream  is creating a
 substrate in the channel, returning it to a state
 more conducive to the growth of a biotic
 community. In addition, the saturated zone
 created by the seep from the mine portal is now
 a wetland. The mine wastes are stabilized and
 protected from further erosion.  The french drain
 installed in 1996 is serving  its purpose,
 diverting water away from the old mill and
 expanding the wetted area of the channel.
      Cold Creek, the drainage through and
 below the mine site, has been transformed at   '
 the Royal John site from a gully deeply incised
 into,mine wastes, with no riparian vegetation,
 into a stable, meandering channel lined with
 hundreds of willows.
                        CONTACT: Dennis Slifer
     New Mexico Nonpoint Source Pollution Program
             New Mexico Environment Department
                                  505827-2841
           Treating Acid Mine Drainage from the Oro Fino Mine
    In operation from 1880 through the early
    1900s, the Oro Fino Mine is located about 10
    miles north of Red River,-New Mexico, on
 the headwaters of Bitter Creek, a tributary of the
. Red River in the Carson National Forest in Taos
 County, northern New Mexico. Late stage
 hydrothermal alteration from-the area rocks was
 responsible for the formation of the gold ores
 and a broad suite of sulfide minerals, especially
 pyrite.
      During the early years, mine operators
 extracted free gold primarily by mercury
 amalgamation. The resulting rock drainage and
 increased metals content in runoff are charac-
 teristic nonpoint source pollution problems
 found along these reaches of Bitter Creek. A
 combination of surface runoff, seep discharge,
 and groundwater drainage moves through the
 Oro Fino Mine wastes and emerges as acid
 mine drainage.

 Tracking the source
      Watershed assessments delineate the
 stream  site at which the acidic, metal-laden
 waters enter Bitter Creek, some metal
 precipitation occurs, and upstream high quality
 waters are suddenly degraded. The source of
 this pollution is a seepage zone in pyritic waste
 rock piles a,few yards northwest of the mine
 portal. Monitoring data collected from the seep
 in July 1992 reveal water quality standards
 violations for seven metals, pH, conductivity,
 and total dissolved solids (see Table. 1). After
 the Oro Fino site was mined and abandoned,
 the surface waste and tailings piles started to
 deteriorate and the mine portal collapsed. The
 main mine workings are fully flooded.

 Partners approach a solution
      Primary financial support for the Oro Fino
 Mine project,came from Amigos Bravos, a
. Taos-based river conservation group. The     N
 Questa Ranger District, Carson National Forest,
 provided labor and logistic support, and
 additional labor and subsequent monitoring
 were accomplished by the New Mexico
 Environmental Department's nonpoint source
 staff, with funding from 319 grants.
      In September 1993, the project installed a
 bench-scale anoxic alkaline drain passive
 treatment system to treat the acidic
 metal-loaded mine drainage. An L-shaped
 trench,  12 to 14 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 4 to 5
 feet deep was dug into the poorly consolidated
 tailings and positioned to intercept the obvious
 area of seepage, where the tailings were well
 saturated. The trench was filled with 12 cubic
 yards of crushed cobble-sized limestone (2 to 4
 inches)  that was 88 percent CaCO.
      Several layers of 20 millimeter
 polyethylene liner were installed as a dilution
 barrier on  top of the limestone. The treatment
 system was capped with 14 to 20 inches of
 compacted clay, and a resurgence pool (about
 4 feet deep) was built downgrade of the drain.
The acid mine drainage passes through the
alkaline drain, fills the resurgence pool, and
flows on toward a developing wetland for
secondary treatment before it enters Bitter Creek.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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Table 1. Sampling results at the Oro Fino Mine on Bitter Creek in New Mexico.
PARAMETER
pH
Aluminum
Cadmium
Cobalt
Copper
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Molybdenum
Nickel
Zinc
Sulfates
Conductivity
TTDS
MEASUREMENT BEFORE
REMEDIATION (7/24/92)
2.4
89.0 mg/L**
0.005 mg/L
0.52 mg/L
0.29 mg/L*
990.0 mg/L*gw
< 0.005 mg/L
4.2 mg/L*gw
2.4 mg/L**
1.5mg/L*gw
1.5 mg/L
3,675.0 mg/L
3,668.0 nmhos*
5,642.0 mg/L*gw
MEASUREMENT AFTER
REMEDIATION (6/22/94)
6.6
0.7 mg/L
< 0.001 mg/L


0.01 mg/L
7.0 mg/L*gw '
<0.1.m'g/L
1 .8 mg/L*gw
<0.1 mg/L
0.1 mg/L
0.08 mg/L
647 mg/L
1,1 00.0 nmhos*
l,028.0mg/L*gw
MEASUREMENT AFTER 3 YEARS
REMEDIATION (9/24/96)
5.93
2.2 mg/L*
< .0001 mg/L .


<0.01 mg/L
93.0 mg/L*gw
< 0.001 mg/L
2.5 mg/L*gw
0.04 mg/L
0.2 mg/L
0.08 mg/L
790.0 mg/L
1, 238.0 nmhos
1,31 0.0 mg/L*gw
The above results for metals are for the dissolved phase.
* These values violate New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission standards for surface water.
*gw These values violate standards for groundwater.
** These values violate standards for both surface water and groundwater.
      Results
            After the anoxic alkaline drain was
      installed, the quality of the acidic water emerg-
      ing from the site wastes improved dramatically.
      The results of monitoring samples taken;at the
      resurgence pool before and after effluent passes
      through the drain are shown in Table 1.
            These results show that dramatic
      improvement continues even four years after
      the drain was installed with little or no
      maintenance. The slight decrease in the drain's
      effectiveness indicated by the September 1996
      sampling can be attributed to off-road vehicles
      trespassing on the site. The trespassers made
      tire ruts that  diverted a small amount of acid
      drainage from the control seep (left untreated
      to measure local improvement) into the  .
      finishing pool. Livestock and wildlife had also
      been accessing the pool, eroding the
      surrounding berm. Some ruts .were filled in and
      other minor repairs performed at the site, but
      further repairs and the installation of a barrier
      are necessary to prevent future trespassing.

      Lessons learned
            This project reinforces the value of careful
      observation and water quality testing before
best management practices are installed.
Second, the relatively small size of the affected
area was also helpful; as the drainage was
obviously seeping through the tailings, it was
possible to position the drain precisely for
maximum effectiveness.
     A third lesson is that continued mainte-
nance of the site is needed to ensure the highest
efficiency. Finally, project staff will find it useful
to look at methods adopted in other parts of the
country. The anoxic alkaline drain was initially
used to treat acid mine drainage from coal
mines in the eastern part of the United States.
     This project successfully reduced the
impacts of acid mine drainage on Bitter Creek.
Improved water chemistry in Bitter Creek helps
reduce the impact of nonpoint source
pollutants on the main stem of the Red River
system and benefits wildlife at the site and
downstream.
                        CONTACT: Dennis  Slifer
               Nonpoint Source Pollution Program
             New Mexico  Environment Department
                                  505827-2841
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting UPS Category: $2,743,064
              S Agriculture: $608,000
              H Urban Runoff; $12,000
              E3 Silviculture: $0

              ill Construction: $0

              E Resource Extraction: $0 ,

              B Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0
              D Other: $20,000
                              Village of Forestville —
                 Water Quality and Water Quantity Improve
  A   two-year project to protect and improve
-  /-\  the springs that are the Village of
JL   JlForestville's primary source of drinking
water is nearing completion. The project (in the
southeastern corner of New York) involved
activities to remove the potential for nonpoint
source groundwater contamination, protect
public health, and increase system efficiency. •
      If successful, the project will not only
address threats to water quality, but will also
increase the quantity of water provided. The
availability of groundwater to deep production
wells is extremely limited in this  area; hence,
the importance of safeguarding the shallow
groundwater collection system.
                              i

Preserving future integrity
     Work performed on this project includes
reconstructing the groundwater collection
systems, diverting overland flow away from the
collection systems, sealing disturbed areas to
inhibit infiltration to the systems, revegetating
disturbed areas, and implementing a watershed
maintenance plan to preserve the system's
future integrity.
        The Village was able to shut
        down two shallow, low-yield
          wells — a gain in water
        conservation, a reduction in
              operating costs.
     Monitoring to assure the project's
effectiveness show that both water quality and
water quantity have improved. The turbidity
spikes that used to be associated with storm
events have been eliminated. Bacteria levels
have also declined dramatically. The Village has
been able to reduce the amount of chlorine
used to disinfect its water by 50 percent. In
terms of yield, the production of the springs has
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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      increased from about 50,000 gallons per day to
      about 110,000 gallons per day. On the strength
      of this increase, the Village was able to shut
      down two shallow, low-yield wells — a gain in
      water conservation, a reduction in operating
      costs. The Village plans to continue formal
postproject monitoring through the summer of
1997.

                   CONTACT: Robin Warrender
           New York Department of Environmental
                                Conservation
                                518457-0635
                Constructed Wetlands Block Passage of Nutrients —
                                  The Wayne County Project
        TV  s part of a project to reduce nonpoint
       A-\ source nutrient loadings to Port Bay] the
      J.  Vwayne County, New York, Water Quality
      Coordinating Committee has sampled
      tributaries that enter the Bay (which is
      connected to Lake Ontario). The committee
      determined that Wolcott Creek was the highest
      priority tributary.

      Recommending treatment
           Based on a study of the nutrient loadings-
      in Wolcott Creek and subsequent analysis of
      management strategies, the soil and water
      conservation district recomm'ended that
      constructed wetlands be installed on two farms
      in the watershed. The wetlands were
      constructed in 1996.
            These two constructed wetlands,
               both in the Wolcott Creek
            watershed, will reduce nutrients
              in runoff from two significant
                 agricultural sources.
           The first wetland was designed to treat
      miikhouse wastewater from a 120-head dairy
      farm. The system has dual beds and a design
      flow of 360 gallons per day. Separation tanks
      were installed to reduce the volume of solids
      entering the treatment beds. Both beds are 60
      feet wide, 25 feet long, and 2 feet deep. Bed one
      is an organic matter bed filled with 70 percent
      wood chips, 20 percent pine bark, and 10
      percent stone. The second bed is filled
      completely with washed stone and planted to
      Phragmites.
     The second wetland is a single bed
system with washed stone and Phragmites. It
has a design flow of 480 gallons per day. The
bed is 120 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 2 feet
deep. Alternating berms slow the water's
movement through the wetland. A clean water
diversion on the upland end of the barnyard
prevents runoff from entering the waste stream.

Determining efficiency
     Comparisons of water quality samples
taken before and after the constructed wetlands
treatment indicate that the wetland does
successfully contribute to nonpoint source
control. Downward trending data (expressed,as
averages) were  recorded for the following
indicators:
    • Organic Nitrogen (TKN): down 91.5
     percent;
    • NO2 and  NOs; down 47 percent;
    • Ammonia: down 84 percent;
    • Total Phosphorus: down 93 percent;
    • Soluble Phosphorus: down 70 percent.

     Nutrients have been identified as the
primary pollutant to Port Bay, causing
significant algae blooms annually. Agricultural
sources have been, identified as the primary
source of nutrients to both the Bay itself and to
Wolcott Creek. These two constructed wetlands,
both in the Wolcott Creek watershed, will
reduce nutrients in runoff from two significant
agricultural sources.

                  CONTACT: Robin Warrender
           New York Department of Environmental
                                Conservation
                                518457-0635
120
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $398,744

              S Agriculture: $925,166

              H Urban Runoff: $466,822

              03 Silviculture: $220,000

              M Construction: $0

              B Resource Extraction: $0

              • Stowage and Land Disposal: $316,268

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D Other: $162,000
         Sediment Controls Installed along Timbered Branch —
                 Common Sense Practices for Forest Roads
   In 1992, the North Carolina Division of Water
   Quality asked the U.S. Forest Service to
   design simple, effective, lowrcost methods
for reducing chronic sediment loading from  •
streamside gravel roads and to apply these best
management practices on a demonstration site
in the Nantahala National Forest. A section 319
program grant accompanied the request.

Project description
     Timbered Branch, a tributary to Upper
Creek in the Catawba basin, is closely paralleled
for over two miles by Forest Service Road (FSR)
982, a historic travelway stabilized with gravel.
Seven practices were used along this stretch of
FSR 982 to infiltrate road runoff or reduce its
sediment content. The best management
practices (BMPs) were field-designed in less
than a day, and all were easy to construct. They
were able to capture about two-thirds of the
road runoff, and effectively controlled sediment.
      Common sense was the rule in applying
 the BMPs. For example, ditch outlets with or
 without sediment traps effectively dispersed
 concentrated ditch flow and runoff from
. trenched roads into available roadside
 infiltration areas. Weeps accomplished the
 same task on bermed roads.
      Since conducting the Timbered
         Branch project, the Forest
       Service has successfully used
      these techniques in other road
      reconstruction projects in North
      Carolina and Georgia, and has
       transferred the technology to
     other land managers, including a
     demonstration project in Mexico.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I
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           Sediment traps were a useful option
      when distance to the stream channel was
      limited. Berms kept runoff on the roads until it
      reached a safe disposal area. Outslopes were
      used to allow sheet flow to adjacent infiltration
      areas. Humps diverted flow on down-sloping
      road surfaces. Quantitatively, the best manage-
      ment practices included 28 weeps, 19 sediment
      traps, 14 ditch outlets, 10 outslopes,  nine
      berms, seven relief culverts, and five humps.

      High ratings for Timbered Branch
           Biological monitoring performed by the
      Division of Water Quality a year after the BMP
      installations showed improvement in water
      quality compared to a control stream and to
      two sampling events before BMP installation.
           Benthic macroinvertebrate and total taxa
      richness values increased (from 38 to 48 and
      from 74 to 79, respectively); the biotic index
      value also improved, dropping from 3.01 to 2.68
      on a scale of 10 to 1. Thus, largely as a result of
      the roadway BMPs, Timbered Branch received
      an excellent biological rating.
      This rating creates the potential for
including Timbered Branch in the Outstanding
Resource Waters (ORW) supplemental"
classification currently in place on the rest of
'Upper Creek and its tributaries. An ORW
classification can be considered if an
outstanding trout population or fisheries
habitat can be documented. At this time,
fisheries monitoring has not been conducted.

Moving on
      Since conducting the Timbered Branch
project, the Forest Service has successfully used
these techniques in other road reconstruction  .
projects in North Carolina and Georgia, and has
transferred the technology to other land
managers, including a demonstration project in
Mexico. A nontechnical pamphlet, Road Runoff
Control, describing the method is available from
either the Forest Service in Asheville, North
Carolina, or the Division of Water Quality in
Raleigh.
                      CONTACT: Annette Lucas
            Division of Environmental Management
  North Carolina Department of Environment, Health,
                         and Natural Resources
                                 919733-5083
                                  Practice Makes Perfect —
                            The Long Creek Watershed Project
            Land-use patterns in the Long Creek
            watershed in the southwestern Piedmont
            of North Carolina are agricultural, urban,
      and industrial. Nonpoint source pollution from
      all three sectors are a potential threat to Long
      Creek, which is a perennial stream and the
      primary water supply for Bessemer City
      (population about 4,888).
            The Long Creek Watershed Project in
      Gaston County, North Carolina, began  in 1994.
      The goal is to accelerate the implementation of
      best management practices (BMPs) that the
      Long Creek Nonpoint Source Monitoring
      Program Project had initiated in fiscal year 1992.
            A major component of the watershed
      project is to quantify the effect of BMPs on
      water quality. BMPs that prevent or treat
      nonpoint source pollution have been developed
 to reduce nutrient and sediment loading to
 rivers and streams. These BMPs include
 nutrient management, waste management,
 livestock exclusion, riparian buffer restoration,
 field borders, grassed waterways, conservation
 tillage, urban stormwater wetlands, and waste
 storage structures.              •
      Whether it is a farmer planting a
 vegetative buffer along a stream  or a
 homeowner properly disposing of pesticides,
• these practices implemented by  entire
 watershed communities over a period of time
 should reduce pollution and improve our
 environment. The following BMPs have been
 implemented:

 >• Three dairy farms (representing 75 percent
 of the watershed's dairies)  have fenced their
 livestock or otherwise excluded them from the
122
        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 stream, installed alternative watering systems,
 stabilized streambanks, established riparian
 buffers, and used level spreaders, stream
 crossings, and proper nutrient and waste
 management practices.              '.

 > Two beef farms (representing about 20
 percent of this industry) have fenced their
 livestock or otherwise excluded them from the '•
 stream, installed alternative watering systems,
 stabilized streambanks and established riparian
 buffers, and implemented proper nutrient and
 waste management.

 >• One. horse farm (a boarding stable
- representing about 80 percent of this industry),
 has fenced its livestock or otherwise excluded
 them from a pond and stream, installed
 alternative watering systems, established
 riparian buffers,  and implemented proper
 nutrient and waste management.

 > One urban watershed site has been
 selected as a best management practice  .
 demonstration site. Its BMPs include
 streambank stabilization, construction of a
 stormwater wetland, and pollution prevention
 through education.

      At least one value judgment follows from
 these figures, namely, that landowners in the
 watershed are keenly interested in participating
 in the project.                        .      .

 Phosphorus levels decline
      Initial results illustrate that pathogens,
 nutrients, and sediment concentrations have
 decreased considerably since the installation of
 BMPs. The Kiser Dairy Farm was selected as a
 monitoring site to evaluate the effect of waste
 management and a riparian vegetated buffer on -
 pathogens, nutrients, and sediment.
      Weekly grab samples have been taken for
 the months of February through June since 1994
 for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (organic nitrogen
"plus ammonium), total phosphorus, and total
 suspended solids. Organic nitrogen
 concentrations downstream of the farmstead
 have decreased considerably since the
 installation of the livestock exclusion fence in
 February 1996.
      Similar decreases in total phosphorus
 and total suspended solid concentrations have
 also occurred. Before BMP installation, total
 phosphorus averaged above 0.5 mg/L and at
 least 20 mg/L for total suspended solids. After
 BMPs were installed, total suspended solids
 were slightly lower at downstream sites than at
 upstream sites. Total phosphorus levels   •
 downstream were at least 50 percent lower than
 those reported the previous year.
      Whether it is a farmer planting a
      vegetative buffer along a stream
         or a homeowner properly
       disposing of pesticides, these
         practices implemented by
       entire watershed communities  ,
        over a period of time should
            reduce pollution and
         improve our environment.
      These imprbvements can be attributed to
fencing out livestock and providing an alternate
drinking water source for the cattle. Fencing out
livestock prevents trampling, allows natural and
planted vegetation to stabilize the soil in highly
eroded areas, and ultimately results in less
solids and sediment in the water. The
combination of fencing and vegetative
enhancement promises further improvements
in the watershed.

Teaching watershed protection
      The Long Creek project includes a strong
education and community outreach program.
Educational programs include an annual tour of
the watershed and project sites' and a workshop
to update funding agencies, local officials,
community leaders, scientists,-engineers,
environmental.educators, and citizens. Nearly
80 individuals attended the third annual
workshop in 1996.
      Specific technical workshops are
occasionally scheduled to teach bioengineering
techniques for BMP implementation,
monitoring designs for BMP evaluation, data
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (1
                                              123

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      analyses techniques, and water quality
      education programming.
            Other educational events are scheduled
      periodically to publicize the project, encourage
      stewardship, and promote the use of BMPs. For
      example,
          • A Stream Watch team was organized to
            expand monitoring in other watersheds
            within the county. Volunteers conduct
            stream monitoring on a monthly basis.
          • One-on-one visits with watershed
            landowners provide technical assistance
            with BMP implementation.
   • Water quality programs tailored to
     elementary, junior high, and high schools
     actively involve students in learning
     environmental stewardship. In 1996, 77
     environmental education classes were
     taught to 2,011 students.

                     CONTACT: Annette Lucas
           Division of Environmental Management
 North Carolina Department of Environment, Health,
                         and Natural Resources
                                919733-5083
                   Forestry Nonpoint Source Pollution Management
         In 1989, the North Carolina legislature
         amended the Sedimentation Pollution
         Control Act to limit its forestry exemption to
      only those operations that adhere to forest
      practice guidelines. The amendment required
      the Division of Forest Resources to develop
      performance standards known as the Forest
      Practices Guidelines Related to Water Quality.
            Put into effect on January 1, 1990, the
      guidelines are nine performance standards for
      activities such as maintaining streamside
      management zones and applying fertilizers and
      pesticides. They are used to'help the forest
      industry understand how its activities can be
      managed to control nonpoint sources in
      downstream waters. They can also determine if
      a forestry operation falls under the jurisdiction
      of the Division of Land Resources, which
      enforces the Sediment Pollution Control Act.
            Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) have
      been signed between the departments of Forest
      Resources and Land Resources and the
      Division of Water to coordinate their respective
      activities in the  sedimentation control program.
      The Division of Water is the state's primary
      water quality agency, coordinating enforcement
      activities from a water quality perspective.
     Site-disturbing forestry activities are
inspected by local Forest Resources personnel
as part of an ongoing training, mitigation, and
monitoring program. Additional site
inspections are conducted when a problem or
potential problem is suspected. Forest
Resources refers sites not brought into
compliance within a reasonable time to Land
Resources or the Division of Water Quality for
appropriate enforcement action.
     The Division of Water Quality has an
ongoing monitoring program in support of the
Forest Practice Guidelines. This program has
conducted 14,542 site evaluations since its
inception in  1989. In recent years, the number
of evaluations has averaged about 3,000 per
year. In fiscal year 1995, 3,318 site evaluations
were conducted, yielding 94.2 percent
compliance and 9 enforcement referrals to the
Division of Land Resources.

                     CONTACT: Annette Lucas
           Division of Environmental Management
  North Carolina Department of Environment, Health,
                         and Natural Resources
                                919733-5083
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              •  Cross Cutting NPS Category: $172,879

              S  Agriculture: $991,921

              H  Urban Runoff: $222,460

              E3  Silviculture: $0

              OKI  Construction: $0

              E  Resource Extraction: $0' •'  :

              H  Stowage and Land Disposal: $6

              H  Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D  Other: $0
                 The Bowman/Hayiey Watershed Project —
             Conservation Planning Succeeds in North Dakota
        Originally developed in 1990, the .  •
        Bowman/Hayley Watershed Project has
        become a model for improving the __
' quality of North Dakota's waters. Project efforts
 funded in 1990 arid again in  1994 focus ;on
 controlling the flow of nutrients and sediments
 from agricultural lands. To reduce the delivery
 of these pollutants to the reservoir and improve
 water quality, the project staff provide    ,
 one-on-one technical assistance to local
 producers and help them develop conservation
 plans for their farms arid ranches.
      The basic purpose of,conservation
 planning is to evaluate potential nonpoint
 source pollutants on the farm or ranch  and
 remediate them by installing the most
 appropriate best management practice (BMP).
 Financial assistance is provided through
 various USDA programs (e.g., the Water Quality
 Incentives Program, Agricultural Conservation
Program, etc.); the 319 funding also offsets
costs associated with the installation of BMPs.
          Over 50 percent of the
          watershed's acreage is
            under some type of
            conservation plan.
     In conjunction with conservation
planning, the Bowman/Hayley Watershed
Project coordinates efforts with the Cooperative
Extension Service to provide information and
educational activities to project participants
and other watershed residents. Increasing the
public's awareness of the impacts of nonpoint
source pollution on water quality is a primary
goal of the project along with reducing the
delivery rate of nutrients and sediments to the
reservoir.
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                             125

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       Project accomplishments
            To date, the project has developed one
       livestock waste management plan and farm or
       ranch management plans that collectively cover
       2,460 acres of cropland, 4,860 acres of
       rangeland, 1,543 acres of pasture land,
       1,194 acres of hayland, and 246 acres of
       farmstead or wildlife habitat. Over 50 percent of
       the watershed's acreage is under some type of
       conservation plan.
      Project staff have also organized and
 conducted several information and education
 events and assisted the North Dakota
 Department of Health in promoting nonpoint
 source pollution control in other areas of the
 state. Water quality data indicate that the
 median concentrations for phosphorus and
 total suspended solids have also declined over
 the past three1 years.
                         CONTACT: Jim Collins
                       Division of Water Quality
          North Dakota State Department of Health
                                701 328-5242
                                 Protecting the Knife River —
                Improved Land Management Around Goodman Creek
            The Goodman Creek Watershed Project is a
            subwatershed of the Knife River
            watershed located in west-central Mercer
       County, North Dakota. The project area
       encompasses approximately 59,000 acres, of
       which 52 percent is cropland and 45 percent is
       either rangeland or pasture. Low residue
       farming practices (plowing) and overgrazing
       have resulted in increased wind and water
       erosion on much of this land. Agricultural
       pollutants attached to the wind and waterborne
       sediments are deposited in Goodman Creek at
       an accelerated rate.

       Taking action
            The goals and objectives of the Goodman
       Creek project are twofold. First and foremost, it
       will improve the water quality of Goodman
       Creek by promoting improved land
       management practices and installing various
       best management practices that are known to
       reduce erosion effectively on agricultural lands
       within the watershed.
            A second objective is to document and
       disseminate information on the positive effects
       that the application of various best
       management practices (BMPs) has on water
       quality — especially in small watersheds.
            Water quality and land treatment data
       compiled during this project are being used to
       determine the correlation between land
       treatment and water quality improvements. This
       data will help the state and individual farmers
to evaluate the overall effects of the project
activities on the watershed.

Monitoring results
     The following structural practices were
installed during this project:
    • feedlot windbreaks,'
    • fencing,
    • grassed waterways,
    • pasture/highland planting,
    • pipelines, .
    • ponds,
    • spring developments,
    • tanks, and
    • wells.

     Four monitoring sites have been
established at which both water samples and
macrpinvertebrate inventories will be collected
to help measure the project's effectiveness.
Approximately 248 water quality samples have
been collected since the project began in 1993.
     Trends from these samples indicate an
improvement of several variables, that is,
declining concentrations of fecal coliform, total
phosphorus, and total suspended solids.
Figures 1 through 3 document the results to
date, but as this project is relatively new, these
numbers (and the trends they establish) can be
expected to change by the project's end.
126
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                    CONTACT: Jim Collins
                 Division of Water Quality
 North Dakota State Department of Health
                             701 328-5242
200-
                                               o. 150-
                                              S
                                              s
                                                 100-
                                                  50-
                                                             1993 median         1994 median         1995 median
                                                                        Fecal Coliform Bacteria

                                            Figure 1;—Monitoring results of fecal coliform bacteria in the watershed.
                                                                            Total Phosphate as P    Nitrate + Nitrite as N
                                                                   11993 medians •• 1994 medians EH3 1995 medians
                                            Figure 2.—Monitoring results of ammonia, total phosphate, and
                                            nitrate-nitrite in the watershed.
                                                            1993 median     '     1994 median         1995 median
                                                                       Total Suspended Solids

                                            Figure 3.—Monitoring results of total suspended solids in the watershed.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                                   127

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                                                                              OHIO
                319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                 • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $715,000

                 S Agriculture: $782,845

                 B Urban Runoff: $210,000
                 El Silviculture: $0

                 [QI] Construction: $0

                 E Resource Extraction: $600,000
                • Stowage and Land Disposal: $ 176,793

                E3 Hydrologic^Modification: $0

                D Other: $392,400
             The Mautnee River Project — Curbing Sediment Delivery
            The Maumee River watershed is the single
            largest contributor of phosphorus and
            sediment to Lake Erie. The watershed
      contributes 46 percent of the phosphorus and
      37 percent of the sediment entering Lake Erie,
      but only 3 percent of the inflow.
            The Ohio portion of these watersheds
      drains 4,850 square miles and covers portions
      of 17 northwest Ohio counties. Approximately
      80 percent of the land surface in the watershed
      is cropland. Erosion rates are relatively low
      (less than 5 tons per acre), but the soils are
      high in clay content. Clay particles easily
      suspend in water and have chemical and
      physical properties that strongly absorb
      phosphorus, thus creating  a major water quality
      problem for Lake Erie.

