Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Pasture Grazing Best Management Practices Result in Pathogen
(Fecal Coliform) Delisting
Watprbndv Imnrnvpd
from 9razin9 activities contributed to pathogen (fecal
coliform [FC]) impairments of Caney Branch in Baldwin
County, Alabama. Implementing best management practices (BMPs) including livestock
exclusion fencing, stream crossings, and riparian buffers helped Caney Branch meet its
designated water use classification of Fish 8- Wildlife. As a result, the Alabama Department
of Environmental Management (ADEM) removed the 5-mile impaired segment of Caney
Branch from the state's section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2002.
Problem
Caney Branch is a tributary of the Fish River,
which originates near the city of Stapleton
and flows south through Baldwin County
before emptying into Weeks Bay in southwest
Alabama (Figure 1). The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) designated Weeks
Bay as a National Estuarine Research Reserve
in 1986, and ADEM designated it as an
Outstanding National Resource Water in 1992.
Table 1. Geological Survey of Alabama
sample results (Site 8-A)
Year
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Total
# of Samples
10
12
12
12
12
58
Exceedances
5
2
1
0
1
9
Figure 1. Location
Alabama Of Caney Branch
in Baldwin County,
Alabama.
Caney
Branch
Land use/land cover in the Caney Branch
subwatershed is primarily cropland, pasture/
hayland, and forest lands. FC contamina-
tion problems associated with cattle grazing
practices, unrestricted stream access, and
trampling of riparian vegetation was well
documented in the watershed. The Geological
Survey of Alabama used section 319 funds
to collect 58 monthly FC samples between
1994 and 1998. The median FC count was 230
col/100 milliliters (ml) (range of 30 to 83,000
col/100 ml) with nine samples (15 percent)
exceeding the Fish & Wildlife single sample
criterion of 2,000 col/100 ml (Table 1). As a
-------
result, ADEM placed this 5-mile segment of
Caney Branch on the state's 1998 and 2000
303(d) lists of impaired waters. The impairment
cause was listed as pathogens, and the sourc-
es of impairment were identified as pasture
grazing/riparian.
Project Highlights
The Natural Resources Conservation Service,
ADEM, EPA-Gulf of Mexico Program, and
other stakeholders used a section 319 grant
to initiate the Fish River Watershed Project,
which was eventually expanded to become
the Weeks Bay Watershed Project. The project
focus was to holistically assess water qual-
ity, lessen cumulative effects of runoff, and
address threats to the Weeks Bay watershed.
The partners installed BMPs including live-
stock exclusion fencing, riparian buffers, and
stream crossings. They also conducted educa-
tion and outreach efforts throughout the Caney
Branch Watershed, including cleanups, field
days, workshops, and stakeholder meetings.
These efforts helped to achieve the goals of
the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research
Reserve Management Plan and the Weeks Bay
Watershed Management Plan.
Results
In 2001 ADEM collected 22 samples at Caney
Branch Site CNYB-1 (Table 2). No single sample
value exceeded the Fish & Wildlife criterion
of 2,000 col/100 ml, and no geometric mean
value exceeded the October to May geometric
mean criterion of 1,000 col/100ml_.
Also, the Weeks Bay Project coordinator col-
lected two series of five FC samples near the
mouth of Caney Branch between August and
October 2001 for analyses by a private certified
laboratory. No single sample value exceeded
the single sample criterion, and no geometric
mean value exceeded the applicable geometric
mean criterion. Thus, ADEM removed this
segment of Caney Branch from the 303(d) list
in 2002.
Partners and Funding
ADEM provided $450,000 in section 319
funds to support a watershed coordinator,
BMP installation, and water quality monitor-
ing in the Weeks Bay Watershed. The Gulf of
Mexico Program, through the Baldwin County
Soil & Water Conservation District, provided
$157,600, and landowners provided $113,600
in matching funds for a total project cost of
$720,000. Partners involved in implement-
ing the Weeks Bay and Weeks Bay National
Estuarine Research Reserve Management
Plans include Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, the
Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation, the Baldwin
County Department of Public Health, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, the Dauphin Island
Sea Lab, the University of South Alabama, the
Alabama Clean Water Partnership, businesses,
and local citizens.
Table 2. ADEM final monitoring results
(Site CNYB-1)
Date
(2001)
April 25
May 01
May 02
May 09
May 16
Oct09
Oct 17
Oct24
Oct 31
Nov05
Fecal Coliform
(# col/100 ml)
48
100
140
120
130
70
110
56
38
34
Geometric Mean
(# col/100 ml)
101
56
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001EE
Decmber 2007
For additional information contact:
Patti Hurley, Section 319 Project Coordinator,
Alabama Dept. of Environmental Management
334-394-4350 • pah@adem.state.al.us
Mike Shelton, Weeks Bay Watershed Coordinator,
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
251-928-9792 • michael.shelton@dcnr.alabama.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PRMRAK SUCCESS STORY
Best Management Practices, Public Outreach Help River Recover
from Impairments
Watprhndv ImnrnvpH Run°ff from agricultural activities and urbanization contributed to
'""""""' ' '- • organic enrichment and dissolved oxygen (DO) impairments in the
lower mainstem of the Flint River in Alabama. The implementation of best management practices
(BMPs) and stakeholder education and outreach enhanced water quality and helped the Flint
River meet the water quality standards associated with its designated water use classifications.
As a result, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) expects to remove
a 28-mile segment of the Flint River from the state's 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Originating in Tennessee, the Flint River flows
south through Madison County, Alabama,
before joining the Tennessee River. Data
collected during the mid-1990s revealed that
a 28-mile segment of the Flint River was not
meeting its designated water use classifica-
tions as a public water supply and fish and
wildlife resource. Consequently, the segment
was placed on Alabama's 1998 303(d) list of
impaired waters for organic enrichment and
low dissolved oxygen.
ADEM variously listed the sources of water qual-
ity impairments as unknown in 1998, agriculture
in 2002, and agriculture/urban runoff in 2004.
Project Highlights
ADEM used a section 319 grant to reduce the
cumulative effects of nonpoint source pollu-
tion. Between 2001 and 2003, federal, state,
and local agencies teamed with local landown-
ers to implement numerous agricultural BMPs,
including
• winter cover and conservation tillage on
2,000 acres
• livestock BMPs (e.g., stream crossings,
alternative watering facilities, exclusion
fencing, rotational grazing plans) on 10
farms encompassing 400 acres
Exclusion fencing was installed to limit cattle's access to
creeks, and alternative watering sources were construct-
ed at eight different locations.
• cropland conversion of 10 acres
• heavy-use protection areas on 13 sites
• annual soil tests and nutrient manage-
ment plans covering 300 acres
Partners also led numerous education and
outreach activities, including stream cleanups,
presentations at local schools, landowner/
public meetings, and field days. The local news
media's coverage helped outreach efforts.
-------
Volunteers who live, work, and recreate in the area sup-
ported stream cleanup efforts throughout the watershed.
Results
Between March and October of both 2003 and
2005, ADEM collected dissolved oxygen data
at three sites on the impaired segment of the
Flint River. The agency also collected continu-
ous dissolved oxygen data at two of the sites
during July 2005.
As shown in the following table, only two
monthly measurements (4.6 mg/L and 4.97
mg/L) fell below the state minimum criterion of
5.0 mg/L for the public water supply and fish
and wildlife designated water use classifica-
tions. Furthermore, none of the continuous
Station
FLIM-5
FLIM-6
FLIM-7
Type of data
Water column
Water column
Continuous
Water column
Continuous
#of
samples
17
17
217
17
216
DO
< 5 mg/L
0
1
0
1
0
Project leaders measured water column dissolved
oxygen concentrations at three stations during
separate 8-month periods in 2003 and 2005. In
addition, continuous dissolved oxygen monitoring
occurred at two stations in July 2005. Only two
water column samples showed concentrations
below the water quality standard of 5 mg/L.
dissolved oxygen measurements were below
the minimum criterion.
ADEM's assessment methodology stipulates
that conventional water quality parameters,
including dissolved oxygen, may not exceed
water quality standards more than 10 percent
of the time in waterbodies designated as pub-
lic water supply and fish and wildlife resources.
The data demonstrate that this 28-mile seg-
ment of the river now meets this requirement.
As a result, ADEM has proposed that the seg-
ment be removed from the state's 2006 303(d)
list of impaired waters. The next scheduled
monitoring year for the segment is 2008.
Partners and Funding
ADEM provided $250,000 in section 319 fund-
ing to support a watershed coordinator and to
implement BMPs. Other stakeholders—includ-
ing the Madison County Soil and Water
Conservation District, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation
Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the
Flint River Conservation Association, and the
City of Huntsville—contributed $331,000 in
nonfederal matching funds. The total project
cost was $581,000.
Sediment loading in the watershed was reduced
by implementing conservation tillage and planting
cover crops on approximately 2,000 acres.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003C
June 2006
For additional information contact:
Carmen Yelle
Alabama Department of Environmental Management
334-394-4397 • cyelle@adem.state.al.us
Sam Sandlin
Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District
256-532-1692 • Sam.Sandlin@al.nacdnet.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM FUDGES* STORY
Reducing Animal Sources of Fecal Coliform Restores Water Quality
Waterbody Improved
After water quality monitoring data showed that Anchorage's
Cheney Lake consistently failed to meet Alaska's fecal coliform (FC)
bacteria standard during the early 1990s, Alaska's Department
of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) added the waterbody to the state's 1994 Clean Water Act
(CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters. ADEC believed that excrement from a large Canada
goose population and from people's pets contributed to the pollution problem. The Municipality
of Anchorage (MOA) and several partners implemented programs in the late 1990s to reduce the
wild goose population and address pet waste. Both efforts helped reduce the FC entering the
lake. Using monitoring data collected in 2006, ADEC determined that the lake meets water quality
standards. As a result, in 2008 ADEC removed Cheney Lake from the section 303(d) list for FC.
Problem
Cheney Lake is in a residential area of Anchorage in
south-central Alaska. The lake covers approximately
22 acres and has a mean depth of 5.8 feet and a
maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake formed in the
late 1960s when a large gravel extraction pit filled
with water (Figure 1). Cheney Lake is hydrologically
isolated; it is fed by springs, precipitation, and
stormwater runoff but has no natural inlet or outlet.
The area surrounding the lake is mostly residential
with parkland immediately along the shoreline.
Water quality data collected by MOA from 1991
through 1994 show that Cheney Lake exceeded
the FC standard almost every month. ADEC added
the waterbody to Alaska's 1994 CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters. The state's stringent
bacteria standards for Cheney Lake require that in a
30-day period, the geometric mean may not exceed
20 FC/100 milliliters (ml) and not more than 10 per-
cent of the samples may exceed 40 FC/100 ml.
ADEC attributed the FC pollution to nearby or in-
lake sources, including excrement from the Canada
geese that loitered on and around the lake, as well
as stormwater runoff carrying pet waste from the
area immediately around the lake.
Project Highlights
After an aircraft collided with a flock of geese in
1995 near Anchorage, killing 24 people, a task
force began working to reduce wild goose popula-
tions throughout the city. MOA worked with the
Figure 1. Alaska's Cheney Lake formed when an
abandoned gravel pit filled with water.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, and the Alaska
Native and American Indian Elders who live in the
Anchorage area to reduce the number of eggs
available for hatching. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act
ordinarily prohibits people from collecting wild bird
eggs; however, the USFWS granted special per-
mits to volunteers from the Elders Program of the
Southcentral Foundation. These volunteers collect-
ed and donated the eggs to Alaska Natives so they
could eat them as their ancestors once did. Other
methods to reduce the number of geese included
relocating goslings, harassing adult geese, altering
habitat and, when necessary, killing them (e.g., near
the airport). To discourage geese from gathering
-------
near waterbodies, MOA posted signs requesting
that people not feed the birds (Figure 2).
MOA, the Anchorage Waterways Council (AWC) and
several partners implemented a Scoop the Poop
program throughout the city in 2003 to address
problems with unmanaged pet waste. The cam-
paign educated pet owners about simple ways to
reduce the amount of FC that enter local waters
by picking up after pets and properly disposing of
the waste. Program elements included developing
posters featuring local celebrities, creating public
service announcements for local television stations
and installing more than 50 pet waste stations
throughout Anchorage's park system, trail heads
and neighborhoods, including one by Cheney Lake
(see Figure 3). These stations include signs, waste
bags and trash receptacles.
Figure 2. A sign
at Cheney Lake
discourages people
from feeding
waterfowl.
Figure 3. A pet waste
station at Cheney Lake
encourages people to
pick up after their pets.
Results
FC levels in Cheney Lake have declined. Historical
data shows that the FC levels in Cheney Lake have
decreased by an order of magnitude since the early
1990s when ADEC originally placed it on the list of
impaired waters. Even with the substantial popula-
tions of waterfowl still contributing FC to the lake,
the majority of recent water quality data are below
20 FC/100 mL with numerous samples measuring
OFC/100mL
From April to November 2006 ADEC monitored
water quality at eight stations (five in-lake stations
and three shoreline stations) in Cheney Lake. All but
one data point at the five in-lake stations meet the
geometric mean standard of 20 FC/100mL, the one
exception being a station reported at 21 FC/100mL
(skewed because of one sample of 85 FC/mL in
July). The combined data for the three shoreline
stations include six instances of FC levels (out of
85 data points) above the not-to-exceed standard
of 40 FC/100mL. Twenty-eight percent of the 2006
combined shoreline data are 0 FC/100 mL. Thirty-
four percent of the combined data have reported
values of 0 FC/100mL. Seventy-two percent of the
values are less than 10 FC/100mL, while 84 percent
are less than 20 FC/100mL. The majority of samples
showing FC levels are consistent with data repre-
senting background levels.
Because Cheney Lake is not hydrologically con-
nected to any other waterbodies, bacteria levels in
the lake are dominated by direct inputs and runoff
from immediately surrounding areas, rather than by
runoff from a larger watershed. Therefore, ADEC
believes that reducing the Canada goose population
likely led to most of the water quality improvement.
A secondary contributor to improved water qual-
ity was the effort by pet owners to better manage
pet waste in the parkland immediately around the
lake. On the basis of the data, ADEC and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency agree that occa-
sional violations of the water quality standards are
likely caused by direct inputs from natural sources
such as waterfowl. Therefore, ADEC removed
Cheney Lake from Alaska's CWA section 303(d) list
of impaired waters for FC in 2008.
Partners and Funding
MOA worked with the USFWS and the Elders
Program of the Southcentral Foundation to reduce
Anchorage's Canada goose population by allowing
an annual egg hunt. In 2006 AWC received $23,953
from the Alaska Clean Water Actions Program
(which includes CWA section 319 funds) to sup-
port developing the Scoop the Poop campaign.
Numerous partners participated in the campaign,
including ADEC; University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Cooperative Extension Service; U.S. Bureau of Land
Management; Anchorage Animal Care and Control;
Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Anchorage
Unleashed; and MOA's Watershed Services and
Parks and Recreation departments.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001F
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Tim Stevens
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
907-269-7515
tim.stevens@alaska.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCCER STORY
Water Quality Restored at Eagle River Flats to Revive Bird Population
Waterbodv Improved A military base's munitions use led to a buildup of white
y ^ phosphorus particles in the sediments of Eagle River Flats
(ERF), causing a high mortality rate in transient waterfowl populations. Alaska Department
of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) placed the ERF on Alaska's 1996 and 1998 Clean
Water Act section 303(d) lists of impaired waters because it violated the toxic and other
deleterious organic and inorganic substances water quality standard. Based on EPA's
approval of the U.S. Army's restoration plan through Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), ADEC moved this water to Category
4b ("impaired water with other pollution controls") in its 2002 Integrated Report. To restore
the ERF, the U.S. Army seasonally drained the marsh and capped the polluted sediment
layer to reduce saturation of the soil and increase soil temperature. These actions helped
to successfully sublimate the white phosphorus (change it from a solid to a gaseous state)
and render it harmless to the local waterfowl populations. As a result of meeting the water
quality goals set by CERCLA, the ADEC removed toxic and other deleterious organic and
inorganic substances from the list of impairments in 2008.
Problem
ERF is an 865-hectare estuarine salt marsh
that is completely within the boundaries of Fort
Richardson Army Base along the upper Cook Inlet
in Anchorage Borough, Alaska. Ongoing high
waterfowl mortalities at ERF were first noted in
the early 1980s. After initial sampling between
1983 and 1988, an interagency group consisting
of the U.S. Army Environment Hygiene Agency,
ADEC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
and Environmental Science and Engineering, Inc.,
concluded that the source of the problem was
munitions from Fort Richardson, which had used
ERF as its primary munitions impact area since the
1940s. The U.S. Army suspended the use of ERF as
an active Army impact area in 1989.
In 1990 scientists from the U.S. Army Cold Regions
Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) pin-
pointed white phosphorus as the cause of the birds'
decline. This compound, present in the smoke
rounds used in Fort Richardson's munitions train-
ing, typically oxidizes quickly in the air and was not
initially considered persistent in the environment or
harmful to wildlife. However, CRREL showed that
the environmental conditions at ERF, including the
soft, anoxic sediments and frequent deposition of
sediment by flooding, contributed to the long-term
stability of the white phosphorus as granules. As
waterfowl fed on insects and seeds in the water and
sediment, they also ingested the toxic white phos-
phorus granules. Ingestion of just a few milligrams
of white phosphorus by waterfowl is lethal.
ADEC first placed 60 acres of the contaminated river
flats on its 1996 section 303(d) list for not support-
ing its designated use of growth and propagation
of fish, shellfish, other aquatic life and wildlife. It
remained listed for subsequent years.
Dabbling ducks, the waterfowl species most in
decline from the contamination, served as the bioin-
dicator for water quality impairment. The Army set a
five-year goal of a 50 percent reduction in waterfowl
mortality of the fall population of dabbling ducks
and a longer term goal of a total mortality rate of
one percent within 20 years. One percent mortality
represents the natural mortality rate and the mea-
sure of successful remediation for this cleanup.
-------
Project Highlights
In 1994 ERF became a federal Superfund site and
was subject to the remedial response require-
ments of CERCLA. Between 1998 and 2007,
the Army implemented numerous water quality
restoration projects, including draining the marsh
and applying AquaBlok (to cap the sediment and
prevent contaminants from entering the water col-
umn). During each field season, the Army placed
six pumping systems into the contaminated ponds
and drained them (Figure 1). This reduced the
saturation of the soil and increased soil tempera-
ture, helping to sublimate the white phosphorus
and render it harmless to the local waterfowl
populations.
Figure 1. The Army placed pumping systems
such as this one into the marsh to drain the
water and allow the white phosphorus to oxidize
into a harmless state. For more images of the
restoration project, see www.crrel.usace.army.
mil/erf/photographs/photos-remediation.
concentrations in more than half the total acreage
identified as contaminated. Because the site met
the CERCLA milestones and waterfowl mortality
returned to levels typical for the species in this
area, ADEC no longer considers ERF impaired for
toxic and other deleterious organic and inorganic
substances and removed that pollutant from the
list of impairments in 2008.
Table 1. Summary of data showing
reductions in white phosphorus
concentrations in the surface sediment of
a crater in an intermittent pond that was
pumped during ERF restoration efforts
Date Collected
May 20, 1992
August 21, 1992
August 27, 1993
August 30, 1994
September 17, 1995
Septembers, 1997*
August 25, 1998
September 21, 1999
August 21, 2000
September 11, 2001
September 15, 2003
WP Cone. (ng/g) in Crater Bottom
2,400
180
82
9.5
170
1.6
0.037
0.0008
< 0.0002
< 0.0002
< 0.0002
• 1997 was the first year of active remediation by
pond pumping.
