United States Environmental Protection Agency July-August 1978 &EPA 208 Bulletin Modification of Roadway Designs to Protect Florida Waters Two water quality manage- ment agencies in Florida were instrumental in modifying road design plans to minimize the impact of runoff from the finished roads on surrounding surface waters and drinking water supplies. Background Road widening and road con- struction plans in Dade County and Winterhaven, in central Florida, sparked the concern of citizens and areawide water quality management staffs that nearby surface waters and drink- ing water supplies would be degraded by oils and heavy metals carried in runoff from the roads. Both road projects are sponsored by the Florida Depart- ment of Transportation (DOT). Citizens and WQM staff mem- bers were able to address the projects through reviews of DOT permit applications to the Florida Department of Environment Regulation (DERI. Central Florida A four-lane road planned for construction through Winter- haven was designed with drain- age pipes running directly into five lakes along the road. Three of the lakes are very clean. Two have limited nutrient problems. The water quality management staff of the Central Florida Regional Planning Council became concerned that the drainage provisions would result in degradation of the lakes. The WQM staff initiated a series of meetings with repre- sentatives from DOT and DER to reassess the road design. The WQM staff received strong sup- port from a citizens' Federation of Lake Associations to ensure that the road design was modi- fied at all five lake sites. Through the review meetings, all parties reached agreement to modify the design plans in ac- cordance with suggestions from the WQM staff. The pipes will be relocated, so that water drain- ing from the roadways will be filtered through cypress bay heads or diverted onto the land. The DER issued the permit on condition that the plan incor- porate these modifications. Con- struction is under way at four of the five lakes. The site near the fifth lake posed some engineer- ing problems and the interagency group and citizens are meeting to develop alternative controls for that site. Dade County In Dade County, the DOT Pro- posed a project to widen US 27, a two-lane highway which is a major artery in the area and poses a significant safety hazard. Members of the Governmental Liaison Committee (a subcom- mittee of the citizens' WQM Areawide Planning Advisory Committee) raised the issue that drainage and runoff control pro- visions of the project were inade- quate. The WQM staff of the Dade County Department of En- vironmental Resources Manage- continued to page 11 Frederick County Farm to be Renovated in One Day Frederick, Md. —If you've never been to a barn raising, seen a pond built, or been on a hay ride, you may have a chance this August to do all three and much more. The Catoctin Soil Conserva- tion District, with the help of the Frederick District, will completely renovate a 245-acre farm located at the foot of South Mountain in Frederick County, Md. on August 19, 1978. The District is calling the event, which is a reenactment of the Thrasher Field Day held 30 continued to page 6 Paul Edwards of the Soil Conser- vation Service examines field gullies. Project Clearivater will use techniques designed to eliminate agricultural nonpoint sources of pollution, pursuant to the Clean Wafer Act and the Soil Conservation Act. ------- Partnership Against Nonpoint Pollution 11 is nearly 5 years since pas- sage of Public Law 92-500- the Federal Water Pollution Con- trol Act Amendments of 1972. In most respects, the law's objec- tive, "to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation's waters," remains a distant goal rather than a reality. Many have grave doubts that the 1983 deadline for several of the objectives can be met. In one important area, how- ever, the mechanism for controll- ing water pollution is already in place and the expertise is avail- able. That area is the control of pollution from so-called nonpoint sources required by Section 208 of the 1972 Amendments. Point source pollution is easier to understand than nonpoint. It isn't hard to visualize raw ef- fluent or poisonous chemicals flowing from pipes into our lakes and rivers. Many Americans have seen them firsthand. Nonpoint source pollution, on the other hand, is the result of storm water moving over thousands or even millions of acres at a time, washing particles of soil downhill into creeks, rivers or lakes. Sediment— Major Water Pollutant The impact of nonpoint pollu- tants on water quality is substan- tial. Soil erosion and sedimenta- tion are major problems nation- wide. By volume, sediment is the Nation's greatest single water pollutant—point or nonpoint. Several billion tons of soil erode annually and much of this is deposited as sediment in lakes and waterways. Sediment particles can carry such chemicals as phosphates and pesticides. Runoff from farmland may wash pesticides in- to lakes and streams in amounts sufficient to poison fish. Nitrates and phosphates from fertilizers also may wash off land into streams and lakes, stimulating algae growth and creating other undesirable effects. Animal wastes left on the ground may become a nonpoint water pollu- tants as well, contaminating sur- face and groundwater and creat- ing a greater menace in some areas than human sewage. Some of these