      The key to phosphorus  reductions
            The Maumee River's goal for this project
      was to reduce phosphorus  transport to Lake
      Erie by 310,000 pounds over a three-year
      period. To do so, however, the project would
need an annual soil savings of approximately
99,028 tons (297,084 tons over three years).
Using a conservative 10 percent sediment
delivery-ratio, the necessary soil savings was
forecast as 9,903 tons per year.
• '    To obtain local buy-in and increase
landowner participation, the Ohio. Department
of Natural Resources, other state and federal
agencies, and the soil and water conservation
districts in the Lake Erie basin worked with
local county committees to develop
phosphorus reduction strategies.
Each county had a specific phosphorus
reduction allocation, and a local strategy
designed to meet it. In general, the plans
indicated that the best way to reduce sediments
and phosphorus entering Lake Erie was to
maintain adequate cover on the land, especially
in winter and early spring.
     Federal funds were available so that the
project could
   « cost-share the purchase of conservation
     farming equipment;
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    • offer incentives (in this case, tax rebates)
      to encourage (1) the adoption of cultural
      practices such as winter cover and filter
      strips, or (2) permanent land-use
      changes; and
    • provide financial assistance for such
      high-ticket items as animal waste
      management collection and storage
      facilities.
      The resource management systems that
 resulted from these aspects of the project-
 usually included rotation, conservation tillage.
 (residue management), pest management, and
 fertility management. They were often
 developed and installed with technical
 assistance from the Natural Resources
 Conservation Service.

 Exceeding expectations
      Not only has the Maumee River Project
 met its goals,  it has enjoyed widespread
 acceptance by the agricultural community. The
 actual phosphorus and soil saved was nearly
 double the initial objectives. Reliable estimates
 are that 545,736 pounds of phosphorus and
 43,168 tons of sediment were saved.
      Another number to note is that 525.
' farmers cooperated in the project. Given that
 conservation tillage equipment lasts many
 years and is now installed on over 500 farm
 demonstration sites, residue management will
 continue to be practiced in the watershed for
 years to come. Not only that, but since "farmers
 learn from farmers first," we can expect the
 adoption rate of conservation tillage to increase.
      Although the catalyst and overriding
 influence for the success of the Maumee River
 Project was the farmers' strong conviction that
 it was in their best interest to participate, other
 motivations also played a role:
     • the involvement of all stakeholders,
      including local, state, and federal
      agencies, bankers, machinery dealers, and
      farmers;
     • the identification of a common purpose
      and single goal;
   •' clear and attainable objectives on the
     Ohio side of Lake Erie;
   • flexible decisionmaking, shared
     leadership, process planning, and local
     ownership; and
   • identification of best management
     practices that not only dealt with the
     environmental problem but also made
     sense to farmers in turn of improving
     management and profitability.
        The resource management
     systems that resulted from these
       aspects of the project usually
      included rotation, conservation
       tillage (residue management),
          pest management, and
           fertility management.
     Lessons learned for future projects relate
to scheduling times and economic realities.
First, consider timing. Farmers make most of
their equipment and land-management
decisions immediately after fall harvest.
Consequently, the greatest impacts are likely to
come from projects driven by the cropping
season, not agency or corporate budget cycles.
     Then, consider economic incentives. Filter
strips, for example, have not been easy to  •
promote in Ohio; most farmers have to give up
cropland to establish this BMP, and do not
always see its value. The average annual
incentive payment for filter strips was only $20
per acre, while the average annual cash rent
available on the land was $80 per acre. Farmers
derive little income from filter strips, though
they must also continue to pay real-estate tax
or rent on land put to that use. At a minimum,
then, the incentive payment should be equal to
the farmers' cost.
                         CONTACT: Julio Perez
           Division of Stormwater-Nonpoint Source
            Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
                                 614644-2874
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                           Indian Lake — Limiting Pollution Inputs
              Eight years of cooperative activity
              between many federal, state, county, and
              local agencies and citizens is yielding
        results in the Indian Lake watershed. Ohio's
        third largest reservoir, Indian Lake covers 4,800
        acres in west-central Ohio and draws from a
        drainage area of 100 square miles in three
        counties — Logan, Hardin, and Auglaize.
             Indian Lake was formed by the damming
        of the Miami River in 1852 to supply water to
        the Miami-Erie Canal system, an important
        trade route between the Ohio River and Lake •
        Erie. Since that time, Indian Lake has been
        heavily used for recreation. More than a million
        people visit Indian Lake each year for camping,
        boating, swimming, fishing, or a variety of other
        activities.
            The Clean Lakes Program funded several
        assessments of Indian Lake (in 1988 and 1990),
        and these assessments identified several
        nonpoint source problems:
           • overabundant weed growth,
           • high nutrient levels and algal production,
           • poor transparency and aesthetics, and
           • diminishing volume as a result of
            sedimentation.
            Indian Lake's watershed contributes
       approximately  1.500 tons of sediment annually
       to the lake from each square mile in the
       drainage area. Agricultural runoff from highly
       erodible soils within the watershed accounts for
       most of this problem. With an average sediment
       thickness of 3.5 feet, the lake's depth has been
       reduced to an average of 6.5 feet, which severely
       limits recreational activities.
            Because of the sediment problem, the
       lake has been dredged on a regular basis since
       World War II. Innovative watershed activities
       have been added to the dredging effort to
       emphasize the importance of limiting other
       pollution inputs, especially phosphorus and
       nitrogen. The area's multiple agencies use a
       watershed approach, which includes the
       following practices:
     • cost-sharing no-till and ridge till
      equipment, chaff spreaders, and chisel
      points;

     • offering a conservation incentive to
      recognize farmers achieving at least a
      minimum percentage of crop residue;

     • demonstrating various stream protection '
      and restoration practices;

     • installing a sediment retention basin; and

     • conducting nutrient management
      education.

      The Indian Lake project was one of the
 first in the nation to incorporate a highly
 successful equipment buy-down program,
 encouraging farmers  in the watershed to use
 conservation tillage equipment.


 Taking stock of recent gains

      After six years of project activities  related
 to various nonpoint source controls, soil losses
 from erosion have been reduced by an
 estimated 50,000 tons per year — roughly a
 third of the total soil  loss occurring in the'
 watershed.
      Citizens and professionals notice fewer
 sediment plumes in the lake after significant
 rainfall events. Crop observations throughout
 the watershed in 1996, often performed by
 professionals using transects/ revealed that 87
 percent of crops are now planted-with
 conservation tillage.
      Use attainment in 1994, based on
 samples of fish and macroinvertebrate
communities, indicates that streams or stream
reaches that failed to  support their designated
aquatic life use in 1988-1989 have improved to
full or partial attainment in 1994.

                         CONTACT: Julio Perez
          Division of Stormwater-Nonpoint Source
            Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
                                 614644-2874
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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $ 1,475,
              S Agriculture: $0
              H Urban Runoff: $94,500
              03 Silviculture: $0
              Hffl Construction: $0
              E Resource Extraction: $0
              H Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
              H Hydrologic Modification: $0
              D Other: $0
100
                     Tulsa County Blue Thumb Program—
                          Volunteers Make a Difference
      The Tulsa County Blue Thumb Project was
      initiated to educate Tulsa residents and
      businesses about controlling and      :
 preventing water pollution. A strong emphasis
 on education is central to the entire project,
 which also provides technical assistance to
 developers, homeowners, and public officials.
 Topics include erosion control, streambank
 protection, and other nonpoint source
 pollution control activities. Finally, Blue
 Thumb's trained volunteers collect water
 quality data and work on "educational programs.
      Blue Thumb partners include the Tulsa
 County Conservation District, Oklahoma State
 University Cooperative Extension Service,
• USDA'Natural Resources Conservation Service,
 and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.
 In all, 24 agencies, civic groups, and
 environmental organizations participate in
 various ways.
    Education
         Nonpoint source pollution education is a
    major project goal, involving staff, volunteers,
    youth, and adults in various formal and informal
    settings. Blue-Thumb developed a miniature
    stormsewer drainage model that demonstrates
    how stormwater can pollute and how people
    can use their blue thumbs to keep water clean.
    Over 50 different schools, civic clubs, churches,
    and educational events (e.g., the Tulsa State
    Fair and the Greater Tulsa Home and Garden
    Show) have seen this model.
         Blue Thumb also works with more
    specialized audiences. For example, it teaches
    erosion and sediment control training to
    builders, developers, engineers, government ,
    staff, and others who must have a professional
    Understanding of the field. At training sessions
    and in two-.day courses participants learn
       • the principles of soil erosion,
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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           ' the importance of ground cover and
            vegetation,
            alternative practices that minimize
            erosion and maintain sediment on site,
            and
            the importance of proper maintenance
            and best management practices.
               A combination of classroom
               learning, science labs, and
                 field trips prepare the
             volunteers for monthly chemical
               monitoring, biological and ,.
                habitat assessments, and
                  educating the public.
            Evaluations of the two-day course have ,
       been exceptional. Participants have been
       particularly pleased with the site tour and
       sessions dealing with how to prepare a
       stormwater pollution prevention plan. The
       Oklahoma Department of Transportation has
       requested training for their staff and
       contractors in 1995 and 1996. Blue Thumb staff
 also traveled to Pierre, South Dakota, to provide
 similar training in that state.

 Volunteers integral to Blue Thumb
 programs

      Blue Thumb volunteers were integral to
 the success of the program. The Tulsa Blue
 Thumb Program has 40 active volunteers,
 including eight teachers who joined so that
 Blue Thumb monitoring can benefit students as
 well. Among the 32  other volunteers, are 11
 members of the original class who trained in
 the spring of 1993.
      A combination of classroom learning,
 science labs, and field trips prepare the
 volunteers for monthly chemical monitoring,
 biological and habitat assessments, and
 educating the public.,Volunteers contributed
 over 3,700 hours between 1992 and 1995. Data
 from their monitoring activities are used to
 tailor outreach activities. The result is a greater
 emphasis on the wise use of lawn chemicals
 and continued emphasis on erosion and
 sediment control.
                       CONTACT: John Hassell
                         Water Quality Division
             Oklahoma Conservation Commission
                                405 858-2000
                    Combining Oil Production and Water Quality
                        The Clearview Brine Reclamation Project
            The Clearview Brine Reclamation
            Demonstration Project in east-central
            Oklahoma is a cooperative effort of the
      Water Quality Division of the Oklahoma
      Conservation Commission, EPA, and the
      University of Oklahoma. Oil field development
      began decades ago in Clearview and oil
      production continues today, although the sheer
      density of wells in the field and historically
      poor environmental practices have
      contaminated the area's water resources.
            The eroded landscape of the Clearview
      site is common to many old oil fields in the
      area. Because significant salts accumulate in
      the soil matrix, the soil is unable to support
plant growth. Vegetation disappears, erosion
increases, and with it, the discharge of salts and
sediment into nearby creeks and rivers — in
this case, into Clearview Creek, which runs
through the project area and discharges into
Alabama Creek.

Long-term improvements expected

     Once soil productivity and vegetative
cover are reestablished, sediment and brine
discharges will decrease and water quality will
improve. Thus, the objective of the Clearview
project was to improve soil productivity by
increasing its organic matter content and
correcting its dispersion potential to make it
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less erodible..Preproject field-sampling and
laboratory analytical work documented the
contamination-postproject sampling will help
evaluate the project's success.;
       The formerly intermittent creek
           has shown steady flow
          during every postproject
              monitoring event.
      To begin the project, workers amended
 the impacted soil with a combination of fly ash,
 turkey litter, sulfur, and gypsum. Then they
 graded the site to establish proper drainage
- and mitigate the potential for soil erosion.
 Next, they sprigged the site with Bermuda grass
 to establish vegetative cover — to control
 erosion and improve the soil simultaneously.
 Finally, they began a monitoring program to
 track the changes in soil, water, and vegetation
 resulting from the project.
Physical changes
     To date, 1Q months after the reclamation,
water quality measurements have not shown
any statistically significant improvements;
however, significant qualitative improvements
have,been noted and may be seen in
photographs taken of the site. In addition, the
formerly intermittent creek has shown steady
flow during every postproject monitoring event.
Thus, continued long-term monitoring is
expected to confirm that the project does lead
to improved water quality and increased
biological activity.
     Perhaps the most successful aspect of the
program has been the participation of
community members, local conservation
service staff members, agronomists, legislators,
and other stakeholders. Their involvement was
the more notable at this location because
Clearview's land ownership patterns are
complex and greatly increase the number of
potentially affected parties. Only a committed
populace with a stake in the success of the
program could have reached consensus.

                        CONTACT: John Hassell
                          Water Quality Division
              Oklahoma Conservation Commission
                                 405 858-2000
  SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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                                                                    OREGON
                 3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                 • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $369,242

                 S Agriculture: $811,893

                 H Urban Runoff: $87,973

                 El Silviculture: $104,100

                 IB Construction: $ 19,400

                 B Resource Extraction: $0

                 • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

                 0 Hydrologic Modification: $68,018
                 D Other: $27,000
                                 Coos Coquille Watershed—
                Haynes Inlet Project Allows Shellfish Beds to Reopen
             Coos County. Oregon, has long been
             economically dependent on
             resource-related industries, such as
       agriculture, timber, and fisheries. Cutbacks in
       employment opportunities in these industries
       can cause economic decline throughout the
       area. The county is currently working to diversify
       employment opportunities and to enhance its
       historical resources. Expansion of the shellfish
       industry is one opportunity to diversify county
       employment opportunities.
           Haynes Inlet has been identified as a
       desirable shellfish production area because it
       provides rich mudflats and clam waters during
       storms. However, shellfish production had to be
       prohibited in this portion of the Coos Bay
       Estuary because of elevated fecal'coliform
       counts.
           The estuary has three fresh water inputs:
       Larson, Palouse, and the much smaller Hollow
      Stump Creeks. In 1983, the two larger
      tributaries, Larson and Palouse creeks.
 exceeded the standard for fecal coliform in
 waters used for contact recreation. When these  '
 creeks enter the estuary, the fecal coliform is
 carried into the Haynes Inlet area.

 Spontaneous, piecemeal initiatives

      In '1991, the Oregon Department of Fish
 and Wildlife (ODFW) entered into a funding
 agreement with the EPA to begin enhancing fish
 habitat on Palouse Creek. Meanwhile, staff from
 the Division of Health's Shellfish Program, in
 cooperation with ODFW, began a water quality
 evaluation and the Division of Health
 completed a sanitary survey of the.area. In the
 latter project, each home was visited to
.document the condition of its on-site septic
 system and other potential nonpoint sources of
 pollution. The Oregon Department of
Agriculture also met with the owners of a
Confined Animal Feeding Operation to address
its potential for fecal coliform problems.
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Although some links existed between these
projects, they were not coordinated, and their
goals were no.t defined.
      Next, a coordinated effort began to bring
the community and these many agencies
together through a series of meetings. Invited "
agencies included the Oregon Department of
Agriculture, Oregon Health Division, Coos
Estuary Shellfish Task Force, USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Oregon State
University Extension Service, Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Water
Resources, Coos County Commissioners, and
Economic Development. It was the first
coordinated effort between government and
private landowners to resolve resource issues.

Shellfish beds reclassified
      If mutual goals are identified and peer
pressure applied on a community level, the
effort can  be successful. Downstream users
began asking upstream sources for help. The
perception that agency and landowners have
different and mutually exclusive goals is slowly
being dispelled. Mutually acceptable
approaches have begun to surface that pave the
way for project implementation. Many area
landowners have stepped forward and
implemented projects on their properties.
      They have, for example, installed fences
to restrict cattle and protect seedlings and used
wooden structures to encourage the formation
of pools and hold back gravel. They have also
. replanted riparian  areas, in some cases with
willow and fir trees, which filter and reduce
runoff, decrease sedimentation, and provide
shade. As protection .against further
degradation, they have installed pump-noses
for cattle  to.drink from and created channel
ponds for livestock watering areas.
      The Haynes Inlet area has been
reclassified from prohibited for shellfish
production to a conditionally approved growing
area; and so has the remainder of the classified
area in Upper Coos Bay. Max and Lillie.Clausen,
oyster growers, are thrilled to open this area to
shellfish production and have just completed
construction of a processing facility on the inlet
that will employ up to 25 persons full time.
     In addition, Oregon's 1995 legislature
passed a bill resulting in the resolution of stock
watering restrictions. Landowners are now free
to participate in projects that exclude stock
from streambanks without fear that they may
forfeit their historic source of water for their
stock.
          Government and private
        landowners as partners are
      making great progress to clean
       up the estuary and to develop
      the community's economic base.
      Together, they are making a real
       and measurable difference to
              the watershed.
   -   Lessons learned in the Haynes Inlet
project, including the need for, and the way that
resource management goals can be
coordinated, are currently being applied in
other Coos County watersheds. Strong councils
have been formed to represent area
landowners. These councils are privy to
technical guidance provided by the
coordinating agencies. Such partnerships are
significant in Coos County; they enhance
watersheds and provide improved water quality
and fishery resources. Government and private
landowners as partners are making great
progress to clean up the estuary and to develop
the community's economic base. Together, they
are making a real and measurable difference in
the watershed.

       .               CONTACT: Ivan Camacho
       Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
                                 503 229-5088
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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                              Tualatin River Vastly Improved —
              TDMLs and Section 319 Included in Basinwide Initiatives
             Pollution problems in Oregon's waterways
             are nothing new. In 1938, the State
             Sanitary Authority — now known as the
       Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) —
       was created to clean up the Willamette River.
       The first efforts focused on limiting discharges
       from industry and sewage treatment plants, but
       demands on the water are changing as
       communities grow and chemical uses increase.
            To address these changes, the DEQ is
       now working with a strategy that sets limits
       known as Total Daily Maximum Loads (TMDLs)
       for each pollutant entering a body of water.
       TMDLs are established for waterways that fail to
       meet certain standards for water quality. They
       describe the amount of each pollutant a
       waterway can receive without violating water
       quality standards. DEQ considers future growth
       and development in establishing these limits,
       then adds a margin of safety to its calculations.
       TMDLs take all pollution sources into account,
       including discharges from industry and sewage
       treatment facilities, runoff from farms, forests,
       and urban areas, and natural sources such as
       decaying organic matter or nutrients in soil.
            In 1988, Oregon's Environmental Quality
       Commission (EQC) established TMDLs to
       improve the water quality of the Tualatin River.
       This action established in-stream criteria for
       total phosphorus and ammonia-nitrate at
       various locations on the Tualatin River and at
       the mouths of certain tributaries. The TMDLs
       for phosphorus and ammonia were necessary to
       bring the river into compliance with dissolved
       oxygen and pH standards and the criteria for
       ammonia toxicity and nuisance algal growth.
            Significant reductions in point and
       nonpoint source pollutant loadings followed
       the establishment of the TMDLs and have
       greatly improved the Tualatin  River over the last
       10 years. Data collected over the last several
       years show the river to be in compliance with
       water quality standards most of the time.
            Most of the reductions resulted from the
       construction and subsequent upgrading of two
       advanced tertiary municipal wastewater
 treatment facilities by the Unified Sewerage
 Agency. Both facilities, Rock Creek and Durham,
 have very stringent water quality-based effluent
 limits for biochemical oxygen demand,
 phosphorus, ammonia, and chlorine, and now
 meet the waste load allocations established by
 the TMDLs.                             .
      Forestry, agriculture, and urban land uses
 in the Tualatin Basin were assigned nonpoint
 source load allocations through the TMDL
 process, and best management practices were
 used to bring the loads into compliance.
 Designated Management Agencies (DMAs) are
 responsible for implementing the practices for-
 their respective land uses. The DMAs are the
 Unified Sewerage Agency; the cities of Portland,
 Lake Oswego, and West Linn; Clackamas
 County/Rivergrove, Multnomah County;
 Washington County; and the Oregon
 Departments of Agriculture and Forestry.
     The section 31.9 program, has also funded
 projects that reduce nonpoint source pollution
 in the Tualatin  Basin. These projects increase .
 local involvement and stewardship in nonpoint
 source pollution control projects and
 contribute to environmental education and
 water quality monitoring. Two examples are the
 Dairy-McKay Hydrologic Unit Area (HUA)
 Project conducted by the Oregon Graduate
 Institute, and the Student Watershed Research
 Project of the Saturday Academy.

 HUA project demonstrates link
 between land management and
 improved water quality

     Extensive federal and state funds have
 been applied to agricultural and forested
 watersheds in the Tualatin Basin to promote
 and implement best management practices
 (BMPs), but the connection between improved
 land management and improvements in surface
water quality has not been sufficiently
documented.
     The Dairy-McKay  HUA Project is designed
to assess the impact of agricultural BMPs on
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      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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water quality in an agricultural watershed. Its
overall objective is to monitor the water and
relate any changes in water quality to
modifications in land management practices in
the watershed. If such a relationship can be
documented, better recommendations to
managers will be possible; that is, the most
effective, rapid, and economical land
management practices can be selected and
implemented to improve water quality. Section
319 projects help identify and evaluate local
efforts to use agricultural best management
practices in the project area. The Oregon
Department of Agriculture is working closely
with producers; the DEQ's contribution is to
validate the practices and reflect them in policy
developments.

Students contribute to regional
database
      Saturday Academy, a community-based
precollege education center of the Oregon
Graduate Institute of Science and Technology,
has developed a program that encourages
middle and high school students to add
information to the regional watershed
database. The Student Watershed Research
 Project (SWRP), partly funded by section 319,
involves teachers and students performing
in-field research with practicing scientists.
During the school year, students collect and
analyze physical, chemical, and biological data
at sites in the Tualatin Basin and other area
watersheds. Throughout the process, teachers
and students receive support from SWRP staff
and agency scientists. An additional benefit of
this project is that many middle and high
school students have become interested in, and
enthusiastic about, water quality in the Tualatin
River and other streams in the Portland area.
     The data collected by students in the
SWRP program are high quality data. The
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
used this database to help develop the state's
in-stream dissolved oxygen standard. The SWRP
program has also served as a model and a
catalyst for the development of citizen monitor-
ing programs. SWRP staff help train citizen
groups to use the quality assurance and quality
control procedures necessary for the collection
and analysis of valid water quality data.

                     CONTACTS: Ivan Camacho
                                 503 229-5088
                                 Roger Wood
                                 503 229-6893
       Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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           !	S'B'i"
                                              PENNSYLVANIA
                319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $ 1,418,649
                S Agriculture: $722,685
                H Urban Runoff: $73,000
                El Silviculture: $0

                ED Construction: $0

                B Resource Extraction: $521,946

                • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
                Q Hydrologic Modification: $110,557
                D Other: $0
                  Pennsylvania Adopts Nutrient Management Act —
            Package Includes Education, Incentives, and Financial Help
           After several years' discussion and
       debate, Pennsylvania adopted a Nutrient
       Management Act in 1993. This legislation
       requires high-density animal farms (those with
       more than 2,000 pounds of livestock or poultry
       per acre) to develop nutrient management
       plans to prevent water pollution, and
       encourages other farmers to do the same
       voluntarily.
           The plans are written for the farmers by
       nutrient management specialists certified by
       the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
      The Nutrient Management Act also directs the
      State Conservation Commission to develop
      programs for education, technical assistance,
      and, to the extent funds are available, financial
      assistance.

      Defining criteria, negotiating
      regulations
           As a first step toward nutrient
      management, Pennsylvania's State
      Conservation Commission began to define
 minimum criteria for nutrient management
 regulations. The criteria apply to how the plans
 are written and to standards for manure storage
 facilities, recommended best management
 practices, and administrative requirements, The
 regulations were developed through a
 negotiation process with the Nutrient
 Management Advisory Board. This 15-member.
 board includes farmers, agribusiness
 representatives, scientists, a local government
 representative, nonfarming citizens, and an
 environmentalist.
     For 3.5 years, the State Conservation
 Commission and the advisory board developed
 and proposed regulations, held public meetings
 and hearings, received numerous comments,
 and drafted final regulations. The Commission
 formally adopted the regulations in March 1997
 with an effective date of October 1, 1997.

 Education and assistance programs
     Education and technical assistance ,
programs will be carried out in large part by
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cpunty conservation districts in partnership
•with Pennsylvania State University Copperative
Extension, the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, the Department of Agriculture, the
Department of Environmental Protection, and
others. The State Conservation Commission
funds conservation districts to provide these
services and to administer other aspects of the
Nutrient Management Program, such as
reviewing and approving plans. A framework for
loans, grants, and loan guarantees is included
 in the regulations, and.funding sources are
 being pursued.

 Incentives
      The Nutrient Management Act preempts
 any local ordinances that are inconsistent with,
 or more stringent than, its statewide
regulations. This, unique feature benefits
farmers whose farms lie in two or more
municipalities. In addition, the Act limits a
farmer's liability for penalties or damages in
civil actions related to nutrient use, provided
that such farmers are fully and properly
implementing approved nutrient management
plans. The State Conservation Commission is
also developing a program to assist farmers
with the costs of having to write the nutrient
management plan.

                     CONTACT: Mike Sherman
                   Division of Watershed Support
               Bureau of Watershed Conservation
         Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
                                   Protection
                                 717787-5259
                                Partners in Wildlife —
                 The Pike Run Watershed Restoration Project
       The primary goal of the habitat restoration
       project in Washington County's Pike Run
       Watershed is to demonstrate the  .
  effectiveness of including habitat restoration
  techniques in a watershed treatment program.
  A secondary aim is to show that landowners are
  willing to cooperate with government agencies
  and conservation groups in habitat restoration
  programs.
       The project is a partnership venture of the
  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners in
  Wildlife Program. Other partners are the
  Pennsylvania Game Commission, the USDA
  Natural Resources Conservation Service and
  Pasture Systems and Watershed Management
  Research Laboratory, Ducks Unlimited, National
  Fish and Wildlife Foundation, California
  University of Pennsylvania, Pheasants Forever,
  the Audubpn Society of Western Pennsylvania1,
  and interested landowners.
       .Major funding for the project came from
 • section 319 grant administered by the
  Department of Environmental Protection,
  Bureau of Watershed Conservation. Other
  contributions were provided by cooperating
  groups and agencies and private landowners.
 Results are being monitored by Fish and
 Wildlife Service biologists, USDA researchers,
 and California University of Pennsylvania
 students.
       This project shows that restoring
         riparian areas and wetlands
           benefits landowners by
        providing direct economic gain
         — increased land values and
       better herd health — but also by
       providing excellent habitat for a
              variety of wildlife.
  Rebuilding habitats improves
  watershed health
       Restoration efforts in the Pike Run
  Watershed have progressed rapidly. Since
  Spring 1994, approximately 48,500 feet of
  streamside habitat have been fenced on 15
  properties, and 22 stone ramps have been
  installed for controlled cattle access and
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         crossing. In addition, 12 alternative
         livestock watering structures have been
         constructed to provide a clean water
         supply and eliminate the need for
         livestock to enter the stream.
              A total of 40 wetland acres in Pike
         Run Watershed has been restored by
         fencing cattle out of degraded wetlands,
         blocking tile drains, filling ditches, and
         constructing low-level earthen dams.
         More than 8,500 trees and shrubs have
         been planted in the riparian zones and
         restored wetlands of Pike Run.
              Approximately 112 acres of native
         warm season grasses have been planted
         in the Pike Run project area. These
         grasses contribute significant
         environmental benefits. They provide
         cover for ground-nesting birds, erosion control
         on upland soils, and a filter for surface runoff.
         Landowners are permitted to harvest or graze
         these grasses after July 1, when most
         ground-nesting birds have fledged. Warm
         season grasses grow well in dry conditions and
         can be used for grazing between the growing
        seasons of other grasses.

        Nothing succeeds like interest
             Landowner interest and participation in
        the Pike Run Restoration Project contribute to
        its success. Landowners have been involved in
        every aspect of the project, from planning where
        to locate cattle crossings, access gates, and
        watering structures to clearing trees and brush
        from fence lines and mowing to control weeds
        in the planted areas. They have also spread the
        word to their neighbors about the benefits of
        participation in the project. Landowners also
        help document the success of the restoration;
        they report wildlife sightings, streambank
        revegetation, and visible improvements in water
        quality.
 Volunteers work on Pike Run Watershed Project.
      This project shows that restoring riparian
 areas and wetlands benefits landowners by
 providing direct economic gain — increased
 land values and better herd health — but also
 by providing excellent habitat for a variety of
 wildlife. Indeed, the Pike Run Watershed
 Restoration Project has  been 'so successful that
 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service chose the
 project as a national model for habitat
 restoration.