Results
As of 2002, the Army had met its five-year goal of
a 50 percent reduction in waterfowl mortality of
the dabbling ducks' fall population. By 2006 the
Army had met its long-term goal of a one percent
total mortality rate for the fall dabbling duck
population. In addition, the Army sampled ponds
and found that white phosphorus concentrations in
the surface sediments were below baseline levels
(see Table 1). Results of the field activities to date
show a dramatic decrease in white phosphorus
Partners and Funding
The ERF Interagency Task Force included members
from the U.S. Army, EPA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game,
the ADEC, and the U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous
Materials Agency, now known as the U.S. Army
Environment Center. The Army estimated the capi-
tal costs, operations and maintenance, and long-
term monitoring at $12.5 million for this remediation
project.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001K
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Louis Howard, Remedial Project Manager
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Spill Prevention and Response
Contaminated Sites Program: Federal Facilities
907-269-7552 • louis.howard@alaska.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM NICCES? STORY
Remediation Efforts Reduces Pollution Seeping into Waterbodies
Waterbody Improved
Petroleum and chemical seeps from contaminated soil, contaminated
groundwater and leaking storage tanks polluted several waterbodies
flowing through Alaska's King Salmon Air Station (KSAS), including Red Fox Creek, King Salmon Creek,
Eskimo Creek and Naknek River. Alaska placed these waterbodies on the Clean Water Act section 303(d)
list in 1994 (Red Fox Creek) and 1996 (King Salmon Creek, Eskimo Creek and the Naknek River) for impair-
ments by petroleum hydrocarbons and oil and grease. To address the problem, the U.S. Air Force imple-
mented various remedial actions, including removing leaking storage tanks, closing dry wells, removing or
capping contaminated soil, and installing treatment systems. Water quality monitoring data indicate that
these actions are successfully preventing petroleum products from seeping into the waterbodies, allow-
ing them to meet water quality standards. Alaska removed the waterbodies from the impaired waters list
in 2003 (King Salmon and Eskimo creeks) and 2004 (Red Fox Creek and Naknek River).
Problem
Red Fox Creek, King Salmon Creek, Eskimo Creek
and the Naknek River flow through KSAS property
on the Alaska Peninsula. KSAS is approximately 280
miles southwest of Anchorage (Figure 1). KSAS is
on the poorly drained lowlands northwest of the
Aleutian Range. Ground elevations range from 30 to
68 feet above mean sea level. The Air Force built an
air station at the beginning of World War II to serve
as a fuel and support base for the Aleutian Islands.
Alaska acquired the airfield in 1959, which now
serves as a commercial airport. KSAS still supports
some military activities of the Air Force, Army,
Marines and Coast Guard.
During the 1940s and 1950s, activities at KSAS
released petroleum products and chemicals into the
environment. In the 1980s and 1990s, seeps from
this historically contaminated soil, contaminated
groundwater and leaking storage tanks entered
several waterbodies flowing through KSAS—
Red Fox Creek, King Salmon Creek, Eskimo Creek
and the Naknek River. The pollutants created visible
hydrocarbon sheens on the waterbodies, which
violated Alaska's water quality standards. The Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC)
placed these waterbodies on the Clean Water Act
section 303(d) list in 1994 (Red Fox Creek) and 1996
(King Salmon Creek, Eskimo Creek, and Naknek
River) for petroleum hydrocarbons and oil and
grease. The Air Force is responsible for cleaning up
the contamination on KSAS.
Barrow
NOT TO SCALE
Juneau
Ketchikan
Figure 1. Contaminated soil and groundwater
on King Salmon Air Station polluted several
waterbodies in the Alaska Peninsula's lower Naknek
River watershed.
Project Highlights
Since 1987 the Air Force has been engaged in
cleanup operations at KSAS under the Installation
Restoration Program (IRP)—the Air Force equiva-
lent of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act program. The IRP
provides guidelines and funding to investigate and
remediate potentially contaminated sites at Air
Force installations. The Air Force delineated KSAS
into seven groundwater zones for cleanup on the
basis of similarities in groundwater and surface
water movement, contaminants of concern, geol-
ogy, and location.
-------
Although the impaired waterbodies are in different
areas of KSAS, similar pollution sources caused their
impairments. For example, data show that Eskimo
Creek was contaminated by petroleum and trichlo-
roethylene (TCE) products seeping into the creek
from a former tank farm, two former dry wells, and
various individual sites. In 1997 TCE levels in Eskimo
Creek reached 0.015 milligrams per liter (mg/L). In
response, the Air Force signed a Record of Decision
for Final Remedial Action, which established a
0.005 mg/L Remedial Action Objective (RAO/cleanup
level) for TCE in the groundwater zone. To address
the pollution source, the Air Force installed a biovent-
ing curtain and groundwater treatment system to
remove the chemicals from the soil and groundwater
and prevent them from reaching Eskimo Creek.
Similarly, groundwater carried petroleum and TCE
contamination from former training areas into Red
Fox Creek. The Air Force launched numerous clean-
up efforts, including removing and treating contami-
nated soil and installing a bioventing system.
Buried and partially exposed storage drums leaked
petroleum hydrocarbons and oil and grease into soil
and groundwater, allowing free product to move
into King Salmon Creek and its adjacent wetlands.
In response, the Air Force removed the exposed
drums and then recontoured and capped the area to
prevent movement of remaining contaminants. The
Air Force also installed a groundwater treatment
system to prevent the polluted groundwater from
flowing into the creek.
Petroleum-contaminated groundwater from a
former tank farm seeped into the wetlands near
the Naknek River and then into the Naknek River
itself. The Air Force removed 1,100 cubic yards of
contaminated soil and remediated the majority of
the petroleum-contaminated groundwater. The
removed soil was treated in facility bioremediation
cells, and the treated soil was reused as landfill cap-
ping material at the facility. The Air Force installed a
passive remediation system that continues to treat
residual contamination before it enters the wetlands
and Naknek River.
The Air Force has an extensive monitoring network
in place and will continue to monitor petroleum lev-
els in groundwater, surface water, upland sediments
and creek sediments to evaluate remedial efforts
and attenuation processes.
Results
Figure 2. Remediation efforts
removed petroleum seeps and
restored Alaska's King Salmon Creek.
Monitoring data indicate
that the Air Force's
remediation efforts
removed historical
petroleum sources and
are successfully treating
remaining contaminated
groundwater before it
can enter the waterbod-
ies. For example, data
from Eskimo Creek show
that TCE levels have
decreased from a high
of 0.015 mg/L before project implementation to
levels predominantly below the RAO of 0.005 mg/L
in recent years. Similarly, monitoring data collected
after project implementation along King Salmon
Creek (Figure 2), Red Fox Creek and the Naknek River
indicate that pollutant levels have declined or were
non-detectable. All four waterbodies met Alaska's
surface water quality standards, prompting ADEC to
remove the waterbodies from the state's impaired
waters list in 2003 (King Salmon and Eskimo creeks)
and 2004 (Red Fox Creek and Naknek River).
Although the Air Force's cleanup efforts have
restored the surface waters, some soil and ground-
water contamination remains on KSAS. Therefore,
restoration efforts at KSAS will continue beyond
2015. Because remaining pollution in the ground-
water could seep into adjacent surface waters, the
Air Force will continue monitoring indefinitely until
groundwater levels fall below the cleanup criteria
outlined in the KSAS IRP.
Partners and Funding
To facilitate public involvement, the Air Force helped
to form the King Salmon Restoration Advisory
Board, which is made up of interested stakeholders,
including members of the King Salmon Tribe, and
serves as a communication link between the com-
munity, local government, the Air Force and regula-
tory agencies. ADEC has worked collaboratively with
the Air Force; the King Salmon Tribe; local com-
panies such as Paug-Vik, an Alaska native-owned
corporation; local residents; the advisory board;
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
to improve the conditions at KSAS. The Air Force
is funding all remediation efforts at KSAS. ADEC
provides oversight of the cleanup programs through
a Defense State Memorandum of Agreement.
PR
, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
•fc Office of Water
2 Washington, DC
CD
EPA841-F-09-001G
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Jonathan Schick
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
907-269-3077 • jonathan.schick@alaska.gov
Todd Fickel
U.S. Air Force
907-552-7439 •
fickel.todd@elmendorf.af.mil
-------
. Section 319
1 NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
/ti/WtA
Debris Removal Restores Water Quality
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Debris in Alaska's Sawmill Creek violated water quality
standards for residues and prompted Alaska to include the
creek on its inventory of impaired waters in 1996. Alaska classified Sawmill Creek as a
Category 4b ("impaired water with other pollution controls") in its 2002 Integrated Report.
The Takshanuk Watershed Council (TWC) led an effort to clean up and restore Sawmill
Creek. With help from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), TWC
organized events and actions that ultimately led to the removal of 27,000 pounds of scrap
metal and 132 bags of trash in 2006 and 2007. As a result, the creek met the residue
standard, and DEC removed debris from the list of impairments for Sawmill Creek in 2008.
Problem
Sawmill Creek (Figure 1) flows through Haines
Borough in southeastern Alaska, approximately
85 miles north of Juneau. The creek drains a
1.61-square-mile urban watershed and ulti-
mately flows into Alaska's Chilkat River. Haines
has a population of approximately 2,000 and
is a popular site for tourists. Water quality
degradation in the creek has been an issue
since the mid-1990s. Highway debris, such
as litter, is the biggest obstacle to restoring
water quality. Along many Alaskan waterways
in urban settings, people often illegally dump
trash and sometimes large debris (such as cars
and machinery). In some cases in the past,
abandoned cars were used to stabilize certain
stream bank sections. This debris can migrate
downstream and clog and damage culverts,
frequently blocking fish passage.
The state standard for residue and debris pro-
hibits any deposits on streambeds, shorelines
or lakes that negatively affect designated uses.
The debris in Sawmill Creek caused the creek
to violate the standard, and Alaska included
the 6.1-mile long creek on the state's inventory
of impaired waters in 1996. Because Haines
Borough had already initiated cleanup efforts
and planned stream improvements, DEC clas-
sified Sawmill Creek as Category 4b ("impaired
water with other pollution controls") in its 2002
Integrated Report.
Figure 1. A forested portion of Alaska's Sawmill
Creek.
Project Highlights
In 1997 a local citizens group and DEC began
restoring Sawmill Creek by replacing a culvert
and removing some debris. A 2003 grant from
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS's)
Coastal Program funded a project to reroute
the creek away from the road onto private
property and monitor the project's success.
-------
With collaborative help from DEC, TWC and
citizen volunteers began participating in annual
trash removal days in 2004. The Chamber of
Commerce now sponsors the annual stream
cleanups as part of its Spring Cleanup Week.
These cleanups continue to be a success-
ful way to remove debris from the creek and
educate citizens about debris impairments. For
the 2007 and 2008 cleanups, TWC took the
title as King and Queen of Trash in recognition
of being the organization that collected the
most trash.
The Alaska legislature also provided funding to
support the Sawmill Creek restoration effort.
TWC alerted State Representative Thomas,
who successfully obtained funding from the
state capital budget to replace a deteriorat-
ing culvert blocking fish passage on Sawmill
Creek's mainstem—a project that was com-
pleted in early summer 2008. Representative
Thomas secured an additional appropriation to
replace a culvert in another part of the Sawmill
Basin and to support TWC as it works with
Alaska Department of Transportation to restore
a section of the creek adjacent to its local
maintenance yard.
Results
In 2006 and 2007 the TWC and citizen volun-
teers removed 27,000 pounds of scrap metal
and 132 bags of trash from Sawmill Creek,
including one large deposit of abandoned
vehicles and assorted refuse from the creek's
bank. Public education is helping to eliminate
the public acceptance of using abandoned
vehicles for stream bank stabilization and has
increased the number of children and adults in
the community who are aware of the habitat
values of Sawmill Creek.
TWC believes that raising the profile of the
creek and its impairment has helped to change
the community's attitude about dumping in
the creek and has decreased the prevalence of
debris dumping and littering. In fact, TWC has
seen no new large-scale dumping in the past
few years.
The project partners successfully removed
the majority of the debris originally impairing
Sawmill Creek, and the creek is now meeting
the water quality standard. Consequently, DEC
removed debris from the list of impairments
for Sawmill Creek in 2008. TWC performs
periodic fish and benthic macroinvertebrates
sampling to indicate in-stream water quality;
while sampling, the group continues to visually
monitor Sawmill Creek for debris.
Partners and Funding
Alaska DEC helped TWC organize events
and Sawmill Creek restoration activities. The
USFWS funded restoring a branch of the creek
and subsequent monitoring work. The Alaska
legislature provided more than $360,000 to
replace culverts and restore the stream in
2008. TWC received two separate Alaska
Clean Water Actions (ACWA) grants ($5,390
and $30,000) in 2007 that supported a number
of efforts including assessing the watershed,
monitoring associated with this assessment,
removing debris, and stabilizing and revegetat-
ing stream banks. Section 319 funds are a
component of ACWA grants and thus contrib-
uted to ACWA-funded projects.
Grants from EPA's Environmental Education
program, the local Chilkoot Indian Association
and the Charlotte Martin Foundation have
funded education activities with students
in the watershed. Students from the Haines
Borough school district helped with a number
of the cleanup events. Haines Borough pro-
vided equipment and operator time to remove
larger items, such as cars, from the creek.
Private landowners supported and helped with
cleanup efforts on their property.
An additional $15,000 in ACWA funding will
support a 2009 discharge and sediment study.
TWC is identifying habitat impairments and
rehabilitation needs and forming a partnership
with the Department of Fish and Game to set
up stream gauging stations. Haines Borough
has set aside $20,000 in funds to purchase land
for conservation purposes in the watershed
and funded a restoration plan for future work.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
z Washington, DC
o
EPA841-F-08-001DD
October 2008
For additional information contact:
Tim Shields, Executive Director
Takshanuk Watershed Council
907-766-3542 • takshanuk@gmail.com
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCCER STORY
Activated Carbon and Soil Treatment Restores Water Quality
\A/ t h H I H Historical leaking storage tanks and the demolition of a seal ren-
VV3I6rDOay irnprOVGQ derjng p|ant resulted in water quality impairments in the St. Paul
Salt Channel. As a result, the channel was placed on Alaska's 2002 303(d) list of impaired waters for
petroleum hydrocarbons, oil and grease. Efforts to restore water quality in the channel involved two
remediation actions—excavating and treating 9,234 cubic yards of soil by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Association (NOAA), and installing sandbags, filled with activated carbon, around the
periphery of the channel in two parallel trenches to filter the remaining groundwater flowing into the
channel. In response to NOAAs remediation action plan, Alaska's Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEC) moved this waterbody to a Category 4b ("impaired water with other pollution controls") in its
2002 Integrated Report. Sampling in August 2007 showed no contamination and that the channel met
Alaska's water quality standards (WQS) for petroleum hydrocarbons, oil and grease. Consequently, this
pollutant was removed from the list of impairments in 2008.
Problem
St. Paul Island lies in the Bering Sea, approximately
800 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The St.
Paul Salt Channel (also known as the Salt Lagoon
Channel) is tidally connected to the Salt Lagoon, St.
Paul Harbor and the Bering Sea. A contaminated
site (called the Salt Lagoon Diesel Seep) along the
east bank of the St. Paul Salt Channel contributed
petroleum products to the water.
The Salt Lagoon Diesel Seep area was formerly
the location of a seal by-products processing plant
that dated to 1918. The plant rendered fur seal
carcasses to oil and animal feed or meal. In 1977
the Tanadgusix (TDX) Corporation took control of
the plant. In 1984 the United State's decision not to
extend the Interim North Pacific Seal Convention
ended commercial seal harvests. Consequently, TDX
ended operation of the by-products plant in 1984 and
demolished the building in 1988. During the demo-
lition, the plant's boiler system spilled and leaked die-
sel fuel at the site. This added contamination on top
of what had accumulated over the previous 70 years.
For example, in 1957 a cracked valve on a fuel line
released 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel—only 2,000
gallons of which was recovered. By the time the
site was abandoned in 1988, contamination spread
across an area approximately 120 feet by 120 feet,
and at a depth of 3 to 5 feet (surface to groundwater).
NOAA acknowledged that it was responsible for the
site. Therefore, ADEC's Division of Spill Prevention
and Response, Contamination Sites Program issued
a notice of Violation/Request for corrective action by
NOAA. In 1999 NOAA discovered that the contamina-
tion was more widespread than previously thought.
Persistent oil sheens on the channel prompted tests,
which found that total aqueous hydrocarbons (TAqH)
exceeded the state numeric WQS of 15 micrograms
per liter (jug/L). Additionally, the channel failed to
meet Alaska's narrative WQS for petroleum hydro-
carbons, oil and grease, which states, "there may
be no concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons,
animal fats, or vegetable oils in shoreline or bottom
sediments that cause deleterious effects to aquatic
life, and surface waters and adjoining shorelines
must be virtually free from floating oil, film, sheen,
or discoloration." As a result, ADEC listed 0.23 acres
of St. Paul Salt Channel on the 2002 303(d) list of
impaired waters for not supporting its designated
uses of growth and propagation of fish, shellfish,
other aquatic life and wildlife.
Project Highlights
In 2004 NOAA excavated 9,234 cubic yards of
petroleum-contaminated soil down to the water
table and thermally treated it off-site to volatilize,
desorb and combust the petroleum contaminants.
NOAA restored the bank of the channel with rock,
sand, and filter fabric and restored vegetation on
the top of the shoreline. The second major remedia-
tion effort involved installing two parallel rows of
granulated activated carbon on the downward slope
of the former by-products plant site. The activated
carbon in the sandbags filters any remaining pollut-
ants from the groundwater before they can enter
the channel (Figures 1 and 2). NOAA continues to
monitor the St. Paul Salt Channel for visual and
chemical signs of contamination.
-------
Results
NOAA's efforts to restore St. Paul Salt Channel
were successful. Water quality monitoring showed
that the channel met Alaska's WQS for petroleum
hydrocarbons, oil and grease. On February 13,
2006, ADEC concurred with NOAA that no further
actions are needed for the Salt Lagoon Diesel
Seep site. Continued semiannual monitoring, as
well as visual inspections for sheens on the chan-
nel, confirmed that concentrations of petroleum
hydrocarbons remain below 15/jg/L and that no
animal fats or vegetable oils remain in shoreline or
bottom sediments that cause deleterious effects
on aquatic life. Therefore ADEC removed petro-
leum hydrocarbons, oil and grease from the list of
impairments in 2008.
Partners and Funding
In October 2007, NOAA completed the successful
cleanup of all 58 sites on St. Paul Island to protect
human health, welfare, safety and the environment.
ADEC oversaw the cleanup to ensure that it adhered
to Alaska state standards. Local communities, in
cooperation with NOAA and ADEC, also helped the
restoration process by raising awareness of the
problem and offering assistance in solutions. Since
1996, $64 million in federal monies were approved
as a special appropriation for the Pribilof Islands, of
which St. Paul Island is a part.
Figure 1. The Salt Lagoon Diesel Seep area after
NOAA removed contaminated soil and restored the
St. Paul Salt Channel shoreline.
