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Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PRUFRAM SUCCESS STURY
Concerted Watershed Effort Improves Several Streams
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Agricultural and residential activities in the Middle Fork
Holston River watershed in southwestern Virginia have
caused the river to become impaired by sediment and fecal coliform. Urban and agricultural
activities—including targeting failing septic systems and excluding livestock from
streams—helped reduce fecal coliform values to creeks draining into the River, and resulted
in a 50 percent reduction of bacteria water quality violations in one of these creeks.
Problem
In 1998 four tributaries of the Middle Fork
Holston River—Cedar, Hall, Byers, and Hutton
Creeks—were identified as impaired and
placed on the section 303(d) list for exceed-
ances of the fecal coliform water quality
standard. Land use in the Cedar, Hall, Byers,
and Hutton Creek watersheds is predominantly
agriculture, residential, and forest. Bacteria
from more than 6,590 sheep, horses, beef
cows, dairy heifers, and dairy cows and 1,139
septic systems contributed to high fecal
coliform levels in the creeks. Fecal coliform
total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) were
approved in 2000, and benthic TMDLs were
approved in 2003.
Project Highlights
In 2001 the Virginia Department of Conserva-
tion and Recreation (OCR) developed an
implementation plan, with support from EPA's
section 319 funding, with a goal of achieving
the required reductions and restoring these
waters to full health within 6 to 10 years. The
Holston River Soil and Water Conservation
District (SWCD) agreed to oversee implement-
ation of both the agricultural and residential
programs in accordance with the plan. Best
management practices (BMPs) identified in
the plan included excluding livestock from
streams, identifying practices to correct failing
septic systems and straight pipes conveying
human waste to the streams, and reducing
by 10 percent the fecal coliform runoff from
pastures and hayfields in the Hutton Creek
watershed.
The urban and agricultural BMPs implemented
by homeowners and farmers in the watershed
have helped tremendously in reducing load-
ings to the creeks. Residents have responded
to educational efforts and are working to
properly maintain their septic tanks. As of
December 2004, 120 septic tanks have been
pumped and 16 on-site sewage disposal
systems have been upgraded. Farmers have
installed 14.2 miles of stream fencing; imple-
mented livestock grazing management systems,
including watering sources and travel lanes; and
improved 3,588 acres of pasture and 13 acres
of riparian forest buffers along Hutton Creek.
Approximately 70 percent of the agricultural pro-
ducers in the watershed have been contacted
about the goals of the implementation plan.
Results
The Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) monitors the impaired streams
through the agency's ambient monitoring
program. Since the beginning of implementa-
tion efforts in 2001, high fecal coliform values
have decreased in the Byers, Cedar, and
Hutton Creek watersheds (Figure 1). Bacteria
water quality violations of the 1,000 cfu/100
mL instantaneous standard for fecal coliform
-------
Byers Creek: Fecal Coliform Monitoring (2000-2004)
10000 -I
Cedar Creek: Fecal Coliform Monitoring (2000-2004)
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AugOO Feb-01 Sep-01 Apr-02 Oct-02 May-03 Nov-03 Jun-04
Sample Month
AugOO Feb-01 Sep-01 Apr-02 Oct-02 May-03 Nov-03 Jun-04
Sample Month
Mutton Creek: Fecal Coliform Monitoring (2000-2004)
10000 -i
AugOO Feb-01 Sep-01 Apr-02 Ort-02 May-03 Nov-03 Jun-0'
Sample Month
Figure 1
bacteria were reduced by an annual average of
50 percent during the period 2000 to 2004 in
Mutton Creek. Ongoing monitoring will be nec-
essary to verify a sustained decrease in fecal
coliform concentrations and general overall
improvement in water quality.
Partners and Funding
The Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Virginia DEQ, Holston River
SWCD, Virginia OCR, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Region 3, and volunteers
have contributed to the success of this
project. To date, 54 long-term contracts with
producers have been developed to allocate
approximately $555,300 to install needed
BMPs. From the start of the implementation
project in September 2001 through December
2004, $607,068 from section 319 funding
has been spent—$282,068 for technical
assistance/educational activities and $325,000
for the installation of BMPs. Other funding
was also obtained from the Environmental
Quality Incentive Program ($1.4 million from
approved contracts), the Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program ($101,822), the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Tennessee
Valley Authority. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority
provided a total of $23,111 in BMP funding.
I
55
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004I
July 2005
For additional information contact:
Anthony Summitt or Shauna Russell
Holston River Soil and Water Conservation District
276-628-8187 • anthony.summitt@vaswcd.org
or shauna.russell@va.nacdnet.net
Fred Suffian
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3
215-814-5753 • suffian.fred@epa.gov
Charles Lunsford
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
804-786-3199 • charles.lunsford@dcr.virginia.gov
Ken Carter
Natural Resource Conservation Service
804-287-1690 • ken.carter@va.usda.gov
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