      In June 1996 the Richard King Mellon
 Foundation awarded $750,000 to the California
 University Foundation to fund several
 watershed restoration projects modeled on the
 Pike Run Project. This new Farmland Habitat
 Project will include 5,000 acres in Fayette,
Westmoreland, Montour, York, Berks, Centre,
Erie, Franklin, and Mercer Counties. In all, nine
watersheds will be included in the project
planning.

                       CONTACT: Dave Putnam
                    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
                                 814234-4090
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                                                               SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             •  Cross Cutting MPS Category: $322,296

             S  Agriculture: $0

             H  Urban Runoff: $99,929

             §3  Silviculture: $0

             U  Construction: $35,735

             G  Resource Extraction: $0

             H  Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             H  Hydrologic Modification: $54,013

             D  Other: $164,527
                        The Greenwich Bay Initiative —
             Shellfishing Closure Challenges Rhode Islanders
       Greenwich Bay, a 4.9-square-mile
       embayment of Narragansett Bay, Rhode
       Island, is one of the East Coast's most
productive shellfish areas. In 1992, a severe
Nor'easter triggered elevated fecal coliform
bacteria levels in the Bay. Since fecal coliform
bacteria is used as an indicator of sewage
contamination, the bay was closed to.
shellfishing to protect public health. Such
closures are normally temporary, but when the
bacteria levels did not return to acceptable
limits within a reasonable time, the Rhode
Island Department of Environmental
Management closed the Bay's waters
indefinitely until the area could be reclassified
as permanently closed.
      While the Department of Environmental
Management and the Federal Food and Drug
Administration launched an extensive
investigation to identify potential pollution
sources, a number of organizations mobilized
to restore the Bay, including the Narragansett
Bay Estuary Program, the City of Warwick, the
Rhode Island Shellfisherman's Association, the
Southern- Rhode Island Conservation District,
the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service, Save the Bay, the University of Rhode
Island, and the Rhode Island Department of
Transportation. This coalition, unique in Rhode
Island, is linked together by common restoration
goals, open and constant communication, and
mutual respect for each one's expertise.

Resolute  and successful
     In 1994, the Narragansett Bay Estuary
Program and the University of Rhode Island
undertook the first pollution source assessment
in the Hardig Brook watershed. Samples taken
during three storm events tested so high for
fecal bacteria that everyone suspected a broken
or failed sewer line or sewer pump station.
Instead, the team discovered that a dairy farm
had not sheltered its manure storage pile from
runoff from the barn roof and farmyard. The
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        contaminated runoff flowed across the farm to a
        small tributary of Hardig Brook. Once there, the
        contaminants traveled rapidly downstream.
                14 months after the bay was
              closed, Rhode Island's Governor
                 Bruce Sundlun boarded a
                   shellfishing skiff and
              participated in the dry-weather
                 conditional reopening of
                     Greenwich Bay.
             As soon as the farm was identified as a
        source of contamination, rapid coordination
        ensued among the farmers, the Narragansett
        Bay Estuary Program, the City of Warwick, and
        the Department of Environmental
        Management's regulatory branches. With the
        farmers' trust and cooperation and help from
        other partners (the USDA Natural Resource
        Conservation Service and the Southern Rhode
        Island Conservation  District), they designed
        and helped implement interim best
        management practices. In fact, their work
        established a model  for dealing with similar
        situations on other farms. To date, this
  coalition has secured nearly all the funding
  needed to install final BMPs.  /
       Failing or inadequate septic systems are '
  another source of contamination to the Bay. To
  counteract this problem, the partners used
  Section 319 funding and alternative technology
  to develop an innovative septic system 'pilot
  project. The project provided nearly 50 percent
  of the funding needed to design and construct
  advanced on-site wastewater treatment systems
  on five residential sites! These residences are
  located in a section of the Greenwich Bay
  watershed that is not well-suited for septic
  systems, yet is unlikely to be sewered. Among
  the problems thatresidents face are constraints
  such1 as high water tables and exceptionally
  small lots. Advanced technologies can address
  these problems and remove s'ome of the
  nutrients and possible disease-causing
  organisms from the septage.
       In lune 1994, only  14 months after the bay
 was closed, Rhode Island's Governor Bruce
 Sundlun boarded a shellfishing skiff and
 participated in the dry-weather conditional
 reopening of Greenwich Bay.

                   CONTACT: Susan Adamowicz
         Rhode Island Department of Environmental
                                 Management
                         401 277-396l.ext. 7272
                                        Flexible Zoning —
                        The Scituate Reservoir Watershed Project
            The Scituate Watershed Zoning Project was
            developed to help three rural towns in
            northwestern Rhode Island design and
       implement flexible zoning. The new ordinance
       will achieve two goals: the preservation of the
       towns' rural character and the prevention of
       new pollution sources that could potentially
       degrade the Scituate Reservoir, the primary
       source of drinking water for two-thirds of all
       Rhode Islanders.
            Referred to by many as a new tool for
       saving community character, flexible zoning is
       not conventional or cluster-style development.
       Nor is it really new. In fact, many communities
142
 developed before zoning ordinances appeared
 used this common-sensical approach.

 Impervious surfaces pose problem
     Concerns about the effect of conventional
 land development on water quality in the area
 led former Governor Edward DiPrete to
 commission a study of the watershed. Analysis
 confirmed that conventional land development
 projects were adding too much impervious
 surface/threatening water quality, and
 destroying the area's rural character. Moreover,
the development was often misplaced —
occurring in the middle of fields, atop ridges,.
and sprawling across open spaces.

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     As a result of conventional land
development, stormwater runoff increases in
volume and intensity and has higher
concentrations of pollutants (e.g., nutrients, oil
and gas, salts, and human and animal wastes).
The higher velocity increases erosion and
threatens riparian areas as well as water quality.

New plan boosts profits
     Using a section 319 grant, the Npnpoint
Source Pollution Management Program of the
Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management helped the Scituate Reservoir
communities develop new standards based on
flexible zoning. The new plan not only prevents
environ-mental problems; it also reduces taxes
and boosts developers' profits. In short,
everyone wins.
   •  Flexible zoning allows the Scituate  ,
communities to guide land development to
more appropriate sites within the area. It is a
tool that helps planning boards approve
building placements and lot lines that.conform
more closely with land forms.and
environmental features. Thus, where flexible
zoning is available, a farm here or there may be
retained; a forested ridge may be preserved; or
a wooded lake front may be spared. Flexible
zoning weighs the placement of impervious
         Flexible zoning allows the
      Scituate communities to guide
         land development to more
     appropriate sites within the area.
surfaces and land clearings to lessen the impact
that most development has on water quality.  •
     The Rufal Design Manual, a guidebook
prepared as part of the project, makes flexible
zoning easy to understand. It explains the new
procedures and standards in nontechnical
terms and provides a straightforward reference
for community officials, developers, and
interested professional and lay persons.
     The three towns implementing the new
zoning regulations in the Scituate Reservoir
Watershed are also being used as model
communities. Portsmouth, a Rhode Island
community outside the watershed, has recently
adopted the new zoning standard. Other
communities will likely follow suit.

                      CONTACTS: Jim Riordan
                        401 277-3434, ext. 4421
                                Scott Millar
                        401 277-4700, ext. 4419
        Rhode Island Department of Environmental
                               Management
         Section 319 Helps Common Fence Point Improvement
    Association — The Portsmouth Salt Marsh Restoration Project
     The Common Fence Point Improvement-
     Association has restored a coastal
     wetland at the northern tip of
Portsmouth, .Rhode Island. Undisturbed salt
marshes are critical habitat for juvenile fish,
nesting areas for waterfowl, and a natural
filtration system for many pollutants, but this
tidal marsh and pond complex had not been
functional in 45 years — not since it received
more than 20,000 cubic yards of dredge spoil
from Mount Hope Bay.
     The spoil drastically altered the coastal
wetland system. The marsh turned into a thicket
of tall reeds, a mosquito breeding ground, and
a dumping site that was also the scene of
numerous fires through the years. In addition,
the degraded marsh blocked tidal flow and
disrupted natural habitats.
     With help from a section 319 grant, the
Association removed the dredge spoil from
more than five acres of tideland. This action ,
was the first step toward recreating the original
tidal marsh and salt pond ecosystems. Once the
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       spoils had been removed, the Association's
       work continued: channels and ponds were
       installed to enhance tidal flushing, which in
       turn eliminated mosquito breeding sites and
       helped rebuild the intricate chain of species
       dependence.
            Finally, engineers built a new tidal
       channel to connect Mount Hope Bay with two
       salt ponds in the restored marsh. Then the
       restoration team recreated a 2.6-acre salt marsh
       by transplanting seeds and shoots from marsh
       plants near the site. The existing dike was
       widened to a uniform width of 40 feet, and
       water runoff was directed into a sedimentation
       basin, then filtered across the marsh  to the
       upper road.
      The Common Fence Point Improvement
Association and its project have been
nominated for three awards: a Greenways
award, an Environmental Merit Award (from
EPA), and a National President's Service Award
(the Rhode Island Department of
Environmental Management nominated Mill
Consella Sullivan for the latter).

                 CONTACTS: Stephanie Powell
                        401 277-3434, ext 4418
                                Jim Riordan
                       . 401 277-3434,.ext. 4421
        Rhode Island Department of Environmental
                                Management
            Rhode Island's Septic System Maintenance Policy Forum—
                               A Spearhead for Collaboration
             Rr years, Rhode Island, like many states,
             as encouraged its communities to adopt
             aptic system management programs; but
      while launching numerous attempts, few
      programs have actually materalized. Now that
      has changed.
            Spearheading collaboration, the section
      319 program of Rhode Island Department of
      Environmental Management (RIDEM) convened
      the Septic System Maintenance Policy Forum.
      The forum is a roundtable group that includes
      representatives of federal, state, and local
      governments, as well as private associations
      and citizens. It has delivered two essential
      advances in septic system management and
      helped four towns initiate management
      programs.

      Guidance for septic systems
      inspection
            How should septic systems be
      maintained? How can one determine if a given
      septic system is working? Previously, there were
      no standards, but the Rhode Island Handbook for
      the Inspection of Septic Systems written by nonpoint
      source program staff, will fill that gap. The
      handbook describes two types of inspections:  •
   1. A maintenance inspection to determine if
     pumping and minor repairs are needed,
     and

   2. A home inspection for use during
     property transfer. It includes detailed
     instructions for locating septic system
     components, diagnosing in-home
     plumbing problems, scheduling
     inspections, and flow testing and dye
     tracing. Never before has the subject of
     inspection protocol been covered so fully.
      Never before has the subject of
         inspection protocol been
             covered so fully.
Loan program and pilot project grants
     Rhode Island estimates that 90,000 or
approximately 60 percent of its on-site
wastewater systems predate regulation. These
antiquated systems, probably cesspools, rarely
serve the needs of a modern family. However,
cost to upgrade—as much as $20,000 for an
advanced system—often outstrips even an
affluent household's budget.
144
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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   •  Nonpoint source program staff, who
recognized that upgrade costs were probably
preventing the adoption of management
programs, began to seek a source of funding.
Coincidentally, the Rhode Island Clean Water
Finance Agency discovered that the State
Revolving Fund (SRF) could be used to provide
low-interest loans to fix septic systems. The
agency, in collaboration with the Department of
Environmental Management (its regulatory
partner in the SRF) then established the
Community Septic System Loan Program
(CSSLP).  Slated to come out later this year,
CSSLP marks the. first SRF program in New
England designed exclusively to provide       :
low-interest loans for septic system upgrades.
     A related pilot project has been
developed by the section 319 program to help
initiate the CSSLR The pilot project provides
$150,000 in special one-time grant funds. Four
communities on the outskirts of Rhode Island's
very sensitive coastal salt ponds have been
contacted to participate in the program. The
grant funds are for management plans and
startup of the community programs.

                        CONTACT: Jim Riordan
        Rhode Island Department of .Environmental
                                Management
                        401 277-4700, ext. 4421
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                                                               145

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                                        SOUTH  CAROLINA
                319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $585,360
                H Agriculture: $393,738
                B Urban Runoff: $104,515
                03 Silviculture: $144,572
                ID Construction: $0
                B Resource Extraction: $9,537
                H Stowage and Land Disposal: $90,726
                El Hydrologic Modification: $0
                D Other: $225,552
                       Bush River-Camping Creek Watershed —
                        A Priority Watershed in South Carolina
           The Bush River-Camping Creek watershed
           in Newberry County, South Carolina,
           drains directly to Lake Murray, a
      51,000-acre impoundment used to generate
      power. The lake is also a municipal water
      supply serving approximately 330,000 people
      and a major recreational resource in the
      midlands of South Carolina. More than 175
      miles of streams (perennial, intermittent, and
      ephemeral) run through the project area, and
      more than 800 ponds are located along these
      streams. The ponds range in size from 0.5 to 25
      acres in size and are used for livestock watering,
      irrigation, and recreation.

      Agricultural land uses
           Though land uses vary, the potential for
      nonpoint source pollution is primarily
      agricultural. The watershed's nearly 130,000
      acres support the following uses: about 29,500
      acres of cropland, 60,700 acres of forest, 22,900
      acres of pasture, and 16,600 acres of
      development (urban, industrial, and
• commercial). Over 200 farmsteads are
 maintained in the watershed — with an average
 size of 165 acres. The farm industry is quite
 diversified, though the most prevalent
 enterprises are confined animal operations, •
 small grain production, and row crop farming.
      Over 60 confined animal operations have
 been inventoried in the watershed, and more
 than 50 percent of these enterprises are dairy  •
 and beef operations. The others are poultry and
 swine units. The estimated animal population
 in the watershed is  15,000 beef cattle, 7,000
 dairy cattle, 2,800 swine, and over 1,000,0.00
 poultry. The USDA Natural Resources     5
 Conservation Service (NRCS) estimates that the
 watershed produces about 75,000 tons of
 animal waste annually.
     Thus, agricultural activities in the project
 area are a major influence on the streams and
 ponds in the watershed. They also contribute to
 nutrient-related water quality problems in the
 headwaters of Lake Murray. In fact, bacteria,
 nutrients, and sediment from soil erosion are
146
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ([

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 the primary contaminants affecting these
 resources. The NRCS has calculated that soil
 erosion, occurring on over 13,000 acres of
 cropland in the watershed, ranges from 9.6 to
 41.5 tons per acre per year. At times excessive
 amounts of nutrients, especially nitrates, are
 found in the water, primarily as a result of land
 applying too much manure — sometimes with
 or in addition to commercial fertilizers. Based
. on these conditions, the Bush River-Camping
 Creek watershed was identified in the South
. Carolina Nonpoint Source Management Plan as
 a high priority watershed.
      A coordinated multiple agency effort to
 control these nonpoint sources began in 1990
 and continues into fiscal year 1997, with
 funding provided by Section 319(h) grants and
 USDA funds along with matching state and   '
 local dollars. Additional partners include
 Clemson University Cooperative Extension
 Service, South Carolina Department of Natural
. Resources,  South Carolina Forestry
 Commission, the Newberry County Soil and
 Water Conservation District, and landowners in
 the watershed.
      Phase one of the project/demonstrated
 agricultural best management practices (BMPs),
 provided technical assistance to agricultural
 landowners implementing nonpoint source
 pollution controls, financial assistance to   •
 qualifying landowners for BMP installations,  •
 and a water quality monitoring program.
 Section 319(h) funds were used to demonstrate ;
 a BMP called interseeding, a tillage technique
 that combines conservation tillage, controlled
 traffic, narrow rows, and full-season growth. The
 Land Resources Division of the Department of
 Natural' Resources coordinated the demonstra-
 tion under contract to the Department of
 Health and  Environmental Control.
      Simultaneously, an agricultural
 technician from the Department of Health and
 Environmental Control helped inventory and
 inspect.all confined animal facilities in the
 watershed. Technical assistance was then
 provided to owners who were not in compliance
 with regulations. Potential violations include
 illegal discharge pipes, overflow discharges,
 high vegetation around lagoons, runoff from
 animal housing, improper dead animal
 disposal, and no permits. The Department of
 Health and Environmental Control used
                                 •*««&..     ____
                                        .***
                                        ~— -?=™*

                                             , -&SK
                                            -!*«*««
                                           .«&- »«
(above) Mobile equipment is being used to pump but a
confined animal waste lagoon.
                               i
(below) The liquid animal waste that was pumped out of
the lagoon is then used to irrigate pastureland on the farm.'
  Section 319(h) funds for this aspect of the
  project; it also provided, and continues to
  provide, in-stream monitoring for the project.
       - NRCS conservationists worked with land-
  owners to develop and implement conservation
  plans and the Cooperative Extension Service ,
  provided a full-time water quality specialist to
  work with landowners to implement BMPs. The
  Consolidated Farm Service Agency provided
  funding for cost-share assistance.

  Ongoing efforts
      • Phase two of the project concentrates on
  confined animal operations in the watershed.
  Components include demonstration of
  innovative BMPs, such as lagoon
  pump-out/irrigation practices and dead bird
  composting. Farmers can rent the lagoon
  pump-out equipment for a very nominal  fee.
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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           Farmers in the project area have access to
      a mobile nutrient testing service, which helps
      them calculate the right amount of manure to
      apply to their fields and pastures, and
      additional computerized information to help
      them make prudent decisions about pesticide
      selection and management. Educational activ-
      ities include newsletters, workshops, field days,
      and one-on-one technical assistance to farmers.
           Since implementation of the project in
      1990, nonpoint source pollution from
      agricultural activities has lessened, thus .
      improving water quality in the watershed. At the
      beginning of the project, 48 confined animal
      operations in the watershed were not in
      compliance with regulations. As of 1993, 26 of
      these operations were in compliance and the 22
      others were working with the state and their
      natural resource conservation district to gain
      compliance. The farm community's interest in
      the project is widespread. For example, in April
      1995, approximately 80 people attended a
      demonstration of the agricultural waste lagoon
      pump-out equipment, and by the end of 1996,
      at least  112 long-term contracts between
      landowners and USDA had  been signed, and
      the following best management practices had
      been installed:
          • conservation tillage on  18,000 acres;
          • proper land application systems on 3,600
           acres,
          • tree plantings on 2.000 acres,
          • conversion of cropland to forest land on
            1,000 acres, and
    • eight new agricultural waste lagoons.

      The NRCS estimates that 94,000 tons of
 soil have been saved in the watershed through
 the use of BMPs, and that annually 75,000 tons
 of animal waste are being properly us£d •
 according to South Carolina guidelines (i.e.,
 application rates, slopes, and time of year).
      The Department of Health and
 Environmental Control maintains an ambient
 water quality monitoring station in the
 headwaters of Lake Murray that receives the
 flow from the Bush River-Camping Creek
 watershed. Sampling data at the station
 gathered between May and October 1992
 indicated statistically significant reductions in
 nutrients (total phosphorus and nitrate-nitrite)
 occurred after the project's implementation.
      These decreases could be attributed to
 reductions in the amounts of nutrients reaching
 the waterbody from nonpoint sources. Similar
 data gathered at that location between 1992
 and 1996 indicates continued statistically
 significant reductions  in nitrate-nitrite. While
 reductions in total phosphorus were not noted
. during the latter five year period, neither were
 statistically significant increases, even though it
 is likely that activities  contributing to nutrient
 inputs increased into the watershed during that
 period.
                         CONTACT: Doug Fabel
                               Bureau of Water
          South Carolina Department of Health and
                          Environmental Control
                                 803734-4837
             South Carolina Hones in on Nonpoint Source Pollution —
                 Minigrants Program Encourages Local Participation
            South Carolina uses Section 3I9(h)
            funding to implement management
            strategies for nonpoint source water
      pollution and reduction. Until 1995, the state
      used only the annual allocation of funds and
      large-scale multiyear projects to implement
      these strategies. State agencies, universities,
      and similar organizations carried out these
      projects, because participation in the Section
      319(h) grant program required sizable
      resources. More recently.'however, the state has
 realized that a much broader array of groups
 have a stake in controlling nonpoint source
 pollution and that involving these smaller,
 often locally oriented groups would help1
 balance and diversify the statewide Section
 319(h) program, effectively bringing nonpoint
 source pollution control closer to home.

 Nonpoint source minigrants
      Therefore, South Carolina's Section
 319(h) grant recipient, the Department of
148
        SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 Health and Environmental Control, began to
 develop an administrative framework for a new,
 innovative program commonly called Nonpoint
 Source Minigrants. Under this initiative, a
 portion of the state's annual Section 319(h)
 allocation is reserved for small grants that
 enable local governments, community
 organizations, schools, conservation districts,
 and similar groups to implement smaller, more .
 narrowly focused nonpoint source prevention or
 reduction projects. A staff member serves as the
 Minigrant Manager whose job it is to screen
 proposals, award grants, provide technical
 support, administer grant agreements, and
 manage the projects.
          The minigrants program
        supports and strengthens the
           state's nonpoint source
          management program by
       creating new partnerships with
       local governments, community
        nonprofit organizations, and
        other private-sector groups.
      To maximize the number of minigrants
that can be awarded each year, a $10,000 cap'
has been placed on the federal share of a
project, and the grantee must match the federal
share with 40 percent nonfederal funds. The
minigrants program supports and strengthens
the state's NFS Management Program by
creating new partnerships with local
governments, community nonprofit
organizations, arid other private-sector groups.
As the program facilitates their pursuit of
effective nonpoint source solutions through
relatively small education and implementation
projects, the effectiveness of the overall
nonpoint source water pollution program is
thus enhanced.
      Minigrant funding supports projects that
are focused in scope, site, or program specific,
and relatively small in scale. Only projects that
intend water.quality improvement through
nonpoint source prevention or reduction are
considered for funding. Among the activities
that are.eligible fora minigrant are
 implementation of small watershed strategies,
 unique or innovative BMP demonstrations,
 financial support to local volunteer stewardship
 programs, the formation of watershed
 organizations, various citizen, involvement
 programs, wellhead protection activities,
 riparian buffer preservation/restoration, and
 community awareness campaigns. The
 minigrant program is in keeping with EPAs
 emphasis on community-based environmental
 protection programs and also supports the
 Department of Health and Environmental
 Control's "Local Solutions  to Local Problems"
 vision statement.      ,
    '  Now entering its second grants cycle, the
 minigrants program can point to many
 successes. In this short time, a variety of new
 organizations throughout the state have
 received grants to facilitate their involvement in
 locally oriented nonpoint source projects. The
 minigrant program has also received
 considerable publicity; it was featured in the
 January J 997 newsletter of the Water
 Environment Federation.

 Exemplary accomplishments
      The minigrants program has increased
 the number and diversity of organizations
 involved in the statewide nonpoint source
 pollution control  effort. Nine new organizations
 have now become involved in nonpoint source
 control projects, and some of these groups are
 taking on the problem of nonpoint source
 pollution for the first time. One project, for
 example, involved helping a lakeside
 homeowners' organization post signs at
 marinas and boat landings warning boaters of
. the regulations prohibiting the discharge of
 sanitary waste into a reservoir.
  ,  ,  Another minigrant recipient, the
 Congaree Land Trust, has undertaken a
 streamside forest land acquisition project.
 Negotiations with land owners are currently in
 progress on easements  along two major creeks
 of the Congaree watershed, Besides the
 potential for nonpoint source prevention
 inherent in preserving riparian buffer zones, this
 project is establishing a precedent in South
 Carolina whereby land trusts  can acquire land
 for the specific purpose of water pollution
 control. A similar  land acquisition project
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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      administered by a regional council of
      governments has already acquired two parcels
      of land along the Catawba River, is negotiating
      for 20 additional acres, and has several other
      tracts under consideration.

      Coastal projects
            Along the South Carolina coast, two
      minigrant projects stand out. An organization
      that originally formed as a result of a prior
      Section 319(h) project has been able to
      continue its involvement in protecting water
      quality in the highly prized East Cooper
      watershed through activities funded through
      minigrants. The Clean Water Council's volunteer
      monitoring project supports hands-on
      involvement by action-oriented citizens. Its
      efforts have led to an opening of dialogue
      between area citizens and four local
      governments regarding actions needed to
      protect valuable local water resources.
            On Hilton Head Island, the town
      government has taken the initiative to
      undertake a comprehensive nonpoint source
      project. The goal is to eventually restore the
      shellfishing status of the central creek of the
      island now situated within a mostly developed
      watershed. This project has involved town
      personnel, the Department of Health and
      Environmental Control, university researchers,
and consultants. Together, they are working to
characterize nonpoint sources in the watershed,
formulate a strategy for its control, and educate
the Hilton Head population on the need for
water quality protection in the Broad Creek
watershed. The town's commitment to this
project represents a major change in how water
pollution control  is viewed.  Instead of looking
to state water pollution control agencies to find
a way to make water quality improvements,
Hilton Head has made a commitment to find its
own solution.
     In a short time, the minigrants program
has established new and different working
relationships between the state's water
pollution control  authority and a number of
different governmental and  citizen-based   '  ,
organizations. The nontraditional nature of
these relationships represents a new and
innovative way of doing business. It is hoped
that through this  new emphasis on fostering
local water quality stewardship, the state's
nonpoint source control program will realize
greater water quality benefits.

                       CONTACT: Doug Fabel
                              Bureau of Water
          South Carolina Department of Health and
                         Environmental Control
                                803 734-4837
             Champions of the Environment — South Carolina Program
                            Rewards Student Environmentalists
             Champions of the Environment, a
             public-private partnership with Union
             Camp, DuPont, WIS-TV, Riverbanks Zoo,
      and the University of South Carolina, merges
      environmental education with experience of
      nature and science. The program is designed to
      cultivate an aware,  critical-thinking generation
      challenged to develop breakthroughs in environ-
      mental protection and technology and stimulate
      stewardship in South Carolina citizens.
            The Champions program encourages
      creativity outside the classroom, it advocates
      an interdisciplinary approach to learning
      science by connecting science, mathematics,
      and technology with the arts, humanities, and
vocational subjects. Champions of the
Environment develops students' ability to use
the scientific method for solving problems and
testing new ideas; it also provides recognition
for academicians and others involved in
scientific endeavors.
     The centerpiece of the program is its
focus on the student environmentalist —'• he or
she is given a starring role in a 30-second
television spot that is broadcast 25 times by
WIS-TV to 40 of South Carolina's 46 counties.
The program began as an educational outreach
component of South Carolina's nonpoint
source water pollution program, funded
through the  Section 319(h) program.
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 Learning through
 competitions and creativity
      A partnership with industry
 has significantly expanded a
 program that began five years ,
 earlier as the South Carolina
 Environmental Awareness Student
 Awards Competition for middle
 school students. This first
 component of the Champions
 program incorporates six
 categories of competition and '
 culminates each Spring at Riverbanks Zoo. This
 competition is for middle school students and
 includes environmental awareness posters,
 essays, speeches, bowling, projects, and
 photography. The second component of the
 Champions of the Environment program
 recognizes outstanding environmental students
 with a television spot showcasing the student
 wearing the Champions medallion: This competi-
 tion 'is open to students in all grade levels who
 actively seek solutions to environmental
 problems. The students work individually, as a
 team, or collectively on class projects.
    • These "Be a Champion" spots and a series
 of environmental tips geared toward pollution
 eradication recorded 15 million impressions
 during the past year. The student "champions"
 address such topics as nonpoint source
 pollution, creating a wildlife habitat, learning
 how to compost, following label directions,
 landscaping to prevent pollution, recycling
.used oil for pollution prevention, participating
 in environmental competitions,,and avoiding
 pollution while boating.

 Current activities
      Now in its fifth year, the Champions
 program reaches South Carolina's 640,197
 students in grades 1 through 12 and has
 recognized student projects that range from
 converting an,area used for felonious activity
 into an outdoor laboratory to creating an
 environmental awareness musical involving .3 50
 students (an entire school district). Other
 topics and projects honored have included
    • compiling data on a city's trees,
    • studying the  behavioral responses of
      juvenile Atlantic sturgeon to various light
   .   and magnetic fields,
1996 scholarship awards reception.

    • planting and caring for native trees, -
    • measuring amounts of lead in drinking
     water from various sources,
    • comparing contaminants in stormwater
     runoff to bacteria counts in different
     surface waters, and
    • researching such issues as decomposition
     rates, the effects of acid rain, and fecal
     contamination in well water.
     During the past four years the partnership
has presented over $16,000 in scholarship
awards for students and an additional $3,000
for teachers.
     Each year the program increases in
participants: from 200 in 1993 to 470 in 1994;
1,100 in 1995; and  1,500 in 1996. The program
has received national commendations from the
White House Conference on Environmental
Technology, EPA, and South Carolina Governor
David Beasley for'its innovative approach to
environmental education. The South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental
Control selected the Champions program as
one of the top 10 most successful programs in
the agency (which has 6,000 employees and
many programs). "It's a textbook example of
what can be done when we pool resources to
help our young people and our planet thrive,"
said Governor Beasley during the 1996
scholarship awards reception.

                      CONTACTS: Doug Fabel
                              Bureau of Water
          South Carolina Department of Health and
                         Environmental Control
                                 803 734-4837
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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                                            SOUTH  DAKOTA
               319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996

               • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $489,425
               S Agriculture: $927,652
               B Urban Runoff: $84,608
               03 Silviculture: $0
               HID Construction: $0
               ED Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
               El Hydrologic Modification: $0
               D Other: $0
                            Bad River Watershed Project —
              Watershed Management Model Works in South Dakota
           The Bad River watershed, 3,172 square
           miles that drain into the Missouri River at
           Ft Pierre, South Dakota, consists
      primarily of highly erodible shallow and dense
      clays. The river does not support its assigned
      beneficial uses primarily because its sediment
      load is 3.25 million tons per year, which also
      severely impacts the Lake Sharpe
      impoundment of the Missouri River. The sport
      fishery in this reach of the Missouri River
      contributes about $2.5 million annually to
      Pierre's economy, but only when it is not
      impaired by turbidity from the Bad River. When
      the Bad River is flowing, the value essentially
      goes to zero.

      Unchecked sediments pose many risks
           The Bad River's sediment load settles in
      the Missouri  River near Pierre and Ft. Pierre and
      has significantly filled the channel. The result is
      increased flooding in the municipalities and
surrounding area, and a consequent reduction
in the water that the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers will release from the Oahe Reservoir
during extremely cold periods. The loss of
power generation during these times has an
average annual value of $12.5 million.
     Beyond economic value, however, is a
greater concern;  namely, that the loss of power
generation during critical winter conditions may
result in regional multistate brown- or
black-out conditions with consequent loss of
life. If the sediment continues to accumulate,
the Corps of Engineers predicts flow
restrictions and subsequent power generation
curtailments even under open channel flows.
     Although these impacts of sediment
delivery are sizable and well known, numerous
obstacles must be overcome before anyone can
undertake a project large enough to make a
significant reduction in the volume of sediment
delivery.
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 Steering committee takes first
 steps

      The Bad River watershed steering
 committee — composed of local
 residents and governmental officials —
 selected a watershed management
 approach. Thus, the steering committee,
 who will guide program development
 and conduct a monitoring and
 assessment program, began
 documenting the magnitude and  .  • •
 location of sediment contributions in
 the watershed as a first step toward
 solving the problem. People generally
 believed that the sediment came mostly
 from South Dakota badlands in the
 upper basin and tablelands that had been
 converted from grasses to wheat production.
 The steering committee's assessment program
 suggested,1 however, that the lower third of the
 watershed produces two-thirds of the sediment
 — primarily from gully erosion on grazing lands
 and streambank scour.
      The next step toward a solution was to
 begin a demonstration project in the     .  ,
 250-square-mile Plum Creek subwatershed to
 illustrate the feasibility of pollution  controls.
 The practices must be carefully chosen not to
 jeopardize the economic stability of ranches
 and farms in the project area. In the Bad River
 watershed, the project recommended an array
 of practices: planned grazing systems, proper
 grazing  use, erosion control structures, riparian
 revegetation, range seedings, water spreader
 systems, and alternative stock watering •
 facilities.
      The breadth of these practices
 demonstrated to farmers and ranchers that the
 program Was truly voluntary and would
 enhance the economic stability of their
 operations. Simultaneously, it convinced
 management agencies that the project could
 achieve substantial landowner participation.  •
Above all, this portion of the workplan showed
that the steering committee had explored
 innovative best management practices and
knew for certain that the recommended
practices would help the watershed  community
control the volume of sediment in the Bad
River drainage.
 The Bad River Watershed in South Dakota.

      The principal partners in the Bad River
 contributed financially and offered technical
 expertise. Among them:
    • Stanley County Conservation District
      (Primary Sponsor)

    • South Dakota Department of
    . . Environment and Natural Resources

  .  • South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
    • USDA Farm Services Agency

    • USDA Natural Resources Conservation   ••
      Service

    • South Dakota Department of Agriculture

    • South Dakota Cooperative Extension
    .  Service

    • U.S. Geological Survey

    • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

    • North Central Resource Conservation and
      Development

    • Pheasants Forever

    • South Dakota Wheat Commission

      Results of the demonstration project
exceeded expectations and achieved a
significant reduction in erosion and sediment
delivered to the Bad River. In 1990, Plum Creek
delivered 82.7 tons of sediment per acre/foot'of
runoff. The average  annual sediment delivery
during 1993 through 1995 was 10.2 tons of
sediment per acre/foot of runoff.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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      A major tributary of the Bad River that drains approximately
      87,000 acres of rangeland and cropland.
     These data were collected by the U.S.
Geological Survey in cooperation with Stanley
County Conservation District and published in
the annual USGS Water Resources Data for
South Dakota, 1990 through 1995. Years 1991
and beyond were unusually high precipjtation
years. Nevertheless, a significant reduction of
sediment delivery was apparent. Increased
vegetation in the formerly eroded streambanks
and riparian areas helped control water yield.
Improved land resource management by project
cooperators further reduced total runoff.
     Landowner participation in the Plum
Creek watershed was approximately 90 percent,.
with approximately 95 percent of the land under
some type of intense, management. The
watershed residents have supported expansion
of the project to the rest of the basin and
demands for technical and financial assistance
are about four times expected levels.

                    CONTACT: Duame Murphy
      South Dakota Department of Environment and
                            Natural Resources
                                605 773-4254
                       Riparian Improvement on the East River —
                    Information and Education are Keys to Success
               Water quality in the Big Sioux, James,
               and Vermillion rivers of South Dakota,
               which drain all or parts of 34 eastern
      counties, is impaired. Samples from these
      streams contain pollutants and physical
      impairments that limit their use for drinking
      water, fisheries, and water-related recreation.
      The persistence of poor water quality over many
      years relates to several land uses in the
      watersheds, namely, urban growth, and a
      variety of agricultural practices.
           Sediments from sheet, rill, and ephemeral
      erosion on croplands and construction sites;
      stormwater runoff; streambank erosion; and
      loss of riparian vegetation, mainly from cattle
      grazing and cropland encroachments, are ,
      partial reasons for the water's poor quality.
      Excessive nutrients, especially phosphorus and
      nitrogen, and human and animal wastes in
      runoff and sediments are additional concerns.
Identifying the players
     Although some remediation work is
ongoing in these watersheds, South Dakota's
Nonpoint Source Task Force saw the section
319 grant program as an opportunity to
strengthen the effort. It organized the East River
Riparian Committee to determine how local
people can be encouraged to take active roles
in riparian management and water quality
improvement. The Nonpoint Source Task Force
is an ad hoc group of South Dakotans
interested in water quality; its members are
representatives from agricultural groups, state
and federal agencies, resource conservation and
development districts, conservation districts,
and water development districts.
     The East River Riparian Committee is
composed of competent resource managers
and local area leaders who have developed a
project to provide information and education
154
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME K

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 on riparian area management
 for resource managers, land
 users, and the general public.
 The committee's goal is to
 provide incentives to land users
 who voluntarily implement a
 riparian management
 demonstration site. The sites
 can be in an area that needs
 treatment or in one that already
 displays the results of good
 riparian stewardship.

 Reaping the benefits
      The project helps resource
 managers develop their
 knowledge and improve their
 confidence in planning and
 implementing riparian area
 management projects. Land
 users interested in improving
 riparian areas can also obtain
 technical and financial
 assistance from the project.
 Landowners who already have
 good riparian areas receive
 recognition for their efforts and
 share their experience with those
 working in riparian areas for the
 first time.
      Everyone increases his or
 her awareness and
 understanding of the values arid
 functions of healthy riparian
 areas in relation to water quality.
 Riparian areas influence the surface water
 quality by affecting the timing and amount of
 water, sediment, nutrients, and organic matter
 that enter, an intermittent or perennial stream
 from the adjacent uplands.
      The  riparian areas in the James River
 watershed (along the mainstem and tributaries)
 are pasture. In the Big Sioux and Vermillion
 River watersheds, both cropland and pastures
 are found in the riparian area. Overgrazing,
 cultivation, and trampling eventually eliminate
 riparian plants, which increases runoff and
 sediment delivery to the rivers, accelerates
 streambank erosion, and prevents the-
floodplain from functioning as it should to
 retard flooding.
Project overview and sponsors
    . The project began with section 319
funding. The local landowners and the South
Dakota Conservation Commission provided
local match. Moody County Conservation
District was the project sponsor with 15 other
conservation districts serving as cosponsors.
The endeavor is a true exa'mple of how
partnerships work.
     To date, 18 projects have been identified
in 14 counties.  Funding and technical
assistance are provided by EPA, local
landowners, South Dakota Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, South
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                              155

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      Dakota Department of Agriculture, USDA
      Natural Resources Conservation Service
      (NRCS), Farm Service Agency. U.S. Fish &
      Wildlife Service, South Dakota Game, Fish, and
      Parks, and Ducks Unlimited.
           All management practices demonstrated
      at the project sites were selected from the
      Natural Resources Conservation Service Field
      Office Technical Guide. Most practices were
      related to grazing management: for example,
      planned grazing systems, cross fencing,
      livestock crossings, livestock exclusions, range
      seeding, and water development (nose pumps,
      solar pumps, pipelines, dugouts, stockwater
      dams). Other practices include grass waterways,
      grass seeding, tree planting, grade stabilization
      structures, and streambank stabilization. Wet
      weather has hampered the implementation of
      these practices at several sites, but the
      landowners have remained enthusiastic.
            In all cases, the land user was asked to
      allow media coverage and public tours to
      observe progress and riparian values of each
      site. Riparian information reaches the public
      through on-site tours, newspaper articles, slide
      talks, displays, and presentations. On-site tours
      are especially useful; they show that
      landowners accept riparian management
      practices and that improved riparian vegetation
      benefits both the landowner and surface water
      quality.
Benefits and results
     The East River Riparian Area
Demonstration Project has shown how
conservation-oriented riparian management
can succeed in South Dakota. A total of 18
project sites were selected in the riparian areas
of the Big Sioux, lames, and Vermillion river
basins. The majority of the riparian areas in the
project were classified as nonfunctioning or
functioning minimally. Partnerships between
the producers, the NRCS, the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, and other
resource agencies have provided a vehicle for
improving the condition of these riparian areas.
     Producers and resource personnel are
working together to manage agricultural
systems in riparian areas in an economically
and ecologically sound  manner. Producers have
implemented grazing plans that have increased
the vegetative cover and the stability of the
riparian areas, while still increasing net profit
from their agricultural operations. The overall
results from the project have been an increase
in the number of functional streams in the river
basins, improved water quality, larger profits
from agricultural operations, and an increased
awareness of the value of riparian management.

                      CONTACT: Steve Scholtes
      South Dakota Department of Environment and
                             Natural Resources
                                 605 773-4254
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $66,344

             EJ Agriculture: $625,545

             H Urban Runoff: $0

             EOT Silviculture: $83,844

             HI Cpnstruction: $0

             B Resource Extraction: $66,233

             • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             H Hydrologic Modification: $146,811

             D Other: $527,023
           A New Era for the West Sandy Creek Watershed —
         Tennessee Works with Landowners to Reduce Erosion
   In response to a history of water quality
   problems in the western embayments of
   Kentucky Lake Reservoir, the Tennessee
Nonpoint Source Program contracted with
Austin Peay State University Center for Field
Biology to work with landowners to reduce
erosion in the West Sandy Creek Watershed.
This project has involved multiple state, federal,
and local agencies in the Henry County area
near Paris, Tennessee (about 70 miles
west-northwest of Nashville).
     A total of 73 agricultural best
management practices (BMPs) have been
implemented in West Sandy Creek. For
example, 95 percent of the land used for row
crop agriculture is under no-till BMPs, and
numerous roadside BMPs have been installed
in cooperation with the Henry County Road
Commission. Over the past five years, more
than 20 in-stream BMP structures have been
installed to enrich biotic habitat and reduce
sediment and organic particulates.
     Water quality data indicate a significant
improvement in water quality since BMP
installations. In-stream structures include log
and rock wing deflector weirs and artificial riffle
systems.
     Educational forums and demonstration
projects have been stressed in all project
activities. Each year, several public meetings,
workshops, and field days are offered to raise
public awareness and provide hands-on
experience for interested residents and
professionals in the  West Sandy Creek
watershed and surrounding areas.

                      CONTACT: Greg Upham
                     Nonpoint Source Program
             Tennessee Department of Agriculture
                               615 360-0690
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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                                                                        TEXAS
                319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
                 • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $789,476
                 S Agriculture: $1,505;384

                 H Urban Runoff: $920,173
                 03 Silviculture: $292,919

                 Hi Construction: $569,914
                 E Resource Extraction: $0
                 • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

                 E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0

                 D Other: $632,134
                            Protecting the Edwards Aquifer —
                      Urban Development BMPs in Central  Texas
            The Edwards Aquifer is often described as
            amazing because it recharges so rapidly,
            has relatively high groundwater velocities,
       and large yields in springs and wells. Aquatic
       environments as far downstream as the Gulf
       Coast (about 150 miles) depend on springs that
       discharge from  the Edwards Aquifer. The aquifer
       runs under nine counties and serves as the
       public water supply for numerous communities.
            In 1975, the San Antonio portion of the
       aquifer was the first in the United States to
       receive EPA sole-source status; and in 1988, the
       northern Hays/southern Travis counties portion
       of the aquifer received the same designation. In
       recent years, development within the recharge
       zone has been very rapid.

       Critical factors and regulations
            Three critical factors potentially affect the
       aquifer:
          •  its rapid acceptance of recharging waters,
            either directly through karst features, or
      more circuitously as surface runoff
      percolating through soils or through a.
      fractured vadose zone;
    • relatively rapid groundwater movement;
      and

    • rapid population growth over the San
      Antonio-Austin region of the aquifer.

      Because of the importance of the
 Edwards Aquifer to the population of central
 Texas, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
 Commission and its predecessor agencies have
 regulated development over various portions of
. the aquifer since July 31, 1970, when the Texas
 Water Quality Board issued .a  board order
 designed to protect the quality of water
 entering the Edwards Aquifer  recharge,zone.
 The board seeks to identify and eliminate
 potential sources of pollution from
 developments prior to their construction.
      Formal regulation of nonpoint source
 pollution in the recharge zone commenced in
158
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME (I

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                               The Edwards Aquifer in Texas.
1990 with a revision to the
Texas Administrative Code,
Chapter 313. Under the
revised rules, individuals,
developers, their agents, or
government agencies seeking
to develop property in the
recharge zone must submit
Water Pollution Abatement
Plans for approval by the
Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission.
     These plans must
include descriptions of
proposed site disturbance and
development, erosion and
sediment control plans, a
geologic assessment
including recharge features,
and a stormwater pollutant mitigation plan. As
a condition of approval, the TNRCC may impose
other site-specific provisions deemed necessary
to protect the Edwards Aquifer from pollution.
This process is supported by section 319
funding and carried out by the TNRCC's
regional offices.

Changing behaviors and attitudes
     Through the permitting process,
developers, construction staff, engineers, and
water quality specialists are educated in the
application of best management practices
(BMPs) for the prevention of nonpoint source
pollution. While changing construction and
development habits has not always been easy,
there have been several positive changes in
development activities over the recharge zone
in recent years, and some innovative solutions
to satisfy the requirements of Water Pollution
Abatement Plan permits.
                             /
New developments use innovative
practices
     Two commercial developments in Travis
County prove that stormwater BMPs can be
attractive as well as efficient. At one
development, an office complex, the engineer
combined the natural slope of the land with
good landscaping to treat the first 0.75 inches
of stormwater at the site. This treatment uses
grassy berms to form a sediment pond followed
by a filtration area where grasses slow and filter
                                                                                  Williamson
                                                                                  San Marcos
                                                                                  Hays
                                                                               New Braunfels
                                                                             Coma!
                                                                             Bexar
                                                 the water befpre draining it into vertical
                                                 filtration walls made of rock, peat, and sand.
                                                 The system creates an overall impression of a
                                                 gently rolling landscape, incorporating several
                                                 beautiful live oak trees that were saved during
                                                 construction.
                                                      Two sets of detention/filtration ponds
                                                 catch runoff from both parking lots at the site.
                                                 In addition, grassy berms have been
                                                 constructed to conduct runoff from the building
                                                 roofs into the filtration areas. Runoff in excess
                                                 of the first 0.75 inches is diverted into three
                                                 separate detention ponds. The project engineer
                                                 estimates that the combined removal rate of
                                                 the three treatment components will eliminate
                                                 95 percent of the total suspended solids, 75
                                                 percent of the total phosphorus, and 87 percent
                                                 of oil and grease.
                                                      Another commercial development, a local
                                                 plant nursery, uses two sets of landscaped
                                                 detention and filtration ponds between its
                                                 complex and the highway access road. The
                                                 ponds are lined with attractive rock walls that
                                                 hold the soil in place. Planter boxes at the top
                                                 of the walls are filled with native shrubs. Two
                                                 splitter boxes bring stormwater into the
                                                 detention ponds, from which the water drains  •'
                                                 through a series of conduits into the filtration
                                                 basins. These ponds treat the first 0.5 inches  of
                                                 stormwater from the nursery site. Data from the
                                                 City of Austin's Environmental Quality Manual
                                                 indicate that a structure of this type removes
                                                 70 percent of total suspended solids.  .
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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       Sedimentation/filtration ponds at a plant nursery located in
       the Edwards Aquifer Protection Zone.
            The environmental sensitivity of the
       Edwards Aquifer recharge zone requires strict
       regulation of development in the recharge area.
      The activity of-the TNRCC's regional
      offices in verifying and approving Water
      Pollution Abatement Plans is an
      important step in the process of
      preventing nonpoint source pollution in
      local receiving waters. In addition, the
      knowledge that the regional staff are
      following up on BMPs to ensure that
      they are properly maintained encourages
      business owners to keep these pollution
      prevention measures in good operating
      condition.
           The transfer of technology that
      necessarily takes place as a part of this
      process also increases the use of
pollution prevention practices in the recharge   •
zone, and therefore provides additional
protection for this critical natural resource.

                       CONTACT: Arthur Talley
   Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
                                 512239-4546
                                      Clean Texas 2000 —
                       Urban Composting Program Meets Its  Goals
            The Clean Texas 2000 campaign, a
            pollution prevention program of the Texas
            Natural Resource Conservation
       Commission, has two major goals: to reduce
       the amount of wastes generated in the state
       and to educate all Texans about how their
       lifestyles affect the environment. The strategy
       for reaching these goals is to form a statewide
       network of partnerships (citizens, businesses,
       civic groups, schools, and government
       agencies) to reduce pollution, reclaim
       resources, and make  our communities healthier
       and cleaner places in which to live.
            The Urban Composting Project is part of
       this innovative pollution prevention program. It
       begins, as does the larger campaign, with the
       notion that individual Texans play a critical role
       in achieving waste  reduction goals. Yard
       trimmings and vegetative food material account
       for over 20 percent of the trash going to
       landfills in Texas. However, if composted or
       recycled, these materials can be used as
       organic, environmentally friendly substitutes for
       home chemical fertilizers.
     Too much chemical fertilizer in runoff
from urban landscapes can cause algal growths
and eutrophic conditions in aquatic
ecosystems, especially lakes. The Master
Composter and Centralized Compost Planning
programs, a one-year project supported by a
section 319 grant, were designed to address this
issue by increasing composting and decreasing
the use of chemical fertilizers. The project took
a dual approach to reducing the waste stream:
one part aimed at directly educating individual
citizens; the other, at educating waste control
professionals.

Citizens train to be master composters
     The goal  of the Master Composter.
Program was to teach a core group of individual
citizens why and how to compost yard waste
and how to pass their information on to other
citizens, individually or in group settings.
Volunteers committed to this program
participated in  20 hours of formal instruction
and performed 20 hours of community outreach
to earn their certification.
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 (above) Demonstration of a composting bin. (right) Wetting and turning the
 compost at a Master Composter workshop.
      The training sessions were conducted in
 partnership with other state agencies, regional
 planning agencies, or cities. The Master
 Composter Training Manual, Master Composter
 Program Planning Guide, and Resource Notebook
 were distributed to all participants. In a
 relatively short time, the program trained 116
 people to be Master Composters; of these
 trainees, 32 have completed their public
 outreach hours and are certified Master
 Composters. By November 1995, these masters
 had trained another 3,951 citizens.

 Several cities sign on
      In the Centralized Compost  Planning
 program, professionals responsible  for planning
 and implementing waste management policies
 learned effective methods for setting up
 community composting plans. Participants in
 this program received instruction on collection,
 processing, and marketing strategies;
 equipment selection; facility siting and design
 issues; and regulatory compliance. Participants
 were also provided with a.Centralized  Composting
 Planning Notebook and a Compost Information
 Kit, including posters and brochures and other
: informational resources. This program trained
 95 people. .               .    .
      The Urban Composting Project met or
 exceeded its original goals for the number of
 citizens trained and the production  of project
 training materials. Its success in reducing water-
pollution was determined through surveys
distributed to participants. Of those responding
to the Master Composter Program survey, 30
percent reported using less fertilizer after their
training. In the Centralized Compost Planning
Program, the results were similar; 30 percent   •
reported that they used less fertilizer after the
training. All respondents to the surveys had
stopped bagging lawn trimmings, which
decreases the need for additional lawn
fertilizers by 50 to 66 percent.
      Urban composting is increasing through-
out Texas. Local governments have embraced
the initiative that began as a section 319 project
and are now supporting urban composting
without the need for federal money. So far, 15
communities have implemented, or have made
• plans to implement, the Master Composter
Program. Several cities have expressed interest
in beginning the program or in hosting training
sessions on backyard composting in their cities.
The cities of Beaumont, Bryan, and Big Springs
have served as'host cities for the training and
technical assistance provided through the
Centralized Composting Training Program. This
project shows that Texas citizens are willing to
comply voluntarily with practices that improve
the environment if they are informed about
reasons and benefits.
                        CONTACT: Arthur Talley
    Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
                                  512239-4546
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES:  VOLUME (I
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                   Wellhead Protection Program — Communities and
                                Wellhead Protection Follow-up
             The Texas Natural Resource Conservation
             Commission Wellhead Protection (WHP)
             Program is the lead team for prevention of
       nonpoint source pollution to public
       groundwater supplies. With support of section
       319 grant funds, the Wellhead Protection
       Program accomplishes this goal by delineating
       Wellhead Protection Areas to prevent.
       groundwater contamination and offering
       guidance and technical assistance for
       conducting inventories of potential sources of
       contamination in the protection areas/The
       WHP program then assists communities in
       developing local ordinances to protect
       groundwater, and contingency plans for
       alternative water supplies.
             In addition, the WHP program educates
       public water supply officials about best
       management practices (BMPs) available for the
       prevention, abatement, and remediation of
       nonpoint source pollution. Some of these BMPs
       include land-use management practices, local
       ordinances and permits, regulation of specific
       activities in the protection areas, and public
       awareness programs. The program encourages
       institutionalization of wellhead protection at
       the local level.
            The Wellhead Protection Program of the
       TNRCC was established in Texas in 1987 with
       initiation of the nation's first WHP project in
       Del Rio, Texas. In 1988, the Texas Natural
       Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC)
       began recruiting Texas cities that rely on
       groundwater for their public water supply into
       the WHP program. Since that time, more than
       200 government entities have enrolled in Texas'
       voluntary WHP program. By making the
       program voluntary, the TNRCC has  made it
       possible for local governing agencies to tailor
       the program to their specific needs and
       resources, implementing cost-effective BMPs
       with government assistance rather than by
       government mandate.
            One of the early successes of the WHP
       program comes from the city of Rockdale,
       population 5,500, in Milam County. Rockdale  .
       joined the TNRCC's Wellhead Protection
     Program within the first year of its
     implementation. One of the first cities in the  '
     state to enact a Wellhead Protection Ordinance,
     Rockdale went on to develop and adopt the first
     Wellhead Protection Contingency Plan in Texas.
     Rockdale was also one of the first cities to erect
     WHP roadside markers. Fortunately for the city,
     these tools were in place when it had to
     respond to a chemical spill. Quick response and
     affirmative leadership prevented a potentially
     dangerous situation from escalating.
Public Works staff pose behind Rockdale's Environmental
Excellence Award.
         The City of Rockdale wrote their
    ordinance and contingency plan with technical
    assistance from the WHP program at the
    TNRCC. As a pioneer in the WHP program, the
    City of Rockdale constructed a model ordinance
    that describes and delineates their wellhead
    protection area, regulates water well drilling in
    the WHP area (which the state does not have
    the power to do), and.mandates enforcement
    measures.
         Because of Rockdale's leadership and
    competent planning, their ordinance and
    contingency plan are used as models for other
    Texas cities participating in the WHP program.
    Rockdale's plans have also been distributed  to
    approximately. 200 cities nationwide. As a result
    of these achievements, the City of Rockdale
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          SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME ((

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received the EPA Award for
Environmental Excellence for its
Wellhead Protection Program in
1994, and was the first city in
Region 6 ever to receive such an
award.
      In 1993, the TNRCC WHP
program began a project to follow
up with WHP participants in the
state to identify and document their
voluntary implementation of WHP
activities. This project was also
supported by section 319 grant
funds. In Texas, s'everal public
entities with varying degrees of  .
legislative and enforcement powers
have impact on and governing power over .
underground water supplies. This complexity.
, can hinder the implementation of BMPs.
Therefore, TNRCC determined that it should
follow -up with the communities that had
enrolled in the original program, and.reach out.
again to those communities that did not
' participate from the beginning of the program.
      Questionnaires were sent to the 6,000
public water supply systems in Texas that rely
wholly or in part on groundwater. The
questionnaire asked  respondents to identify
 and describe the BMPs their communities had
 implemented. In addition to providing
 information on voluntary compliance, the
 questionnaire also enabled TNRCC staff to
 identify those entities unfamiliar with the WHP
 program and those who needed additional
 assistance to complete implementation.
      The follow-up study determined that
 throughout the state, approximately 62 percent
 of all WHP participants are involved in some
 form of BMP implementation. If participants
,'who have been enrolled in the program for less
 than two years are excluded, the
 implementation rate jumps to 76 percent.
 City officials show off their EPA awards.


 Based on the trend of .earlier WHP studies, the
 newer participants can be .expected to
 implement their BMPs in one to two years.
 Measured against the original project goals,
 this is a good success rate, and compares
 favorably with compliance in regulated
 programs.
      Voluntary implementation has  been
 consistent and measurable under the Wellhead
 Protection Program, and the program's success
 has increased public awareness and use of
 other related TNRCC programs, such as
 Household Hazardous Waste Collections, Texas
' Country Cleanups (collection of agricultural
 chemicals), Empty Pesticide Container
 Recycling programs, and Citizens Monitoring,
 as these programs were selected by some
 entities for BMP implementation. These
 programs have shown that voluntary public
 service programs  can surpass the milestones
 originally established by regulatory actions.