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
MHW 3.0
MIL 2.0
1.0
MLLW 0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
• Approximate vegetation limit
Zone of Excavation of Petroleum
Contaminated Soil and Sediment*
10
-20 -15 -10 -505
Typical Shoreline Cross Section Prior to Restoration
MHW = Mean High Water MTL= Mean Tide Level MLLW= Mean Level LowWater
15
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1-0
0
-1.0
-2.0
-3.0
-4.0
Restored bank elevation varies from
approx. 5.5 to 7.5 feet ablve MLLW
Erosion Control Matting
Topsoil & vegetation wrapped
in erosion control matting /
Scoria backfill
2.5'thick layer cf"B" rock
Vthick layer of sand fill
-20 -15 -10 -5
Shoreline Restoration After Excavation
Sandbags filled with Granular
Activated Carbon (GAC Barrier)
-Feet
20
10
15
Figure 2. Cross-section of the shoreline in the contaminated area before (left) and after (right) restoration efforts. The
contaminated soil was removed and replaced with rock, sand and a granular activated carbon barrier.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001L
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Louis Howard
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
907-269-7552
louis.howard@alaska.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Community Watershed Cleanups, Stormwater Controls, and Lake Dredging
Improve Water Quality and Recreation Uses
Watprhndv ImnrnvpH Swan Lake 's Sitka, Alaska's "Central Park," widely used for
" • •• / ' r < recreational uses, providing habitat for waterfowl, ice skating
in winter and historical uses going back to its Russian ownership. Years of residential growth
and activity along Swan Lake and its main tributary, Wrinkleneck Creek, have resulted in the
accumulation of debris, solid waste, metals and plastics. Wrinkleneck Creek and the north end
of Swan Lake were impaired from those pollutants and listed together on Alaska's 1994, 1996
and 1998 impaired waterbody lists. Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC)
used Clean Water Act section 319 grants over five years to fund community trash cleanups,
manual harvest of noxious aquatic plants, lake dredging, water quality monitoring, educational
efforts, stormwater mapping, and operations and maintenance schedules. These collabora-
tive efforts improved water quality and resulted in Alaska removing from its 303(d) list both
Wrinkleneck Creek and Swan Lake for debris and solid waste in 2004.
Problem
The Swan Lake watershed is near the down-
town area of Sitka, which is on the west coast
of Baranof Island fronting Sitka Sound. Baranof
Island is an outer-coast island in the north-
west area of southeast Alaska's Alexander
Archipelago bordering the Gulf of Alaska and
Pacific Ocean. The watershed is relatively
small, encompassing less than five square
miles. The watershed drains to the shallow,
23-acre Swan Lake through two small streams,
Wrinkleneck Creek and Arrowhead Creek.
ADEC and the City and Borough of Sitka (CBS)
conducted three assessments in order to
eliminate other anecdotal water quality con-
cerns and confirm that solid waste/debris was
a major source of impairment. The pollutants
were more fully described in the 1996 list as
"wood, oil tanks, waste metals and plastics."
The state standard for residue and debris pro-
hibits any deposits on streambeds, shorelines
or lakes that negatively impact designated
Figure 1. Ducks enjoy the cleaner water as a
result of removal of trash and debris.
uses. Water quality field investigations pointed
to the need for a thorough cleanup of debris
accumulations and future actions to keep the
watershed clean. The effects of debris/solid
waste residues on uses of Wrinkleneck Creek
and Swan Lake are (1) negative impacts on
recreational uses within the watershed; (2)
creating nuisance conditions that could attract
-------
undesirable wildlife; and (3) potential adverse
effects on resident fish habitat and their
populations.
Project Highlights
CBS, its contractor, and ADEC developed an
EPA-approved Swan Lake Watershed Recovery
Strategy and Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) during 2000.
Restoration activities in the watershed include
annual community trash cleanups (Figure 2),
manual harvesting of lily pads in high-use
recreational areas, dredging the lake outlet
channel and the Wrinkleneck Creek delta,
monitoring by citizens and professionals,
improving hydraulic efficiency of culverts in the
Arrowhead Creek/Monastery Street intersec-
tion, and completing a stormwater control
strategy and a "state of the lake report" for
public education. Some activities were one-
time tasks; other tasks are continuing.
Figure 2. The CBS team shows off a load of trash
collected during a Swan Lake cleanup.
The Swan Lake watershed restoration project
continues to apply a broad number of best man-
agement practices for water quality protection.
Particular emphasis is placed on stormwater
collection and treatment, ranging from storm
drain stenciling to greater use of vegetative
swales to treat road runoff. Several tons of
trash and debris have been removed from the
creek and lake over the years. During the first
cleanup in 2000, volunteers collected more
than 6,600 pounds of trash and debris. In 2001
volunteers collected another 1,000 pounds,
including 12 metal gas cans and two large
storage tanks. Each year the amount collected
has decreased from the previous year.
Results
Citizen involvement continues for the ninth
consecutive Swan Lake Trash Cleanup sched-
uled for April 2008. This cleanup will continue
to be an annual event in coordination with a
citywide spring cleanup.
CBS believes the actions to date support mov-
ing the Swan Lake watershed to Category 2
in the 303(d) assessment report, which rep-
resents a waterbody that meets some desig-
nated uses but for which data is still needed
to determine whether it meets all designated
uses. The Swan Lake watershed team has an
implemented waterbody recovery plan and an
approved TMDL, which includes the annual
cleanups and monitoring.
CBS has provided the documentation confirm-
ing that the TMDL continues to be implement-
ed and that water quality standards are being
met. As a result, Alaska removed Wrinkleneck
Creek and Swan Lake from its 2004 303(d)
list of impaired waters. The success of these
efforts reflects the community's commitment
and the implementation of the Swan Lake
Watershed Recovery Strategy.
Partners and Funding
CBS has received a total of $181,830 in sec-
tion 319 funds from ADEC for Swan Lake and
Wrinkleneck Creek recovery actions. CBS has
provided approximately $121,220 in matching
funds for these projects.
UJ
a
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001C
April 2008
For additional information contact:
Mark Buggins, Environmental Superintendent
City and Borough of Sitka
907-966-2256 • markb@cityofsitka.com
Laura Eldred, Environmental Program Specialist
Alaska DEC Division of Water
907-376-1855 • laura.eldred@alaska.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PRPGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Nutrioso Creek: A Nonpoint Source Success Story
Watprhnrlv Imnrnvpd Arizona Placed a segment of Nutrioso Creek on the state's
Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) list of impaired
waters in 1998 because of high turbidity. The impairment negatively impacted several
native fish, including one federally listed species. Arizona identified streambank erosion
as the cause for the turbidity. Shortly before the creek was listed as impaired, private
landowner Jim Crosswhite purchased property—the EC Bar Ranch—on Nutrioso Creek.
He quickly began to address water quality and habitat concerns. Crosswhite implemented
best management practices (BMPs) that controlled activities of grazing animals such as
livestock and elk, restored the stream channel, and reduced turbidity. In 2007, because
the impaired segment of Nutrioso Creek once again met water quality standards, Arizona
recommended that it be removed from the list of impaired waters.
Problem
Eastern Arizona's Nutrioso Creek, a 27-mile
perennial stream in the White Mountains of
Apache County, is a tributary to the Little
Colorado River. Several native fish live in these
waters, including the federally endangered
Little Colorado spinedace (Lepidomeda vittata).
In 1998 Arizona placed a 7-mile segment of
Nutrioso Creek on the list of impaired waters
because it exceeded the 10 Nephelometric
Turbidity Units (NTU) standard for coldwater
stream aquatic and wildlife habitat. The state
identified impairments on 4 miles of creek in
the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and
along 3 miles of creek on the privately owned
EC Bar Ranch. The state identified historic
grazing practices as the primary cause of high
turbidity levels. As grazing animals had tram-
pled and consumed Nutrioso Creek's riparian
vegetation, streambank stability decreased and
streambank erosion increased overtime.
Project Highlights
In 1996 Jim Crosswhite purchased the EC Bar
Ranch and began to address water quality
and aquatic/wildlife habitat concerns in the
creek. Crosswhite followed a three-step
approach to improving the riparian area. First,
Newly restored Nutrioso Creek now has a higher
water table, less erosion, and more wildlife
species.
he implemented BMPs: (1) he fenced out elk
entirely and limited livestock grazing to the
dormant winter months; (2) he planted willow
poles and installed practices such as weirs to
reduce streambank erosion; and (3) he estab-
lished native narrow-leaf cottonwoods and
Western Wheatgrass. Crosswhite's second
step was to adopt livestock (cattle), nutrient,
irrigation water, and pest management plans
recommended by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS). As his final step,
-------
Crosswhite used fences to eliminate or control
wildlife and livestock activities in the riparian areas.
he is considering long-term planning options
that can protect the restored area, such as
a conservation easement, deed restrictions,
and/or sale of riparian areas to the U.S. Forest
Service (USFS). To date no final protective
action has been completed, although some
agreements have been drafted, initial surveys
and appraisals completed and aerial photos
taken.
Crosswhite has provided public outreach
through written publicity, personal pre-
sentations, and field trips. Crosswhite
maintains a project Web site (www.ecbar-
ranch.com) where information about BMPs,
agency reports, and monitoring is available.
Crosswhite's extensive outreach initiatives
help to educate other landowners on many
of the BMPs that they can implement in the
Nutrioso Creek area and beyond.
Results
Crosswhite worked closely with the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
to implement BMPs that controlled activi-
ties of large grazing animals, restored the
proper functioning condition in the stream
channel, and reduced turbidity levels. The
condition of soils, vegetation, and hydrology
was improved from non-functional in 1996 to
proper functioning condition in 2005 using the
Bureau of Land Management rating sys-
tem. In addition, monitoring results showed
that turbidity levels plummeted from more
than 50 NTU in 2000 to less than 10 NTU
by 2004. Nutrioso Creek once again meets
water quality standards. Therefore, in 2007, the
ADEQ recommended removal of Nutrioso Creek
from the 303(d) list, making it the first impaired
waterbody in Arizona to be delisted as a result of
mitigation.
Additionally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) was so impressed with the aquatic
habitat recovery on the EC Bar Ranch's portion
of Nutrioso Creek that it captured and moved
767 Little Colorado spinedace from degraded
pools downstream on National Forest land to the
restored habitat on the EC Bar Ranch. In a letter
to Crosswhite, the USFWS emphasized that,
"the practice of salvaging a listed species from
public land and repatriating the species to pri-
vate land is rarely warranted and demonstrates
[Crosswhite's] commitment to threatened and
endangered species."
Partners and Funding
Crosswhite partnered with state and federal
agencies, such as the ADEQ, Arizona Game and
Fish Department (AGFD), Arizona State Land
Department, Arizona Department of Agriculture,
Arizona Water Protection Fund, NRCS, and
USFWS. He worked with many organizations
to address a broad spectrum of environmental
concerns, including those outlined in Nutrioso
Creek TMDL for Turbidity Report (ADEQ 2000),
Little Colorado River Spinedace Recovery
Plan (USFWS 1998), Nutrioso Creek Fish
Management Report (AGFD 2001), and the
Upper Little Colorado River Watershed Based
Plan (2000-2006). He was the first private
landowner in Arizona to complete a Safe Harbor
Agreement with the USFWS (2003)—this agree-
ment promotes voluntary management for listed
species on nonfederal property while assuring
participating landowners that no additional
regulatory restrictions will be imposed.
Crosswhite's Nutrioso Creek restoration project
cost exceeded $2 million, a portion of which
was funded by $575,000 from CWA Section
319 grants, $100,000 from NRCS, and $163,000
from wildlife agencies and others. Crosswhite
matched more than 60 percent of public funding
with his own resources.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001I
June 2007
For additional information contact:
Jim Crosswhite, Project Manager
jcrosswhite@frontiernet.net
Krista Osterberg, Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality
602-771-4551 • osterberg.krista@azdeq.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROE1AM SUCCESS STORY
Conservation Tillage Reduces Surface Erosion from Agriculture Activities
Watprhnrlv Imnrnx/prl Excess sediment from unpaved road surfaces and agriculture
'"""• ' r '"'""" and construction activities impaired Days Creek. As a
result, an 11-mile reach of Days Creek was added to the state's 2006 Clean Water Act
(CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters for siltation. The Arkansas Natural Resources
Commission (ANRC) took action to address siltation caused by erosion of agricultural
fields during storm events. Landowners and the Conservation District responded by
implementing several agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that reduced siltation
and restored water quality. Days Creek now supports its aquatic life designated use, and
the 11-mile reach of the creek was removed from the state's CWA section 303(d) list of
impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Days Creek, a tributary to the Sulphur River, flows
through Miller County in southwestern Arkansas.
Monitoring data collected from 2001 to 2005 show
elevated turbidity levels. An Arkansas Department
of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) assessment found
that an 11-mile segment of Days Creek did not
support its aquatic life designated use because of
siltation/turbidity from surface erosion. Therefore,
in 2006 Days Creek was added to the state's CWA
section 303(d) list of impaired waters for siltation/
turbidity.
The state standard requires that "suspended solids
added to surface waters by artificial sources shall
not interfere with the behavior, reproduction, physi-
cal habitat or other factor related to the survival and
propagation of aquatic or semi-aquatic or terrestrial
wildlife." ADEQ found that a number of sources
contribute to siltation problems in the Days Creek
watershed, including in-stream erosion and erosion
from unpaved road surfaces and agriculture and
construction activities (Figure 1).
Project Highlights
In 2004 the Miller County Conservation District,
with funding assistance from ANRC, purchased
a no-till drill, which allows farmers to plant seeds
directly into the previous year's crop residue
without tilling the soil (Figure 2). The crop residue
protects the soil and lessens the opportunity for
erosion. Many farmers took advantage of the oppor-
tunity to use the no-till drill-by June 2008 it had Figure ZA ™-tlN drlllcan be used to reduce SO1' eroslon
from agriculture activities.
Figure 1. As seen in this photo, conventional tillage leaves
soil unprotected, often leading to erosion during storm
events.
-------
been rented 64 times. In addition to incorporating
no-till into their farming practices, multiple land-
owners implemented other BMPs on 1,464 acres,
including conservation cover and cover crops.
Results
ANRC successfully addressed erosion from agri-
cultural sources through cost effective targeting
of CWA section 319 funds. Thanks to landowners'
efforts to conserve topsoil and prevent erosion
by using BMPs, Days Creek meets its aquatic life
designated use. Specifically, the landowners' use
of the no-till drill contributed greatly to restoring the
water quality.
Monitoring data show a 42 percent decrease in
turbidity between 2004 and 2007 (Figure 3). On the
basis of these data, the 11-mile segment of Days
Creek was removed from the state's CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters in 2008.
Partners and Funding
The following groups helped to restore Days Creek:
landowners living in the Miller County Conservation
District, Miller County Conservation District staff,
Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Miller County Conservation District used
$12,120 in CWA section 319 funds (made available
through the ANRC) to purchase the no-till drill for
BMP implementation. Local landowners provided
approximately $25,250 of in-kind match for using
the drill.
5-year Trend for Turbidity in Days Creek (RED0004a)
?nn
180
160
i An
i9n
I — 100
an
fin
40
20
*
•
• * •
•
*
•
•
*
*
*
* ** • **• •• •• * *••*•* •» *••»• *«
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PRPGRAK SUCCESS STORY
Watershed Restoration Efforts Improve Dissolved Oxygen Levels
I r\
li fl proved
Excess nutrients from urban and agricultural runoff in the Chorro Creek
watershed contributed to the growth of nuisance algae. The break-
down of the algae caused dissolved oxygen levels in Chorro Creek to decline, preventing the creek from
supporting its cold freshwater habitat designated use. As a result, California's Central Coast Regional
Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB) added 14 miles of Chorro Creek to California's 1998 Clean
Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters for dissolved oxygen. Public and private landown-
ers implemented a variety of water quality restoration efforts to reduce nutrients, including upgrading a
wastewater treatment plant, restoring wetlands and stream channels, removing livestock grazing from
riparian areas, and controlling erosion. Water quality improved, and the CCRWQCB has proposed removal
of Chorro Creek from the state's 2008 CWA section 303 (d) list of impaired waters for dissolved oxygen.
Problem
Chorro Creek drains into the Morro Bay Estuary (an
estuary of national significance) and is on central
California's coast in northern San Luis Obispo
County, northwest of the city of San Luis Obispo.
Chorro Creek is designated as a critical coastal
area along the central coast of California: for more
information, see www.coastal.ca.gov/nps/Web/
cca _ morro.htm.
Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and elevated
temperatures in Chorro Creek fuel the growth of
nuisance algae, which decrease dissolved oxygen
levels. Sources of nutrients in the creek include
land-based nonpoint source runoff, point source
discharge and animal waste. The 27,670-acre
Chorro Creek watershed is composed mostly of val-
ley grassland, coastal scrub and oak savanna, along
with mixed conifer forest and oak woodlands in the
upper elevations (Figure 1). The watershed supports
agricultural uses, with some low-density residential
and commercial areas.
The CCRWQCB first added Chorro Creek to the CWA
section 303(d) list in 1998 and identified it as being
impaired by nutrients. In 2004/2006 the CCRWQCB
also listed Chorro Creek as impaired because of low
dissolved oxygen levels. Data show that the water
quality objective for the cold freshwater habitat des-
ignated use was not being met. The numeric target
used to protect the cold freshwater habitat desig-
nated use is a minimum concentration of at least
7.0 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved oxygen. This
concentration is thought to be adequate to protect
the creek's steelhead trout populations.
Figure 1. This fencing and revegetation project occurred
along a tributary in Chorro Creek's valley grassland area.
Chorro Creek stakeholders have a long history of
actively addressing water quality and ecosystem
health in Chorro Creek. The stakeholders' coordi-
nated efforts to monitor and restore the waterway
prompted the CCRWQCB and other agencies and
organizations to nominate the watershed for the
National Estuary Program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved
the Chorro Creek Nutrients and Dissolved Oxygen
TMDL and Implementation Plan on July 19, 2007.
The TMDL identifies the main factors influencing
dissolved oxygen levels in Chorro Creek as respira-
tion of benthic algae, lack of turbulent flow, loading
of nutrients and increases in water temperature.
-------
Project Highlights
Efforts to restore and monitor Chorro Creek have
been ongoing since the early 1990s. An estimated
40 to 60 percent of managed public and private
lands in the watershed are now operated with water
quality management prac-
tices in place. Key projects
include restoring Chorro
Flats floodplain, which is
designed to reestablish
riparian habitat and trap
sediment upstream of Morro
Bay. In this project, partners
converted approximately
100 acres of agricultural land
to a floodplain by realigning
the Chorro Creek channel
(i.e., removing levees and
planting appropriate native
riparian vegetation to trap
sediments). The project
restored approximately 67
acres of riparian and wetland
habitat (Figures 2 and 3).
Figure 2. A view of the Chorro
Flats floodplain before the
restoration.
Figure 3. After restoration,
Chorro Flats' channel sinuosity
and riparian vegetation has been
reestablished. For additional
photos, see www.pwa-ltd.com/
projects/pr _ res _ chorro _ flats.
html.
Figure 4. Building this new
wastewater treatment plant
helped remove point source
discharges from Chorro Creek.
Other projects included
switching from conventional
(i.e., free roaming) grazing to
intensive rotational grazing
with offchannel watering
facilities; excluding cattle
from the riparian corridor
adjacent to upper Chorro
Creek and Dairy Creek; and
replacing an aging waste-
water treatment plant at
the California Men's Colony
Prison (Figure 4). In addi-
tion, the CCRWQCB and the
California State Polytechnic
University implemented a
study comparing Chumash
and Walters creeks (tribu-
taries to Chorro Creek) to
evaluate and demonstrate
how erosion control practices
can improve water quality.
Actions implemented in the Chorro Creek
watershed are consistent with Morro Bay's
Comprehensive Conservation and Management
Plan (CCMP). The CCMP is a state- and federally-
approved plan that guides the work for the Morro
Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP).
Results
California's Central Coast Ambient Monitoring
Program and MBNEP have collected and analyzed
water quality samples in Chorro Creek. Data
collected since 2002 show that water quality has
improved. Dissolved oxygen levels have stabilized
above 7.0 ppm and now consistently support the
creek's cold freshwater habitat designated use.
On the basis of these data, the CCRWQCB proposed
to remove 14 miles of Chorro Creek from California's
2008 CWA section 303(d) list for its dissolved oxy-
gen impairment. While data demonstrate that resto-
ration efforts have restored dissolved oxygen levels,
stakeholders will continue to implement practices to
address the remaining nutrient impairment.