pollutants become linked with the soil after they are applied to farmlands; and, when soil erosion is stopped, their movement into waterways is halted as well. Controlling nonpoint sources of pollution is not new to America's farmers, ranchers and foresters. They are aware that soil erosion is a cause of non- point pollution and have been working for decades to control the problem. The Soil Conservation Service (SCSI is a component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Formed in 1935, the Service is dedicated to the con- servation, development and pro- ductive use of our soil and water resources and has assisted in this work. For more than 40 years, SCS professionals have worked with land users in local conservation districts throughout the Nation to protect our soil and water base. It is this combination of forces — America's farmers, the Soil Conservation Service and local conservation districts together with the various Section 208 planning agencies—that can pro- vide a solution to the problem of nonpoint pollution. As Section 208 of P.L. 92-500 is implemented, promising new ap- proaches to achieving soil con- servation are expected to emerge. A Grass Roots Approach The Service has more than 13,000 employees based at ap- proximately 3,600 SCS field of- fices nationwide who help land users. They include soil and water conservationists, soil scientists, engineers, agronomists, range con- servationists, biologists, economists and foresters. SCS works through conserva- tion districts that are legal sub- divisions of State government responsible under State law for conservation work within their districts. There 2,950 conserva- tion districts in the U.S. Most cover one or more counties and are directed by an elected or ap- pointed unsalaried board of local citizens. Through agreements with the districts, SCS provides the ser- vices of professional men and women who help districts plan and carry out a wide range of soil and water conservation pro- grams. Other USDA agencies, such as the Forest Service, also provide assistance. Districts channel the services of profes- sional conservationists to in- dividual farmers, ranchers and other land users as well as to groups and units of government who need SCS help. The person or group who receives assistance in planning and carrying out soil and water conservation work through the districts is called a "Cooperator." SCS and the districts are helping more than two million cooperators nation- wide—a remarkable record for a voluntary program. The ongoing, grass roots pro- gram of conservation planning and application of conservation practices by farmers and other land users with the help of SCS professionals and conservation districts is one of the Nation's best available means for controll- ing nonpoint sources of pollu- tion. Readymade Potential Traditionally SCS, the conserva- tion districts and other cooperat- ing agencies have worked pri- marily in the broad field of natural resource conservation rather than specifically on water pollution control. Water quality agencies, on the other hand, have concentrated primarily on ------- pollution control, and mainly on pollution from municipal and in- dustrial sources. There has been insufficient communication over the years between soil conservation and water quality agencies, and a lack of understanding of each other's problems and potential contributions. Local conservation districts, backed by SCS field of- fices, had readymade potential to assist in developing and im- plementing 208 nonpoint water quality management plans im- mediately when PL-92-500 was passed in 1972. Yet for several years following the law's enact- ment, most of the various agen- cies designed to develop water quality management plans fo- cused their energies almost ex- clusively on point source pollu- tion control. This is understandable. Pre- vious water quality legislation had dealt almost exclusively with point source pollution, as had state inspection procedures. Therefore, professional water quality planners continued to concentrate on municipal and in- dustrial problems. "No-till" farming, in which a new crop is planted through the residue of an old crop killed by herbicides, reduces soil erosion to practically zero. Now the focus is changing. More 208 planners are aware of the existence of soil and water conservation districts. They also know that the districts, in con- cert with SCS conservationists and other USDA professionals, can give them invaluable im- mediate and long-range help in formulating nonpoint pollution control plans. A variety of other Federal, State and local groups also work with districts and can provide help. With this new awareness, we see an emerging partnership be- tween conservation districts, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SCS and other USDA agencies, and State and areawide water quality agencies. We believe that this partnership can formulate the dominant strategy for effective nonpoint pollution control in rural America in the decades ahead. The ultimate success of this partnership and the resulting water quality management will depend in large measure on the continued strengthening of com- munication, cooperation and un- derstanding between the various water quality groups. SCS is taking steps to rein- force this partnership. There are 39 SCS professionals now assigned to various state and areawide 208 agencies. The Ser- vice also has professional conser- vationists assigned to EPA in Washington, D.C., and to EPA regional offices in Philadelphia, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, Seattle and Atlanta.1 In fiscal year 1976, SCS contributed 42 man-years to help 208 planners, and SCS state conservationists expect the Service to contribute 154 man-years to 208 planning in 1977. It bears mentioning that no 208 monies have come directly to SCS for this purpose. Cooperation on EPA Demonstration Projects The U.S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency is funding three demonstration projects under Section 1082 of Public Law 92-500. All are coming up with new methods and techniques for eliminating or controlling pollu- tion in watersheds of the Great Lakes. The prime contractor in each project is a local soil and water conservation district. The Black Creek Project, in In- diana, is reducing the amount of sediment and other agricultural pollutants such as pesticides that move into the Maumee River and eventually into Lake Erie. Ap- proaches to promote the project range from minimum tillage to a study of farmer attitudes towards conservation. The prime contractor is the Allen County ' Soil and Water Conservation District, aided by Purdue Univer- sity, SCS and other agenices. The Red Clay Project, covering five counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, is aimed at reducing soil erosion to keep the hard-to- manage, local red clay soil out of Lake Superior. The red clay is a shrink-swell soil that fractures easily when disturbed and then moves into streams and rivers. Once in the water, it remains suspended for long periods. For as much as several hundred yards into Lake Superior the water is colored bright red by its sediment. The prime contractor for the Red Clay Project is the Douglas County, (Wisconsin) Soil and Water Conservation District. Four other conservation districts also are involved, along with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Pollu- tion Control Agency and other agencies. Demonstrators are try- ing "everything in the book," from hydroseeding to paving with bricks, to keep the soil from breaking up and getting into waterways. Cost-sharing is used to induce local farmers to keep cattle from disturbing stream- banks and to develop alternate sources of water for livestock. The Washington County Proj- ect, near Milwaukee, is showing local people ways to keep sedi- ment washed from urbanizing areas out of Lake Michigan. The Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District is the prime contractor, assisted by the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and other agencies. Tours, brochures, and new institutional arrangements are used to secure the local in- volvement and participation needed to make a success of the program. These projects got under way about 3 years ago and should conclude within the next year or two. The experience gained should be useful in 208 planning throughout the Great Lakes Region. ' Since the writing of this article, an SCS professional conservationist has been assigned to the EPA regional office in New York City. J Section 108 of P.L. 92-500 pertains specifically to the watersheds of the Great Lakes. continued to page 7 ------- Towpath Trail Has Many Friends The Association of New Jer- sey Environmental Commis- sion (ANJEC) and the New Jer- sey Conservation Foundation are working with the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency in a pilot program in Morris County, New Jersey, to incorporate open space and recreational areas into wastewater facilities construction plans. The Association has assisted with the formation of a regional citizen's group, the Friends of Towpath Trail, that is working to implement the man- date for open space and recrea- tional planning in the Federal Clean Water Act. In Section 201 (f) and (g) of the Clean Water Act of 1977, Congress emphasized the impor- tance of making the lands upon which wastewater facilities are built open to the public for recreational and educational ac- tivities, and required that future facility plans address the provi- sion for public access to our newly-cleaned rivers and streams. The Friends of Towpath Trail, staffed by ANJEC, is working with the Rockaway Valley The route of the towpath trail across the Rockaway River in Rockaway Borough. The tow- path trail is already popular with joggers, walkers and those who enjoy the beautiful out-of-doors. Regional Sewerage Authority, local civic organizations, and landowners to build a 13-mile- long linear greenbelt park along the Rockaway Valley Regional in- terceptor line. The interceptor line parallels the Rockaway River and the historic Morris Canal, an abandoned 19th Century supply line which once provided coal from Pennsylvania for New Jersey's iron mines. When the towpath trail is completed, it will be an earthen footpath suitable for walking, jogging, and cross-county skiing. The towpath trail will be built by using the restored and land- scaped interceptor right-of-way and by retaining the undisturbed natural vegetation along the path. The Friends of Towpath Trail are asking private land- owners along the path to dedicate portions of their proper- ties for the trail by conveying a public use easement to the local municipalities or to the Conser- vation Foundation. The group emphasizes the substantial State and Federal tax advantage to the landowners of donating the lands for public use. ANJEC gained CETA monies to hire a director to coordinate plans for the towpath-. The direc- tor and members of the Friends of Towpath Trail have met with civic groups, historical societies and hiking groups to acquaint them with the proposed linear Park and to enlist their member- ship in the group. They plans to work with municipalities along the path to integrate their local plans into the overall scheme, and to assist the municipalities with applications for State and Federal funds. ANJEC will assist other Public Participation in Non- Designated Areas A pilot program in Region IV of public participation grants to environmental coali- tions has been successful in pro- moting public involvement in water quality management in non-designated 208 areas. Six conservation coalitions in Region IV have been funded by the Washington-based Conservation Foundation to encourage public involvement and develop public information systems in non- designated 208 areas. In Georgia, the program has been so well received that the State Department of Natural Resources intends to supply ad- ditional appropriations to extend the program through October. The South Carolina Clean Water Coalition has been granted $19,000 from the State to con- tinue its program. In Tennessee, members of the 208 Coalition were appointed to the Statewide Citizens Advisory Committee. The Georgia Clean Water Coalition is sponsoring Regional seminars about water quality issues in non-designated parts of the State. The coalition is divided into task forces, each of which addresses a different water quality problem: forestry, mining, construction, land disposal, agriculture and irriga- tion. With additional support from the State, the coalition hopes to hire a part-time staff and to establish office space in which to work. The South Carolina Water Coalition is sponsoring "Clean Water Days" during the Spring to involve citizens in the plan- ning process and to enlist volun- tary assistance in holding meet- ings and making mass mailings. Conservation authorities, water user associations, environmen- talists and designated-area representatives are involved in the "Clean Water Days" presen- tations. The Florida Coalition for Clean Water plans to appoint a coali- tion steering committee to iden- tify water quality issues, set priorities for solutions, and assess cost and benefits of solu- tions. The North Carolina Project Committee is planning a slide program for presentation to con- servation and environmental groups. The group is also plan- ning an exhibit for shopping centers. The group will circulate pamphlets, news features and public service announcements. ------- The feature area of Boontown Ironworks Historic District along the proposed towpath trail. The trail not only passes areas of scenic beauty, but cultural enjoy- ment as well. municipalities who are planning wastewater treatment facilities in New Jersey to use the ex- perience of the Towpath pilot project as a model for future facilities construction involving open space and linear park plan- ning and in-plant educational ac- tivities. The restored section of the Mor- ris Canal in the Borough of Wharton is a popular fishing spot. National Conference on Lake Restoration Scheduled for Minneapolis August 22-24 How local and state govern- ments can best conduct programs for restoring lakes will be discussed in a national con- ference sponsored by the U.S. EPA in Minneapolis on August 22-24. The conference is designed to enhance the effectiveness of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Section 314, which provides Federal grants to municipal and state governments to restore publicly-owned freshwater lakes. Representatives of municipal and state government agencies work- ing on pollution control and recognized experts on lakes will be attending. During the Conference, spe- cialists from government research organizations, and academic institutions will present information needed to prepare a comprehensive lake restoration plan. Speakers will discuss how to transfer experimental or theoretical knowledge into prac- tical applications to meet Federal water quality goals for 1983. Methods by which local authorities can protect lakes will be presented and the successful state restoration programs con- ducted in Minnesota, Florida, South Dakota, and Vermont will be explored. Federal experts will present an overview of govern- mental grant programs for pollu- tion control. Small waste treat- ment systems as well as point and non-point source controls will be discussed with emphasis on achieving water quality stan- dards. Methods of assessing lake restoration problems and in-lake treatments will also be examined: • Measurements of lake char- acteristics • Treatment of domestic wastes • Hydraulic and nutrient budgets • Dredging • Dilution • Treatment of inflowing waters. As a special conference fea- ture, experts will examine state- of-the-art restoration. Presenta- tions will include biological management of lakes and meth- ods of evaluating the effective- ness of restorative techniques. The conference, which is be- ing coordinated by Battelle's Col- umbus Laboratories, will be held August 22-24, Tuesday through Thursday, at the Sheraton Ritz Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Additional information may be obtained from Susan Armstrong, Battelle's Columbus Labora- tories, 505 King Avenue, Colum- bus, Ohio 43201, Telephone 614-424-7769. 5 ------- Frederick County Farm Continued from page 1 years ago, "Project: Clear- water." According to Catoctin District Chairman Henry D. Lakin, Sr., the purpose is to demonstrate to rural and urban folks alike that soil and water conservation is vital to maintain the fertility of the nation's soil and to help clean up its rivers and streams. Daniel C. Poole, a Catoctin District supervisor and farmer, has been appointed to coor- dinate and oversee the day's ac- tivities. Although there'll be plenty of fun things to see and do, there'll also be some serious conserva- tion going on. The farm's facelift will be based around a scientific conservation plan prepared by the USDA, Soil Conservation Service. According to SCS District Conservationist Paul Edwards, the conservation plan calls for in- stalling contour strip cropping, reseeding the pasture, and put- ting in waterways and diversions to control runoff and prevent erosion. A wet, low-lying area will be converted into a pond which can then be used for stock water and fish and wildlife. A new animal waste manage- ment system will be installed. Fences will be realigned to con- form to the contour of the land to control livestock's grazing and keep them out of the stream. The Maryland Forest Service will prepare a forestry manage- ment plan for the 95 acres of woodland on the farm. The woods will be thinned and the poor quality trees cut into lumber which will be used to repair the barn and for building fences. Although the emphasis will be on making better use of the land, the social and economic aspects of farm life won't be ig- nored. The old stone farm house, built in the late 1800s, will be insulated and repaired. The barn, too, will get new siding and a fresh coat of paint. The Maryland Cooperative Ex- tension Service is advising the owner as to the relative merits of various crop and livestock opera- tions. Extension's home econo- mists and urban agriculturalists will modernize the home and help landscape the lawn. The Thrasher Field Day, held August 18, 1948, occurred at a time when erosion and poor farm practices were threatening the country's agricultural produc- tion. The emphasis during that event was on conserving the soil to maintain and increase produc- tivity. This year's field day will have a dual message: controlling runoff and preventing erosion not only maintains productivity, it helps prevent water pollution. The new emphasis on water quality came about as the result of Federal legislation mandating that farmers do something to keep agricultural pollutants con- tained in runoff from reaching streams. The legislation was the so- called Clean Water Act passed in 1972, and amended in 1977. Sec- tion 208 is the part which most concerns farmers. Edwards says erosion in Frederick County, as well as in other parts of the state, has in- creased noticeably in the past 10 years. "Some people have for- gotten that plowed soil needs special treatment." The worst culprits are often people who buy farms with the intention of developing or selling them a few years later. The owners rent to other farmers who have little vested interest in conserving the soil. Also to blame for increased erosion, says Edwards, are farmers who stepped up produc- tion to meet world food demands without stepping up protection. "We've got some farmers around here who think fertilizer is the cure-all for poor farm practices. They keep apply- ing more and more fertilizer without realizing much of it is getting washed off with the top- soil anyway. "If they'd practice soil conser- vation," continued Edwards, "they'd find they'd also be sav- ing on their fertilizer bill. And we'd have less chemicals getting into our streams." "Soil conservation districts have been advocating farm con- servation practices since the 1930s," says Lakin. "If you con- trol runoff and prevent erosion, then pollutants such as sedi- ment, agri-chemicals and animal wastes won't get into streams. You'll cut down on agricultural pollution tremendously." Thousands of farmers throughout the state and nation do practice conservation volun- tarily, he continued. He added, however, that he hoped the field day would help prod farmers who've been careless or lax to clean up their act. The farm that will be renovated belongs to Warren Roelkey of Knoxville, Md. Two streams on his property eventual- ly flow into the Potomac River. Lakin said the farm has good potential and that Roelkey was enthused about the event. Neighboring farmers have agreed to allow parking on their fields. Visitors will be shuttled from parking areas to the farm via trailers drawn by antique tractors. The Thrasher field day drew more than 40,000 persons. Over 500 volunteers with 200 machines from the area donated their time and help to make that day a success. Asked if he thinks the 1978 field day can match its predecessor, Lakin said that its success will depend on the help received from businesses, indi- viduals, government agencies, and civic organizations as well as the media. Segmentation and unsightly gar- bage dumps will be eliminated by Project Clearwater on August 18, 1978. ------- Over 400,000 people came to watch the transformation. The pond being built attracted a large crowd. But, he added, judging from the enthusiasm of those already contacted, the District fully ex- pects to outdo the Thrasher event. 7575: The Roe/key farm in Frederick, Maryland, which will be transformed by Project Clear- water to dramaticize control of agricultural nonpoint sources of pollution. ' Partnership Continued from page 3 Cooperation is growing in other ways. EPA has given the National Association of Conser- vation Districts a grant to foster even closer relationships be- tween conservation districts and water quality officials as they develop their water quality man- agement plans. The recent publication, "Con- servation Districts and 208 Water Quality Management," was fi- nanced by this grant. It details potential conservation district in- volvement in the preparation and implementation of State and areawide water quality manage- ment plans. The pamphlet reviews nonpoint source identi- fication and assessment, selec- tion of "Best Management Prac- tices," and management agen- cies and regulatory programs. EPA printed 10,000 copies of this publication and sent them to EPA regional offices, State and areawide 208 agencies, SCS field offices, and all conservation district offices. Gus Dornbusch, former SCS State Conservation Engineer in Georgia, is now on 208 assign- ment at EPA's Region IV in Atlanta. His EPA colleague is James Crooks, hydrologist and nonpoint source specialist. The two-man team covers an eight- State region: Alabama, Missis- sippi, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ten- nessee and Kentucky. In the past 4 months, they have visited seven of these States and met with water quality agencies designated by governors to develop the various State and areawide water quality manage- ment plans. "Our most important task," Dornbusch explains, "has been to show the agencies that the mechanism for 208 nonpoint pollution control planning and implementation is already in place. It exists in successful, ongoing soil and water conserva- tion programs throughout the United States. The help we need is available right now from con- servation districts, the Soil Con- servation Service, Extension Ser- vice, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Forest service and others. Another im- portant part of the apparatus is to be found among the many State and county pollution con- trol and environmental conserva- tion groups." Dornbusch stresses the impor- tance of keeping the 208 Water Quality Program simple. By this he means that scrupulous care must be taken to avoid costly gathering of information and data that is not necessary. "What good can come from compiling an immense amount of expensive data in a 3-inch volume and then ignoring it" he asks. "If we recognize that the means to accomplish our work are already at hand, we will be able to plan efficiently, then more quickly direct our energies to applying needed water quality conservation measures on the land." Challenge to Districts Bob Hibbard, president of the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Districts, agrees that the 208 Program must be kept simple. Hibbard farms 1,500 acres—a livestock and forest products operation —in the cen- tral New Hampshire town of Loudon. He is supervisor of New Hampshire's Merrimack County Conservation District and has been a district Cooperator for 25 years. "Nonpoint source pollution control offers a real opportunity to conservation districts," Hib- bard says. "The problems being studied are to a large extent the problems which districts have been working on so successfully for the past 30 years." According to this New Hamp- shire farmer, the chief difference between the present effort to control nonpoint source pollution and the traditional work of the conservaion districts lies in the scope of the attack. "Districts have struggled along for years solving the problems with meager funds, contributions of time and effort, and, through necessity, a well-developed abili- ty to scrounge help from a num- ber of sources—especially the voluntary cooperation of land- owners on the basis of enlight- ened self-interest. "Now," he continues, "with hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to the study and con- trol of nonpoint pollution, it is evident that the problems involv- ------- Partnership Continued from page 7 ed are those with which districts are most familiar: erosion, sedimentation, uncontrolled runoff, inadequate stormwater management and septic system failures. And as districts have demonstrated, their solution is found in most of the old conser- vation standbys, conservation practices that districts have pro- moted for years —stripcropping, grassed waterways, contour plowing, no-till cultivation, close- growing vegetation on steep slopes and the like." Hibbard points out that the change in-scope lies in the num- ber of people who have to be reached to make the necessary changes in land use management within the time allotted. "Where districts have worked primarily with farmers, the increased scale of the problem will bring in many others—suburbanites and city people, loggers, builders, developers and engineers." Hibbard adds that it may be necessary to use new methods to convince people of the need to adopt soil and water conser- vation practices for water pollu- tion control. "Districts have relied on the voluntary coopera- tion of land users, with the in- centive of technical assistance and very limited cost-sharing, to get the conservation job done. Hopefully it can still be carried out on this basis. Certainly districts would seem to be the natural source to go to for an in- ventory of the problems and guidance concerning needed methods of control." Determining Best Management Practices EPA Administrator Douglas M. Costle has emphasized the dual importance of voluntary pro- grams and "Best Management Practices" in achieving 208 non- point source pollution goals. In a recent speech Costle said: "let me emphasize the fact that nonpoint source problems are widespread, and we don't expect all such sources to be cleaned up quickly or completely. But we in- tend to move ahead with this program without delay, employ- ing whole range of pollution con- trol tools, including education, regulation, improved manage- ment, incentives and voluntary . i' The proper treatment of pasture/and prolongs the life of desirable forage species and maintains forage quality, reduc- ing erosion from water. Eroded soil from stormwater moving across thousands of un- protected acres is deposited in rivers and lakes as sediment. ? jp>r a^mjsraaj; | -i ' -. 8 ------- programs. I want to emphasize the word 'voluntary,' because to achieve our goals in this area, a voluntary program is going to be a key ingredient to success. I feel confident that enforcement will be needed and used only in rare circumstances." Joseph Krivak, Chief of EPA's Nonpoint Sources Branch, has stated: "The keystone of our nonpoint source strategy is the concept of 'Best Management Practices.' " And what are "Best Manage- ment Practices?" The term has been so casually used that it deserves careful explanation. Many soil and water conserva- tion practices, singly or in com- bination, help keep water where it falls and soil, plant residues and animal wastes in place. When this is done, sediment, many nutrients and pesticides are kept from reaching our sur- face waters. In its simplest terms, this is nonpoint source pollution control. Soil and water conservation practices that keep pollutants out of surface waters, and livestock waste management practices that have a similar effect, are "Best Management Practices." Every SCS field office has a technical guide that explains specific conservation practices tailored to local soil, climate, and land users. These practices can control pollution caused by ero- sion and sedimentation. However, SCS does not have "Best Management Practices" for controlling all sources of non- point pollution. For example, in many urban areas street litter, oils and heavy metals on roads and the like are significant non- point sources of pollution. SCS does not have practices that would reduce pollution from these sources. Nor does SCS have practices to control pollu- tion from road salt, acid mine drainage and similar nonpoint sources. Massive Undertaking The question remains: will each State, as required by Section 208 of PL 92-500, be able to provide the Environmental Protection Agency by November 1, 1978, with an implementable plan for abating water pollution from all identifiable sources, including such nonpoint sources as farm- land, urbanizing land and other Susceptible soils can wash away in North Dakota fields as well as along the red clay shores of Lake Superior. The cost is enormous, in topsoil lost and in lowered water quality. Range seeding prevents ex- cessive soil and water loss, pro- duces forage and improves the natural beauty of grazing land. ------- Partnership Continued from page 9 disturbed areas? The way is clear. The means are at hand. We realize, however, that the work is and will continue to be a major undertaking. For there is no quick cure-all for nonpoint source water pollution. The scale of erosion and sedi- mentation is massive. Consider this fact: there are some 100,000 kinds of soil in the United States, each with unique characteristics and potentials and a variety of uses. Fifty years ago, Hugh Hammond Bennett, the father of soil conservation and the first administrator of the Soil Conservation Service, succinctly defined the requirements of ef- fective soil and water conserva- tion. "Conservation is possible," Bennett stressed, "only if we use every acre according to its capa- bility, and treat every acre according to its need." "You can't farm a flat Indiana field like you would a rolling Georgia slope," Bennett said, "or a Vermont mountainside like a Texas river bottom. It is that simple and that complex." Fifty years ago, these ideas were revolutionary. Today, they are fundamental to soil and water conservation and the key to nonpoint source pollution control. The Nation's success with 208 water quality manage- ment will be no greater than the people's understanding of these truths. There some 100,000 kinds of soil in the United States, each with its own uses and /imita- tions. Vermont's steep hills, for instance, are treated differently from Georgia tobaccoland. The authors are employed by the Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in Washington, D.C. Mr. Welsh, of the Resource Planning Branch, is also chairman of the USDA Sec- tion 208 Work Group. Mr. Lowry is acting director of the Environ- mental Services Division. Contour stripcropping is one way of controlling erosion and the resulting non-point pollution. 10 ------- Letter to the Editor Editor, 208 Bulletin: I was pleased to see the article on "Alternatives to Centralized Sewer Systems" in the Novem- ber-December issue. However, I was disappointed that there was no mention of the Clivus Multrum or other self com- posting toilets. Although not yet widely known, these devices are being used in some locations around the country. These toilets are another valid alternative to centralized septic systems from the standpoint of cost and water savings. William L. Gardiner Sante Fe, New Mexico Diagram of the Clivus Multrum. Mr. Gardiner: Thank you for indicating our remission; your letter gives us an opportunity to expound upon still other alternatives to cen- tralized sewer systems. The Clivus Multrum is a self composting toilet developed by a Swedish inventor 30 years ago and used widely in Europe. The system can treat bathroom and kitchen wastes in large volumes. Wastes are deposited in a large fiberglass tank where they decompose under aerobic condi- tions. Liquids in the waste evaporate through a ventilating system circulating through the tank. The system uses no elec- tricity and no moving parts. The Clivus acts as a recycling system in which solids are decomposed and dried into a rich humus over a period of two years. The Clivus costs between $1,500 and $2,000 making it competitive with conventional septic tanks. However, the system does not dispose of "gray water" (or household wastewater) like sep- tic tanks. Local health regula- tions may forbid use of the Clivus since the system is non- standard equipment. Additional- ly, the large tank may make it difficult to install the Clivus in existing homes. 206 Bulletin Modification Continued from page 1 ment conveyed the Committee's request that all interested agen- cies meet to reconsider the road plan and the need for modifica- tions. At the time, the DER had ap- proved two permits for construc- tion and a third permit was pending. The DER agreed to review all three permits. The agencies that played a major role in the reassessment included the DER and DOT, Southern Florida Water Management District, and the Dade County Department of Public Works, as well as the WQM agency and members of the Governmental Liaison Com- mittee and the Areawide Plan- ning Advisory Committee. The first step in the reassess- ment was to determine whether there was a significant potential for water quality degradation from the road. The citizens' primary concern, beyond possi- ble degradation of canal water quality, was the potential con- tamination of drinking water sup- plies with oil and grease and heavy metals. The Miami River Canal which runs along the highway feeds directly into an aquifer that supplies the Coun- ty's largest water purification facility. Based on estimated pollutant loadings from the highway runoff, which were sup plied by staff in the Department of Environmental Resources Management, everyone agreed that there was significant poten- tial for contamination. A drainage control plan developed by the WQM agency staff was incorporated into road- way design by the DOT. The DER accepted the drainage con- trols as modifications to the ex- isting permits. The drainage con- trols include: specifications for improved French drain systems; use of boulder riprapping along the canal bank; use of a swale system along the roadside; and deep catchment basins for set- tling solids prior to discharging water into the canals. The con- trols also include a tree line be- tween the road and the canal bank, with trees chosen for their large water and nutrient uptake. Reassessment and modifica- tion of the plans for the highway took about four months. While this process was under way, the DOT continued to obtain rights of way for the road, so that the overall project was not ap- preciably delayed. The first seg- ment of road is now under con- struction. Significance These accomplishments are sig- nificant for several reasons. The two water quality management agencies identified potentially significant water quality prob- lems and acted to minimize the potential for contamination of surface water and drinking water supplies. The modifications pro- posed by the WQM agencies and incorporated by the DOT will provide drainage controls to filter and diffuse the runoff from the two highways. Citizens played an important role in achieving both of these accomplishments. In Dade Coun- ty, it was citizen advisory com- mittee members who identified the water quality issues and pro- vided the impetus for a broad- based reassessment which in- cluded a number of State and local agencies. In Central Florida, an independent citizens' organi- zation gave greater visibility and needed political support to the WQM agency's efforts to modify the road design. The water quality management staffs in the Central Florida Regional Planning Council and the Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Man- agement played an important coordinating role to bring together the interested agencies and citizens to reassess the road- way plans. In addition, the WQM staffs provided technical assistance to define the problems and develop more effective drainage controls. Citizens and agency personnel at the State and local level have gained valuable experience in ef- fectively using an existing en- vironmental review process and incorporating water quality con- cerns. In addition, these two reassessments have resulted in a broader consideration of the water quality impacts of a par- ticular land use. 1J.U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1978-260-880/82 11 ------- |