                       CONTACT: Arthur Talley
    Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
                                  512239-4546
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUMEII
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                 319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year  1996
                  • Cross Cutting PiPS Category: $224,760

                  S Agriculture: $1,065,575
                  O Urban Runoff: $0

                  03 Silviculture: $0

                  Hffl Construction: $O

                  D Resource Extraction: $0

                  I Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

                  E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0
                  D Other: $0
                                   Rangeland Restoration —
             New Management Practices In the Otter Creek Watershed
              Utah's Otter Creek watershed is a
              tributary to the Sevier River. Located
              mostly in Sevier and Piute counties,
       Otter Creek provides municipal, industrial, and
       agricultural water to several thousand
       downstream water users. However, the
       watershed is also a source of nitrate and
       nitrites, phosphorus, sulfate,  sediment, and
       coliform to the Sevier. Most of the riparian
       areas along Otter Creek were  in poor condition
       before the restoration  project began, and while
       some riparian areas have greatly improved,
       much of the watershed was not affected by the
       restoration and remains degraded.
            Otter Creek watershed encompasses
       240,000 acres. It is about 39 miles long and 12
       miles wide, and drains into the East Fork of the
       Sevier River. Otter Creek is the main tributary to
       the East Fork, with six to eight tributaries
       feeding it. Three reservoirs are also located
       within the watershed: Boobe Hole, Koosharem,
       and Otter Creek.
 Streambank erosion

      Studies of the watershed identify several
 water quality problems, including sheet, rill,
 gully, and streambank erosion; streambank
 channel erosion; and degraded riparian areas.
 The loss of vegetation in the riparian areas and
 on rangeland increases erosion, which is
 aggravated by heavy grazing. Livestock and
 wildlife (deer and elk) have grazed this land for
 many years.
     About 38,000 acres of highly eroded land
 within the watershed need special treatment to
 stabilize vegetative cover. This area contributes
 up to 18 tons of sediment per acre per year.
About 80 percent of the affected land is
managed by the Bureau of Land Management;
the rest is private.
     Much of the worst streambank erosion
along Otter Creek and many other Utah  rivers
and streams took place a decade ago during the
severe floods in  1983 and 1984. Erosion during
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lower flow years is usually caused by animals-
trampling banks as they drink from the stream.
        Ongoing efforts will reduce
      rangeland erosion and stabilize
          streambanks to prevent
            continued erosion.
     Stream-channel erosion also affects the
riparian condition by lowering the water table
along some reaches of the stream. When
adequate water no longer reaches the root
systems, riparian and other vegetation cannot
survive to protect the streambanks from
erosion, thus, changing both the water quality
and quantity. Shrubs and other vegetation no
longer filter the runoff that flows to Otter Creek.
Without this important filter strip, agricultural
chemicals-and animal wastes can more easily
enter the stream.  .
Irrigated acres and wet meadows
     The watershed has about 2,800 acres of
irrigated pasture/hayland and some 3,100 acres
of wet meadows adjacent to Otter Creek. About
90 percent of the,land is privately owned. .Heavy
livestock concentrations in these areas are a
potential source of additional sediment,
nutrient, and coliform bacteria.
     The objectives of the restoration project
in the Otter Creek watershed follow from this
analysis of historic and current land uses and
their effect on the health of the watershed.
Ongoing efforts will reduce rangeland erosion
and stabilize streambanks to prevent further
erosion. To reach these goals, landowners and
other partners must begin  proper management
of wet meadows and pasture/hayland to prevent
pollutants from reaching the stream, modify
grazing practices to .better  manage erodible
rangeland, and install irrigation systems to
assist in irrigation water management.

                     CONTACT: George Hopkin
                  Environmental Quality Section
         Utah Department of Environmental Quality
                                 801 538-7177
                     Miles of Fences, Hundreds of Cows —
          Farmers on the Little Bear River Protect Water Quality
       Richard Nielsen runs a 250-cow dairy near
       Hyrum, Utah, in the Cache Valley. A third
       generation farmer, Nielsen worries about
 things his father and grandfather never had to
 think about. One such concern is water quality.
      Nielsen's farm is along a canal in the
 Little Bear River watershed. Water in the canal
 is diverted from.the Little Bear River just below
 Porcupirie Reservoir. It serves several farms
 above Nielsen's dairy and two or three farms
 below before his before emptying into Spring
 Creek. Spring Creek, in turn, eventually drains
 into the Little'Bear River.
      The return of the canal to the main
 channel creates a potential for agricultural
 nonpoint source pollution that lets Nielsen and
 other farmers along the canal know that they
 must be good stewards of their resources. They .
 are also good candidates for programs funded
 by section 319 grants,

 Rerouting the water
      "Nielsen's dairy was, in fact, contributing
 significant coliform to the system before we
 began this project," says Bob Clark of the USDA
 Natural Resources Conservation Service. His
 corral was adjacent to the canal — and it had
 been built on a downward slope to the water.
 Everything drained right into the canal, the
 problem worsened during storms .and flowed
 constantly during spring runoff.
      Project managers considered various
 alternatives before deciding to pipe the canal
 around the corral. Project money also helped
 Nielsen construct two animal waste storage
 facilities. Now any pollution that leaves the
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                                                                               165

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       corral goes directly into pasture and alfalfa
       fields and does not leave the farm. While work
       was being completed at the Nielsen dairy, other
       section 319 projects and other types of water
       quality efforts were taking place upstream from
       Nielsen's property on the canal.
               "Consider the miles of fences
             we've installed and the number
               of cows we've moved off the
             river already. And more projects
                      are expected."
       Water quality improvements
            The results are significant. The Cache
       County Health Department took water samples
       above and below the canal before and after the
       project. Tests were run for total coliform and
       fecal coliform. Before Nielsen's farm was
       included  in the section 319 project, total
       coliform in the canal entering his property was
       10,000 colonies per 100 milliLiters (mL) of
       water; the fecal coliform count was 7,600
       colonies per 100 mL.
            At a point just below Nielsen's corral, the
       total and  fecal coliform were too numerous to
       count. After the completion of Nielsen's project
       and other projects at farms upstream on the
       canal, total and fecal coliform levels fell to 350
 colonies per 100 mL entering Nielsen's farm.
 What's more, the readings below the corral were
 identical. Contamination by the dairy had been
 completely eliminated.

 More projects expected
      Though the project at the Nielsen dairy
 was only a tiny piece of the water quality puzzle,
 the successes are starting to mount up. in the
 Little Bear River and other watersheds that, host
 section 319 projects, according to Utah's
 Department of Agriculture.  Such projects also
 demonstrate the value of continued water
 quality monitoring. The Division of Water
 Quality needs dependable quantitative data to
 document-improvements and the methods
 used to achieve them.
      An interagency workgroup has formed to
 monitor channel geomorphology, riparian
 health, and biological integrity in the Little Bear
 River watershed. This initiative will document
the permanent effectiveness.of the BMPs on
several stream reaches and, in time, provide a
more complete picture of stream recovery.
      "Consider the miles of fences we've
installed and the number of cows we've moved
off the river already," says Nielsen, "and more
projects are expected. Monitoring will ensure
that our efforts are not in vain."

                     CONTACT: George Hopkin
                  Environmental Quality Section
         Utah Department of Environmental Quality
                                 801 538-7177
166
      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             •  Cross Cutting NFS Category: $ 153,158

             H  Agriculture: $179,071

             B  Urban Runoff: $0

             El .Silviculture: $0

             Din  Construction: $167,486

             B  Resource Extraction: $0

             •  Stowage and Land Disposal: $ 126,270

             H  Hydrologic Modification: $ 152,513

             D  Other: $0
            Agricultural Best Management Practices Lead to
                 Less Phosphorus in Lake Memphremagog
      Richard DelFavero flicks a switch in his
      barn in Derby, Vermont, and the manure
      from his 100 beef cows and 200 young
stock begins moving toward an animal waste
storage structure. DelFavero is quite proud of
the round concrete structure built with financial
and technical assistance from the Orleans
County Natural Resources Conservation District
and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS).
     DelFavero is one of 26 farmers who
participated in the Lake Memphremagog Best
Management Practice Demonstration Project.
DelFavero says_he could not have built the
structure and implemented other conservation
practices without financial assistance from the
project, which began in  May 1994 and ended in
February 1997. The purpose of the project was
to reduce the flow of nutrients (primarily
phosphorus) and other pollutants to Lake
Memphremagog by installing agricultural waste
management systems in th*e Black, Barton and.
Clyde river watersheds — all of which drain to
Lake Memphremagog.

Learning from the past
     Lake Memphremagog is a 5,800-acre lake
that straddles the border between Vermont and
Canada. An international study by the
Quebec/Vermont Working Group, published in
1993, stated that surface runoff and nonpoint
source pollution from agricultural watersheds
were contributing to the lake's water quality
problems and impairing its beneficial uses.
     The NRCS started two projects in the
1980s to help farmers in the Black River, Barton
River, and Clyde River watersheds. These
projects included cost-share measures funded
by the Small Watershed Protection Act (Pub.
Law 83-566) to implement conservation
practices that would reduce phosphorus
loading to Lake Memphremagog.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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             Several farms did not have enough capital
       to complete their contracts in those projects
       (i.e.. they could not match the federal grant).
       The Orleans County Natural Resources
       Conservation District believed that if the
       cost-share rate was raised to 75 percent, more
       farmers could install best management
       practices and thereby reduce the pollution from
       agricultural land.
              Pollution reduction was further
                enhanced in the watershed
             when modified waste utilization
                plans were developed for
                    all farms receiving
                    section 319 funds.
       Testing the belief
            The Newport office of the NRCS provided
       technical assistance to 42 farmers who
       volunteered to participate in the new project. Of
       these farmers, 26 installed water quality
       improvement practices with section 319 funds,
       including 18 animal waste storage structures
       and 12 barnyard runoff improvement practices.
       One animal waste storage structure was
       modified for better performance. Where
       milkhouse waste was a problem, it was
       incorporated in the waste storage structure or
       treated separately.
     1 The NRCS estimates that 250 farms in the
' watershed house about 27,600 animal units.
..Thus, the 26 farmers receiving section 319 funds
 have .increased the number of animal units,
 under best management practices by 10
 percent. Estimates of phosphorus loading
 reductions using computer .models indicate
 that about 2,500 pounds per year are retained
 on-farm by the increased cost-share — an
 estimated 10 percent of the total nonpoint
 source pollution load.
      Pollution reduction was further enhanced
 in the watershed when modified waste
 utilization plans were developed for all farms-
 receiving section 319 funds. Orleans County
 district supervisors worked to develop, these
 plans, which specified waste application rates
 for fields based on nutrient needs for average
 crop yields. Manure nutrient tests and soil
 nutrient tests were used to develop the plans.
The modified waste  use plans provided   .
 recommendations for nutrients needed,
number of spreader loads needed, and any
remaining nutrients, needed from inorganic
fertilizer for each field on the farm.

                      CONTACTS: Paul Stanley
    Franklin Natural Resources Conservation District
                                 802524:6505
           ,                  Jon W. Anderson
   •  ,   •  ,        Vermont Conservation Council
                          .      802 828-3529

                                Rick Hopkins
                        . Water Quality Division
 Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
                                 802241-3770
168
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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                       Integrated Crop Management —
                       Preventing Agricultural Pollution
   In 1992, the Vermont Natural Resources
   Conservation Council, the Agency of Natural
   Resources, and Vermont's Natural Resources
Conservation Districts were looking for a way to
incorporate pollution prevention into dairy
farming operations, specifically to improve
water quality. A group of state, federal, and
local government personnel, farmers,
conservation district supervisors, the
Cooperative Extension Service, and business
owners met to consider ways of reducing
agricultural nonpoint source pollution on
Vermont dairy farms. As a result, the Franklin
County Integrated Crop Management (ICM)
Service was developed.

Franklin County takes the lead
      The Franklin County Natural Resources
Conservation District took the lead in
developing the ICM Service for Franklin County
dairy farmers in the Mississiquoi River
watershed. The project began in northwestern
Vermont for several reasons:

> The Mississiquoi River is a major tributary
to Lake Champlain. Many segments of Lake
Champlain have become eutrophic as a result
pf excess phosphorus loadings, particularly
 from nonpoint sources in watersheds that are
 heavily agricultural. These sources must be
 reduced if Vermont is to meet its in-lake
 phosphorus criteria.

 > Farmers in the  watershed have been
 involved in other USDA water quality
 programs, and many of them already have the
 infrastructure (manure storage facilities) in
 place to manage their manure in a more
 efficient manner.

       The ICM Service was developed to
 improve farm management and the economic
 viability of the farm — to foster the creation of
 environmentally sound and sustainable farming
 operations. It provides direct assistance to help
 farmers improve their management of crops
 and pastures. The improvement follows from
reduced chemical (fertilizer and pesticide)
inputs made possible by optimal use of the
nutrients in dairy manure. Properly managed
waste applications can reduce the farmer's
dependence on chemical inputs with no
reduction in crop'yields.

ICM methods
     The program provides accurate, detailed
information at the individual,field level based
on soil tests, manure sampling for nutrient
content, pest scouting, side-dress nitrogen
tests for corn, crop yields, and economic   ;
analysis of all crop management activities. A
computer-based record-keeping system
developed by the University of Vermont
Extension Service helps each participating
farmer track this information.
        The immediate results of the
         program included reduced
       inputs of commercial nitrogen
       and phosphorus on nearly all of
        the first 11 farms enrolled in
                the program.
      A review of pesticide applications
 indicate a marked difference in field
 management. Instead of using broad-based
 chemicals for pesticide applications,
 information received through pest-scouting led
 to the use of pesticides based on specific pest
 species and population numbers. The end
 result was a reduction in the amount of
 chemicals applied to the fields and a reduction
 in the cost of pesticides to the farmer.
      While no in-stream monitoring was
 conducted in conjunction with this project, it
 can be assumed that reductions in inputs of
 commercial fertilizers and pesticides,
 accompanied by tailored applications of
 manure to fields, will eventually reduce the
 amount of nutrients and pesticide chemicals in
  SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
                                                                                               169

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         field runoff, and ultimately, in the Mississiquoi
         River. Less than 10 percent of the watershed is
         affected by the section 319-sponsored ICM
         program. Combined with other ICM services, '
         however, the percent of the watershed affected
         maybe 10 percent.

         Project funding

             The ICM service has been funded through
        two section 319 grants that the Conservation
        District considered as seed money. A second
        section 319 grant was used to support the
        program through the spring of 1996. The initial
        goal of the project was to have 15 farms signed
        up for the service by Fall 1995. Currently, 23
        farmers are active in the program and
        numerous others have expressed their desire to
        contract for services.
             The initial intent of the Franklin County
        Natural Resources Conservation District board
        was to facilitate the start-up of a crop
        management service in the community. It will,
therefore, relinquish the service to the current
Crop Management Technician as a private
business this spring. The District does expect,
however, to continue its leadership role in crop
management services by piloting a program to
provide geographic information systems
databases and field-specific maps to farmers to
increase their efficiency in nutrient'and field
management.

                      CONTACTS: Paul Stanley
    Franklin Natural Resources Conservation District
                                 802 524-6505

                             Jon W. Anderson
                  Vermont Conservation Council
                                 802828-3529

                                Rick Hopkins
                         Water Quality Division
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
                                802 241-3770
IZO
                                                               SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES:  VOLUME II

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             •  Cross Cutting MPS Category: $471,046

             S  Agriculture: $706,505

             B  Urban Runoff: $250,275

             ED  Silviculture: $0
             HI  Construction: $0
             E  Resource Extraction: $150,000

             •  Stowage and Land Disposal: $50,000

             H  Hydrologic Modification: $0

             D  Other: $0
                              Lower Powell River —
         Riparian Restoration and Karst Conservation Program
       During 1992, the Virginia Department of
       Conservation and Recreation, Division
       of Soil and Wafer Conservation,
awarded the Nature Conservancy a nonpoint
source pollution implementation grant for the
Lower Powell River Riparian Restoration and
Karst Conservation Program in Lee County,
Virginia.
     This program was designed specifically to
protect priority riparian and karst areas in the
Lower Powell River Hydrologic Unit. The
Department of Conservation and Recreation
ranks this area as a priority because it is
sensitive to nonpoint source pollution and host
to an unusually rich aquatic and cave
biodiversity.
     As many as 37 species of mussels live in
the Powell River, including six species that the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lists  as endangered,
In addition, 12 of the top 24 cave communities
in the Commonwealth are found in this
hydrologic unit, which is also the most  -
significant karst area in the state. The project
included an extensive information and
education program to publicize the region's
biological significance and the importance of
conserving land, water, and karst/groundwater
resources.                            .

Objectives and methods
     Each restoration activity complied with   .
the best management practice protocols
specified by the Department of Conservation
and Recreation and the USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and
was evaluated using chemical analysis and
bioassessments of macroinvertebrates. In
addition, the project included a hydrogeologic
investigation of the Cedars karst region (Central
Lee County Karst Area) to ensure that major
groundwater basins were included in the karst
conservation.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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              Eight restoration projects were
         completed from October 1992 through
         December 1994. These projects included four
         riparian restoration projects at ecologically
         significant mussel concentration sites on the
         Powell River and four karst conservation
         projects at critical cave and karst recharge sites
         within the Central Lee County Karst Area.
              Each project was designed and
         implemented with technical assistance from the
         NRCS. The Daniel Boone Soil and Water
         Conservation District and the U.S. Fish &
         Wildlife Service also provided financial support
         for additional best management practices
         (BMPs) at many of the restoration sites. Other
         partners also contributed to various aspects of
         the project: for example/the Virginia
         Department of Forestry, the Virginia Cave
         Board, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and
        the Cooperative Extension Service.

        Highlights of the restoration
             The project protected 13,500 feet of
        riparian habitat along the Powell River and
        other waterways; 22 species of mussels, includ-
        ing three endangered species; the entrance of
        Gollahon Cave Number 1, a habitat for seven
        globally rare cave-adapted species including
        the federally endangered Lee County Cave
        Isopod; and two sinking streams and a sinkhole
        dump site in the Cedars karst recharge area.
             The array of management strategies used
        to achieve these protections included denying
        stream access to 250 head of cattle grazing
        upstream of four significant mussel concentra-
        tion sites; fencing and bank stabilizing activities
        at the cave entrance; the development of
        alternative watering sites  for livestock at five
        project sites (using two water wells, 5,000 feet
        of pipeline, and seve~n water troughs serving 12
        fields); stream and sinkhole cleanups; and
       several innovative practices including the
       "cow-powered" Rife pasture pump, freeze-proof
       troughs, division fencing for rotational grazing,
       solar fence chargers, and a stream crossing
       reinforced with geotextile filter cloth.

       Reduced  concentrations of
       herbicides/pesticides
            Restoration projects, where feasible, were
       paired with monitoring stations to evaluate
  changes in water quality and macroinvertebrate
  communities before and after restoration.
  Parameters for water quality measurements
  were pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates and nitrites,
  stream flow, conductivity, total fecal coliforms,
  total dissolved solids, and total suspended
  solids. The project used EPA Rapid
  Bioassessment Protocol III to evaluate
  macroinvertebrate communities.
       Results of chemical water quality
  monitoring of data collected over a 12-month
  period tended to follow predictable curves
  according to precipitation event intensity and
  duration. All data collected and analyzed for
  herbicide and pesticides revealed
  concentrations below detection limits.
       A heightened conservation ethic
         will be among the enduring
            benefits of this project.
      Continued monitoring on the Lonesome
 Creek watershed may better determine
 effectiveness of livestock crossings and other
 best management practices since the project
 there addressed a  much smaller drainage.
 Flows from springs or open cave systems
 appear to follow surface stream curves,
 indicating that flow regimes are subject to
 storrnwater inputs.
      Biological assessments using EPA Rapid
 Bioassessment Protocol III were inconclusive.
 Factors contributing to this result include the
 limited time allotted to the study, the variety of
 sites, and difficulty at some locations in
 determining valid control sampling locations.
 Despite these challenges, several sites did
 improve following BMP installations and visual
 indications are that habitat improvements
 (such as plant  recovery on banks and sediment
 reductions) will prove beneficial to
 macroinvertebrate populations,and species
 diversity. In each case, vegetation improved and
 bank instability was reduced by removing
 livestock from sensitive rivers, streams, sinking
streams, and cave entrances.
     The Lower Powell River Riparian
Restoration and Karst Conservation Program
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projects were significant not only for their direct
conservation benefits, but also because they
will serve as permanent demonstrations of ways
to protect the unique resources'of Lee County,
Virginia. Each one applied a new conservation
technique or innovative practice to this   ,
ecologically important region of southwest
Virginia. Thus, a heightened conservation ethic
will be among the enduring benefits of this
project.   '         .

                       CONTACTS: Stu Wilson
                                804786-4382
                                  Bill Kittrell
                                540676-2209
 Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
               Alternative Watering Systems for Livestock —
            The Middle Fork Hoiston River Builds on Success
     The New River-Highlands Resource
     Conservation and Development Council,
     sponsor of the Middle Fork Hoiston River
Project (see Success Stones, 1994), has begun a
new section 319 project in the watershed.
     The new project (the fourth section 319
project in the Middle Fork Hoiston watershed  .
since 1990) was launched in April 1994. Entitled
"Using TMDL Study to Plan and Model BMP
Implementation in the Middle Fork Hoiston,"
this project has focused on the implementation
of best management practices (BMPs) in the
Greenway Creek and Chestnut Ridge, two
subwatersheds in Washington County.
      The Middle Fork Hoiston watershed
includes 153,437 acres covering a 38-mile
stretch in Smyth and Washington Counties in
southwest Virginia. The towns of Abingdon,
Chilhowie, and  Marion are located  in the
watershed. The subwatersheds of Greenway
Creek and Chestnut Ridge are located in the
southern portion of the Middle Fork.Hoiston
watershed in Washington County.
      Project managers selected the sites by
identifying the most critical treatment sites for
water quality benefits based on the total   ,  •
maximum daily load (TMDL) methodology
developed in 1991 with 319 funding. Area
farmers then installed various BMPs, including
alternate watering systems for cattle (beef and
dairies), streambank fencing, and pasture
management improvements.
      Project managers used the AGNPS model
to quantify pollutant loading reductions for the
various practices based on site-specific
conditions (e.g,, soil type, slope, proximity to
stream). Then they used a computer-based
geographic information system (GIS) named
VirGIS with the AGNPS model to rank land
tracts in the subwatersheds based on their
                potential for contributing  -
                nutrient (nitrogen and
                phosphorus) and sediment
                loadings.
                     In all, 18 farmers
                participated in the project,
                each one implementing an
                alternative watering system for
                cattle.. Five cooperators used
                solar powered pumps to
                operate their watering
                systems; two connected their
                systems to public water; and
                the remainder used electric
                power. The water sources
                varied from spring
 Alternative watering system for cattle.
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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        development to water intakes in streams and
        farm ponds.
              In conjunction with the watering systems,
        the farmers also installed 8,000 feet of fencing to
        protect streambanks, and three of the farmers
        implemented pasture management BMPs. The
        Greenway Creek and Chestnut Ridge subwater-
        sheds total 6,133 acres. BMPs were installed on
        1,996 acres. The total length of streambank in
        the two subwatersheds is 24.88 miles.
             Based on the expected performance of
        these BMPs, VirGIS and the AGNPS model
        predicted that 4,880 tons of sediment, 24,948
        pounds of nitrogen, and 3,330 pounds of
        phosphorus would be removed from the
        nonpoint source loading to Greenway Creek.
        Reductions to Chestnut Ridge included 3,788
        tons of sediment, 22,809 pounds of nitrogen,
        and 3,396 pounds of phosphorus. The
        estimated reductions in sediment, nitrogen,
        and phosphorus loadings are listed in Table 1
        are based on the period of May 1994 through
        June 1996.
Table 1.— Nutrient loadings (Mdy 1994-June 1996)
GREENWAY
CREEK
Sediment
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
CHESTNUT
RIDGE
Sediment
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
BEFORE
27,730 tons
1 60,592 Ibs
3 1,790 IBs
BEFORE
16,474 Ions
93,486 Ifas
17,889 Ibs
AFTER
22,850 tons
135,644 Ibs
28,460 Ibs
AFTER
12,686 tons
70,677 Ibs
14,493 Ibs
REDUCTION
(instream)
4,880 tons
24,948 Ibs
3,330 Ibs
REDUCTION
(instream)
3,788 tons
22,809 Ibs
3,396 Ibs
       Monitoring results
            The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has'
       used the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for fish
       community structure and conducted benthic
       surveys to assess water quality conditions in
       the Middle Fork Holston watershed on an
       annual basis since 1988. The 1994 to 1996 IBI
       scores showed no improvement in the upper
       Greenway Creek subwatershed, despite the
       predicted nonpoint source loading reductions.
      IBI scores remained in the poor to fair
 range but did improve over 1991 baseline
 conditions, and benthic invertebrate sampling
 using the family-level Ephemeroptera,
 Plecoptera, and Tricoptera (EPT) index
 indicated water quality improvements from
 1994 to 1996. Scores improved from "poor to
 fair" to the "good" range.
      For the Chestnut  Ridge subwatershed, the
 IBI scores and EPT scores did not improve for
 the 1994-1996 period, even though the project
 resulted in a substantial reduction in the
• sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus loadings
 there. EPT scores would be expected to respond
 faster than IBI scores to water quality
 improvements. A lack of increase in the
 biological indicator scores indicates a system
 lag time between the actual BMP
 implementation and habitat improvements that
 generally are reflected in positive changes in
 the biological community structures, providing
 water quality is adequate. The biological
 monitoring will continue in 1997.

 Keys to success

      Projects in the Middle Fork Holston have
been successful — so much that other
watershed groups across the state have visited
the project area. The New River-Highlands
Resource and Conservation District attributes
its success to several factors:
    • project marketing  by a conservation
     specialist who makes numerous
     one-on-one contacts with landowners;

    • strong local support spearheaded by a
     watershed committee;

    • successive 319 projects, each building on
     the other;

    • adequate sources of funding beyond 319
     from TVA and NRCS help support the
     BMP implementations; and

   •,a preexisting monitoring network in the
     watershed.

                       CONTACTS: Stu Wilson
                                804 786-4382
                                 Bill Kittrell
                                540676-2209
 Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
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                                                              SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
             • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $259,185

             S Agriculture: $1,101,079

             H Urban Runoff: $137,975

             E3 Silviculture: $240,856

             W Construction: $0

             E Resource Extraction: $0

             • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

             H Hydrologic Modification: $171,215

             D Other: $0
      Irrigation Best Management Practices in the Moxee Drain —
                The Yakima River Basin Water Quality Plan
       Nonpoint source pollution stemming .
       from surface irrigation, inadequate
       tailwater management, sedimentation,
and irrigation spills have been depositing
approximately 40 tons of sediment per
irrigation day to the Yakima River via the Moxee
Drain. This figure — and the sediment carries
all manner of associated agricultural chemicals
— is based on monitoring performed by the
Bureau of Reclamation from 1974 to 1981.
     In January 1994, the Washington State
Department of Ecology approved the Yakima
River Basin Water Quality Plan that had been
developed by the Yakima County.Conference of
Governments (COG Plan). The COG Plan
identified 31  major tributaries within the
Yakima River Basin and summarized
information on the natural  conditions, land and
water uses, and quality for each basin. Based on
that information, the COG Plan recommended
529 specific actions to address water quality
issues in the basin.
     In relation to the Moxee Drain/the COG
Plan identified five problems and
recommended an action for each one. For
example, irrigation delivery systems contribute
to water quality problems; COG called for
financial incentives and technical assistance as
the actjon needed to help landowners improve
the delivery system.

Reduction in TSS goal
     Starting in late 1993, the North Yakima
Conservation District received a section 319
grant to work on this action item. The goal of
the project was to initiate a common effort
among many agencies and other stakeholders
to reduce on- and off-farm soil erosion, improve
the water quality of irrigation return flows to
the Yakima River, conserve irrigation water, and
improve the irrigation district's operational
capabilities.
     In addition, the project was expected to
    • protect groundwater quality;
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           • improve in-stream flows of the Yakima
             River for fisheries and downstream users;
           • enhance and expand wetland and wildlife
             habitat areas;
           • enhance Yakima County, Terrace Heights,
             and Moxee's surface water management;
           • develop and implement adequate
             voluntary incentive programs; and
           • enhance the agricultural economies of
             the diversified crops of the Moxee
             Hydrologic Unit.
             The specific measurement goal was a 75
       percent reduction of total suspended solids
       (TSS) in the agricultural tailwater draining to
       the Yakima River.

       Watershed delineation
             The Moxee Hydrologic Unit is in the
       Yakima River Basin in the center of Washington
       State. The Yakima River Basin consists of nearly
       4 million acres; however, this Unit covers 97,680
       acres near the middle of the river basin. The
       Moxee Drain carries the primary return flow of
       surface water to the Yakima River from the
       entire Moxee Hydrologic Unit. Annual
       precipitation in the Unit is under 10 inches and
       mean annual runoff is less than 0.2 inches.
             Land uses in the Unit are furrow-irrigated
       land, 7,000 acres (all in hops production); other
       irrigated land, 12,880 acres; tailwater areas,
       1,000 acres; dry cropland, 2,700 acres; and dry
       rangeland, 74,110 acres.
             Priority was directed first to
       furrow-irrigated lands, second to irrigation
       tailwater management, third to all other
       irrigated lands, fourth to cultivated dryland, and
       fifth to nonirrigated rangeland.

       Project interventions by year
            The 7,000 acres of furrow-irrigated land
       were producing up to 100 tons of sediment per
       acre per year, and the sediment carried
       additional pollutants, such as DDT and its
       derivatives, at levels in excess of water quality
       standards. The first year of this five-year project
       was spent developing farm plans, doing project
       outreach to hops farmers, and developing
       contacts and partners.
      During the second and third years, the >
 major emphasis has been the development of
 contracts with over 80 individual hops farmers
 to convert to drip irrigation.
       This effort has also encouraged
        several thousand individuals
          to volunteer their time for
         water quality improvement
            work throughout the
            Yakima River Basin.
 Evaluation data and criteria

      The evaluation of best management
 practices (BMPs) in large-scale watershed
 projects is always a difficult task. Current
 recommendations from EPA and othejs
 generally state that many years (10 or more) are
 needed to monitor, observe, and analyze
 conditions and to relate changes in water
 quality to nonpoint source control efforts.
 However, several measures of success can be
 used to rate this project, despite the
 uncertainty of the scientific data.
      On individual farms, for example, the
 conversion from furrow to drip irrigation has
 reduced sediment loads to zero tons per acre.
 The Moxee drain sediment load now averages
 28 tons' per irrigation day, a 30 percent
 reduction over the numbers recorded 20 years
 ago. The 1997 growing season will see the
 implementation of drip irrigation BMPs on a
 total of 2,148 acres. This event will double the
 impact of previous seasons' conversions.
      With the cooperation of Education
 Service District 105 and using this area for a
 field training, 50 Washington teachers have
 been trained in watershed management. This
 effort has also encouraged several thousand
 individuals to volunteer their time for water
 quality improvement work throughout the
Yakima River Basin.
      The absolute need for active partnerships
to develop planning, create multiple funding
sources for project administration and
implementation, and organize a solid education
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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and outreach program was the major lesson in
this project. These programs require
tremendous time and effort to set up. They
cannot be properly done as an adjunct to other
duties. Major partners in this effort included
the Washington Hop Growers Association and
the USDA. USDA helped with a Small
Watershed Project Grant and direct support
from its Natural Resources Conservation
Service.
                        CONTACT: Mike Tobin
              North Yakima Conservation District
                                509 454-5736
        Sediment Control in the Skagit and Stillaguamish River
                             Basins — A Pilot Project
     The Skagit and Stillaguamish Rivers flow
     easterly from the Cascade mountains into
     Puget Sound. The Skagit River, a national
Wild and Scenic River, drains 3,093 square
miles while the Stillaguamish River basin,
directly to the south, drains 557 square miles.
Annual precipitation in the eastern,
mountainous areas of these watersheds.is over
100 inches but decreases as it moves west to
less than 30 inches annually in some areas.
     Land-use activities, principally logging,
have added greatly to the flow of sediment from
these basins. Numerous stream reaches and
various tributaries to the rivers are listed on the
state's section 303(d) report for nonattain- ment
of sediment and temperature standards.
     Forest roads used to access logging areas
are significant contributors of sediment to
streams. They increase surface erosion and the
problem is compounded for roads on steep  and
unstable slopes and in areas with high water
flows. Such roads are also vulnerable to dam
breaks and landslides that contribute even
larger amounts of sediment to downstream
waters. These events widen streams,' reducing
their depth and further increasing their
temperature.   :

Forest roads and riparian
enhancement
     Two watersheds, one each in the Skagit
and Stillaguamish River Basins, were selected
for a forest roads and riparian enhancement and
restoration pilot project. The first, Deer Creek,
flows into the North Fork of the Stillaguamish
River; the second, Finney Creek, flows into the
Skagit River immediately to the north.
     The Deer Creek basin contains 43,000
acres located north of the town of Oso,
Washington. Elevation ranges from 340 feet at
its confluence with the North Fork of the
Stillaguamish, to 5,142 feet at the top of Mount
Higgins. The basin bedrock can be generally
described as metamorphosed sedimentary rock
with igneous intrusions that have been
glaciated over the past 2 million years.
       The major techniques used for
      limiting sediment production are
     road abandonment/improvement,
       in-stream deflectors, landslide
     •„ stabilization, in-stream projects,
        and riparian manipulations.
     The lower basin, is dominantly glacial
outwash in terraces cut by subsequent
erosions. Stream valleys are typically quite
narrow, with only a few intermittent broad
sections. Very narrow, ravine and canyon
conditions predominate in the lower five miles
of Deer Creek. Stream gradient throughout the
remainder of the basin  is moderately steep.
Floodplain characteristics exist in areas of the
drainage where the valley floor broadens.
     The federal government owns
approximately half the land, especially along
the upper reaches of the Creek. The remaining
land is controlled by the state and private
owners. Private forest landowners include John
Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, the
Port  Blakely Tree Farms, and Merrill, Ring,
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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       Green, and Crow (MRGC). Land near the town
       of Oso is controlled by small nonforest
       landowners.
            The Finney basin, directly to the north,
       contains 38,000 acres and approximately 75
       linear miles of stream with elevations between
       300 and 5.000 feet,

       Initial efforts involve a diverse
       partnership
            Partners in the project include
       landowners, tribes, state and federal resource
       agencies, and user groups. Among these many
       partners one finds expertise in forestry,
       engineering, biology, hydrology, and geology. In
       addition, U.S. Forest Service lands are included
       in the Adaptive Management Area and the
       Mount Baker-Snoqulamie National  Forest is
       included in the President's Northwest Forest
       Plan. These initiatives provide additional
       incentives  to bolster section 319 program
       management.
            The Department of Natural Resources
       performs watershed analysis (i.e., collects data)
       on state and private forest lands for the entire
       Watershed Analysis Unit. The analysis generally
       covers hydrology, mass wasting, soil erosion
       (especially relating to roads and timber
       harvest), fisheries, channel morphology, and
       riparian condition.
            Project plans were developed based on
       related scientific studies and watershed
       protection  and improvement projects already
done or underway in these.watersheds. The
major techniques used for limiting sediment
production are road abandonment/improvement,
in-stream deflectors, landslide stabilization,
in-stream projects, and riparian manipulations.
     A network of experienced field managers
using historic data move the project forward
without jeopardizing the watersheds' health,
even while detailed watershed analysis is
occurring. Thus, a proactive pollution
prevention plan has begun using priorities
established by this group.


Respecting nature's timelines

     Project managers and generally proactive
citizens can learn patience if they will from their
involvement in this project. Results may not be
measurable in less than 30 years. Consider only
the riparian plantings, for example. Conifers
planted to shade the stream require that many
years to grow tall enough to produce shade.
     Still, a few results are evident even now.
Perhaps the most striking early result is that
despite two extremely wet years with reports of
extensive landslides in many areas similar to •
the treated areas, no landslides have occurred
in the project area in several years.

                      CONTACTS: Bob Penhale
                                 206649-7074
                               David Howard
                                 360407-6412
                         Water Quality Program
          Washington State Department of Ecology
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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             319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NFS Category: $485,954
              S Agriculture: $188,446
              H Urban Runoff: $36,700

              EB Silviculture: $100,000
              OH! Construction: $0
              D Resource Extraction: $0'
              H Stowage and Land Disposal: $0
              E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0
              D Other: $0
              Certification Program for Timber Harvesters —
      Changes in West Virginia's Approach to Logging Sediments
   In 1992, West Virginia enacted dramatic
   changes to it's Nonpoint Source Silviculture
   Water Quality Program by passing the
Logging.Sediment Control Act. This Act
incorporated several provisions designed to
protect the environment and to ensure that all
logging operations are registered with the
state's tax department and in compliance with
all other rules, regulations, and laws of the
state. Each logging operation must pay
severance taxes, worker's compensation fees,
and personal income taxes.
     The law provides that after September 1,
1992, anyone conducting a logging operation,
buying timber, or buying logs for resale is
required to be licensed with the Division of
Forestry. Acceptance of the license implies that
the operator will protect the'environment
through the judicious use of silviculture best
management practices (BMPs). Improperly
planned and constructed logging roads and
landings can cause soil erosion and
sedimentation. Sedimentation can clog stream
channels, contribute to streambank and
channel erosion, damage the habitat of- fish and
aquatic life, adversely affect.water supplies, and
reduce values. Some recommended BMPs are
    • maintaining filter strips,

    • limiting grade on haul and skid roads,
    • erosion control seeding,  and

    • water control measures such as culverts
     and broad-based dips.

     The second main provision of the law
requires the certification of loggers. The
requirements for certification are the
satisfactory.completion of courses in tree felling
safety, personal safety  equipment, first aid, and
silviculture BMPs. Since July 1, 1993, each
logging crew must be supervised by a certified
logger.
     The Act includes a third provision: loggers
must submit a logging notification form within
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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       three days of starting a new harvesting
       operation. The site must also be posted with a
       sign listing the logger's name and license
       number. Failure to comply with any of these
       provisions, which have also been amplified by
       new regulations, can lead to suspended or
       revoked licenses.
     An appointed committee will meet every
three years to review BMPs, modify them, or
suggest new ones as needed. Current BMPs
have been adopted from those already found in
the Nonpoint Source Silviculture Management
Plan.
                      CONTACT; James Warren
                West Virginia Division of Forestry
                                304 558-2788
                     Potomac Headwaters Water Quality Project
                         Poultry Production and the Environment
         Increases in poultry production in the early
         1990s served as the catalyst for the West
         Virginia Soil Conservation Agency and the
       Division of Environmental Protection to
       consider using its section 319 program to
       provide technical and educational assistance to,
       the agricultural community in the Potomac
       Valley.

       Early interventions
            Recognizing the potential for increased
       water quality problems associated with the
       poultry industry in neighboring states, the West
       Virginia Soil Conservation Partnership,
       consisting of the USDA Natural Resources
       Conservation Service (NRCS), West Virginia Soil
       Conservation Agency, and the Potomac Valley
       Soil Conservation District, in cooperation with
       the West Virginia Division of Environmental
       Protection, developed proposals for section 319
       funding to address these issues.
            Section 319 funding currently supports
       staff: one nonpoint source environmental
       specialist and one nonpoint source resource
       management specialist in the region. These
       specialists work closely with farmers; federal,
       state, and local government agencies; and
       private groups such as the West Virginia Poultry
       Water Quality Advisory Committee. They
       educate residents and farmers on nonpoint
       source water quality issues and best
       management practices (BMPs) such as nutrient
       and pesticide management, sediment and
       erosion control, and proper animal waste
       handling and storage.
     The Partnership's initial efforts led to the
implementation of numerous best management
practices, including 85 litter sheds, 139
dead-bird composters, 72 nutrient management
plans, the incorporation of sediment and
erosion control planning in poultry house
construction, alternative uses for poultry litter,
and educational efforts to reduce nutrient and
pesticide contamination of surface and
groundwater resources in the project area.
     Concentrated educational efforts
included 16 poultry nutrient management and
waste management seminars that attracted,
nearly 400 participants in the last two years.
These meetings included 11 grower meetings
and 5 meetings promoting the use of litter
outside the Potomac drainage area. Training
and information services are also provided to
local and state agencies, civic organizations,
livestock groups, and schools to increase public
understanding of various nonpoint programs
and water quality issues.

The Headwaters Project
     In 1992,  a Memorandum of Agreement
was developed between the West Virginia Soil
Conservation Agency, West Virginia Cooperative
Extension Service, USDA Farm Service Agency,
NRCS, and the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac
Valley Soil Conservation District.
     This agreement provides for accelerated
federal, state, and local educational, technical,
and financial assistance to reduce and prevent
water quality impairments arising from
agricultural and urban lands. The project covers
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       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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 the eastern panhandle counties in West Virginia
 that drain into the Potomac and Shenandoah
 rivers. It is identified as the Potomac
 Headwaters Water Quality Project.
        Local demonstrations focused
          on the agricultural use of
             compost as a fertility
         amendment for vegetation.
      In late 1993, the original coalition of
 federal, state, and local agencies was expanded
 to include the West Virginia University College
 of Agriculture and USDA's Rural Development
 program.
      Through an accelerated cost-share •'
 program under the Small Watershed Act
 (Pub.Law 78-534), this project will provide up to
 60 percent of the cost for accelerated nutrient
 management plans, agricultural waste  storage
 structures, dead-^bird composters, livestock
 confinement areas, and riparian area
 development. To complement the NRCS
 cost-share, the West Virginia Soil Conservation
 Agency has initiated the use of the State
 Revolving Loan Fund to provide low-interest
 loans to producers who install BMPs in the
 Potomac Valley District.

 Demonstration projects
      Since its inception, the Potomac
 Headwaters Water Quality Project has garnered
 significant support in the form of legislative
 appropriations and individual agency budget
 allocations on both the state and federal levels.
      Numerous .demonstration projects have
 illustrated how to properly manage agricultural
 resources to prevent impacts on surface and
- groundwater quality. These demonstrations
 include rotational grazing, nutrient
 management, livestock confinement areas,
 riparian zone development, composting, and a
 pesticide collection field day. The latter resulted
 in the removal of more than 20 tons of  outdated
 or unused pesticides from the area.
Composting
      Among the various demonstration
projects, the composting project is one that
seems to have captured the imagination and
interest of many industry analysts and
environmentalists. The benefits of on-farm
manure composting include soil conditioning,
development of a marketable product, improved
handling measures, better land application,
reduced pollution risk, and the destruction of
disease-causing organisms (pathogens).
      This project stimulated the private
sector's interest in whether and how to develop
larger-scale litter composting systems for
economic and water quality benefits. It also
provides opportunities for local producers to
install a regional composting operation that
can produce a salable product  and increase
farm profits.
      Demonstration activities included the use
of the composted product by local landscapers,
nurseries, athletic fields, and golf courses.
Local demonstrations focused  on the
agricultural use of compost as  a fertility  ,
amendment for vegetation. Compost maybe
used in  flood control projects —•• a possible
additional market in the Potomac Valley. Its use
on crop and forage production and as an
ingredient in low-value lumber processing,
perhaps with sawdust and bark, is'also being
tested.
      Not only composting, but also the other
demonstration projects serve as a local
educational resource for agriculture producers,
industry, and others. They help identify
alternative markets for litter, proper confined
animal siting arrangements and site layout,
nutrient .and waste management plans, and
animal waste storage facilities, along with odor
and fly control for poultry operations.
     The Potomac Headwaters Water Quality
Project is possible only as a result of efforts
over the last five years during which the EPA
continuously and diligently supported West
Virginia's nonpoint source and  section 319
programs.   •

                      CONTACT: Theresa Byler
   West Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Agency
                                 304558-2204
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                                                         WISCONSIN
               3I9(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
               • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $2,161,744

               S Agriculture: $213,132

               H Urban Runoff: $ 111,351

               El Silviculture: $51,825

               M Construction: $0

               E Resource Extraction: $0

               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

               E3 Hydrologic Modification: $0

               D Other: $0
                             In the East River Watershed —
                     An Animal Waste Treatment Demonstration
            Rrmers in the East River Watershed, one
            if 16 watersheds chosen to become a
            sderally funded USDA Water Quality
      Demonstration Project, are benefiting from  .
      their embrace of management practices that
      enhance water quality and farm profitability.
      The practices, which include animal waste
      management systems and constructed
      wetlands, were the focus of a project carried out
      as a joint effort of the University of
      Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension, the USDA .
      Natural Resources Conservation Service, and
      the consolidated Farm Services Agency. The
      East River watershed is in the Green Bay area of
      northeastern Wisconsin.

      Wetlands may be recipient of
      milkhouse waste
           The impacts of milkhouse waste were
      monitored at different sites along the river.
      When the data confirmed the need for a viable
      and cost-effective disposal system for
milkhouse waste, the project managers
explored the long-term pollution control
capability and survivability of small constructed
wetlands for this purpose. They also examined
the ability of a constructed wetland to remove
nutrients and solids in a cold-weather climate
that is subject to heavy and intermittent rain
events. Once it was determined that,the system
would be effective and durable, even in
Wisconsin's climate, it was recommended as a
best management practice (BMP) for treating
milkhouse wastes in the East River watershed.

Pipes and a holding tank
     The wetland filter system begins with a
pipe leading fronrthe milkhouse to a holding
tank with a sump pump. Once the waste
reaches the tank it remains there until it has
accumulated sufficiently to trigger the float
control switch. The waste is then pumped to a
diverter tank, which directs the effluent to either
a settling/flotation tank, which functions as a
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pretreatment, or directly to the constructed
'.wetlands.   ,
     • The constructed wetland is a 12-cell
 system arranged in four parallel rows with three
 cells in a series in each row. Six of the cells
 received untreated wastewater; and six, as
 noted above, received pretreated wastewater.
 This design made it possible to test the
 efficiency of the constructed wetland on treated
 and untreated wastes. In both cases, prior to
 reaching these cells, the wastewater flows
 through the weir slot, where samples can be
 taken automatically or by grab sampling. After
' flowing through the weir, the waste flows to the
 first cell, then the second, third, fourth, fifth,
 and sixth cells, until it reaches the filter strip
 and exits the treatment system.
      Each cell measures 76 feet by 10 feet. The
 sides slope to a depth of 18 inches. A layer of
 sand is placed at the bottom'of each cell, then a
 plastic liner (to prevent any possible
groundwater contamination), and a second
 layer of sand above the plastic liner. Topsoil  is
 laid above the sand and each cell has a berm
top. Each one also contains several emergent
aquatic plant species.

Results
      Based on initial results, the constructed;
wetland does reduce the flow of nutrients in the
wastewater. It is probably more effective in the
summer months than in the-winter when
everything is frozen, but further experience and
monitoring are necessary to determine if the
nutrients trapped in the system remain there, or
if they will be flushed from the wetland during
spring thaws.
        When the data confirmed the
            need for a viable and
      cost-effective disposal system for
        milkhouse waste, the project
           managers explored the
         long-term pollution control
        capability and survivability of
        small constructed wetlands.
      Two other important lessons have
emerged from this project. First, samples taken
at the beginning of the experiment, that is,
before the wastewater enters the wetlands,
show that the pretreated wastewater has less
nutrient content than the untreated wastewater.
However, there is basically no difference
between the pretreated and  untreated flows
when the wastewater exits the wetlands. In this
case, pretreatment  is probably not necessary.
      Second, the system as a whole appears to
be overdesigned for the size of the application.
During the summer months  not enough
wastewater is generated to keep all 12 cells of
the wetland functioning. The farm operators
and project managers agree  that the
constructed wetlands should be maintained
and reconfigured: the pretreatment structure
will be dismantled and the wetland will be
reduced in size from 12 to 6 cells.

                      CONTACT: Lynn Goldade
       ' Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
                                 608264-9223
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                      Water Action Volunteers Paint the Town —
                 Wisconsin Citizens Work to Protect Their Resources
              Water Action Volunteers (WAV), a
              partnership combining the
              Department of Natural Resources' •
      water expertise and the University of Wisconsin
      Cooperative Extension's educational skills,
      coordinate a variety of stream and river
      activities throughout Wisconsin. WAV provides
      educational materials and know-how for local
      volunteers who want to take action to improve
      water quality.
           WAV groups stencil "Dump No Waste,
      Drains to River" messages on storm drains to
      remind people that refuse dumped into storm
      drains does not disappear but ultimately flows
      to a waterbody. Groups in more than 60
      Wisconsin communities have  stenciled nearly
      10,000 storm-drain inlets this  year. The program
      has cooperated with the Lake  Michigan
      Federation, Chippewa and Waukesha County
      land conservation departments, the
      Adopt-A-Lake program, the Audubon Society,
      and the Wisconsin River Alliance in painting the
      towns in Wisconsin.
        WAV provides educational
        materials and know-how for
        local volunteers who want to
          take action to improve
              water quality.  s
     Another WAV project involves working
with others to help clean up Wisconsin's rivers
and streams. For example, teamed with America
Outdoors and the Wisconsin River Alliance,
WAV recently drew 580 volunteers to
streambanks and lakeshores for a full day's
work. The three groups distributed information
and trash bags to these volunteers who
collected over 37,000 pounds of garbage to
clean up 267 miles of shoreline.

                     CONTACT: Lynn Goldade
       Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
                               608 264-9223
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              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting NPS Category: $333,300

              S Agriculture: $600,000

              H Urban Runoff: $0

              E3 Silviculture: $0

              ED Construction: $0

              B Resource Extraction: $0

              I Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0

              D Other: $0
           Restoring Riparian Areas Improves Trout Fishery —
                The Squaw and Baldwin Creeks Watershed
     The Squaw and Baldwin creeks' section 319
     project lies in west-central Wyoming, near-
     Lander in Fremont County. The watershed
consists of approximately 5.1.7 square miles,
including a 13-mile stretch of Squaw Creek (a
tributary of Baldwin Creek) and a 17-mile
section of Baldwin Creek. Each section extends
from the point where Baldwin Creek leaves
federal property (managed by the Bureau of
Land Management or the U.S.  Forest Service) to
its confluence with the Middle Fork of the Popo
Agie River, north of Lander.
   .  Land ownership is primarily private,
interspersed'with state-leased properties. The
properties include ranches ranging in size from
500 to 2,500 acres with the larger percentage of
properties consisting of small ranchettes and
subdivisions in the populated fringes of Lander
city. A portion of Squaw Creek traverses the
Lander city limits, including high school and
elementary school properties.
     Squaw and Baldwin creek valleys were
settled, along with the town, in the 1800s. At
the time, these streams supported riparian
vegetation, healthy fish, and abundant wildlife
habitats. Residents report seeing many beaver
dams and enjoying excellent brown trout
fishing as recently as 50 years ago: Sometime
during these early years, water was diverted
from the streams and used to irrigate hayland
adjacent to the stream channels.

Riparian areas decline
     The streambanks and overflow channels
gradually lost the natural diversified riparian
vegetatiqn they once had through excessive
grazing by livestock and burning and clearing
for agriculture, along with the urban sprawl of
subdivisions. Gone were the beaver dams, and
with them, most of the trout. Channel
alterations/such as cutting through meanders,
facilitated further deterioration of the channel
area over time. Improper irrigation wastewater
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      Reconstructed streambanks along a section of Squaw
      Creek located in Popo Agie Conservation District. ,

      return and poor irrigation water management in
      the channel vicinity further eroded the two
      streams.
           Seasonal high water, resulting from
      melting valley snowpack and snow on the
      northern slopes of the Wind River Mountains,
      flushes the channels with high volumes and
      velocities of water. Tremendous amounts of  ,
      sediment are washed from raw banks and
      channels into these streams, then into the Popo
      Agie River system, which in turn, dumps
      sediment into the Wind River and eventually
      into Boysen Reservoir.
           The North and Middle Forks of the Popo
      Agie River are both important trout streams and
      run clear even through much of the high water
      season. Squaw and Baldwin creeks, though they
      contribute little water to the river system,
      totally cloud the water with tremendous
      sediment loads.
           The Squaw/Baldwin creeks watershed has
      been identified as the single greatest
      contributor of silt and associated contaminants
      to the Popo Agie River. Their sediments damage
      Popo Agie trout fishery by covering important
      food sources and smothering fish eggs. In
      October of 1990, the Popo Agie Conservation
      District received the first of two grants from the
Wyoming Department of Environmental
Quality, Water Quality Division (DEQ) and EPA
under Section 319 to reduce nonpoint source
pollution in Squaw and  Baldwin creeks.

Correcting grazing and irrigation
practices
     The Popo Agie Conservation District leads
the project in partnership with the USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),
landowners,'City of Lander, Wyoming Game and
Fish Department, Bureau of Land Management,
USDA Forest Service, and Fremont County Weed
and Pest District. Lander Valley High School,
Northside Elementary School, Teton Science
School, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Boy ,
Scouts of America are also involved in
information and education portions of the project.
     The project goal is to  reduce nonpoint
source pollution in Squaw and Baldwin creeks
while correcting resource-related problems in
the riparian areas. Conservation practices have
been installed and land  users are implementing
totalresource management systems. The
project installed best management practices
(BMPs) to prevent streambank and channel
erosion and to improve grazing and'irrigation
management adjacent to" riparian zones. In
addition, the project provides an invaluable
educational vehicle to teach students and the
public about nonpoint source pollution and
gives hands-.on experience in working with
these'practices.
     To date, approximately 18 miles of
streambank have been treated with BMPs such
as riparian fencing, plantings, water gaps,
streambank stabilization, irrigation water
control structures and pipelines, grade
stabilization structures,  pasture and hayland
management, planned grazing systems, and
irrigation water management. These practices
address problems such as overgrazing, grazing
in riparian areas, and irrigation water
application and runoff.
     As many as 25 landowners participated
under the initial grant, including the
Education/Demonstration site behind Lander
Valley High School; and  16  landowners have
contracted with the District in the second grant.
Of these, 12 contracts have  been completed
with four in progress. The Popo Agie
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  Conservation District offers participants a 60
  percent cost-share assistance grant from DEQ
  and/EPA; 25 percent from District funds, and 15
  percent fro.m landowner.contributions.

  Signs of success
       Monitoring by the District, Lander Valley
  High School Students, Wyoming Game and Fish
  Department, and others have demonstrated
  numerable accomplishments. Examples include
  an increase in pollution-intolerant
  macroinvertebrates with a corresponding
  decrease in pollution-tolerant      .
  macroinvertebrates. The Wyoming Game and
 Fish Department reports a dramatic
 improvement in the brown trout population.
      The observation that Squaw Creek no
 longer runs red is evidenced by water sampling
 reports. Total suspended solids have decreased
 an average of 38 percent during the years 1993
 into 1996. Community awareness has generated
 interest in additional partnerships and has ,
 facilitated the locally led conservation effort.

                          CONTACT: Phil Ogle
     Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
                                 307777-5622
                 Increasing Livestock Grazing on Plateaus —
                       Water Development for Loco Creek
      The 1992 Wyoming Water Quality
      Assessment (305b) report listed Loco
      Creek's coldwater fishery as threatened by
 sediments and'high temperatures. Livestock
 grazing and road development were the
 suspected causes of the impairments. With the
 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and
 livestock grazing permittees determined to
 improve conditions, the Little Snake River
 Conservation District organized a project to
 address these nonpoint sources of pollution
 with a section 319 grant and funding from BLM.

 Disturbed streambanks
      Loco Creek flows into Savery Creek, which
 is a tributary to the Little Snake River. Its
 watershed, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre
 Mountains in southcentral Wyoming, is
 comprised of high plateaus and 11 miles of
 steep canyon created by Loco Creek, The
 plateaus are roughly 8,000 feet above sea level
 and the canyon floor is at an elevation of
 approximately 6,700 feet. Average annual
 precipitation for the area is 14.inches, and
 mountain shrub and sagebrush/grassland
 vegetation types, predominate.         .
      Land ownership within the watershed is
 58 percent federal, 34 percent private, and 8
 percent state. The Morgan-Boyer is a Bureau of
 Land Management grazing allotment almost
' totally within the watershed. It consists of a
 single pasture with few water developments.
      Five permittees run cows and calves in
the allotment, another permittee runs sheep,
and an additional 12,000 sheep are herded
through the allotment on their.way to and from
their mountain pastures (for spring and
summer grazing). The sheep driveway crosses
the lower end of Loco Creek. Livestock  move to,
the canyon for shelter, shade, and water during
hot periods and do not return to the plateaus.
The result is overgrazed riparian Vegetation and
disturbed streambanks.

Solar-powered fences
     The Little Snake River Conservation
District and its partners formed.a coordinated  •
resource management group to help set
priorities and coordinate various activities.
     Solar-powered electric drift fences and
two water developments were completed under
a riparian improvement demonstration grant to
increase livestock use of the plateaus.
Additional funds were needed for water '
developments to provide adequate water on the
approximately 18-square-mile watershed, and to
complete other proposed activities. The
Conservation District received a section 319
grant to continue these improvements.
     The partners then-constructed five
additional water developments on the plateau,
and divided the canyon bottom into three
riparian pastures, by fencing and the use of '
natural topographic breaks. They also used
prescribed sagebrush burns on  portions of the
 SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
                                             187

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      plateau and canyon bottom to improve the
      forage base and increase herbaceous vegetation
      cover. Next, they installed small in-stream
      structures to help control flows, increase bank
      water storage, and provide habitat for a beaver
      population. A plan to introduce beaver was
      abandoned, however, because the recovering
      riparian environment was not yet suitable and
      because beavers were likely to come from
      surrounding watersheds once suitable habitat
      was available.
            The project also included moving a
      portion of the canyon access road away from
      the stream and installing a culvert at a
      washed-out drainage crossing. The installation
      of water bars and drainage control measures on
      the road helped limit runoff to the stream.
            An information and education
      component ensured that other landowners and
      interested members of the public would
      understand the project and its results.

      Taxa richness increases
            A variety of monitoring methods have
      been employed by both the BLM and the
Conservation District to evaluate success of the
best management practices (BMPs). These
monitoring methods included chemical water
quality sampling, aquatic macroinvertebrate
sampling, measuring stream channel cross
sections, streambank well monitoring, riparian
vegetation monitoring, and photo points. With
the exception of chemical water quality,
monitoring indicates that the project's goals are
being reached and its BMPs have improved
Loco Creek's aquatic and riparian environments.
     Results of water chemistry analysis
showed no apparent change in quality from
previous monitoring data, but it is always
difficult to detect changes in chemical water
quality with limited samples taken over a short
time period. Other monitoring methods
indicate greater improvement.       , .
     Aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling has
been part of the monitoring plan for this 319
project since 1994. Generally, all biologic
indices evaluated indicate an improving trend
in the aquatic macroinvertebrate community
health. Total taxa richness statistically
increased from 26 in 1994 to 34 in 1996.
     As part of the initial BMP implementation
and monitoring, the BLM established eight
monitoring locations on Loco Creek to evaluate
width to depth  ratios. Monitoring results from
1996 indicate that five of the eight cross
sections have shown reductions in width to
depth ratios, indicating channel deepening and
greater stability.
     Eight streambank water wells were
established in 1992. Wells were 5 to 10 feet
deep and 10 to 100 feet from the stream
channel. Water well data were collected from
1993 to 1996 and indicate that the overall
riparian area function, to store water and allow
slow release, is improving.
     Both Nebraska sedge and willow are key
riparian species along Loco Creek. Density and
frequency of Nebraska sedge and frequency and
height of willows increased during the
monitoring period from 1992 to 1996.

                          CONTACT: Phil Ogle
     Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
                                 307777-5622
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                                    GUAM
         Guam Environmental Protection Agency Shifts Course —
                   Nonpomt Source Management Reduces
                            Discharges to Tumon Bay
       Presently in Guam, great strides are being
       made to implement the nonpoint source
       management program through the Guam
 Environmental Protection Agency permitting
 program. A capacity for on-site handling of
 stormwater runoff on commercial properties is
 now being implemented, especially on
 properties near the shorelines. An erosion
 control plan is likewise required before any
 properties can be cleared and graded.
      Guam is fortunate because it does not
 have to control many point sources found in
 other areas; mining activities, street salting, and
 combined sewer overflows are all essentially
 absent. The,nonpoint sources considered to
 have the greatest impact on Guam are
    •  construction,
    •  agriculture,
    •  urban runoff,
    •  solid waste disposal, and
    •  sewage disposal.

      Discharges to Tumon Bay, which fronts
 major hotels and other tourist facilities and
 attractions, have been eliminated, primarily by
 removing all existing storm drains along Tumort
 Bay. Overflowing sewage from residential and
 other on-site disposal systems has also yielded
. to control, following a house-to-house survey of
. these systems and a requirement that
 homeowners connect their houses into the
 nearest .available public sewer system.
      These measures are impressive if only
 because Guam has been so focused on
 preventing point sources of water pollution that
 little specific data are available from Guam at
 this time concerning the effects of nonpoint  -
 sources of pollution.'Control of nonpoint
 sources is more difficult than point sources
 because of the difficulty in identifying and
 characterizing these diffuse sources. The
 importance of nonpoint sources is now
 recognized, however, and their impact becomes
 relatively greater as point sources are brought
 under control.
                  CONTACT: Narsiso Custodia
           Guam Environmental Protection Agency
                               671 646-8863
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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       NORTHERN  MARIANAS  ISLANDS
                       Turning Problems into Advantages —
            The Marianas Islands Responds to Nonpoint Sources in
                             the Lau Lau Bay Watershed      _^_^^
          The Commonwealth of the Northern
          Marianas Islands (CNMI) is a
          commonwealth of the United States,
     consisting of 16 small islands in the western
     Pacific, The islands are tropical and have a
     growing population for which tourism and the
     garment industry are major businesses. Saipan,
     the largest of the 16 islands, is the business,
     government, and population center. Nonpoint
     source pollution is a serious problem in the
     CNMI. The rainfall pattern (intense storms and
     only two seasons [wet and dryl), geology, and
     downstream resources (coral reefs) make
     nonpoint source both difficult and important to
     prevent and control.

     Focusing on a watershed approach
          The Lau Lau Bay watershed is located on
     the southeastern side of the island of Saipan.
     The watershed is characterized by steep slopes,
     volcanic soils, and intermittent streams. Runoff
     from the watershed drains into a fringing coral
     reef, the site where most of the tourists and
     many residents scuba dive and where many
     local families fish and picnic on the weekends.
     The watershed is relatively undeveloped; an
     unpaved coral road traverses most of the area
     and only a few small farms and residences
     appear in  the watershed. However, much of the
     watershed will soon be developed to
     accommodate a golf course and megaresort.
           In 1991, two unpermitted land clearings
     occurred in the Lau Lau Bay watershed, one for
     a residential housing development and one for
a limestone quarry. A tropical storm passed by
the island soon after the clearings took place
and caused massive erosion on the sites,
resulting in heavy sedimentation of the reef.
While these activities caused significant
damage to nearshore resources, they also drew
attention to the significance and fragility of the
watershed. The CNMI government took note of
these events and many agencies began to focus
on protecting the watershed.

Agency partnerships and monitoring
project
     The Division of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) made the  Lau Lau Bay watershed the
initial focus of its efforts to document and
monitor the effects of nonpoint source
pollution on the  coral reef. The CNMI
Interagency Watershed Working group has also
"adopted" the watershed as their target to
conduct resource studies and demonstration
projects. In March 1996, DEQ began monitoring
the effects of nonpoint source pollution, mostly
sedimentation, on the coral reef in,Lau Lau Bay.
     The project's primary goals were to help
CNMI agencies develop the capacity for
conducting similar projects in other watersheds
and to develop a systematic method to monitor
nonpoint source .pollution throughout the
CNMI. DEQ formed a marine monitoring team
consisting of representatives from DEQ, Coastal
Resources Management, Division of Fish and
Wildlife, and the Northern Marianas College.
The team monitors the nearshore ecosystem to
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      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: UOLUME ((

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 detect early changes in the reefs' that may be
 caused by upland activities and nonpoint
 source pollution. Activities include
     •  analyzing water quality, including
       nutrients,

     •  determining the percent cover of coral
       and algae,

     •  surveying indicator species,

     •  taking fish censuses, and
     •  calculating sedimentation rates.

      The team monitored the Lau Lau Bay reef
 for one year, with inconclusive results (as was
.expected for such a short time). The value of the
 study was that it demonstrated the long-term
 capacity of the agencies to monitor these
 resources and increased public awareness of
 environmental needs and resources.
      Coastal Resources Management
        will produce an educational
        video for the local schools to
        show the effects of nonpoint
      source pollution on the Lau Lau
        Bay watershed and describe
            methods to control it.
      The marine monitoring team also
developed a Long-Term Marine Monitoring Plan
that will allow the agencies to collect and
analyze data to look for early effects of nonpoint
source pollution on the coral reef ecosystem.
These baseline data will help developers and
permitting agencies structure the development
in such a way that its impact on the marine
environment can be limited. The  data will also
help enforcement agencies take early action to
control poor development practices.

Developing public awareness
      DEQ conducted several activities that
enhanced the public's awareness of the
environmental values and problems of the Lau
Lau Bay watershed. The marine monitoring
team, in conjunction with a class of the
  Northern Marinas College, sponsored a public
  forum to discuss issues and solutions to
  problems in the watershed. Legislative leaders,
  agency directors, high school and college
  students, scuba divers, and the general public
  attended the forum to voice their concerns and
  to discover what steps are being taken to
  protect the watershed's resources. DEQ also
  conducted a survey of the dive operators on
  Saipan and determined the value of the reef to
  the CNMI. This information has been
  distributed to decisionmakers and the public
  and hopefully will be used when making future
  development decisions.

  Erosion controls and other practices
       The CNMI Interagency Watershed Working
  Group is also focusing their efforts on the Lau
  Lau Bay watershed. In May 1997, the group
  conducted a secondary road demonstration
  project in the watershed to teach heavy
  equipment operators best management
  practices to reduce sedimentation caused by
  eroding roads. More recently, the group has
  begun a revegetation demonstration project in
  the watershed to show landowners how to
  revegetate badlands and eroding slopes using
  simple and inexpensive bioengineering
  techniques to stabilize and  recondition the soil.
       Agencies.plan to continue to study and
  conduct projects in the Lau Lau Bay Watershed.
  The Division of Environmental Quality will
  conduct a study to determine the erosion rates
  from different soil and vegetation types in the
  Lau Lau Bay watershed. These rates will be
  compared with the sedimentation rates on the  .
  reef to better determine the effect that erosion
  in the watershed has on the coral reef in the
 bay. Coastal Resources Management will
 produce an educational video for the local
 schools to show the effects of nonpoint source
 pollution on the Lau Lau Bay watershed and
 describe methods to control it.
      The Interagency Watershed Working
 group hopes to involve additional agencies and
 groups in their efforts to study and protect the
. Lau Lau Bay Watershed, including the Historic
 Preservation Office to gain a better understand-
 ing of land-use history in the watershed; the
•Division of Forestry to conduct a large-scale
 revegetation project; the Department of Public
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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      Works to construct a better road in the
      watershed; the scuba operators to report
      unusual occurrences and events; and the
      Department of Commence to determine the
      value of the natural resources and nature-based
      tourism in the Lau Lau Bay Watershed.

      Prospects for the watershed and
      coral reef
            Not every problem of the watershed has
      been fixed; in fact, the more intensively the
      watershed is studied, the more the CNMI
      realizes the severity of the nonpoint source
      pollution problem in Lau Lau Bay watershed.
      These problems commenced in the Japanese
      era (1920 to 1940) when roads were built,
      manganese mines were dug, and the land was
      cleared. World War II activities compounded the
      problem through bombing, fires, and some
industrial development. The problems continue
today as a result of periodic burning and poorly
developed roads. Both the watershed and the
coral reef remain stressed and relatively •
unstable.
     However, from the recent studies focused.
on the Lau Lau Bay watershed, agencies and
the public have learned>about the sensitive
nature of the watershed and the value of
preventing nonpoint source pollution. Ideally,
this awareness will lead to better protected
land in which development will be more closely
scrutinized and steps will be taken to protect '
the resources.

                        CONTACT: Susan Burr
                Division of Environmental Quality
   Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands
                                '671 234-6984
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                          PUERTO  RIC§
              319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1996
              • Cross Cutting MPS Category: $0

              S Agriculture: $556,444

              H Urban Runoff: $0

              013 Silviculture: $0

              HID Construction: $0

              E Resource Extraction: $0

              Hi Stowage and Land Disposal: $0

              H Hydrologic Modification: $0
              Q Other: $0
        Puerto Rico's Nonpoint Source Management Program —
                      New Regulations Expected in 1997
      Puerto Rico's section 319 program is
      administered by the Water Quality
      Planning Bureau of the Office of the
 Governor. Puerto Rico targets two main
' categories of nonpoint source pollution:
 livestock enterprises and erosion. Regulations
 for both categories have been proposed by the
 Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board. If
 passed, the new regulations will help the board
 enforce the use of best management practices.
      At present, though no formal  regulations
 are in place, the board requires an Erosion
 Control Plan at any site involving the
 mechanical movement of soil components.
 These plans include a description of the
 temporary and permanent measures that will be
 used to minimize erosion and prevent
 sediments from reaching nearby waterbodies.
 However, as these plans are not mandatory,.
 enforcement is very difficult. The proposed
 regulation for erosion control will provide the
 legal mechanism to enforce these measures. It
 was submitted to the public hearing process on
 January 28, 1997.          .
     Livestock enterprises are the other
nonpoint source that potentially threatens the
quality of Puerto Rico's water resources: the
discharge or improper application of animal
waste and its high nutrient concentration. The
board has been concerned about this issue
since the early stages of the nonpoint source
management program, but it has only recently
developed a proposed regulation.
     Currently, the board reviews all animal
waste management systems used by livestock
enterprises. Such systems are covered in general
terms only under Puerto Rico's nonhazardous
solid wastes rule. Agreements supporting the
proposed regulation have been reached,
however, with local and federal agricultural
agencies, such as Puerto Rico's Department of
Agriculture and the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service. Its passage will make
compliance with the plans easier to enforce.

  .                   CONTACT: Eric Morales
                 Water Quality Planning Bureau
                     ,   Office of the Governor
                              787751-5548
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                          VIRGIN  ISLANDS
               319(h) Funding by Functional Categories for Fiscal Year 1995
               • Cross Cutting DPS Category: $183,600

               S Agriculture: $0
               I! Urban Runoff: $0

               El Silviculture: $0
               Hill Construction: $30,OOO

               E Resource Extraction: $0
               • Stowage and Land Disposal: $55,000
               E] Hydrologic Modification: $0

               D Other: $0
                        Boaters Contribute to Water Quality —
              Education Leads to Better Marine Sanitation Practices
             High bacterial counts have been
             detected in some bays in the Virgin
             Islands, especially in those with a large
      concentration of boats and boating berths. The
      contamination is partly the result of sewage
      and wastewater discharges from the boats,
      particularly from "live-on-board" vessels.
           To address this problem, section 319
      funds and a grant authorized under the U.S.
      Fish & Wildlife Clean Vessel Act were used to
      cost-share the installation of vessel waste
      pump-out facilities at key marinas. The effort is
      managed by the University of the Virgin
      Islands-Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service,
      part of the University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant
      College Program. Six marinas on St. Thomas
      and one on St. Croix have already installed
      pump-outs through this program, or will in the
      near future. Several other marinas are expected
      to install pump-outs within a year.
           As soon as pump-outs are readily
      available, local and federal regulations
      prohibiting the release  of untreated wastewater
      can be enforced. A revision of the Islands'
principal legislation related to boat sewage
discharges, namely, the Vessel Mooring and
Anchoring Rules and Regulations, is underway.
The new law will require that liveron-board
vessels be berthed only at facilities with
connections to sewage pump-outs. The U.S.
Coast Guard and the Islands' principal
environmental agency are stepping up marine
sanitary device enforcement in areas where the
pump-outs are now available.
     The Virgin Islands Marine Advisory
Service will use future section 319 funds to
educate the boating public. The curriculum will
include information on the location of
pump-out facilities and the rules governing '
marine sanitary devices and boat sewage
discharges. This project will not only help
boaters comply with regulations, it will also
lead to significantly improved water quality in
the coastal waters and bays most visited by
boaters.                     ,  .
     The Virgin Islands Department of
Planning and Natural Resources- is presently
performing quarterly ambient water monitoring
194
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 for fecal coliform. This quarterly testing will be
 expanded to include turbidity,and total kjeldahl
 nitrogen to provide a preliminary assessment
 on the quality of water and the effectiveness of
the pump-out facility.
                     CONTACT: Syed A. Syedali
   Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural
                                   Resources
                                 809773-0565
                  Erosion and Sedimentation on St. John —
                  For Virgin Islanders, Knowledge is Action
        Over half of St. John island; one of-the
        U.S. Virgin Islands, is a national park.
        The physical layout of the island is a :
combination of short, steep slopes terminating
in sensitive wetlands and marine environments;
this makes it susceptible to damage from even
slight increases in erosion. Working in
conjunction .with federal and local agencies,
and with partial funding provided through the
section 319 nonpoint source management
program, the islanders recently began an
investigation to assess the complex runoff   •
processes affecting the park.
      The project began in 1994 with the Virgin
Island Department of Planning as the lead
agency. Citizen groups, such as Fish Bay
Homeowners Association and the Friends of
Data logging from each sediment measuring site takes time
and is difficult to do with muddy hands after a rain shower.
Cyrus lean, a research assistant at Fish Bay on the Island of
St. John, makes erosion and runoff entries.
the Virgin Islands National Park; other local
organizations, such as the Virgin Islands
Resources Management Cooperative, the Island
Resources Foundation, and the Virgin Islands
Resource Conservation and Development .
Council, were also involved. They provided
critical local contacts, disseminated
information, and helped assure that problem
definitions and solutions were crafted to fit
local values and customs.
     A number of federal and local agencies
and private interests from outside the islands
supported the project — some with additional
funding, others with technical or research
assets. Among them:
    • USDA Natural Resources Conservation
     Service,
    • National Park Service,    ;
    • US.GS Biological Resources Division, and
    • Colorado State University's Watershed
     Sciences Program.          '  ,

Rainfall on roadways
     Roads cut into the hillsides have several
impacts on runoff processes with direct
implications on water quality. First, roads
contribute to overland surface runoff in even
the smallest storms. Investigation has shown
that while undisturbed areas may saturate and
yield runoff in perhaps 5 percent of rainfall
events during the year, roads contribute to
runoff as a result of 70 percent of annual rainfall
events. Landscape with many roads is
hydrologically more active than one with few
roads.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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            Second, unpaved roads erode severely.
       The study documented road surface erosion of
       a centimeter a year, delivering in the case of one
       catchment some 400 metric tons of sediment to
       the mangrove swamps and  bays. Surface water
       yields of up to 30 percent of rainfall have been
       measured on unpaved roads with suspended
       sediment loads of up to 60,000 parts per million.
            Third, road cuts of one to two meters into
       the hillside intercept the slow moving
       subsurface water and route it onto the road as
       surface water. This water, in turn, causes
       additional erosion. After extended periods of
       rainfall, the cuts intercepting the subsurface
       flow become saturated and slump onto the
       roadway, which compounds the problem.

       Changing practices
            Armed with this better understanding of
       how surface runoff works, local homeowners,
       machine operators,  politicians, and government
       officials began crafting acceptable and
       economical solutions that address the complex
       problem. Their first  decisive action involved
       retrofitting the island's roads. Spaced drains
       and roads sloped to the downhill side have
       been installed to allow small volumes of water
       to reinfiltrate into the soil. Synthetic mulch is
       being demonstrated at different construction
       sites as a cover that prevents the exposed earth
       from eroding.
            Additional solutions will come as new
       methods of road layout are analyzed'and used
       to replace the outdated practice of connecting
       roads directly to gutters. Different low-cost
       retaining wall structures are being investigated
       to stabilize steep road switchbacks. Porous
       paving has also been proposed, and
       investigations are underway to determine which
       native shrub and grass species should be
       planted to help stabilize roads cut into the
       hillslopes. The plants should not only anchor
       the substrate; they should also increase
       transpiration, helping to minimize the extent of
       saturation.
     The Fish Bay Homeowners Association
has responded to their new understanding of.
the problem by paving several kilometers of
roads in the last three years.

A common problem
     The problem the St. John islanders
confronted is a common one on the Virgin    '  "
Islands. Sediment — from dirt roads, farmland,
construction sites, urban encroachments, and
other disturbed soils — is the primary nonpoint
source pollutant threatening the Islands' water
resources. Eroded sediment buries coral reefs
and seagrass beds, clouds the water, impairs
fish feeding and breeding sites, and impacts
recreational activities. In sum, sediment and
erosion destroy natural resources, reduce the
income and attractiveness of the tourist
industry, and damage the territory's fishing
industry.
     The Virgin Islands Department of Planning
and Natural Resources and the Islands' Non-
point Source Committee are successfully using a
multifaceted education and outreach approach
to address this severe water quality problem.
Workshops sponsored by the University of the
Virgin Islands-Cooperative Extension Service
help regulators, developers, and the general
public better perceive the challenge that erosion
and sedimentation present.
     Newspaper articles inspired by committee
members have widely publicized the erosion
and sedimentation problem and the resources
available to help reduce its magnitude. The
Third Annual Virgin Islands Nonpoint Source
Conference in November 1996, highlighted
innovative methods for reducing erosion and
featured the first-ever trade show of erosion
and sediment control products in the territory.
More than 90 percent of those participating
indicated that they would implement at least
one practice presented at the conference.

                     CONTACT: Syed A. Syedali
  Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural
                                   Resources
                                 809 773-0565
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                     INDIAN  NATIONS
         Project  Accomplishments  and
                      Long-term  Plans
  In the 1987 reauthorization of the Clean
  Water Act, Congress added sections 319 and
  518 to help states, territories, and tribes
respond to problems caused by nonpoint
source pollution. Section 319 established
baseline requirements for state and territorial
nonpoint source management programs and
authorized national funding to support
implementation of approved management
programs. Section 518 authorized EPA to treat
federally recognized Indian tribes in the same
manner as states, and to grant up to one-third
of 1 percent of national 319 grant funds to
tribes ($330,000 annually).
     EPA annually awards section 319 grants
to tribes that submit approved nonpoint
source assessments and management plans.
Each grant awarded under  section 319 requires
a 40 percent nonfederal match. If a tribe
demonstrates a special financial need, however,
EPA may, and frequently does, approve a 10
percent nonfederal match. As of fiscal year
1997,  11  tribes have qualified for and received-
section 319 grants.
     Tribal section 319 projects have resulted
in many successes, but many tribal programs
are still planning for nonpoint source
programs. Tribal Success Stories showcase the
reduced sediment'loadings on the Cherokee
Reservation in North Carolina, the improved ,
water quality in trout streams on the Umatilla
Reservation in Oregon, the reduced nutrient
loadings oathe Tampa and Brighton
Reservations of the Seminole Tribe of Florida,
and others. More Success Stories  preview the
plans of tribes that are new to the section 319
program; many have received their first section
319 grant in the past year.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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               EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE
                                      INDIANS
                           Cherokee Critical Area Treatment
                                  Trout Return to Streams
           In 1995, the Cherokee Tribe in southwestern
           North Carolina used section 319 funding to
           complete an erosion project that it had
        begun in 1988. At that time, the tribe and the
        Southwestern North Carolina Resource -
        Conservation and Development Council had
        determined that severe erosion along access
        roads on tribal trust lands constituted critical
        areas for treatment.
             The roads in question, many of them
        extending 3,500 to 5,500 feet above sea level,.
        had been eroding for 20 to 30 years. The
        average rate of erosion was 150 tons of soil per
        acre per year, but along some roads, the soil
        loss was more than 1,000 tons per acre. By the
The mill road BEFORE Critical Area Treatment
time the Critical Area Treatment was
completed, a total of 147,421 linear feet (60.8
acres) of main and access roads had been
treated.
     Specifically, the 319 project treated the
Mill Road section, the seventh and final phase
of the project. It involved regrading some
.26,796 linear feet of road and reseeding the area
to permanent vegetation. In sum, the Mill Road
section stabilized 9.9 acres, and since its
completion, soil loss has fallen to less than
6 tons per year.
     In addition to installing soil-conserving
measures, the Mill Road project provided
enhanced habitat for bear, deer, and small game
birds. These species are now very active in the
         area — a direct benefit of including
         plants that wildlife feed on in the
         reseeded areas along side roads.
         Stream habitats have also improved
         as erosion and sediment controls
         take hold; native trout have
         returned to many streams. '

                CONTACTS: Kenneth Futreal
          Southwestern North Carolina Resource
               Conservation and Development
                            704452-2519
                           Eddie Almond
                  Tribal Environmental Office
              Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
                            704497-3814
  198
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     MISSISSIPPI  BAND OF (
                                 INDIANS
         Choctaw Tribe Assesses Soil Erosion and Siltation —
          Proposes Water Quality Best Management Practices
     The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is
     proposing to develop a Water Quality
     Best Management Practices (BMPs) plan
to address the problems of soil erosion and
siltation resulting from various silviculture, •
construction, a,nd resource extraction activities
on the Choctaw reservation.

Forestry, construction, and mining
activities add to soil losses
     Source assessments indicate that land
uses are the major pollution problem on tribal
lands. In particular, three land uses account for
most critical areas. They are
  .  • silviculture, especially harvesting and
     reforesting activities without appropriate
     residue or groundcover management;
    • construction, especially for highways,
     bridges, and roads (sometimes in
     connection with forestry or mining
     activities) but also for housing, industrial,
     and commercial development; and
    • resource extraction and development,
     especially surface mining, or topping pits.
     Thus, soil losses to erosion in some
upland (hilly) areas may be as high as 40 to 50
tons per acre per year. In some places the land
is devoid of adequate tree, brush, or grass
cover; in others, skid rails, fire lands, and roads
have created gullies that cause annual soil
losses in excess of 100 tons per acre per year.
Siltation resulting from these identified
nonpoint sources is the primary pollutant of
tribal waters.         .
Pollution prevention
     The following activities — a mixture of
pollution prevention, source controls, structural
and nonstructural remedies (such as
ordinances) — are proposed in the BMP plan
for tribal lands:

   1. Develop a nonpoint source (best
     management practices) plan to address
     erosion and siltation  problems that affect
     water quality on the Choctaw reservation.

   2. Hold meetings with stakeholders to
     discuss, and implement'pollution
     prevention activities and this plan. These
     stakeholders will serve the 'tribal chief in
     an advisory capacity to help prevent
     nonpoint sources of pollution on the
     Choctaw reservation and to implement
     and enforce tribal ordinances.

   3. Conduct monitoring activities to identify
     discharge points, drainage patterns,
     direction of flow, water quality at surface
     water bodies affected by discharges,
     locations of significant materials exposed
     to stormwater, and structural control
     measures to  control erosion and siltation.

   4. Formulate and pass tribal ordinances,
     adopt erosibn and sediment controls for
     disturbed areas, and enforce selected-
   -  BMPs.

   5. Evaluate the success  of pollution
     prevention activities to include the
     following activities:
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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           • Annual site compliance evaluation to be
             conducted by qualified personnel to
             evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs.
           • Revise the BMP plan as needed.
           • Implement a  pilot project demonstrating
             the effective use of BMPs selected and
             comparing this site to a project where no
             pollution prevention activity is
             implemented.
     The tribe will also evaluate its current
environmental management plans for
consistency, and determine which, if any,
provisions should be strengthened and
incorporated in the Pollution Prevention Plan.

                 CONTACT: Bernadette Hudnell
              Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
                                 EPA Program
                                 601 656-5251
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            COLUILLE
                                   TRIBES
                Owhi Lake — Restoring a Resident Fishery
     The Owhi Lake watershed is a 25,000-acre
     watershed located in Okanogan and Ferry
     Counties of Washington state, near, the
center of the'Colville Confederated Tribal
Lands. The lake, which-encompasses 500 acres,
is 10 miles northeast of Nespelem, near tribal
headquarters. The project area is within the
Little Nespelem watershed. The Little
Nespelem River originates at Owhi Lake.
     The Owhi watershed is roughly one-third
rangeland (8,790 acres) and two-thirds
forestland (16,210 acres). The rangeland occurs
at lower elevations in the southwest corner of
the watershed and extends north to Owhi Lake
and east to the Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir
forests. Owhi Lake is nutrient-enriched; its
problems have multiple sources, but livestock's
unrestricted, all-seasons use of the Owhi creek
and lakeshore coupled with.a historic pattern of
road construction for timber
harvesting intensify the impacts
from all sources.

Limiting livestock access
     The tribes' Owhi Lake
section 319 project is part of an
integrated management plan
that includes forests, rangelands,
recreation, and traditional land
uses. Its goal is to improve water
quality through best
management practices (BMPs).
     Tribal activities have
focused on limiting livestock
access to Owhi Creek and Lake.
Using section 319 funding, tribal,
 and other money, the tribes fenced Owhi Lake
 and created livestock enclosures to restrict the
 use of pastures along the creek. The primary
 and ultimate objective of these and other
 project activities is to flush the lake and reduce
 the inflow of phosphorus'. However, the tribes
 also plan to improve riparian habitat and
 encourage more beaver activity along the creek.
      The fencing portion of the project was  .
 completed about, 18 months ago. School
 children worked with tribal technicians- they
 planted riparian vegetation and helped put
 medium organic debris in the creek, using only
 local materials.
      Owhi Lake also has the most important
 resident fishery within the reservation. Indeed,
 School students placing organic woody debris in Owhi Creek. ;
~n
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME [[
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        the lake provides an excellent subsistence
        fishery for the Colville Tribes and is the sole
        source of brook trout broodstock for the entire
        reservation. The Tribal Fish and Game Division
        collects between 700 and 800 thousand brook
        trout eggs annually to restock the fishery.  •
Current fish stocking efforts provide
subsistence and recreational opportunities for
tribal members and other lake users.

                      CONTACT: Gary Passmore
                 Environmental Trust Department
                     Colville Confederated Tribes
                                  509 634-8844
       Livestock fencing — lake In background.
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              Demonstrating the Effects of Managed Grazing
   Improved water quality is a major concern for
   the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
   of the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern
Montana's glaciated plains, and nonpoint
source program management is the method
most likely to serve their goal.
      Grazing is a major contributor to
nonpoint source pollution on the reservation.
Most grazing units follow waterways because
livestock are dependent on the streams for their
water supplies. More than that, however,
livestock grazing makes a dual contribution to
the tribes' economic livelihood:, the tribes
produce livestock and lease grazing lands to
other ranchers.
      The demonstration .of a managed grazing
system, a section 319 project, is underway as a
first phase of a full-scale water quality
protection plan for the reservation. The system
will be demonstrated in the Little Porcupine
Creek watershed, which' is used for grazing from
summer through fall.
      The creek itself, a Class 1 Warm Water,
supports several beneficial uses: aquatic life,
secondary contact recreation, and agriculture.
Three monitoring locations will be used to help
project managers gage the effectiveness of the
best management practices (BMPs).
      Approximately 80 percent of the
watershed is native rangeland which produces
approximately. 0.25 animal unit months per
•acre. The normal management of the  range is to
graze cow/calf pairs for 5.5 months between
May 15 and November 1. Generally the livestock-
are unconfined and tend to concentrate in the
riparian areas in the heat of the summer.
     At its upper end, Little Porcupine Creek
has lost almost all integrity as uncontrolled
grazing stripped its banks of riparian
vegetation. Though the stream flows mostly
underground, appearing only in isolated pools
in the flat valley, it still serves as the only
livestock watering source for the range.
     Grazing along the riparian corridor has
been especially heavy. Woody species, including
trees and shrubs, have been reduced to almost
nothing, degrading the landscape and
increasing stream temperatures/sedimentation,
and conductivities. Summertime water
temperatures average 22°C. The stream channel
bottom is over 50 percent silt.
     Short-term goals for this project include
the restoration of a healthy riparian zone and
improving water quality at the long-term
monitoring sites  located in this range unit.
Indicators for grading water quality and riparian
improvement include increasing the biological
condition category from severely impaired to
moderately impaired and increasing the habitat
supportability ratings from nonsupporting to
partially supporting.

                      CONTACT: Deb Madison
        Fort Peck Office of Environmental Protection
                          406 768-5155, ext. 399-
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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                         HOOPA  VALLEY TRIBE
                       The Hoopa Valley Tribe Is Making Plans —
             A Soil Remediation Project to Remove Leaking Diesel Fuel
            For the Hoopa Valley Tribe of northern
            California. 1997 is a potential turning
            point: it is the first year the tribe is
       formally participating in the section 319 grant
       program.

       Project scope
            A watershed assessment financed
       through a 1991 Section 305(b) grant has
       identified both point and nonpoint pollution
       problems on tribal lands. Four major industrial,
       areas and approximately 20 minor sites
       contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons-
       (total petroleum hydrocarbons [TPH]) remain in
       residential areas of the reservation. Many are
       contaminated with diesel fuel (D), and some
       threaten the tribe's domestic water supplies.
            Among these 24 sites, a single site has
       been selected to demonstrate and evaluate a
       soil remediation technique and whether an air
       contact and wood-chip composting program
       can reduce the TPH-D levels in soils. The
       treatment should be sufficient to protect both
       surface and groundwater.
            The Masonite Mill Creek site is an
       abandoned sawmill with two large underground
       storage tanks. A leak from the tanks has
       contaminated the surrounding soil with diesel
       fuel. Investigators suspect that the leak may ,
       have been as much as 10,000 gallons.
            Initial site investigations show that
       petroleum hydrocarbons had already
       contaminated the site's groundwater. Project
       managers had the tanks removed and disposed
       of in an approved manner by a licensed
  contractor. Contaminated soils were likewise
  excavated and transported off-site.   •
  Postexcavation testing of both the residual soil
•  and the groundwater show no traces of TPH-D.
      The tribe considered various alternative
  methods for cleaning the contaminated soil
  and eventually selected bioremediation. This
  technology appears to be the appropriate
  method; it is within the scope of the tribe's
  available technological skills and appears to be
  cost-effective. Bioremediation uses
  microbacteria to break down and digest volatile
  organics (such as diesel fuel). The warm
  summer months will aid this process.
      The tribe plans to conduct
  bioremediation on approximately 1,700 cubic
  yards of soil contaminated with diesel fuel. The
  process will include windrowing the soil on an
  impervious surface, working wood chips into
 the soil, and turning  the soil monthly to
 encourage complete  aeration. The soil will be
 monitored for TPH-D during the treatment
 period.
      The tribe's Environmental Protection
 Agency  believes that  two summer seasons will
 be required to remediate the soil. Windrows will
 be covered during the rainy season between the
 first and second years. When remediation is
 complete,  the open pit will be refilled, and the
 site will be cleaned and revegetated. During the.
 remediation period, the site can also be used
 for educational field trips.

                    CONTACT: Larry P. Oetker
 Hoopa Valley Tribal Environmental Protection Agency
                              . 916625-5515
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                        HUALAPAI  TRIBEj
                    Hualapai Tribe, Northwestern Arizona
     The Hualapai Reservation, on
     approximately one million acres of land in
     northwestern Arizona and 108 miles of the
Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, will be a
first-time participant in the section 319 grant
program in 1997. The Hualapai Department of
Natural Resources will be responsible for
accomplishing the program on the Hualapai
Indian Reservation.

Flight of the burros
     The Spencer Creek subbasin is located
directly west of the Diamond Creek/Peach
Springs Canyon subbasin and covers about 240
square miles. Spencer Creek is the largest
perennial stream on the reservation. The creek
and its tributaries, the Meriwhitica, Milkweed,
and Hindu canyons, drain a large part of the
Hualapai Plateau.
     The land changes from a high elevation
pinon-juniper forest on the southern end to
high-desert vegetation along the Colorado
River, the northern boundary of the reservation.
Many feral burros live on the reservation: 17
were counted in an April 1996 reconnaissance
of the drainage. The predominant land uses in
this subbasin are cattle grazing and recreation.
The confluence of Spencer Creek and Lake
'Mead is a popular camping spot for Colorado
River trips and recreational lake boaters.

Coaxing the flight
     The removal of 90 percent of the feral
burros in the Spencer Creek subbasin is a major
undertaking for this project. Removal methods
include the use of helicopter net guns and
riding herd on the burro by horseback. The
roundup  is necessary to prevent fecal
contamination of the creek and to protect the
basin's wetlands, restoring the native
vegetation and providing important habitat for
migratory birds and other wildlife.
     The actual project will require three days'
using a helicopter. During the first four hours,
the helicopter crews will haul fence panels
down to Indian Gardens to make a temporary
holding pen. Then they will net all burros
encountered in Spencer Canyon and transport
them by helicopter to the holding pen for
relocation to other areas. Estimates are that
this step will require approximately 16 hours.
     Previous projects to remove burros and
wild  horses from the reservation have been
successful. However, the animals regain their
original numbers in approximately 10 years. In
the meantime, the Department is developing
plans to prevent the .buildup of these feral.
populations, and the woody riparian vegetation
now  lost to overgrazing will have an opportunity
to mature. Selected sites will be observed for
vegetation recovery.
     Removal of the burros from Spencer
Canyon will  immediately improve wetland
plants and water quality throughout the
Spencer Creek drainage. Project managers will
monitor its effects by pre- and postremoval
photographic documentation.
     The project is expected to enhance
approximately 321 acres of wetland habitat
along the lower reaches of the creek. These
areas serve as forage, nesting, and cover
grounds for  migrating waterfowl and  •
neotropical  migrants.

                          CONTACT: Don Bay
        Hualapai Department of Natural Resources
                               520769-2255
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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               SEMINOLE TRIBE  OF FLORIDA
                  Projects on the Brighton and Tampa Reservations
            The Seminole Tribe of Florida has
            requested assistance to develop and
            implement best management practices on
       two distinctly different reservations. The
       Brighton Reservation Project seeks to limit the
       flow of nutrients in runoff from lands used
       primarily as pasture for cow-calf cattle ranching.
       Because the reservation is highly urban, the
       Tampa Reservation Project seeks to divert
       runoff from a large parking lot, and collect it to
       restore a wetlands area that is part of a
       recreational business.
            The Brighton project has entered the
       monitoring phase; the Tampa project is only
       now being implemented. Its purpose remains
       as described, but its design has expanded as
       other businesses on the reservation become
       involved,

       Pasture management
            The Brighton Reservation, approximately
       36.000 acres located on the northwest edge of
       Lake Okeechobee, is sweet cabbage palm
       flatwoods dominated by palm hammocks and
       bahia/Pensacola grass pasture lands. It has 25
       ranches on 12,000 acres of pasture, which are
       grazed by approximately 6,500 head of cattle.
           The tribe worked with the local USDA
       Natural Resources Conservation Service office
       to develop a pasture management plan that
       would use a four-pasture rotational system with
       new cross-fences and livestock watering
       facilities. Autosamplers were placed at the
       surface water ditches entering and leaving each
       pasture. A fifth pasture was used as a control,
 and phosphorus and nitrogen are measured
 weekly.
      Data from the monitoring activity on
 Brighton Reservation indicate that total
 phosphorus and nitrogen are still present in the
 field runoff. However, a longer-term monitoring
.program is needed to gage the project's overall
 success. In the meantime, the rainfall, water
 quality, and surface water pumping quantities
 are being measured and grazing patterns
 documented for further remediation.

 Managing urban runoff

     The Tampa Reservation consists of 45
 acres in eastern Hillsborough county between
 Highways 98 and 1-4. It is primarily steeply
 sloping urban land with a hotel,' stores, gaming
 facility, a cultural village, and community
 townhouses. It even has a recreational softball
 field. The Tampa Reservation is about 80
 percent paved; runoff from the paved areas at
 the top of the hill flows to the Village and
 community homes at the bottom of the hill.
     The original plan to route runoff from the
Tampa parking lot called for installing a
 constructed wetlands in the cultural village.
More recent plans are to drain more of the
parking lot and expand'a small detention pond
that will actually be the first tier of a multiple
floor parking garage.

                     CONTACT: Craig Tepper
                 Water Resources Management
                     Seminole Tribe of Florida
                              954 967-3402
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      SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II

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      CONFEDERATED  TRIBiS^FirH&«
     UMATILLA  INDIAN  RESERVATION
      Protecting the Floodplain, Riparian, and In-stream Habitat
      Land uses on the Umatilla Indian
      Reservation and in the surrounding
      Umatilla River watershed (in northcentral
 Oregon) include agriculture (both dryland and
 irrigated), ranching (grazing),, forestry, and
 residential, commercial, and.industrial .
 development.
     These land uses yield a variety of
 nonpoint sources primarily related to erosion.
 Thus, for example, they include the loss of •
 wetlands and riparian vegetation along the   :
 Umatilla River and its tributaries and runoff
 from fields, roads, parking areas, and industrial
 sites. Groundwater contamination may also
 result from these land uses. Failing septic
 systems and sewage 'effluent also contribute to
 water quality impairments associated with
 nonpoint source runoff and soil erosion.

 River basin protection enhances
 ancient rights
     Throughout the Umatilla River Basin, the
 Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
 Reservation retain aboriginal and treaty rights
 related to fishing, hunting, livestock
 production, and the gathering of traditional
 plants. Water quality, riparian, and'watershed
 conditions must be managed to provide ample
 opportunity for the tribes to exercise those
 rights. Most recently, the tribes have
 undertaken a.project to ensure the in-stream,
 riparian, and upland habitats for fish, wildlife,
 and plants.           ,        •
An integrated approach serves the
coldwater fishery

     The project is using a watershed
protection approach to restore the Umatilla's
Jloodplain, riparian areas, and in-stream
habitats. The tribes look forward to improved
livestock and crop management practices that
will ultimately improve coldwater fisheries
(especially the salrnonid habitat), water quality,
and native plants. Specifically, the tribes will
reduce stream temperatures and control
sedimentation through increased riparian "
plantings, shading, and additional groundwater
storage and infiltration.
     The following objectives have been
identified:
   • increase riparian shade and bank storage
     to improve productivity and survival of
     adults during holding and spawning of
     eggs and of juveniles during rearing and
     passage;
   • improve pasture management and
     efficiency by rotational grazing and wider
     use of upland pastures;
   • reduce late summer water temperatures
     and increase winter stream temperatures
     to improve productivity and survival of
     adult salmonids, eggs, and juvenile
     salmonids during rearing and passage;

   • improve crop management practices to
     protect and restore water quality and fish
     habitat;
   • increase riparian vegetation and consider
     the introduction of beaver to provide
     natural habitat structural improvements;
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          • increase in-stream structure and channel
            diversity to improve overwintering
            habitats and fish survival; and
          • implement a proactive approach to
            private land grazing and agricultural
            management.

      Monitoring for outcomes
            Project outcomes can be evaluated by
      monitoring five categories:
          • physical changes in streambank and
            floodplain vegetation;
          • changes in water quality (temperature
            and suspended sediment primarily);
          • juvenile salmonid production;
    • adult salmonid returns; and
 .   • maintenance of project improvements.
     Streambank and floodplain vegetation
and stream morphology will be monitored
through habitat surveys, photo points, and air
photographs; water quality, with permanent
in-stream temperature monitoring stations.
Other changes can be gaged through synoptic
educational and effectiveness monitoring.
Salmonid numbers will be monitored, with
prior landowner permission,  by the
Confederated Tribes and the  Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife.

                       CONTACT: Rick George
                Department of Natural Resources:
    Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation
                                541 278-5206
208
       SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 Access road—a temporary or permanent road over
 which timber is transported from a loading site to a
 public road.

 Acid mine drainage—Mine leachate, or drainage,
 that contains free acidic sulfates (usually, ferrous  '
 acid). Sulfide minerals generally breakdown in the
 presence of oxygen and water.

, Aquifer—An underground geologic formation or
 structure that transmits water in sufficient quantity
 to supply the needs for a water development (Soil
 Conservation Society of America, 1982).

 Berth—A low earthfill constructed in the path of
 flowing water to divert its direction, or constructed
. to act as a counterweight beside the road fill to
 reduce the risk of foundation failure.

 Best Management Practice (BMP)—A practice or
 combination of practices that are determined to be
 the most effective and practicable means of
 controlling point and nonpoint pollutants at levels
 compatible with environmental quality goals (Soil
 Conservation Society of America, 1982).
 Channelization and channel modification—
 Engineering activities or techniques undertaken to
 change stream and river channels for certain
 reasons, including flood control, navigation, and
 drainage improvement. Also called channel
 modifications, these activities include straightening,
 widening, deepening, relocating and clearing or
 snagging operations that generally result in more
 uniform channel cross sections.

Chlorophyll-a—A blue-green chlorophyll or
magnesium chlorine pigment, found in all higher
plants and algae. Chlorophyll plays an important
role in photosynthesis.

Composting—A controlled process of degrading
organic matter by microorganisms (Soil
Conservation Society of America, 1982).

Constructed wetland—Engineered systems •
designed to simulate natural wetlands to exploit the
water purification functional value for human use
and benefits. Constructed wetlands consist of former
upland environments that have been modified to
create poorly drained soils and wetlands flora and
fauna for the primary purpose of contaminant or
pollutant removal from wastewater or runoff.
  Crop rotation—The growing of different crops in
  recurring succession on the same land (Soil
  Conservation Society of America, 1982).

  Dissolved oxygen—The concentration of free
  molecular oxygen in the water column. Although
  oxygen makes up about 90 percent of water, it's
  concentration in water is higher near the surface and
  declines to almost nil at the lowest depths. Its
  absence causes fish kills and the condition known as
  hypoxia, or dead water.

  Effluent—Solid, liquid; or gaseous wastes that enter
  the environment as a by-product of human activities
.  (Soil Conservation Society of America,  1982).

  Erosion—Wearing away of the land surface by  ' •
  running water, glaciers, wind, and waves.

  Estuary—The part of the river that is affected by  .
  tides. The region near a river mouth in-which the
  fresh water in the river mixes with the salt water of
  the sea.                         '

  Eutrophication—The alteration of lake ecology
  through excessive nutrient input characterized by
  excessive growth of aquatic plants and algae and low'
  levels of dissolved oxygen.

  Fecal coliform bacteria—Bacteria normally found
  in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals;
  these bacteria are normally harmless to humans, but
  are used as indicators of the presence of sewage that
  may contain harmful bacteria and viruses.

  GIS—see Geographic Information Systems
  Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—A
  computer system used to store, analyze, and present
  geographical information, such as topography,
  ecosystem types, vegetation, land uses, and political
  and transportation systems, among others. A single
  map can be displayed on the computer screen with
 additional maps added as overlays to facilitate
 comparisons.

 Geotextile—A product used as a soil reinforcement
 agent or filter medium. Made of synthetic fibers
 manufactured in a woven or loose nonwoven manner
 to form a blanket-like product.

 Groundwater—Underground water supplies stored
 in aquifers; the source of groundwater is rain which
 soaks into the ground and flows down until it is
 collected at a point where the ground is not
 permeable.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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       Habitat—The place where a biological species
       naturally lives or grows.
       Herbaceous—A vascular plant that does not
       develop woody tissue (Soil Conservatioa Society of
       America. 1982).
       Holding pond—A reservoir, pit, or pond, usually
       made of earth, used to retain polluted runoff water
       for disposal on land (Soil Conservation Society of
       America. 1982).
       Hybrid—A plant resulting from a cross between
       parents of different species, subspecies, or cultivar
       (Soil Conservation Society of America, 1982).
       Integrated Pest Management (IPM)—A pest
       population management system that uses cultural
       practices to anticipate and prevent pests from
       reaching damaging levels. IPM uses all suitable
       tactics including natural enemies, pest-resistant
       plants, cultural management, and pesticides, leading
       to an economically sound and environmentally safe
       agriculture.
       Irrigation—Application of water to lands for
       agricultural purposes (Soil Conservation Society of
       America,  1982).                     .
       Karst—A type of topography characterized by closed
       depressions, sinkholes, underground caverns, and
       solution channels (Soil Conservation Society of
       America.  1982).
       Lagoon—A reservoir or pond built to contain water
       and animal wastes until they can be decomposed
       either by aerobic or anaerobic action (Soil
       Conservation Society of America, 1982).
       Leachate—Liquids that have percolated through a
       soil and that contain substances in solution or
       suspension (Soil Conservation Society of America,
       1982).
       Leaching—The removal from the soil in solution of
       the more soluble materials by percolating waters
       (Soil Conservation Society of America, 1982).
       Load—The quantity (i.e.,  mass) of a material that
       enters a waterbody over a given time interval (Soil
       Conservation Society of America, 1982).

       Manure—the fecal and urinary defecations of
       livestock and poultry (Soil Conservation Society of
       America, 1982).
       Nitrate—Any salt or ester of nitric acid or any
       compound that contains the NOs- group. A fertilizer
       consisting of sodium or potassium nitrate. More
       generally, a water soluble form of nitrogen.
       Nonpolnt source pollution—water pollution that
       comes from many diffuse sources rather than from a
       specific point, such as an outfall pipe; often the
       unintended result of human activities.
Nutrients—Elements, or compounds, essential as
raw materials for organism growth and development,
such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (Soil
Conservation Society of America, 1982).:

Permeability—The quality of a soil horizon that
enables water or air to move through it; may be
limited by the presence of one nearly impermeable
horizon even though the others are  permeable (Soil
Conservation Society of America, 1982).

Pesticide—Any chemical agent used for control of
plant or animal pests.

Phosphorus—A widely occurring nonmetallic
element used in matches, pesticides, fertilizers, and
other products; one of the primary nutrients,
phosphorus is involved in nearly all processes of,
metabolism.
Point source pollution—water pollution that comes
from a specific definable source.

Pollutant—Dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator
residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions,
chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive
materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment,
rock sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal, and
agricultural waste discharged into water (Section
502(6) of the Clean Water Act as amended by the
Water Quality Act of 1987, Pub. L. 100-4)
Retrofit—The creation or modification of an urban
runoff management system in a previously
developed area. This may include wet ponds,
 infiltration systems, wetland plantings, streambank
stabilization, and other. BMP techniques for
 improving water quality and creating aquatic habitat.

 Riparian area—Vegetated ecosystems along a
waterbody through which energy, materials, and
water pass. Riparian areas characteristically have a
 high water table and are subject to periodic flooding
 and influence from the adjacent waterbody.

' Runoff—That part of precipitation, snow melt, or
 irrigation water that runs off the land into streams-or
 other surface water. It can carry pollutants from the
 air and land into the receiving waters.
 Salinity—The concentration of dissolved solids or
 salt in water.
 Sediment—The product of erosion processes; the
 solid material, both mineral and organic, that is in
 suspension, is being transported, or has been moved
 from its site of origin by air, water, gravity, or ice.

 Sedimentation—The process or act of depositing
 sediment.
 Silvicultural system—A process, following accepted
 principles, whereby the tree species constituting
 forests are tended, harvested, and replaced.
210
         SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I

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 Storm drain—A system of gutters, pipes, or ditches.
 used to carry stormwater from surrounding lands to
 streams, lakes, or coastal waters.

 Stormwater—Water that is generated by rainfall
. Surface water—All water whose surface is exposed
 to the atmosphere.           .

 Suspended sediment—The very fine soil particles'
 that remain in suspension in water for a
 considerable period of time.

 TMDL—see Total Maximum Daily Load

 Tillage—The operation of implements through the
 soil to prepare seedbeds and rootbeds, control
 weeds and brush, aerate the soil, and cause faster
 breakdown of organic matter and minerals to release
 plant foods,      .    .

 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)—This
 program, established by Section 303{d) of the Clean
 Water Act, provides for the protection of waters in
' areas where pollution control is not stringent
 enough to achieve water quality standards. The
 program authorizes states to assess water quality
 and to allocate the total maximum allowable  daily
 load(s) of pollutant discharges.to those waters,
 regardless of the pollutant's source. Future TMDLs
 are expected to emphasize wet weather stormwater
 discharges and nonpoiht source pollution problems.
 Turbidity—A cloudy condition in water due to
 suspended silt or organic matter.

 Vegetated buffer—Strips of vegetation separating a
 waterbody from a land use with potential to act as a
 nonpoint pollution source; vegetated buffers (or
 simply buffers) are variable in width and can range in
 function from a vegetated filter strip to a wetland or
 riparian area.                              .

 Water quality—a term that reflects the condition of
 water that has been affected by natural processes
 and human activities; good water quality may mean
 that it meets its designated uses, i.e., it is fishable
 and swimmable.

 Watershed—A drainage area or basin iti which all
 land and water areas drain or flow toward a central
 collector such as a stream,  river, or lake at a lower
 elevation.

Wetlands-r-Areas that are inundated or saturated by
surface or ground water at a frequency and duration
to support an, and that under normal circumstances
do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically
adapted for life in saturated soil conditions;
wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs,
and similar areas.
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME II
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 acid mine drainage 66-67, 116-118, 141-142
 agriculture 26-27, 43-44, 55-56, 59-62, 68-72, 86-87,
 90-91 ,96-101, 111-112, 128-129, 130, 146-148, J57,
 165-170, 173-177,.
 animal waste 7-8,45-47,93-94,182-183
 burros 205
 composting  96, 160-161, 180-181
 constructed wetlands  64-66., 79-80, 84-85, 120
 dairy waste  17-18, 43-44, 56-57, 68-70, 79-80, 90-91,
 111-112,  165-166
 erosion  73-75,77-78, 107-108, 157, 164-165,
 175-177,  179-180,204
 forestry  39-44, 75-76, 121-122, 124, 177-180,
 190-192,  195-196, 199-200
 grazing  24-25,97-99, 101-102, 107-108,  126-127,
 164-165,  187-188, 203  .        ' '    .
 integrated crop management 59-60, 169-170
 lake 37-38,48-50,61-62,91-92,94-95,104-107,
 109-110,130,167-168,201-202
 legislation 67, 124, 138-139, 193
 manual  11-12,39-41
 marina 113-114, 194
 marsh restoration  35-36,143-144
 minigrants 148-150
 no-till farming 55-57, 107-108, 130
 nutrients  7-8, 19-20, 30-32, 61-62, 73-74, 86-87,
 90-95,97-102, 104-105, 109-110, 126-130, 154-156,
 167-168, 173-174
 range management  see grazing
 rice 70-72        .            .        '      •
 riparian  24-25, 42-44, 48-54, 59-60,  55-76,  103,
 106-107, 154-156, 164-165, 171-173,  177-178,
 185-188,207-208
 roads  195-196, 198
'sediment  23, 24-25, 30-32, 59-60, 73-75, 121-122,
 128-130,154-156,177-180,
 septics 64-65, 119-i 20,  144-145
 shellfish bed 84-85, 113-114, 141-142, 134-135
 soil remediation 204
 stream restoration 23, 49-50, 58-59
 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) 136-137,
 173-174
 total resource management  26-27, 99-100
 trout 7-8, 24-25, 49-50, 58-59, 88-89, 106, 122-124,
 185-187,198                   •      -    .
 urban 29-32,94-95, 109-110, 158-161, 206-
 volunteers 8-10, 63, 131-132, 150-152, 184
 watershed 13-16, 21-23,  33-34, 77-78, 81-83, 88-89,
 122-126, 134-135', 139-140, 152-154, 190-192
 wellhead protection  162-163
 zoning  13-16, 142-143
                                                                        •fr U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1997-615-649/90403
SECTION 319 SUCCESS STORIES: VOLUME (I
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