Partners and Funding
Partners involved in protecting and enhancing
the Chorro Creek watershed include the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Coastal San
Luis Resource Conservation District, California
Coastal Conservancy, MBNEP, Farm Bureau, Bay
Foundation of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County,
California Men's Colony Prison Water Treatment
Plant, Camp San Luis Obispo, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, CCRWQCB, California State
Water Resources Control Board and numerous
private landowners.
Over the past 15 years, stakeholders have spent
more than $10 million (local, state and federal
dollars) to restore the Chorro Creek watershed.
Approximately $4 million in CWA section 319 funds
have supported planning ($300,000), monitoring
($1 million) and implementation ($2.7 million) activi-
ties. Additionally, CWA section 319 funds supported
one half-time CCRWQCB staff position to support
the Chumash and Walters Paired Watershed Study
and the Chorro Flats floodplain and riparian corridor
restoration projects.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001R
August 2009
For additional information contact:
Howard Kolb
Water Resources Control Engineer
Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
805-549-3332 • Hkolb@waterboards.ca.gov
Katie McNeill
Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
805-549-3147 • Kmcneill@waterboards.ca.gov
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
ticw t
Menu of Measures is a Recipe for Success
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Edgewood Park Pond was in danger of becoming a marsh due
to its highly eutrophic condition and shallow depths. Project
leaders devised a plan that included stormwater diversion, dredging, revegetation, and fish habi-
tat restoration. These actions contributed to reduce sedimentation, improve fish habitat, and
reduce fecal contamination by waterfowl. Consequently, pond water quality has improved dra-
matically, the pond's eutrophic state has been eliminated, and large fish have returned. Because
of these results, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) expects to
partially remove the pond from the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2006.
Problem
The 2.7-acre Edgewood Park Pond is northwest
of downtown New Haven, Connecticut, along
the shore of Long Island Sound. Over many
years, a steady accumulation of organic matter
reduced the pond's average depth to 2.5 feet.
During summer months, the shallow waters
became too warm for fish survival and algal
blooms transformed the pond into a pool of
green muck and unpleasant odors.
To understand the source, nature, and context
of the problem, the City of New Haven under-
took a diagnostic feasibility study of the pond
in 2000. With a goal of restoring the pond to a
warm-water fishery resource, the study included
an inventory and assessment of existing pond
and watershed conditions, determined factors
responsible for the pond's degradation, and
proposed specific actions to restore the pond.
The study revealed that the pond was a nutrient-
enriched, sediment-filled, shallow, highly eutro-
phic waterbody unsuitable for contact recreation
and fishing. It also concluded that the pond was
often an aesthetic and odor-emitting nuisance,
low-quality fish habitat, seasonal nutrient
source, and undesirable educational resource.
Several sources contributed to pond degrada-
tion. Sparsely vegetated — and hence highly
erodable — land sloped toward the pond and deliv-
ered high sediment loads during storm events.
Discharge from a nearby storm pipe further
exacerbated bank erosion. The storm pipe, pet
wastes left along the bank, and waterfowl were
also suspected bacteria and nutrient sources.
Decades of organic matter accumulation reduced
average pond depth to 2.5 feet, with some areas as
shallow as 1.5 feet. Dredging restored the pond to a
maximum depth of 10 feet.
By 2004, the pond was on the state's 303(d)
list for aquatic life use impairments due to low
dissolved oxygen and siltation caused by nutri-
ents and sediments. The pond was also listed
for primary contact recreation impairments due
to nutrients and bacteria. The state listed the
pond on the basis of observations of eutrophi-
cation and the absence of its former fishery.
Project Highlights
The City of New Haven applied for and
received several section 319 grants needed to
help restore the pond as a fishery and recre-
ation resource. In 2004 and 2005, the city, CT
DEP, and other conservation partners took a
number of measures:
• Dredging the pond to a maximum depth of
10 feet. This removed approximately 12,500
-------
One view of Edgewood Park Pond after restoration. Littoral plant-
ings and a stabilized bank are shown to the center and left.
cubic yards of nutrient-rich sediments from
the pond bottom.
Redirecting the storm pipe away from the
pond and into a nearby wetland, facilitating
the removal of nutrients, sediments, and
other nonpoint source pollutants.
Planting littoral vegetation to reduce slope
erosion and discourage geese and other
waterfowl from accessing the pond.
Improving fish habitat by installing fish struc-
tures, felled trees, and littoral zone plants.
Using construction and vegetative planting
approaches to stabilize the slope on one
side of the pond.
Results
The project was an overwhelming success,
with water quality improvements visibly appar-
ent to even the casual observer. Large fish
have returned, and the pond edge has been
stabilized.
With the nutrient and sediment impair-
ments resolved, CT DEP expects to remove
Edgewood Pond's aquatic life use impair-
ment from the state's 303(d) list in 2006.
While nutrient loads have been reduced, the
other cause of the pond's primary contact
recreation impairment—bacteria—remains a
problem. For this reason, the pond will remain
listed for primary contact recreation. Water
quality monitoring will continue beyond 2006.
Beyond the physical improvements to the pond,
this project produced many other benefits. For
example
• It restored the pond's status as a valuable
recreational and educational resource for city
residents.
• It demonstrated the benefits of urban envi-
ronmental restoration projects to human and
natural resources.
• It coalesced a diverse group of park and pond
constituents and raised general public aware-
ness about the need for continued steward-
ship of this important resource.
• It helped to enhance the quality of life for
low-income residents of New Haven affected
by pollution.
Since the restoration project was completed,
local schools have used the pond to conduct
seining activities and aquatic environment
education programs, and the Edgewood Park
Ranger has used it for canoeing and fishing
programs. The pond has once again claimed its
place as one of the most beautiful assets in
Edgewood Park and the surrounding neighborhood.
Partners and Funding
With support from the federal section 319
program, CT DEP provided $267,600 for the pond
study and restoration program. The City of New
Haven provided more than $90,000 toward the
project design and construction and contributed
in-kind services for project management,
landscape design, and site grading.
The city built on the success of the initial pond
restoration and mobilized the Elm City Parks
Conservancy, the Friends of Edgewood Park,
and the Yale University Forestry School's Urban
Environmental Initiative to undertake the final
slope stabilization project. The city provided an
additional $35,000 for a consultant to provide
construction materials and oversee volunteers.
I
5
s
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Off ice of Water
% Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003H
July 2006
For additional information contact:
Stan Zaremba
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
860-424-3730 • stanley.zaremba@po.state.ct.us
Donna Hall
City of New Haven
203-946-7842 • DHall@Newhavenct.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
jjtftntt or (wwifnjnfl
J
Oil and Grease Water Quality Goals Achieved in DC Area Stream
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd "'e9a' °'' anc' 9rease dumping has historically plagued Hickey
Run, a tributary of the Anacostia River approximately 1 mile
downstream of the Washington, DC-Maryland border. As a result of extensive outreach
efforts targeting the major sources of oil and grease—including local automotive repair
shops—Hickey Run was removed from the 303(d) impaired waters list for oil and grease.
Problem
Land use in the Mickey Run watershed is
largely composed of industrial and manufactur-
ing uses, including a number of transportation-
related facilities and automotive repair shops.
The stream has been historically plagued by
oil and grease from illegal dumping, and also
during rain storms as oil and grease from sur-
rounding parking lots, roads, and bridges flush
into the storm sewer system, often overflow-
ing directly into the stream. In 1996 Mickey
Run was included on the DC 303(d) list for
oil and grease, PCBs, and chlordane. In 1998
organics and bacteria were added to the list of
pollutants impairing Mickey Run.
Mickey Run Oil and Grease 1990-1992
140-
^f 120-
__£_ 100
I 80
C 60-
fliJL
10 mg/L
Water Quality Standard
for Oil and Grease
•
Project Highlights
In 1998 the DC Department of Health (DOM),
Environmental Health Administration, devel-
oped a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for
oil and grease calling for a reduction in point
source loads by 89 percent and nonpoint
source loads by 30 percent. The TMDL set
the overall reduction goal at 77 percent of
existing oil and grease loads. Because the
automotive repair shops were an easily rec-
ognizable source of oil and grease in Hickey
Run, the DOH reached out to them through the
Environmental Education Compliance of Auto
Repair Shops (EE-CARS) Program. Businesses
were provided educational resources, com-
prehensive surveys, and follow-up visits. The
industry responded by reducing the amount
Jun-90 Aug-90 Sep-90 Nov-90 Apr-91 Jun-91 Aug-91 Oct-91 Feb-92 Mar-92
Sampling Date
Hickey Run Oil and Grease WQS Attainment Data
o
o
10 mg/L Water Quality
Standard for Oil and Grease
Feb- Mar- Apr- May- Jun- Jul-02 Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb-
02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 02 03 03
Sampling Date
These graphs illustrate an 88 percent reduction in oil and grease
that has led to the removal of Hickey Run from the 303(d) list of
impaired waters.
-------
of oil and grease entering Mickey Run by an
even larger percentage than what the TMDL
required.
In addition, in January 2004 the DC DOH,
Environmental Health Administration, DC
Water and Sewer Authority (WASA), and USDA
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that
outlined the responsibilities of each organiza-
tion in the cleanup. The MOU calls for the
installation of a debris/floatables and oil/grease
removal system that would be designed and
constructed by the ARS in collaboration with
the DOH and WASA. As effective as outreach
has been, the proposed system will ensure
that oil and grease will not degrade Hickey
Run in the future for storm events of half an
inch or less. Industry around Hickey Run faces
high employee turnover, making technological
control beneficial in protecting the waterbody
from the impacts of poor shop management
practices, intentional dumping incidents, and
infrequent, but significant spills. Construction
is expected to begin in 2006.
The DC government, in partnership with ARS,
is also developing a restoration plan to address
other problems in the Hickey Run watershed.
The stream experiences unnaturally high
flows during storm events—due to large areas
of paved or otherwise impervious surfaces
—resulting in severely eroded stream banks
and channels. The lowest mile of the stream
currently loses 1,100 tons of sediment per year.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
finished a comprehensive assessment of Hickey
Run and its tributaries in December 2004 and is
now preparing a plan intended to mitigate the
damage and restore the stream by using natural
channel design. Implementing the plan will pro-
duce 850 feet of natural channel design, result-
ing in reduced sediment loss, improved stream
functioning, and increased wildlife habitat.
Results
Water quality data obtained in 2002 suggest
that implementation efforts reduced overall oil
and grease loading to Hickey Run by 88 per-
cent compared to loading amounts reported in
1998. This result exceeds the 77 percent total
reduction goal established by the TMDL. The
District of Columbia 2002 and 2003 Discharge
Monitoring Reports indicate that Hickey Run is
achieving water quality goals for oil and grease
levels less than 10 mg/L. As a result, Hickey
Run has been removed from the 303(d) list of
impaired waters for oil and grease.
Partners and Funding
The USDA's U.S. National Arboretum, National
Park Service, District of Columbia WASA,
USDA ARS, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Region 3, and Government of the
District of Columbia all contributed to the
success of oil and grease load reductions in
Hickey Run. With the assistance of section 319
funding, almost $2.2 million is allocated for the
design and construction of the debris/floatables
and oil/grease removal system. Of the USFWS
and section 319 funding that DOH has received,
$234,040 was spent on creating the design
plans for the restoration project and $115,370
was spent on assessing the water quality.
I
5
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004J
July 2005
For additional information contact:
Dr. Karen Zhang
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service
301-504-5557 • zhangk@ba.ars.usda.gov
Alexi Boado
Government of The District of Columbia
202-535-1798 • Alexi.boado@dc.gov
Peter Hill
Government of The District of Columbia
202-535-2691 • peter.hill@dc.gov
Fred Suffian
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3
215-814-5753 • suffian.fred@epa.gov
-------
•
Section 319
NONPOINT SOOR" PROGRAM SOCCESS STORY
Collaborative Efforts by Poultry Integrators Reduce Bacteria Loads
A/ t h H I H Runoff from agriculture operations and leaking septic systems
VVaterDOay imprOVea contributed high |eve|s of bacteria to the Little Assawoman Bay
watershed, causing the bay to violate bacteria water quality standards. In response, the Delaware
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) added the three-square-mile
Little Assawoman Bay watershed to Delaware's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list in 1996.
Targeted education and best management practices (BMPs) implementation successfully reduced
bacteria counts, allowing the bay to meet water quality standards. As a result, in 2006 DNREC removed
Little Assawoman Bay from Delaware's CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
The watershed drains an area that extends from
the Assawoman Canal to its confluence with
Little Assawoman Bay on the southeast coast of
Delaware. Little Assawoman Bay—the smallest of
Delaware's Inland Bays—is connected to Indian
River Bay on the north by the Assawoman Canal
and to Assawoman Bay on the south via a narrow
channel. The Little Assawoman Bay watershed is an
agriculture-dominated watershed with no influenc-
ing point sources. The area has a high concentration
of poultry growing operations but is experiencing
rapid conversion toward urban uses.
Excessive bacteria inputs from agriculture and
failing septic systems prevented Little Assawoman
Bay from supporting its recreational uses. Water
quality monitoring data show that bacteria levels
routinely exceeded the state water quality stan-
dard for primary recreation, which requires that
a single sample value of Enterococcus bacteria
must not exceed 104 colonies (col)/100 milliliters
(ml) and that the geometric mean value must not
exceed 35 col/100 ml. Because Little Assawoman
Bay failed to meet standards, DNREC placed it
on Delaware's 1996 CWA section 303(d) list of
impaired waters for bacteria. DNREC developed
a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for bacteria in
2004 that addressed the entire Inland Bay water-
shed, which includes the Little Assawoman Bay
watershed.
Project Highlights
In 2001 the nonprofit Center for the Inland Bays
(CIB) collaborated with Delmarva's major poultry
integrators (Perdue Farms, Mountaire Farms and
Allen's Family Foods); the Delaware Nutrient
Management Commission; DNREC's Nonpoint
Source Program; and the Sussex Conservation
District to develop the Little Assawoman Bay as a
model watershed area. The project, known as the
Poultry Integrators' Nutrient Effort (PINE), sought to
accelerate compliance and certification programs
mandated by Delaware's Nutrient Management
Law. This comprehensive approach was developed
to reduce nonpoint source pollution.
The Little Assawoman Bay watershed has one of
the highest concentrations per land area of poultry
growers in the state. The watershed has 27 active
poultry operations consisting of 77 functioning
poultry houses and one swine operation produc-
ing 1,500 hogs per year. Operators implemented
numerous agricultural BMPs in the watershed,
including dead bird disposal; heavy use area
protection; manure conveyors and storage struc-
tures; nutrient management planning; cover crops;
manure relocation and alternative use, wood chip,
and vegetative riparian buffers.
The PINE project greatly increased BMP use in the
watershed. For example, Dan and Iris Moore grow
poultry for Perdue Farms in two tunnel ventilated
poultry houses. Before the targeted PINE efforts,
BMPs on the Moore farm included a dead bird corn-
poster and a manure storage structure. The Moores
enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program with the Sussex Conservation District and
had 54 acres of early succession pine and hardwood
mix (Figure 1). The Moore's farm was selected
for PINE because it is close both to wetlands and
tributaries of the Little Assawoman Bay, as well
as next to a new development of more than 1,000
homes. After an initial PINE consultation, plans were
drawn up to increase the number of BMPs used on
the property. New BMPs included pouring concrete
-------
Figure 1. Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program planting at Moore Farm.
Figure 2. The PINE project included planting a tree
buffer along the property line.
pads on the ends of the poultry houses for easy
manure cleanup, installing vegetative buffers in front
of tunnel fans to reduce the dust plume, adding an
irrigated tree buffer along the property line adjacent
to the new housing development (Figure 2), building
a new truck route in and out of the farm, and digging
a shallow wetland. PINE also suggested removing
two old poultry houses along the road. The housing
development company agreed to pay to remove the
two old houses, install the irrigated vegetated buffer
and build the new truck route.
Results
Monitoring data show that bacteria levels have
dropped in Little Assawoman Bay, thanks to the
efforts of the agricultural community. By the end
of the monitoring assessment period in 2006, data
from each of the measured monitoring stations show
that the water meets water quality standards for
bacteria (Table 1). On the basis of these data, DNREC
removed the three-square-mile segment of the Little
Assawoman Bay from Delaware's 2006 CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters for bacteria. Monitoring
will continue at all Little Assawoman Bay stations to
ensure that the waters continue to meet standards.
Partners and Funding
The PINE project was a partnership between
the CIB; University of Delaware; Sussex County
Conservation District; Delmarva's major poultry
integrators (Perdue Farms, Mountaire Farms and
Allen's Family Foods); and the Delaware Nutrient
Management Commission.
The project used slightly more than $100,000 in
federal CWA section 319 funds to pay the salary
of a Little Assawoman Bay watershed coordina-
tor. Additional funding sources included the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Environmental Quality
Incentives Program and Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program, Delaware Conservation
Cost Share Program, and Americana Bayside
Development Corporation. Because of the nature
of the funding and enrollment procedures, much of
the funding involvement is immeasurable.
Table 1. 2006 monitoring data show that Little Assawoman Bay meets water quality
standards3 for Enterococcus bacteria
Monitoring station
Little Assawoman Bay Ditch at Rd. 58 Bridge
Little Assawoman Bay, Mid-Bay
Single sample value
(col/100 ml)
20
20
Geometric mean value
(col/100 ml)
14
8
a Water quality standard: a single sample value of Enterococcus bacteria must not exceed 104 col/mL and
the geometric mean value must not exceed 35 col/100 mL.
I
c
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001T
August 2009
For additional information contact:
Bob Palmer
Delaware Nonpoint Source Program
302-739-9922 • robert.palmer@state.de.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Applying Agriculture Best Management Practices Reduces Bacteria
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Fecal coliform from animal agriculture areas, failing septic
tanks and impervious surfaces caused Georgia's Broxton Creek
to violate water quality standards. As a result, Georgia's Environmental Protection Division
(EPD) added a six-mile segment of Broxton Creek to Georgia's 2000 Clean Water Act (CWA)
section 303(d) list of impaired waters for fecal coliform bacteria. Using CWA section 319 and
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds, farmers installed numerous best
management practices (BMPs) on pasturelands adjoining the creek's impaired segments.
Water quality improved, prompting Georgia EPD to remove the six-mile segment of Broxton
Creek from the list of impaired waters for fecal coliform in 2006.
Problem
Broxton Creek flows through Coffee County and
empties into the Satilla River in south-central
Georgia (Figure 1). The Satilla River basin lies
entirely within the Coastal Plain physiographic
province, which extends throughout the southeast-
ern margin of the United States. Pastures, cropland
and hayfields cover approximately 20 percent of the
watershed.
Monitoring data collected in the late 1990s show
that Broxton Creek violated the fecal coliform water
quality standard for its fishing designated use clas-
sification. The standard requires that fecal coliform
levels not exceed a geometric mean (four samples
collected over a 30-day period) of 200 colony form-
ing units (cfu) per 100 milliliters (ml) in the summer
and 1,000 cfu/100 ml in the winter. In the winter,
the criterion also requires that fecal coliform levels
not exceed 4,000 cfu/100 ml for any one sample.
In 1998 Broxton Creek violated water quality
standards for fecal coliform in one of four geometric
mean sampling sets and in two single winter sam-
pling events. Because Broxton Creek did not meet
criteria to support its fishing designated use clas-
sification, Georgia EPD added a six-mile segment of
the creek to Georgia's 2000 CWA section 303(d) list
of impaired waters for high fecal coliform levels.
Satilla River Basin
Major Rivers
Figure 1. Broxton Creek is a tributary of Georgia's Satilla River.
-------
Georgia EPD developed a total maximum daily
load (TMDL) study for pathogen loads in the Satilla
River watershed; the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency approved the TMDL in 2000. The TMDL
determined that pathogen loading into Broxton
Creek must be reduced by 85 percent to meet
water quality requirements for fishing. The TMDL
attributed the pathogen loading to runoff from
animal agriculture areas, leaking septic tanks, urban
areas and residential areas with pets.
Project Highlights
Using a combination of CWA section 319 and EQIP
funding, the Seven Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council worked with local
landowners to install BMPs that reduce patho-
gen runoff into Broxton Creek and improve the
landowners' operations. CWA section 319 funds
supported installing one poultry litter stackhouse
(Figure 2). Local agriculture agency partners
advised the landowner on the technical design and
specifications of the BMP and provided oversight
and expertise during installation. The landowner
participated voluntarily and provided partial labor
funds for the BMP.
Figure 2. Poultry litter stackhouse.
Other BMPs implemented in the watershed include
installing foundations to support cattle in heavy-
use areas, installing grade-stabilization structures,
planting pasture and hay areas, vegetating critical
areas, implementing waste management systems
and installing livestock watering pipelines and alter-
native watering structures. The U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) office in Coffee County provided
additional technical assistance and support.
Coffee County adopted several ordinances to help
improve water quality including one that controls
soil erosion and sedimentation, one that governs
septic tank permits and one that requires drainage
plans for new subdivisions.
Results
Georgia EPD collected monitoring data on Broxton
Creek in 2003 as part of a larger effort to update
the Satilla River fecal coliform TMDL. Data show
that Broxton Creek's fecal coliform geometric mean
values, which had reached a high of 5,386 cfu/100
mL in February 1994, had dropped to 30 cfu/100 mL
in February 2003. The revised TMDL, approved in
2006, found that Broxton Creek met water quality
standards for its designated use and required no
additional load reductions. On the basis of that
information, Georgia EPD removed the six-mile
segment of Broxton Creek from the state's list of
impaired waters in 2006.
Partners and Funding
A total of $41,569 in CWA section 319 funding
supported projects in the Broxton Creek watershed.
Producers provided the remaining 40 percent of
BMP construction costs for a total of $69,281. Key
partners in this effort include the Coffee County
Soil Conservation District, Seven Rivers Resource
Conservation and Development Council, NRCS
agents and Coffee County. Agents of these gener-
ous partners provided technical expertise and labor.
Landowners in the Satilla River watershed contrib-
uted in-kind labor hours and some funding.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001W
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Jeff Linzer
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
404-675-6232 • Jeffrey.linzer@gaepd.org
Stan Moore
Seven Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council
912-367-7679 • stan.moore@ga.usda.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Using Agricultural Best Management Practices Reduces Bacteria
Watprhnrlv Imnrnx/pH Fecal coliform from animal agriculture areas, failing septic tanks and
y ^ impervious surfaces caused Georgia's Hog Creek to violate water qual-
ity standards. As a result, Georgia's Environmental Protection Division
(EPD) added a 10-mile segment of Hog Creek to Georgia's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of
impaired waters for fecal coliform bacteria in 2002 and 2004. Using CWA section 319 and Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds, farmers installed numerous best management practices (BMPs)
on pasturelands adjoining the creek's impaired segments. Water quality improved, prompting Georgia EPD
to remove the 10-mile segment of Hog Creek from the list of impaired waters for fecal coliform in 2006.
Problem
The 10-mile-long impaired segment of Hog Creek
flows through Ware County, just north of where Hog
Creek joins the Satilla River in south-central Georgia
(Figure 1). Cropland is mostly on the well-drained
soils on long, narrow and flat-to-gently-sloping-
ridges paralleling many of the stream courses.
The broad flats of the watershed are often poorly
drained and support pine trees, and the wet, narrow
floodplains support bottomland hardwood forests.
Pastures, cropland and hayfields cover approxi-
mately 22 percent of the area.
Monitoring data collected in the late 1990s show
that Hog Creek violated the fecal coliform water
quality standard for its fishing designated use
classification (its most stringent classification).
The standard requires that fecal coliform levels not
exceed a geometric mean (four samples collected
over a 30-day period) of 200 colony forming units
(cfu) per 100 milliliters (ml) in the summer and
1,000 cfu/100 ml in the winter.
Hog Creek violated water quality standards for fecal
coliform in one of four geometric mean sampling
sets in 1998. Because Hog Creek did not meet
criteria to support its fishing designated use clas-
sification, Georgia EPD added a 10-mile segment
of the creek to Georgia's 2000 CWA section 303(d)
list of impaired waters for high fecal coliform levels.
Georgia EPD identified the primary sources as
animal concentrations, old leaking septic tanks and
stormwater runoff.
Georgia EPD developed a total maximum daily
load (TMDL) study for pathogen loads in the Satilla
River watershed; the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency approved the TMDL in 2000. The TMDL
Satilla River Basin
Major Rivers
Figure 1. Hog Creek is a tributary of Georgia's Satilla River.
determined that pathogen loading into Hog Creek
must be reduced by 85 percent to meet water qual-
ity requirements for fishing. The TMDL attributed
the pathogen loading to runoff from animal agricul-
ture areas, leaking septic tanks, urban areas and
residential areas with pets.
-------
Figure 2. This farmer combined heavy use area
protection with an alternate watering source.
Project Highlights
Using a combination of CWA section 319 and EQIP
funding, the Seven Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council worked with local land-
owners to install BMPs that reduce pathogen runoff
into Hog Creek and improve the landowners' opera-
tions. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural
Resources Conservation Service office in Ware
County provided additional technical assistance and
support. CWA section 319 funds paid for several
BMPs along Hog Creek, including installing a founda-
tion to support cattle and soil in heavy-use areas
(places where cattle gather for watering and feed-
ing) to prevent erosion (Figure 2), adding a grade-
stabilization structure to prevent stream bank failure
(Figure 3), seeding a pasture and planting a riparian
zone to protect critical areas, and installing pipelines
and other alternative water structures such as wells
and ponds to keep livestock out of streams. Those
water quality control measures also provide livestock
health benefits and improve area aesthetics. Local
agriculture agency partners advised landowners on
the technical design and specifications of BMPs and
provided oversight and expertise during installation.
Landowners participated voluntarily and provided
partial labor and funds for the BMPs, which were
installed between 2000 and 2005.
Ware County adopted several ordinances to help
improve water quality, including the state model
ordinance for soil erosion and sedimentation, a
septic tank permit ordinance and an ordinance that
requires drainage plan for new subdivisions.
Figure 3. This riparian buffer and streambank stabili-
zation project protects Hog Creek.
Results
Georgia EPD collected monitoring data on Hog
Creek in 2003 as part of a larger effort to update
the Satilla River fecal coliform TMDL. These data
show that Hog Creek no longer violated stan-
dards in 2003. For example, in May 1998 the fecal
coliform geometric mean value reached a high of
436 cfu/100 ml. In June 2003 the geometric mean
value was 81 cfu/100 mL—well below the summer
water quality standard of 200 cfu/100 mL. The
revised TMDL, approved in 2006, found that Hog
Creek met water quality standards for its desig-
nated use and required no additional load reduc-
tions. On the basis of that information, Georgia EPD
removed the 10-mile segment of Hog Creek from
the state's list of impaired waters in 2006.
Partners and Funding
A total of $17,448 in CWA section 319 funding
supported projects in the Hog Creek watershed.
Producers provided the remaining 40 percent of
BMP construction costs for a total of $29,080. Key
partners in this effort include the Ware County
Soil Conservation District, Seven Rivers Resource
Conservation and Development Council, Natural
Resources Conservation Service agents and Ware
County. Agents of these generous partners pro-
vided technical expertise and labor. Landowners in
the Satilla River watershed contributed in-kind labor
hours and some funding.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001V
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Jeff Linzer
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
404-675-6232 • Jeffrey.linzer@gaepd.org
Stan Moore
Seven Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council
912-367-7679 • stan.moore@ga.usda.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Using Agricultural Best Management Practices Restores Creek/
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Fecal coliform from animal agriculture areas, failing septic
tanks and impervious surfaces caused Georgia's Reedy Creek
to violate water quality standards. As a result, Georgia's Environmental Protection Division
(EPD) added a 13-mile segment of Reedy Creek to Georgia's Clean Water Act (CWA) sec-
tion 303(d) list of impaired waters for fecal coliform bacteria in 2000 and 2004. Using CWA
section 319 and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds, farmers installed
numerous best management practices (BMPs) on pasturelands adjoining the creek's
impaired segments. Water quality improved, prompting Georgia EPD to remove the 13-mile
segment of Reedy Creek from the list of impaired waters for fecal coliform in 2006.
Problem
Reedy Creek's 13-mile-long impaired segment
flows through Wayne and Appling counties, north of
where Reedy Creek joins the Satilla River in south-
eastern Georgia (Figure 1). Cropland is mostly on
the well-drained soils on long, narrow and flat-to-
gently-sloping-ridges paralleling many of the stream
courses. The broad flats of the watershed are often
poorly drained and support pine trees, and the wet,
narrow floodplains support bottomland hardwood
forests. Pastures, cropland and hayfields cover
approximately 22 percent of the area.
Monitoring data collected in the late 1990s show
that Reedy Creek violated the fecal coliform water
quality standard for its fishing designated use
classification (its most stringent classification).
The standard requires that fecal coliform levels not
exceed a geometric mean (four samples collected
over a 30-day period) of 200 colony forming units
(cfu) per 100 milliliters (ml) in the summer and
1,000 cfu/100 ml in the winter.
Data show that Reedy Creek violated water quality
standards for fecal coliform in one of four geomet-
ric mean sampling sets in 1998. Because Reedy
Creek did not meet criteria to support its fishing
designated use classification, Georgia EPD added
a 13-mile-long segment of the creek to Georgia's
2000 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters for
high fecal coliform levels. Georgia EPD identified
the primary sources as animal waste from upslope
practices and stormwater runoff on land without
BMPs in place.
Satilla River Basin
Major Rivers
Figure 1. Reedy Creek is a tributary of Georgia's Satilla River.
-------
Figure 2. This farmer combined heavy use area
protection with an alternate watering source.
Figure 3. This farmer is planting a pasture as a cover
crop on a critical watershed area.
Georgia EPD developed a total maximum daily
load (TMDL) study for pathogen loads in the Satilla
River watershed; the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency approved the TMDL in 2000. The TMDL
determined that pathogen loading into Reedy Creek
must be reduced by 92 percent to meet water qual-
ity requirements for fishing. The TMDL attributed
the pathogen loading to agriculture.
Project Highlights
Using a combination of CWA section 319 and EQIP
funding, the Seven Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council worked with local land-
owners to install BMPs that reduce pathogen runoff
into Reedy Creek and improve the landowners'
operations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Natural Resources Conservation Service offices in
Wayne and Appling counties provided additional
technical assistance and support.
CWA section 319 funds paid for several BMPs
along Reedy Creek, including installing two foun-
dations to support cattle and soil in heavy-use
areas (places where cattle gather for watering and
feeding) to prevent erosion (Figure 2), adding two
grade-stabilization structures to prevent stream
bank failure, seeding pastures and planting riparian
zones to protect critical areas at three locations
(Figure 3), installing pipelines and other alternative
water structures such as wells and ponds at two
sites to keep livestock out of streams, and building
one poultry litter stackhouse. Those water qual-
ity control measures also provide livestock health
benefits and improve area aesthetics. Local agri-
culture agency partners advised landowners on the
technical design and specifications of BMPs and
provided oversight and expertise during installation.
Landowners participated voluntarily and provided
partial labor and funds for the BMPs, which were
installed between 2000 and 2005.
Results
Georgia EPD collected monitoring data on Reedy
Creek in 2003 as part of a larger effort to update the
Satilla River fecal coliform TMDL. These data show
that Reedy Creek no longer violated standards in
2003. In January and July 2003, the geometric mean
values were 101 cfu/100 mL and 89 cfu/100 ml,
respectively—well below water quality standards.
The revised TMDL, approved in 2006, found that
Reedy Creek met water quality standards for its
designated use and required no additional load
reductions. On the basis of that information, Georgia
EPD removed the 13-mile segment of Reedy Creek
from the state's list of impaired waters in 2006.
Partners and Funding
A total of $29,946 in CWA section 319 funding
supported projects in the Reedy Creek watershed.
Producers provided the remaining 40 percent of
BMP construction costs for a total of $49,910. EQIP
funding was provided to producers at a 50-50 cost-
share ratio. Key partners in this effort include the
Wayne and Appling counties' Soil Conservation
Districts, Seven Rivers Resource Conservation and
Development Council, and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service. Agents of these generous
partners provided technical expertise and labor.
Landowners in the Satilla River watershed contrib-
uted in-kind labor hours and some funding.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001X
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Jeff Linzer
Georgia Environmental Protection Division
404-675-6232 • Jeffrey.linzer@gaepd.org
Stan Moore
Seven Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council
912-367-7679 • stan.moore@ga.usda.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCGESS STORY
Agricultural Best Management Practices Reduce Fecal Coliform Bacteria
Waterbodv ImDrOVed Runoff from PoultrV operations and other agricultural areas
' ''" carried high levels of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria into the
Little Ochlockonee River, preventing a nine-mile segment of the river from achieving
its designated use for fishing. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR)
added the segment to its Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list in 2000. Landowners
constructed agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that reduced FC bacteria
runoff from farms. As a result, the river segment meets its designated use and is no longer
impaired by FC. In 2006 GDNR removed the nine-mile portion of the Little Ochlockonee
River from Georgia's list of impaired waters.
Problem
The Little Ochlockonee River (Figure 1) is in a region
of Georgia which has a rolling, hilly topography with
a mosaic of agriculture, pasture and mixed pine/
hardwood forests. Soils are well-drained, brownish,
and loamy, often with iron-rich layers. The area has
bluffs and deep ravines with cool microclimates
that support several rare plants and animals, as well
as species with more northern affinities.
The 82 poultry operations in the six counties sur-
rounding the Little Ochlockonee River watershed
produce more than 66 million birds annually. The
amount of chicken litter produced in the project
area exceeds 100,000 tons annually. Poultry produc-
ers must also dispose of the carcasses of numerous
birds that do not survive the growing period. Poultry
litter and other waste is commonly stored on the
ground until it can be spread over pasturelands.
Producers often store waste uncovered and some-
times near streams, wetlands or sinkholes, where
leaching of nitrates and bacteria can readily occur.
The total maximum daily load (TMDL) assessment
developed for the nine-mile segment of the Little
Ochlockonee River in 2000 reports that the geo-
metric mean for FC levels exceeded 200 counts per
100 milliliters (mL) for May through October and
1,000 counts per 100 mL for November through
April. Georgia's water quality standards state that
FC bacteria levels should not exceed a geometric
Figure 1. Georgia's Little Ochlockonee River.
mean of 200 counts per 100 mL (or 500 counts per
100 mL if proved to be from nonhuman sources) for
the months of May through October. For November
through April, FC bacteria counts should not exceed
1,000 counts per 100 mL (or 4,000 counts for any
one sample).
GDNR cited runoff from farming and livestock
operations as the primary source of the pollution.
Failing septic systems were identified as a second-
ary source of FC contamination. The TMDL calls for
FC levels to be reduced by 75 percent for the river
segment to attain the water quality criterion neces-
sary to support the fishing designated use.
-------
Project Highlights
Results
To accomplish the necessary 75 percent FC reduc-
tion, the Golden Triangle Resource Conservation
and Development Council worked with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource
Conservation Service (NRCS) to install poultry
incinerators (Figure 2) in the Little Ochlockonee River
watershed. Incinerators provide for effective disposal
of poultry waste (bird carcasses and litter), reducing
the water contamination that often occurs when
rain falls on uncovered waste piles. These BMPs
are a component of a larger water quality protection
project in several neighboring counties. BMPs for
the larger project include other poultry incinerators,
a pesticide mixing station, and covered poultry litter
storage areas, also known as poultry stack houses.
Figure 2. Ochlockonee River watershed poultry producers
installed poultry incinerators such as this one.
Other agricultural BMPs were installed in the area
through the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP), which annually provides financial
assistance to agricultural producers. To ensure
continued water quality benefits, this program also
included three BMP demonstration field days, five
informational workshops targeting small farmers and
school children, and three educational training ses-
sions to demonstrate the benefits and importance of
agricultural nonpoint source protection efforts. More
than 200 people attended these education sessions.
While there is no acceptable format for estimat-
ing FC load reductions, installing the incinerators
prevented targeted pollutants from draining directly
into the watershed. State monitoring results from
2003 show that the geometric mean for FC was
81 counts per 100 ml for November through
April—a 92 percent decrease from 2000. Because
the river attains water quality criteria for FC bac-
teria, GDNR removed the nine-mile portion of the
Little Ochlockonee River (from Big Creek to the
Ochlockonee River) from Georgia's CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters in 2006.
Partners and Funding
State partners involved in the effort include the
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Service, which provided office space, technical
assistance and educational outreach help; the Flint
River Soil and Water Conservation District, which
helped promote the project and implement BMPs;
and the Southwest Georgia Regional Development
Center, which provided geographical informa-
tion system support and data as well as technical
assistance. Federal agencies also supported the
project, including the NRCS, which provided direct
technical assistance to agricultural producers and
helped develop conservation plans and design
and approve BMPs; and the Farm Service Agency,
which provided planning and technical support and
data collection. Regional and local governments—
including the Boards of Commissioners for Mitchell,
Calhoun, Baker, Grady, and Decatur counties—also
supported the project.
In total, the partners spent $13,455 of FY02 CWA
section 319 funds on BMPs installed in the Little
Ochlockonee River watershed. The funds supported
constructing and installing BMPs and provided
60 percent of total costs up to a $6,000 maximum
for each BMP. Producers provided the remaining
40 percent of BMP costs. EQIP funding was also
made available to producers at a 50-50 cost share
ratio.
I
5
PR
. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
"fc Office of Water
g Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001J
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Julie Walden
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
404-675-1640 • Julie.Walden@dnr.state.ga.us
Frank Yancey
Golden Triangle Resource Conservation
and Development Council, Inc.
229-723-3841 • Frank.Yancey@ga.usda.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stabilizing Streambanks and Restoring Wetlands Improves Habitat
Waterbody Improved
Streambank modification/destabilization contributed to total
suspended solids (TSS) impairment of a 6.6-mile segment of
Addison Creek in Illinois. Implementing streambank stabilization techniques and wetland
restoration measures through section 319 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) enhanced water
quality and helped Addison Creek meet TSS water quality goals for its designated water use
classifications.
Problem
Data collected in 1998 revealed that Addison
Creek was not supporting designated uses for
aquatic life, in part because of TSS. This data
also suggested that stormwater runoff contrib-
uted to the impairment through streambank
modification/destabilization. As a result, the
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
placed a 6.6-mile segment of Addison Creek in
Cook County, Illinois, on the 2002 CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters (Figure 1).
Project Highlights
Illinois EPA used CWA section 319 funds to
implement three nonpoint source pollution
control projects in the Addison Creek watershed
since 1998. These projects reduced nonpoint
source pollution by applying bioengineering
techniques to stabilize approximately 8,720 feet
of eroding Streambanks. Specific techniques
included A-jacks with vegetation, Stabilator toe
with vegetation, riprap, lunkers, and vegetated
gabion baskets (Figures 2 and 3). The project
partners also removed selected trees to allow
increased light penetration, built riffles, and
planted native forbs, grasses, and sedges. In
addition, they restored a 30-foot-wide, 1.29-acre
wetland on each side of a 1,300-foot-long sec-
tion of stream (Figure 4).
Addison Creek is a tributary of Salt Creek, which
is also included on Illinois' CWA section 303(d)
list. A report containing the total maximum
daily loads and the implementation plan for
Figure 1. Map of
Addison Creek
watershed.
Figure 2. A gabion toe (cage filled with earth and rocks) protects
the left and right banks in this section of Addison Creek.
-------
Salt Creek was completed and approved in
September 2004.
Figure 3. Streambank stabilization techniques used on this portion
of the creek include vegetated banks with an A-Jacks toe on the left
bank and a Stabilator toe on the right bank.
Figure 4. Along this section of the creek, the partners restored a
streamside wetland and stabilized the Streambank with vegetation,
riprap, and riffles.
Results
Although Addison Creek was still identified as
not supporting designated uses for aquatic
life in 2006, TSS and Streambank modification/
destabilization have been removed as a cause
and source of impairment. TSS did not exceed
116 milligrams per liter in any samples from the
Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network
station on Addison Creek between 2000 and
2003. Habitat data collected in 2001 at this sta-
tion rated bank vegetative protection/stability as
good. The segment will remain listed for excess
nutrients, various metals, pathogens, total dis-
solved solids, and flow regime alterations.
Partners and Funding
A combination of $444,561 in section 319
grants and $300,891 in matched costs
enabled Addison Creek Conservancy District
to implement Streambank stabilization prac-
tices. The restoration of the riparian buffer
zone was completed by the City of Northlake
using $296,443 in section 319 funding and
$2,000,000 local cost-share. The total cost of
this project was $3,041,895.
I
3J
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
S Washington, DC
' EPA841-F-07-001GG
December 2007
For additional information contact:
Scott Ristau
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
217-782-3362
Scott.Ristau@illinois.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Implementing Agricultural Best Management Practices Restores Aquatic
Life Use
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Uncontrolled runoff from non-irrigated crop production had
impaired the aquatic life designated use of Dutchman Creek,
causing the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) to add the creek to the
1998 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters for nutrients and siltation.
Stakeholders implemented a successful U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-funded
outreach and education program in the Dutchman Creek watershed that promoted no-till
agricultural practices and prompted landowners to convert more than 400 acres of envi-
ronmentally sensitive land back into forest. These changes improved water quality and
restored the creek's aquatic life use, allowing Illinois to remove the creek from its 2008
303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Data collected as far back as 1994 show that
Dutchman Creek was not supporting des-
ignated uses for aquatic life, in part due to
nutrients and siltation. These data also sug-
gest that non-irrigated crop production was
a likely source of these impairments. As a
result, Illinois EPA placed a five-mile segment
of Dutchman Creek on the 1998 section 303(d)
list of impaired waters.
Project Highlights
The Dutchman Creek watershed encompasses
slightly more than 100 square miles of Johnson
County's 348 square miles (Figure 1). Illinois
EPA used section 319 funds to implement
three nonpoint source pollution control proj-
ects that, while not targeted specifically to
the Dutchman Creek watershed, benefitted
the creek. The first project, funded by a 1994
section 319 grant, provided an education and
outreach program to promote no-till farming
practices to operators in Johnson County. This
grant allowed the Johnson County Soil and
Water Conservation District to buy a no-till drill
that producers could rent (Figure 2). During
the two-year project, operators in the county
planted 2,784 acres using this drill. The second
project, funded by a 1996 section 319 grant,
Johnson County
Countywide No-Till
_ Phase I Forest
-• Phase II Forest
Figure 1. Map of Dutchman Creek watershed, showing
locations of projects implemented between 1994 and
2004,
-------
Results
Figure 2. A farmer plants a crop using a no-till drill.
provided cost share for producers to convert
environmentally sensitive land (highly erosive,
riparian stream corridor, or prior converted
wetlands) within the Cache River watershed
back into forest. This project converted 300.1
acres back to forest in the Dutchman Creek
watershed. The last project, funded by a 2000
section 319 grant, was a second phase of the
Cache River project. This project converted
124.5 acres back to forest in the Dutchman
Creek watershed. These two forest planting
projects had documented estimated load
reductions of 2,620 tons of sediment, 5,000
pounds of nitrogen, and 2,500 pounds of
phosphorus per year in the Dutchman Creek
watershed.
Data from 2004 show that Dutchman Creek's
aquatic life use is no longer impaired. The fish
Index of Biotic Integrity showed a rating of
50, and the macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic
Integrity rating was 59.7. Both of these indices
are well above the Illinois threshold of > 41,
where aquatic life is no longer considered
impacted. Therefore, Illinois EPA determined
that Dutchman Creek fully supports its aquatic
life designated use and removed the creek
from the 2008 section 303(d) list of impaired
waters.
Partners and Funding
The Shawnee Resource Conservation and
Development Area administered the two
Cache River forestation projects. Excluding
administration costs, a total of $26,799 in
section 319 funds and $28,615 in state and
local funds was spent in the Dutchman Creek
watershed to implement the 424.6 acres of
tree planting.
The Johnson County Soil and Water
Conservation District administered the coun-
ty's no-till drill project. Countywide, the project
used $13,176 in section 319 funds and $8,784
in state and local funds for education and to
purchase a drill for operators' use. The district
has continued the program and now has four
no-till drills available for producers to rent.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001HH
January 2009
For additional information contact:
Jan Carpenter
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
217-782-3362
Jan.Carpenter@illinois.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stormwater Wetland Basins Trap and Treat Nonpoint Source Pollutants
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Governor Bond Lake suffered from excessive algal growth and
turbidity, causing Illinois to list the lake on its 1998 303(d) list
of impaired waters. The impairments were caused by suspended solids, nutrients and other
nonpoint source pollutants both from within the lake (from legacy bottom sediments) and from
the lake's watershed. Project partners implemented best management practices (BMPs) such
as stormwater wetland basins (SWBs) and shoreline protection and stabilization practices. As
a result, levels of nutrients and suspended solids decreased, allowing Illinois to remove the
lake from its 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters for those pollutants. However, the waterbody
remains impaired by a high concentration of manganese from an unknown source.
Problem
Algal blooms and suspended sediment had
reduced clarity and dissolved oxygen in
Governor Bond Lake, which caused it to not
support its designated uses of recreation,
swimming, overall use and public water sup-
ply. Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) identified the potential causes of the
impairment as manganese, phosphorus, total
suspended solids, excessive algal growth/chlo-
rophyll a and atrazine. The source of manganese
in Governor Bond Lake is unknown, but monitor-
ing results found concentrations exceeding the
state standard of 0.15 milligrams per liter.
Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness
of water due to solids suspended in the water
column. This can be detrimental to fish and
macroinvertebrates because it clogs their gills,
limits their visibility for feeding and reduces
growth.
High concentrations of phosphorus released
from bottom sediments result in eutrophica-
tion and low dissolved oxygen levels due to the
decay of algal blooms. This lack of dissolved
oxygen degraded water quality and reduced fish
populations.
In 2002 Illinois EPA completed nutrients and
sediment total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)
for Governor Bond Lake. Illinois EPA selected
water quality endpoints for the TMDLs that
were considered acceptable for the most
sensitive designated uses (e.g., to meet all
designated uses, the waterbody must meet the
guidelines identified for the most sensitive use).
Consequently, the most stringent values serve
as the endpoints for the TMDL analysis. In this
case, the endpoints for the TMDLs included the
Trophic State Index and Secchi depth values
required to meet the swimming use guidelines;
the non-volatile suspended solids value required
to meet the recreation use guidelines; and chlo-
rophyll a, total phosphorus, and siltation rate
values required to meet additional applicable
guidelines.
Project Highlights
To fulfill the goals set forth in the TMDLs, the
project partners implemented a series of BMPs
in the Governor Bond Lake watershed between
2002 and 2006. They constructed four SWBs
on the two main tributaries of Governor Bond
Lake—two on the Kingsbury Branch and two
on Dry Branch (see Figure 1). The basins were
designed to enhance aesthetics, provide excel-
lent wildlife habitat and remove nutrients and
suspended sediments from the stormwater that
flows off a portion of the watershed. The wet-
land plants absorb and filter nutrients and other
-------
Figure 1. Stormwater wetland basin: pre-construction.
soluble nonpoint source pollutants. Sediment
settles out and is stored at the bottom of the
SWBs (Figure 2).
Using section 319 funding and local match-
ing funds, project partners also implemented
shoreline protection and stabilization practices
(concrete seawalls, steel seawalls, riprap and
riparian plantings) along 4,608 linear feet of
Governor Bond Lake's shoreline. These practic-
es reduced shoreline erosion, which eliminated
a source of sediment entering the lake.
Results
The Illinois EPA in partnership with the city
of Greenville and cooperating landowners
have made great progress in meeting the
endpoint for the Governor Bond Lake TMDLs.
Implementing BMPs (SWBs, shoreline protec-
tion and stabilization) resulted in an estimated
75 percent reduction in total suspended solids,
45 percent reduction in phosphorus and 28
percent reduction in total nitrogen contributed
Figure 2. Stormwater wetland basin: post-construction.
to the lake. In 2006 Illinois removed four of the
five sources of pollution from the 303(d) list of
impaired waters, and the lake reached attain-
ment for three of the four designated uses. The
project partners' combined efforts are achieving
water quality improvements in Governor Bond
Lake. According to Illinois EPA's 2006 303(d) list,
only one impaired designated use (public water
supply) and one pollutant (manganese) remain.
Partners and Funding
The Illinois EPA administered $523,542 in sec-
tion 319 funding. Conservation 2000 and Illinois
Clean Lakes Program provided $383,339 in
matching funds as well as technical and admin-
istrative assistance. The Illinois EPA Nonpoint
Source Unit, Clean Lakes Unit and the city of
Greenville helped review, develop and install
the completed BMPs. The city of Greenville
contracted with several environmental engineer-
ing firms for creating design specifications and
overseeing construction.
\
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001B
February 2008
For additional information contact:
David Willey, Manager, City of Greenville
618-664-1644
inquiry@greenvilleillinois.com
Scott Tomkins, Illinois EPA, Bureau of Water
217-782-3362
scott.tomkins@lllinois.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PRO
CCESS STORY
Implementing Best Management Practices and Educating Landowners
Reduces Bacteria Levels
Waterbndv Imnroved Bacteria from livestock- leaking septic systems and wildlife
polluted Big Walnut Creek. The Indiana Department of
Environmental Management (IDEM) added three waterbody segments to Indiana's 1998
Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters for Escherichia coli bacteria.
After additional monitoring, IDEM added three more segments to the impaired waters
list in 2004. Using CWA section 319 funds, project partners installed best management
practices and educated stakeholders about sound agricultural management throughout the
watershed. Recent monitoring data show that the Big Walnut Creek segments meet water
quality standards for bacteria, prompting IDEM to propose removing all six segments from
the state's 2010 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Big Walnut Creek is in a predominately agricultural
area in west-central Indiana's Hendricks and Boone
counties. The East and West Forks of Big Walnut
Creek flow south to form Big Walnut Creek, which
eventually flows into the Eel River. High bacteria
levels prompted IDEM to add three waterbodies in
the Big Walnut Creek watershed to Indiana's 1998
CWA section 303(d) list for £ coli impairment. IDEM
performed more extensive water quality monitoring
in 1998 and 2003, which showed that high levels
of £ coli bacteria impaired three additional Big
Walnut Creek waterbodies. IDEM then added those
impaired segments to Indiana's 2004 CWA section
303(d) list, bringing the number of impaired seg-
ments in Big Walnut Creek to six (Table 1).
IDEM identified nonpoint source runoff as the main
contributor of £ coli. Key bacteria sources in the
watershed include manure spreading, livestock
pasturing, leaking and failing septic systems, and
wildlife. Point sources of £ coli in the basins include
three wastewater treatment plants and four con-
fined feeding operations. None of these facilities
has had a history of violations, bolstering IDEM's
assertion that nonpoint sources caused the £ coli
impairments.
Project Highlights
IDEM used CWA section 319 funding to support
numerous watershed restoration projects in 1999
through 2007. The projects included targeted best
management practices (Figure 1) as well as out-
reach and coordination with other federal programs
Table 1. Impaired segments in the East and West Forks of Big Walnut Creek
12-digitHUC
name
West Fork Big
Walnut Creek
East Fork Big
Walnut Creek
HUC
051202030104
051202030102
Assessment unit name
Lower West Fork Big Walnut Creek
Edlin Ditch-Grassy Branch
Edlin Ditch-Smith Ditch
Upper West Fork Big Walnut Creek
Ross Creek-East Fork Big Walnut Creek
Lower East Fork Big Walnut Creek
Assessment unit
segments within HUC
INW0314_00
INW0313_00
INW0312_00
INW0311 _00
INW0316_00
INW0317_00
River miles
10.69
7.01
10.29
6.65
6.47
9.29
-------
that helped to increase the use of agricultural
practices in the impaired watersheds. Funding for
the following projects began in 1999 and contin-
ued through 2006: Putnam County Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD) Upper Eel River
Manure Management; Sycamore Trails Resource
Conservation and Development (RC&D) program's
Upper Eel River Manure Management; Sycamore
Trails RC&D Big Walnut, Deer Creek Conservation
Buffers; and Owen County SWCD's CORE 4
Initiative.
Results
In 2007 IDEM assessed the water quality in Big
Walnut Creek, including its headwaters, to deter-
mine if a total maximum daily load was needed
despite the extensive restoration work completed
to date. Results from that survey indicated that
E. coli levels had dropped and meet the water qual-
ity standard (Table 2). As a result, IDEM proposes to
remove all six segments of Big Walnut Creek from
the 2010 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters
for £ coli.
Partners and Funding
The Putnam County SWCD worked closely with the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
regional staff and the affiliated Sycamore Trails
RC&D, along with interested parties in the area
such as DePauw University, local sportsmen and
community groups. IDEM used $163,000 in CWA
section 319 funding for on-the-ground work in the
watersheds, technical outreach and educational
opportunities, specifically creating a
conservation tillage coordinator position
that focused extensively on educating
landowners about sound agricultural
practices from 2002 through 2007. Since
2001, project partners have spent
approximately $928,000 in the Eel River
watershed, approximately $163,000 of
which has been directed specifically
toward the Big Walnut Creek watershed.
Partners also used other funding from
NRCS conservation programs in this
period, although those dollars were not
officially tracked on a watershed basis.
BIG WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED
Best Management Practices
Little Walnut Creek
0512020302
East Fork
Big Walnut Creek
0512020301
Big Walnut Creek
0512020304
' Deer Creek
0512020303
N
A
Figure 1. Locations of practices in the Big Walnut Creek water-
shed (dot colors indicate the year restoration efforts began).
Table 2. Bacteria monitoring data (MPN and CFU)a collected for
Big Walnut Creek in 2001 and 2007
Stream name
East Fork Big
Walnut Creek
West Fork Big
Walnut Creek
Water quality
standard
(geometric mean)
< 125 MPN
< 125 MPN
2001 average
geometric mean
results
1016.1 CFU
152.3CFU
2007 average
geometric mean
results
34.45 MPN
27.65 MPN
Percent
reduction
96.6%
81.8%
Colony Forming Units (CFU) and Most Probable Number (MPN) units are
essentially equivalent for comparison purposes.
I
5
PR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001I
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Andrew Pelloso
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
317-233-2481
apelloso@idem.in.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Agricultural BMPs Reduce Chlordane and Sediment in Pigeon Creek
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd P'9eon Creek, in southwestern Indiana, was impaired for
chlordane and other priority pollutants from use of these chem-
icals on agricultural lands with poor stream buffers and high historic soil loss. Indiana placed
32 miles of this waterbody on its 303(d) list in 1996 and again in 1998 based on fish tissue
data collected. Installing best management practices (BMPs) such as vegetated buffers and
conservation tillage, combined with landowner education, produced a measurable improve-
ment in water quality. As a result, Indiana removed Pigeon Creek from the 303(d) list in 2002.
Problem
The Pigeon Creek watershed lies within Posey,
Warrick, Gibson, and Vanderburgh counties in
southwestern Indiana. The creek flows south to
the Ohio River, where its waters enter upstream
of the city of Evansville's drinking water intake.
Agriculture is the watershed's main land use.
Crops in this watershed were historically treated
with chlordane to control insects. Even though
use of chlordane was prohibited in the early
1980s, high levels of this chemical persist in the
sediments in Pigeon Creek and its tributaries.
Because these chemicals form a strong bond
with soil, Indiana Department of Environmental
Management (IDEM) and local watershed
groups have identified erosion from agricultural
lands as the chief source of these pollutants.
The allowable threshold level of chlordane at
the time that the original samples were col-
lected would have been the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration's (FDA's) action level for
chlordane, which is the total of all isomers with
results > 0.02 milligrams per liter. The value
cited for fish tissue in the FDA's handbook,
Action Levels for Poisonous or Deleterious
Substances in Human Food and Animal Feed, is
0.3 parts per million (ppm), which was current
as of August 2000.
Project Highlights
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
and the Vanderburgh County Soil and Water
District (SWCD) to develop a watershed plan
for the portion of Pigeon Creek in Vanderburgh
County. The partners received Clean Water Act
(CWA) section 319 funding to support projects
on Pigeon Creek and its tributaries, including
enhanced watershed planning, education, and
installing BMPs such as filter strips, grassed
waterways, field buffers, and conservation
tillage.
From 1997 through 2001 the partners installed
more than 50 BMPs designed to reduce soil ero-
sion in the Pigeon Creek watershed. These land
treatment measures have significantly reduced
the amount of contaminant reaching the stream,
allowing the legacy sources to be covered by
cleaner sediments from other points in the
watershed, moved naturally, or degraded over
time. Locally led efforts continue to address
sediment loading to streams in the Pigeon
Creek watershed.
Results
In 1997 the Citizens for the Improvement of
Pigeon Creek cooperated with the Natural
In 2002 IDEM assessed water quality in Pigeon
Creek to determine whether a total maximum
daily load (TMDL) was still needed. IDEM
further analyzed Pigeon Creek in 2005. IDEM
compared the 1992 and 2005 data to the cur-
rent FDA action level for chlordane (see table).
-------
Table 1. Comparison of fish tissue chlordane isomer levels taken from channel catfish
sampled in Pigeon Creek at Kleymyer Park, Evansville, Indiana. The sample point is
near the lowest point of the Pigeon Creek watershed.
Parameter
Chlordene, Alpha-
Chlordene, Gamma-
Nonachlor, cis-
Nonachlor, trans-
Oxychlordane
Total chlordane residue
FDA action level for
chlordane*
September 1992 sample results
(wet weight)
.082 ppm
.056 ppm
.055 ppm
.11 ppm
.012 ppm
.315 ppm
.3 ppm
August 2005 sample results
(wet weight)
,014ppm
.004 ppm
.009 ppm
.032 ppm
.001 ppm
.060 ppm
.3 ppm
Reduction
83%
93%
84%
71%
92%
81%
-
Maximum concentration of allowable levels of chlordane residue in edible portions of fish tissue.
Using the FDA action levels for determining
impairment, the results indicated that Pigeon
Creek was no longer impaired for chlordane.
Therefore, the data indicated that chlordane
and priority organic pollutant levels had
dropped to levels sufficient to remove Pigeon
Creek from the 303(d) list for both parameters.
The reductions in chlordane and other prior-
ity organic pollutants can be attributed to the
efforts in this watershed to address sedimen-
tation from erosion of croplands, which is the
primary source of these pollutants. The BMPs
in 1999 resulted in an estimated soil savings
of 584 tons per year. Chlordane levels in fish
tissue dropped significantly, including levels of
chlordane breakdown isomers, further indicat-
ing that the sources of chlordane were suc-
cessfully addressed by installing agricultural
BMPs.
The Pigeon Creek Watershed Management
Plan is addressing other water quality impair-
ments in addition to those associated with
chlordane and priority organic pollutants. IDEM
and the local watershed group will continually
assess progress on the status of these other
impairments and determine what further work
is needed.
Partners and Funding
This project was supported by $171,990 from
two CWA section 319 grants (awarded in 1997
and 1999). Landowners and partner agencies
within the watershed contributed an additional
$42,997 in matching funds, in-kind services,
and materials. Partners for the CWA section
319 grants included the Vanderburgh, Warrick,
Gibson, and Posey County SWCDs, as well as
the Four Rivers Resource Conservation and
Development office. These partners helped
to select sites for BMP installation, conduct
education and outreach activities, and offer
technical support. Monitoring and assessment
of water quality in 2002 was funded by $78,001
from a CWA section 205(j) grant to IDEM's
Assessment Branch. The Indiana Department
of Natural Resources, through the Lake and
River Enhancement program, funded planning
and BMP installation projects amounting to
$270,000 in state funds. The NRCS greatly
assisted this project by allocating $135,000
each year for the years of 1997, 1998, and 1999
through the Environmental Quality Incentives
Program.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001FF
December 2007
For additional information contact:
Andrew Pelloso
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
317-233-2481
apelloso@idem.in.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Restoration Efforts Repair a Drinking Water Source and Recreational Area
\A/ t h H I H Erosion from heavily grazed pasture lands and intensively farmed
VVdlUiUUUy I ipiUVUU cropland caused excessive siltation in Iowa's Lake Icaria, triggering
the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to place the lake on the state's 1998 303(d) list of
impaired waters. The local Soil and Water Conservation District realized that the lake, which serves as
both an important water supply and recreation area, was being slowly degraded. They began working
with landowners in the upper reaches of the watershed to install agricultural best management prac-
tices (BMPs) that reduce soil erosion. Their efforts were successful—water quality improved, and IDNR
removed Lake Icaria from Iowa's 2008 303(d) list of impaired waters for sediment.
Problem
The 669-acre Lake Icaria is in southwest Iowa's
Adams County, adjacent to a cluster of small lakes
that supply drinking water to surrounding communi-
ties. The watershed consists of active cropland,
pasture lands, and small portions of retired cropland
converted to grassland as part of the Conservation
Reserve Program. The lake is surrounded by a
county-owned park and serves as a popular com-
munity destination for recreation and fishing.
Increasing sediment loads originating from agri-
cultural practices in the upper reaches of the
watershed began reaching the lake and degrad-
ing the water quality. IDNR first added the lake to
Iowa's 303(d) list of impaired waters in 1998. A
December 2002 total maximum daily load (TMDL)
study determined that excess siltation contributed
to poor aquatic habitat, causing the lake to not
fully support its warm water habitat/aquatic life
designated use. Iowa does not have numeric water
quality criteria for siltation that apply to Lake Icaria.
Therefore, IDNR field staff members used their best
professional judgment of the water quality when
they added Lake Icaria to the list of Iowa impaired
waters.
Sediment affected Lake Icaria primarily by inter-
fering with reproduction and growth offish and
other aquatic life, particularly in the shallow, upper
portions of the lake that offer critical habitat for
spawning (70-90 percent of available habitat).
Although the entire lake was listed as impaired, it
was primarily the excessive sediment deposition
in the upper arms of the lake that caused the lake
to not meet water quality standards. The upper
reaches of the lake became covered with fine silt
that made successful spawning almost impos-
sible, severely limiting the fishery in the entire lake.
Additionally, the colloidal nature of the sediment
delivered to Lake Icaria created less-than-ideal feed-
ing conditions for sight feeders. Bass and bluegill
primarily feed along the shoreline, and the fry use
the shoreline's vegetative cover for protection from
predators. Reduced water clarity from sedimenta-
tion inhibits aquatic vegetation from growing, leav-
ing the smaller fish unable to feed successfully and
exposed to predation.
Project Highlights
Between 1996 and 2005, state and federal agencies
worked with landowners to promote and implement
numerous BMPs to alleviate the erosion within the
upper watershed. Practices include grade stabiliza-
tion structures, terraces, filter strips, pasture and
hay planting, grassed waterways, streambank
crossings and prescribed grazing systems. Partners
organized demonstration field days to show how
BMPs such as livestock management techniques
can reduce soil erosion in the stream corridor
(Figure 1). They also constructed a wetland along
Lake Icaria's largest
tributary as the last
line of defense for
trapping sediment
and nutrients. In
addition to the
water quality
benefits, the wet-
land offers other
benefits to wildlife
and hunters.
I
Figure 1. Landowners inspecting
residue levels at a manure injection
field day.
-------
Results
This project was the first in Iowa to effectively use
a geographical information system (GIS) to initiate
detailed watershed assessment techniques. The
GIS has proven to be an efficient tool when map-
ping a watershed and planning strategic placement
of BMPs. GIS data for sheet/rill erosion indicates
that the practices implemented in the watershed
resulted in a soil-loss savings of 22,239 tons/year
(Table 1). Estimated sediment delivery rates
decreased from 12,095 tons/year pre-project to
4,350 tons/year post-project.
Assessments and surveys by IDNR's Fisheries
Bureau, Iowa State University and University
Hygienic Laboratory determined that Lake Icaria
now fully supports its aquatic life designated
use. The IDNR Fisheries Bureau indicated that the
extensive soil conservation practices implemented
in the watershed successfully reduced nutrient and
sediment loadings in Lake Icaria. As a result, IDNR
removed Lake Icaria from Iowa's 2008 303(d) of
impaired waters for sediment.
Partners and Funding
A variety of partners from local, state and federal
agencies combined efforts to ensure the project's
success. The project used approximately $500,000
of Clean Water Act section 319 funds to install 20
grade stabilization structures, four waste system
renovations, one stream crossing, one constructed
wetland, and to support the salary for the proj-
ect coordinator from 2001 to 2005. Additional
funds from Adams and Pottawattamie Counties'
Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited supported
wetland construction.
Iowa's Water Protection and Watershed Protection
Funds (WPF and WSPF) provided cost-share funds
for BMPs including 43,450 feet of terraces, 31
grade stabilization structures, 341 acres of pre-
scribed grazing, 32 acres of pasture and hayland
planting, one streambank crossing, one acre of
grassed waterway, and 987.4 acres of animal waste
management systems. The WPF and WSPF also
funded yield monitoring, water monitoring and the
project coordinator's salary.
The Environmental Quality Incentive Program
provided cost-share funds for three grade-stabiliza-
tion structures, 190 acres of prescribed grazing
systems, and 68 acres of pasture and hayland
plantings.
Table 1. Erosion and sediment delivery
reductions in tons/acre/year
Location
Lake Icaria
Sheet/Rill Erosion Reductions
Resulting from Project BMP
Installations
Before
82859
After
60620
Sheet/Rill
% Reduction
27%
Location
Lake Icaria
Sheet/Rill Sediment Delivery
Reductions Resulting from
Project BMP Installations
Before
12095
After
4350
Sediment
Delivery
% Reduction
64%
Funds from the Natural Resources Conservation
Service helped to share the cost of implement-
ing BMPs on the estimated 3,052 acres that were
enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.
Iowa's Publicly Owned Lakes Fund provided cost-
share for installing 112,995 feet of terraces, 3 acres
of grassed waterways, and one sediment control
structure.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001M
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Steve Hopkins, Nonpoint Source Program Coordinator
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
515-281-6402 • Stephen.Hopkins@dnr.iowa.gov
Rachel Glaza, Nonpoint Source Project Officer
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
515-281-8158 • Rachel.Glaza@dnr.iowa.gov
-------
w.
h.'^^^^^^^J
1
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Nine Eagles Lake Overcomes Siltation and Turbidity Problems
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd ^ven t'10u9'1 tne Nine Eagles Lake watershed lies within Nine
! " Eagles State Park and is almost entirely forested, erosion has
created siltation and turbidity problems in the lake. Sediment basins were constructed to
slow sediment delivery to the lake, and trails were reworked to reduce erosion. Post-proj-
ect monitoring data reveal an 85 percent reduction in sediment delivery, exceeding the 50
percent reduction goal set by the total maximum daily load (TMDL).
Problem
In 1998 Iowa included Nine Eagles Lake on
the state's 303(d) list due to high turbidity.
The main cause of turbidity in the lake is
colloidal clays, which remain suspended for
long periods. The Iowa Department of Natural
Resources (IDNR) completed a forestry
management plan for the state park area in
February 2001. A detailed assessment of the
area identified improperly maintained trails and
failing sediment ponds as two of the leading
causes of erosion.
Project Highlights
In 2001 EPA approved a TMDL for turbidity in
the Nine Eagles Lake watershed. The TMDL
established water clarity targets (as measured
by a Secchi disk depth) of 1.25 meters and a 50
percent reduction in sediment delivery.
To accomplish these goals, IDNR developed
an implementation plan for Nine Eagles Lake
focusing on reducing sediment delivery in the
watershed. Section 319 grant funds were used
to construct 17 sediment basins. In 2003 the
IDNR Parks Bureau rerouted and reworked some
of the trails to reduce impacts. Throughout the
project, care was taken to protect the forested
areas, home to the endangered Indiana bat.
Nine Eagles Lake is a popular recreation area where visitors enjoy
swimming, boating, and fishing.
Results
To evaluate the impact of the project, bathy-
metric mapping was used to map the original
lake bottom and the depth of sediment depos-
its. Further monitoring of Nine Eagles Lake
took place in 2000-2004 as part of the Iowa
Lakes Survey.
-------
After installation of the new sediment control
structures, monitoring data indicated an 85 per-
cent reduction in sediment delivery to Nine
Eagles Lake, surpassing the TMDL target of a
50 percent reduction. The average Secchi disk
depth increased to 1.7 meters (n=14), exceeding
the TMDL target of 1.25 meters. Because the
TMDL targets for sediment delivery reduction
and Secchi disk depth have been met, IDNR has
removed Nine Eagles Lake from the next 303(d)
list of impaired waters for turbidity.
Partners and Funding
Many bureaus within the IDNR worked together
throughout this project, including the Nonpoint
Source Program, Forestry Bureau, Fisheries
Bureau, Parks Bureau, and TMDL program.
IDNR also called on the expertise of the U.S.
Geological Survey to use benthic mapping to
show the original lake bottom and the depth of
sediment deposited in the lake. Section 319 grant
funds totaling $139,689 provided the necessary
funds to construct sediment basins throughout
the watershed.
Seventeen new sediment basins were constructed using
section 319 funds.
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004D
July 2005
For additional information contact:
Mike McGhee
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
515-281-6281
-------
&.
'f.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Sediment Basins at Slip Bluff Lake Reduce Sediment by 85 Percent
WatPfbodv ImnrovPd Even tnou9n 7(-) Percent °f Slip Bluff Lake's 240-acre water-
shed lies within Slip Bluff Lake Park, erosion occurring
throughout the watershed created a sediment problem in the lake. Sediment control basins
were constructed throughout the watershed to slow sediment delivery, and the lake's shore-
line was stabilized with riprap. Sediment delivery was reduced by 64 percent, exceeding
the 50 percent goal set by the total maximum daily load (TMDL).
Problem
Iowa included Slip Bluff Lake on the state's
1998 303(d) list because of impairments due
to siltation. The main source of sediment
delivery to the lake was gully and streambank
erosion in the forested areas of the watershed.
This erosion contributed colloidal clays, which
stay in suspension for long periods. Shoreline
erosion was also contributing large amounts of
sediment to the lake.
Project Highlights
In August 2001 EPA approved a TMDL for
siltation that called for a 50 percent reduction
in sediment delivery to the lake. To accomplish
this goal, the Decatur County Conservation
Board and the Decatur Soil and Water Con-
servation District proposed the construction
of two large basins to slow sediment deliv-
ery originating from gully erosion. The Iowa
Department of Natural Resources' (IDNR)
Nonpoint Source Pollution Program provided
further suggestions to address the problem
using a watershed approach. As a result, the
plan was expanded to include seven smaller
sediment basins throughout the watershed. To
further stabilize the shoreline of Slip Bluff Lake,
the Iowa Department of Transportation and
the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship, Division of Soil Conservation
(IDALS-DSC), provided funds to riprap portions
of the shoreline.
Sediment basins
prevent excess
sediment from
reaching the lake
by collecting
runoff water and
allowing sediment
to settle out of
the water and be
deposited in the
sediment basin.
-------
Slip Bluff Lake Watershed
Structure Locations
Sediment control structures were constructed throughout the watershed to reduce
sediment delivery to the lake.
To ensure the continued success of this
project, the Decatur County Conservation
Board maintained the project by planting
additional seedings in exposed soil on the
constructed sediment basins.
Results
Following the installation of the sediment
basins, sediment delivery to Slip Bluff Lake
was recalculated. Monitoring data indicate
a 64 percent reduction in sediment delivery,
exceeding the 50 percent goal set by the
TMDL. The sediment reduction also resulted
in a 50 percent improvement in water transpar-
ency. Slip Bluff Lake is no longer listed on the
Iowa 303(d) list for sediment.
Partners and Funding
IDALS-DSC Watershed Protection Program
Funds totaling $35,000 covered the cost of
constructing the two large sediment basins,
and IDNR, through section 319, provided
$31,219 for the construction of the seven
smaller sediment control structures. The
Decatur County Conservation Board provided
additional project funding, and IDALS-DSC and
the Iowa Department of Transportation provid-
ed funds for riprap of portions of the shoreline.
The IDNR Fisheries Bureau helped determine
the impact of the project by conducting an
aquatic life assessment at Slip Bluff Lake.
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004E
July 2005
For additional information contact:
Richard Erke
Decatur County Conservation Board
641-446-7307
Kevin Reynold
Natural Resources Conservation Service
641-446-4135
Ubbo Agena
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
515-281-6402
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Watershed Management Improves Lake Water Quality
\A/citprhnrl\/ Imnrnx/prl Excessive nutrients from agricultural fields and residential
"' activity resulted in eutrophication of Banner Creek Reservoir.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) added the reservoir to the state's
2002 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters. In conjunction with local,
state and federal agencies, the Jackson County Conservation District used education and
information efforts and cost share incentives to promote management practices to reduce
loading of bacteria, nutrients and sediment. Subsequent monitoring in 2003 and 2007
indicated that phosphorus and chlorophyll in the lake had declined to acceptable levels,
allowing KDHE to remove the lake from Kansas' 2008 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Banner Creek Reservoir in northeast Kansas was
constructed as a multipurpose, small lake serving
as the water supply for the city of Holton and rural
Jackson County. Banner Creek Reservoir encom-
passes 535 acres and was built during 1994-1997
to supply water to Holton and Jackson County, as
well as to provide recreation opportunities for north-
east Kansas. The 12,000-acre watershed draining
to the reservoir is 88 percent grass and woodland
with the balance being chiefly cropland. Livestock
production, principally cattle, is prevalent over a
third of the watershed.
Sampling in 1998 and 1999 indicated that chlo-
rophyll and phosphorus levels were above the
state guidelines for Kansas water supply reser-
voirs—12 parts per billion (ppb) for chlorophyll a
and 22 ppb for phosphorus. Algae blooms, induced
by excessive nutrients such as phosphorus from
agricultural and residential lands, impair water sup-
ply with taste and odor problems, degrade aquatic
life integrity and hamper recreation use on the lake.
Kansas added the lake to its 2002 CWA section
303(d) list because of the 1998-1999 conditions.
Project Highlights
As part of its small lake program, Jackson County
Conservation District developed and implemented
a nonpoint source management plan for the
Banner Creek watershed. The Conservation District
promoted a diverse suite of practices applied in the
Figure 1. Cattle at
feeder bale in the
foreground and an
alternative water
supply pond in the
background.
Figure 2.
Snow-covered
alternative water
source pond and
perimeter fencing
in a tributary to
Banner Creek
Reservoir.
watershed from 1997 to 2007, relying on an aggres-
sive education and information program to increase
awareness of the impacts of agricultural and
residential activity on the quality of the lake. Failing
septic systems were repaired or replaced above the
lake, and livestock access to the streams flowing
to the reservoir was managed by providing alterna-
tive water supplies (ponds and tanks) (Figure 1),
cross-fencing (Figure 2), and a portable windbreak
to provide loafing areas for cattle away from riparian
areas.
-------
Landowners developed nutrient management plans
for 132 acres of grazing land and 37 acres of crop-
land, and converted 36 acres of cropland to native
grass. They restored additional acres of brome
grassland through reseeding. Using CWA section
319 funds, the project partners hired a water quality
coordinator to promote agricultural producers'
participation in the available cost-share programs.
Results
Lake sampling in 2003 and 2007 showed lower
chlorophyll levels. Average chlorophyll a con-
centrations were below 12 ppb and near the
newly proposed water quality standard of 10 ppb.
Phosphorus levels in the lake also declined, lending
confidence that the initial watershed management
efforts are reducing the phosphorus loadings that
affect the trophic state of the lake. The 2003-2007
average total phosphorus concentration of 22 ppb
lies below suggested guideline of 25-30 ppb for
lakes in the Western Corn Belt ecoregion (Figure 3).
Consequently, KDHE removed Banner Creek
Reservoir from the 2008 CWA section 303(d) list,
offsetting the need to develop a nutrient total maxi-
mum daily load for the lake and its watershed.
Banner Creek Lake Quality
Chla
TotalP
Parameter
1998-99 12003-07
Figure 3. Chlorophyll and phosphorus levels before and after
watershed management.
Partners and Funding
The Jackson County Conservation District part-
nered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
(USDA's) Natural Resources Conservation Service,
KDHE, U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Public
Wholesale Water Supply District #18, Northeast
Kansas Environmental Services and Kansas State
University, State Conservation Commission, Kansas
Corporation Commission, the city of Holton,
Jackson County Commissioners, and Glacial Hills
Resource Conservation and Development Program
to develop and implement this watershed manage-
ment plan. An initial CWA section 319 program
grant of $102,145 supported the water quality
coordinator position and outreach programs and
demonstration projects, such as the portable
windbreak.
A subsequent CWA section 319 grant of $48,362
further supported watershed plan implementation
efforts. These funds were matched with county
in-kind funds and cost-share funds from the Kansas
Water Plan Fund, totaling more than $155,000.
Additionally, USDA's Environmental Quality
Incentive Program funded implementation of best
management practices. Because only a fraction of
the watershed has been treated and the lake is on
the threshold between good quality and deteriora-
tion, ongoing implementation will continue in order
to maintain the integrity of the lake. Five-year pro-
jections of implementation costs totaling $584,000
are needed to further reduce nutrient and sediment
loads.
\
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001D
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Amanda Reed
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
785-296-7165
akreed@kdheks.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCCESF STORY
Targeting Animal Waste Best Management Practices Improves Water Quality
Waterbody Improved
™'Uta"tS in
runoff impaired water quality in
cl
Kentucky s Fleming Creek and many of its tributaries. The
Kentucky Division of Water (KDOW) added numerous watershed segments to Kentucky's
Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 1994 because of pathogens
or nutrients and organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen. Using approximately $3.6 million
in state and federal financial support, watershed partners implemented numerous
restoration activities, including targeted agricultural best management practices (BMPs).
While much of the watershed still does not fully support its primary contact recreation
use, habitat and biological monitoring indicate that a 4.8-mile segment of Fleming Creek
now fully supports its designated use of warm water aquatic habitat. As a result, KDOW
removed the segment from Kentucky's 2006 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
.
North For* Licking River, nearMt Olivet
The Fleming Creek watershed is in the beautiful
rolling farmland of Fleming County in northeastern
Kentucky. Fleming Creek, a tributary of the Licking
River, is 39 miles long and drains an area of 61,670
acres (95 square miles) (see Figure 1). The water-
shed includes the mainstem of Fleming Creek and
11 tributaries. A total of 75.2 stream miles in the
watershed did not meet water quality standards for
primary contact recreation, and 53.7 stream miles
did not meet water quality standards for warm
water aquatic habitat. KDOW considers agricultural
runoff to be the primary source of impairment
because of the historically high concentration of
dairy operations along the creeks. KDOW devel-
oped a total maximum daily load for pathogens in
Fleming Creek in 2001.
Project Highlights
In 1989 a group of local landowners initiated
the Fleming Creek Watershed Nonpoint Source
Demonstration Project. The landowners' sustained
commitment to improving water quality has gener-
ated numerous restoration efforts throughout the
watershed.
From 1992 through 1994, KDOW biologists gath-
ered physicochemical, bacteriological and biologi-
cal data designed to target animal waste pollution
Figure 1. Fleming Creek is a tributary of northeast
Kentucky's Licking River watershed.
Source: Kentucky's Watershed Viewer
(http://eppcrnaps.ky.gov/website/watershed/)
problems in the watershed and to establish baseline
water quality conditions. Landowners benefitted
from education efforts and implemented numerous
BMPs in the watershed between 1992 and 1997
using funds from Kentucky agricultural cost-share
program, the CWA section 319 program and several
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.
However, comparison of pre- and post-BMP data
collected in 1999 indicate that water quality had not
significantly improved.
-------
Figure 2. Farmers keep cows out of Fleming Creek by
installing alternative water sources such as this one.
Watershed partners then refined their efforts.
Using an adaptive management approach, partners
targeted agricultural BMPs in two subwatersheds—
Allison Creek (8.6 square miles) and Wilson Run
(6.75 square miles)—to maximize results. The BMPs
included approximately 80 animal waste facilities,
30 miles of riparian fencing and more than 200
alternative watering facilities (Figure 2).
The Fleming County Conservation District and the
USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service
provided oversight and technical assistance for
planning, installing, operating and maintaining
BMPs. A CWA section 319 grant funded a full-time
watershed coordinator. One-on-one outreach and
assistance to local landowners, along with targeting
of smaller subwatersheds, has helped to reduce
pollutant loadings to the creeks.
Results
KDOW monitored water quality in 2004 to assess
pathogen and biological recovery in the Fleming
Creek watershed. Pathogen data analysis indicates
a trend of increasing recovery for Allison Creek
and Wilson Run, as well as downstream reaches
of Fleming Creek. Because of this success, two
additional tributaries, Flat Run (3 square miles) and
Cassidy Creek (3.9 square miles), have been selected
fortargeted BMP implementation. Landowner
participation is predicted to be high. Watershed
partners are developing a watershed plan to address
both agricultural and nonagricultural land uses in a
third subwatershed, Town Branch (6 square miles),
which contains the city of Flemingsburg.
While the much of the watershed still does not fully
support its primary contact recreation use, habitat
and biological monitoring indicate that a 4.8-mile
segment of Fleming Creek now fully supports its
designated use of warm water aquatic habitat.
In-situ physicochemical data and macroinvertebrate
community data show that the segment meets
water quality standards. Additionally, dissolved
oxygen levels were above the 5 milligrams per liter
standard, and the biological community scored a
68.5, which is considered good. On the basis of
these data, KDOW removed the 4.8-mile segment
of Fleming Creek from the state's 2006 CWA sec-
tion 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
Project partners include agricultural producers,
Fleming County Conservation District Board
of Supervisors; Fleming County Conservation
District; Kentucky Division of Conservation; KDOW;
Redwing Ecological Services, Inc.; the University
of Kentucky's Cooperative Extensive Service and
Department of Agronomy; and the Community
Farm Alliance.
Federal financial assistance through the CWA sec-
tion 319 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants
supported targeted BMP efforts in the watershed.
Between 1991 and 2007, watershed partners spent
more than $1.6 million and contributed more than
$970,000 in nonfederal match contributions. The
Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share
Program (state cost-share) provided cost-share
assistance to landowners to install agricultural
BMPs worth $2,134,884 in the watershed. The
state cost-share program provided $1,408,288, and
landowners provided another $726,595 in cash pay-
ments or in-kind labor.
Several USDA programs supported landowner's
efforts to install agricultural BMPs including the
Agricultural Conservation Program, Water Quality
Special Project, Water Quality Incentive Program,
Environmental Quality Incentive Program and
Conservation Reserve Program. Since 1992 more
than $1.2 million in federal financial support from
USDA has been targeted to the Fleming Creek
watershed for implementing agricultural BMPs.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001U
August 2009
For additional information contact:
Paulette Akers
Kentucky Division of Water
502-564-3410 • Paulette.Akers@ky.gov
-------
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOORHE PROGRAM SUGGEST STORY
Acid Mine Drainage Abated in Rock Creek
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd
! "
m'ne drainage from coal mines had decimated aquatic
life in a 4-mile stretch of Rock Creek. Best management
practices (BMPs) installed in the Rock Creek watershed, including removal of coal refuse
from streambank areas and treatment of creek water with limestone to increase pH, have
decreased acid loading to the creek, resulting in a reclassification from full nonsupport to
partial support for aquatic life and swimming on Kentucky's 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
The upper portion of Rock Creek between the
Kentucky-Tennessee border and the stream's
juncture with White Oak Creek is designated
as a wild and outstanding natural resource
water. However, below the stream's juncture
with White Oak Creek, acid mine drainage,
from more than 40 coal mine portals and 8 coal
refuse dumps, has severely affected aquatic
life. In 1990 Kentucky listed Rock Creek on the
303(d) list as nonsupporting for aquatic life
and swimming. A total maximum daily load for
Rock Creek is under development.
Project Highlights
The Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine
Lands led the implementation of Phase 1 of
the Rock Creek restoration project in spring
2000. Coal refuse that contributes to acidic
conditions in runoff was removed from the
banks of the creek, and open limestone
channels and a modified vertical flow wetland
system were installed to further neutralize
acidic drainage. Water in the creek was further
treated with monthly applications of limestone
sand to reduce acidity.
Results
Activities to date have dramatically improved
the water quality in the lower Rock Creek
watershed. Acid loading into the Big South
Bank restoration along Rock Creek has
reduced sediment loading by 500 tons
per year.
Fork of the Cumberland River from Rock Creek
has decreased from a monthly average of 110
metric tons to near zero. Removing 25,000
cubic yards of coal refuse from streamside
areas and revegetating the banks of Rock
Creek have reduced the sediment entering
the stream by 500 tons annually. Fish popula-
tions are improving in the lower Rock Creek
watershed, and the number and diversity of
fish species are increasing. Stations that once
supported no fish are now supporting fish.
Because of these improvements, Rock Creek
has been reclassified from full nonsupport to
partial support for aquatic life and swimming
on the 2002 Kentucky 303(d) list.
-------
Phase 2 of this project, already in the works,
includes installing more alkaline-producing
features in the watershed to ensure long-term
results in Rock Creek. These features will
reduce the need for monthly limestone dosing
of the tributaries. The 4 miles of Rock Creek
affected by acid mine drainage might become
a viable fishery thanks to the hard work and
cooperation of the many agencies involved.
Partners and Funding
The Rock Creek Task Force was formed in the
mid-1990s with the goal of restoring the lower
Rock Creek watershed. This group includes
12 state and federal agencies and conserva-
tion organizations. Under Phase 1, section 319
provided $200,000 in grant funding for the con-
struction of open limestone beds and removal
of coal refuse from the banks of the creek.
Other Phase 1 funding included $280,000
from the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative,
$250,000 from a Personal Responsibility in a
Desirable Environment grant from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
$160,000 from a Kentucky Abandoned Mine
Land Grant, and $80,000 from the U.S. Geologi-
cal Survey cost-share program.
Rock Creek bank before restoration.
Rock Creek bank after restoration.
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004H
July 2005
For additional information contact:
Mark Carew
Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands
502-564-2141
mark.carew@ky.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Reducing Human and Animal Waste Discharge Restored Recreational Uses
Waterbodv Imoroved ^un°ff from dairy farms carried animal waste into Louisiana's
Tangipahoa River, resulting in high bacteria counts and low
dissolved oxygen concentrations. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
(LDEQ) listed the upper and lower reaches of the Tangipahoa River on the state's 2000
Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters for not meeting their designated
uses of primary and secondary contact recreation. Twenty years of public outreach and
strict enforcement significantly reduced fecal coliform counts, restoring the primary contact
recreational use of both segments of the river and removing them from Louisiana's 2008
303(d) impaired waters list for fecal coliform.
Problem
The Tangipahoa River flows for 79 miles through
Louisiana, from the Mississippi-Louisiana state
line to Lake Pontchartrain. LDEQ divided the river
into upper and lower reaches for water quality
management purposes. The upper reach of the
Tangipahoa River is 56 miles long and extends
from the state line to Interstate 12 (1-12). The lower
reach is 23 miles long and extends from 1-12 to
Lake Pontchartrain. LDEQ listed the upper segment
on the state's 2000 303(d) list of impaired waters
for not supporting its designated uses of primary
and secondary contact recreation, fish and wildlife
propagation, and an outstanding natural resource
due to high bacteria counts, sediment and mercury.
LDEQ also listed the lower segment in 2000 for
not supporting its designated uses of primary and
secondary contact recreation and fish and wildlife
propagation because of low dissolved oxygen and
high levels of ammonia-nitrogen, mercury, fecal
coliform and sediment. The nonpoint sources of
fecal coliform included dairies and residential on-
site treatment systems.
The water quality standards for primary contact rec-
reational uses require that no more than 25 percent
of the total samples collected on a monthly or near-
monthly basis may exceed a fecal coliform density
of 400/100 milliliters (ml). This primary contact
recreation criterion applies only during the defined
recreational period of May 1 through October 31.
During the non-recreational period of November 1
through April 30, the criteria for secondary contact
Figure 1. Map of sampling stations along mainstem
of Tangipahoa River and associated tributaries.
recreation will apply. The water quality standards for
secondary contact recreational uses require that no
more than 25 percent of the total samples collected
on a monthly or near-monthly basis may exceed a
fecal coliform density of 2,000/100 ml. This second-
ary contact recreation criterion applies year round.
-------
Project Highlights
Results
The Tangipahoa River had already been the focus of
watershed management efforts for 20 years when
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals first
posted a health advisory in 1988 because of high
levels of fecal coliform bacteria. LDEQ sent notices
to the 250 dairies in the watershed notifying the
dairy operators to apply for a discharge permit or
work with U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's)
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture's
Office of Soil and Water Conservation to install
no-discharge animal waste management systems.
As a result, dairy operators constructed 318 animal
waste management systems in Florida Parishes
(Louisiana parishes that were part of Florida in the
19th century and lie in a band across the top of Lake
Pontchartrain).
Tangipahoa Parish worked with the Louisiana
Department of Health and Hospitals to pass a new
ordinance that requires inspections of home sew-
age systems for all new residences or changes of
residence before an electrical connection could be
made to the homes. This new requirement removed
more than one million gallons per day of raw sew-
age from the Tangipahoa River.
The agricultural community worked with regulatory
agencies to finalize the minimum standards and
specifications for zero-discharge waste systems
on dairies. The NRCS designed and installed
approximately 158 systems in the watershed. They
provided daily technical assistance throughout the
construction phase to ensure that systems met
standards and specifications. In addition, NRCS
helped approximately 105 dairy operators with
lagoon cleanouts by using Comprehensive Nutrient
Management Plans.
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF)
has implemented a water quality sampling program
along the Tangipahoa River (Figure 1). In addition,
LPBF staff members worked with and educated
sewer operators on the maintenance and operation
of their facilities to reduce the discharges to the river.
LDEQ's water quality data have continued to
indicate decreasing trends in fecal coliform bacteria
since 1984, when the average annual concentration
was 17,356 colonies/100 ml, and the maximum
concentrations were 92,000 colonies/100 mL in
both February and April. In 2007 the average annual
concentration was 240.2 colonies/100 mL, with the
maximum concentrations of 500 colonies/100 mL
in October and 230 colonies/100 mL in August with
the remaining months falling below 200 colo-
nies/100 mL. Moreover, in 2005 LBPF began collect-
ing weekly samples in the mainstem and tributaries
of the Tangipahoa River—these data show measur-
able water quality improvements.
Data show that the lower segment of Tangipahoa
River met standards for primary contact recreation
by 2002. Therefore, LDEQ removed the lower
segment from the 2002 303(d) list. The lower reach
improved faster than the upper reach because the
upper reach has a higher density of dairies.
Data collected from 2004 to 2007 indicate that the
upper reach of the Tangipahoa River is no longer
impaired by fecal coliform. LDEQ proposed remov-
ing the upper reach from Louisana's 2008 303(d)
list of impaired waters. Thanks to a long-term,
coordinated watershed management effort, the
entire Tangipahoa River now fully supports both its
primary and secondary contact recreational uses.
Partners and Funding
Partners include LDEQ, NRCS, LPBF, Tangipahoa
Parish, and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture
and Forestry (LDAF). In 1991 the Louisiana State
Legislature passed Act 12, which allows the state to
provide state cost-share funds to dairy operators in
the Florida Parishes. In April 1992 LDEQ and LDAF
entered into an agreement in which $237,807 of
state funds were used to construct no-discharge
animal waste management systems. An additional
$250,000 of state and USDA cost-share program
funding was provided for constructing waste man-
agement systems (1993-1998) and lagoon systems.
Clean Water Act section 319 funds ($237,500) were
used for educational programs and to provide dollars
for technicians to inspect the no-discharge systems
for proper installment and long-term maintenance.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001Z
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Jan Boydstun
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
225-219-3606 • jan.boydstun@la.gov
Beverly Ethridge
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6
214-665-2151 • ethridge.beverly@epa.gov
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOUHE PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
Fixing On-site Sewage Systems Restores Popular New Orleans Area Rivers
\A/citp hnrl I n n prl High bacteria counts in the Tchefuncte River and its tributary,
1 " '* ' r ' " """"" the Bogue Falaya River, prompted the Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to add a segment of each waterbody to Louisiana's 1992 Clean
Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters. LDEQ and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Foundation (LPBF) formed partnerships with St. Tammany Parish and surrounding communities
to implement education and corrective programs. Bacteria counts decreased, and LDEQ removed
both segments from the 2008 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters for fecal coliform.
Problem
The 29-mile-long Bogue Falaya River flows into the
34-mile-long Tchefuncte River, one of the largest
contributing rivers of the Lake Pontchartrain basin in
southeast Louisiana (Figure 1). Together, the rivers
drain a 192.26-square-mile watershed that drains
both upland pine savannahs and large wetland
(bottomland hardwood forest) floodplains. The
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries lists
the Tchefuncte and Bogue Falaya rivers as scenic
streams, and the LDEQ lists them as Outstanding
Natural Resource waterways.
Significant urban growth and out-migration from
greater New Orleans is rapidly converting the area
from rural to residential and business land use.
Primary land cover includes evergreen forest cov-
ers (44.1 percent), pasture and hay (22.5 percent),
deciduous forest cover (19.7 percent) and urban/
developed area (4.4 percent). Because much of the
growth has been outside the area that is connected
to community sewer systems, individual home sep-
tic systems and small package wastewater systems
have become a major source of bacterial pollution
in the parish. Other sources, including inflow and
infiltration of municipal systems, small community
wastewater package plants, urban stormwater
runoff, and occasional horse farms and pastureland
runoff contribute as well.
The cumulative effect of those sources led fecal
coliform bacteria counts in the rivers to regularly far
exceed the state's water quality standard for primary
contact recreation. That standard requires that fecal
coliform counts be less than 200 most probable num-
ber (MPN)/100 milliliters (mL) of water. Data collected
in the early 1990s show that the bacteria counts
were greater than 10,000 MPN/100 mL, causing the
Figure 1. Andrea Bourgeois-Calvin collects a water
sample on the Bogue Falaya River.
rivers to be placed under swimming advisories and
ultimately listed on Louisiana's CWA section 303(d)
list of impaired waters for fecal coliform bacteria in
1992.
Project Highlights
In response to the high bacteria counts on the
Tchefuncte river system, the LPBF and St. Tammany
Parish began their Sub-Basin Pollution Source
Tracking Program in 2002 to identify and correct
pollution sources in watersheds through intensive
water quality monitoring, inspecting/upgrading
home septic systems, educating the public, and
cooperating with local and state agencies. The LPBF
implemented the tracking program in the Bogue
Falaya River watershed in 2002 and then expanded it
to include the larger Tchefuncte/Bogue Falaya water-
shed in 2003. Intensive water sampling and source
-------
tracking occurred through 2004, and monitoring and
tracking activities continue to the present.
LPBF then partnered with LDEQ's Small Business
Assistance Program to document how to operate
and maintain small package waste treatment sys-
tems and to provide free assistance for the owners/
operators (Figure 2). The focused effort included
direct contact and one-on-one educational outreach
with area residents, small-business operators and
community groups.
Figure 2. Andrea
Bourgeois-Calvin
(left) and Ronny
Carter, LPBF
Wastewater
Specialist, help
an owner of an
on-site sewage
treatment system.
St. Tammany Parish entered into a cooperative
agreement with LDEQ to inspect many of the
estimated 35,000 on-site sewage disposal systems
using CWA section 319 funds. In addition, the
parish used CWA section 319 funds to hire two
supplementary environmental inspectors and to
implement a parish-wide educational program on
septic system maintenance and repair. The parish
took further action, passing an ordinance requiring
that on-site sewage disposal systems be inspected
before a residential certificate of occupancy could
be awarded and electrical power connections
activated. The parish worked with the LPBF to
develop television advertisements, press releases,
educational pamphlets and newspaper articles on
the home septic system project.
Results
By actively addressing the failing home septic
systems and small package wastewater treatment
system sources, local stakeholders have signifi-
cantly reduced fecal coliform sources. Bacteria
counts in the rivers have declined significantly and
now meet standards for primary contact recreation
limits. As a result, LDEQ removed the Bogue Falaya
and the Tchefuncte rivers from the 2008 CWA sec-
tion 303(d) list of impaired waters for fecal coliform.
LDEQ, LPBF, St. Tammany Parish and the Louisiana
Department of Health and Hospitals offer educa-
tional seminars for businesses operating individual,
small package wastewater treatment systems.
LPBF has initiated work on a Watershed Protection
Plan in conjunction with and funded by LDEQ to
prioritize future best management practice imple-
mentation in the Tchefuncte River watershed.
Partners and Funding
St. Tammany Parish and LDEQ used section 319
funds from 2002 to 2006 as part of the parish's
cooperative agreement to implement the home
sewage inspection program. Approximately
$354,073 in federal funds also supported this
program, with the parish providing $181,983 in
matching funds for a total project cost of $545,859.
The parish entered into a second cooperative
agreement for a watershed coordinator, which
used $84,800 in CWA section 319 funds and
$57,500 in matching parish funds (total project
cost of $142,300). St. Tammany Parish also imple-
mented a comprehensive watershed project for the
Tchefuncte and Bogue Falaya rivers, which used
$663,000 in CWA section 319 funds and $442,000
in matching parish funds (total project cost of
$1,105,000).
LPBF secured financial support from multiple
sources including CWA section 319 funding through
LDEQ and funding from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Gulf of Mexico Program. LPBF
convened the St. Tammany Task Force in 2002. This
group meets monthly to discuss environmental
issues and implement programs in St. Tammany
Parish. Members of the task force include
LDEQ; St. Tammany Parish's Environmental and
Engineering Departments; Louisiana Department
of Health and Hospitals; Louisiana Sea Grant;
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center;
Natural Resource Conservation Service; the cities
of Convington, Mandeville and Slidell; and other
state, parish and local entities.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001S
August 2009
For additional information contact:
Andrea Bourgeois-Calvin, Ph.D.
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
504-836-2235 • andrea@saveourlake.org
Jan Boydstun
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
225-219-3606* