Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Conservation Stewardship Puts Muddy Creek J
and Lower Dry River Watersheds on Path to Recovery
Waterbodies Improved
Runoff from agricultural and residential activities and livestock stream
access contributed to water quality impairments to Virginia's Muddy Creek
and Lower Dry River. Both waterbodies violated state water quality standards for fecal coliform bacteria and nitrate,
and excess sediment and phosphorus loads further degraded aquatic life in Muddy Creek. These water quality
problems caused the state to place Muddy Creek and the Lower Dry River on Virginia's 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Over four years, project partners installed a number of agricultural and residential best management practices
(BMPs) that helped mitigate many of the causes of water quality degradation. Fecal coliform counts have
significantly declined in both streams since 2001; those in the Lower Dry River are approaching the levels that
trigger delisting.
Problem
Muddy Creek and the Lower Dry River are in
Rockingham County, approximately 15 miles
west-northwest of the city of Harrisonburg in
Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Both waterbodies
drain into the North River, which empties into
the South Fork Shenandoah River.
Agriculture is the predominant source of bac-
teria to Muddy Creek and the Lower Dry River.
Pasture and cropland runoff, as well as live-
stock in and near the streams, delivers signifi-
cant bacteria loads. Failing septic systems and
straight pipes also contribute to the problem.
By 1996 Virginia had placed a 10.36-mile
segment of Muddy Creek on its 303(d) list for
impairments due to fecal coliform contamina-
tion. The same impairment resulted in the 1998
listing of 6.47 miles of the Lower Dry River. In
addition, the state listed both waterbodies for
violating its nitrate public drinking water stan-
dard, and Muddy Creek failed to meet aquatic
life use criteria due to excess sediment and
phosphorous loads.
Project Highlights
In response to the problem, stakeholders
worked to implement total maximum daily
loads (TMDLs) developed for the larger North
River watershed. To address livestock and crop-
land contributions to the water quality problem,
Voluntary stream exclusion fencing keeps livestock
away from Muddy Creek.
the agricultural community developed systems
to manage waste, reduce soil compaction, and
minimize runoff from livestock resting areas.
Project funding supported the installation of 10
miles of livestock exclusion fencing and 1,200
acres of cover crops. Funding also helped farm-
ers to implement nutrient management plans
that called for applying fertilizer on cornfields
only when the crop needed it and could use it
most efficiently. Finally, project funding enabled
landowners to pump out 30 septic tanks,
repair or replace 13 septic systems, and install
5 alternative waste treatment systems.
To promote the various agricultural and
residential BMPs throughout the watershed,
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project partners conducted numerous on-site
tours, gave presentations to civic clubs, mailed
postcards advertising the program, personally
contacted farmers and residents, and held
meetings to update the community on water
quality improvements.
Results
Early results from the BMP implementation
effort are encouraging. As shown in the accom-
panying graphs, fecal coliform counts in Muddy
Creek and the Lower Dry River have declined
overall. By 2005, the Lower Dry River showed
an 11 percent violation rate of the state fecal
coliform standard. This rate is down from a high
of 50 percent and just above the state's 10 per-
cent violation rate threshold for 303(d) listing.
Muddy Creek has improved as well. Its 44
percent fecal coliform violation rate in 2005 is
a significant improvement over its 1998 rate
of 91 percent. In addition, state monitoring
personnel have observed substantial improve-
ments in the Muddy Creek benthic community.
Partners and Funding
Residential and agricultural successes
have largely been the result of partnerships
between the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water
Conservation District (SVSWCD), Virginia
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality,
Virginia Cooperative Extension, Rockingham
County Farm Bureau, and USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
In addition to these agency partners, the
watershed's Old Order Mennonite community
played a significant role in the project's success.
The community strongly values land and water
resources and took the initiative to voluntarily
implement extensive BMPs such as stream
exclusions, loose housing barns, and numerous
Violation rate of the 1,000 colony-forming units/100 ml instantaneous
standard for fecal coliform bacteria in Muddy Creek (top) and the
Lower Dry River (bottom). To be delisted for impairments caused by
fecal coliform bacteria, a waterbody may not have a bacteria violation
rate greater than 10 percent (represented by the red line).
manure storage units. Religious beliefs preclude
the community from accepting any financial
assistance to implement BMPs. Community
members refused any cost share assistance
and assumed complete financial responsibility
for 8.3 of the 10 miles of livestock exclusion
fencing installed throughout the watershed.
Since 2002 more than $309,000 in section 319
funding has supported two full-time SVSWCD
staff, who provide technical assistance to
the Mennonite community and others in the
project area. This support has generated nearly
$839,000 in cost-share funds—approximately
$200,000 of which came from farmers—to
implement agricultural and residential BMPs.
Finally, project partners used $130,000 in
USDA/EQIP funds to install BMPs throughout
the North River watershed.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003M
December 2006
For additional information contact:
Mike Phillips
Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District
540-433-2853 • mike.phillips@va.nacdnet.net
Megan O'Gorek
Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District
540-433-2853 • megan.ogorek@va.nacdnet.net
Nesha Mizel
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
540-332-9238 • nesha.mizel@dcr.virginia.gov
Ann Carkhuff
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3
215-814-5735 • carkhuff.ann@epa.gov
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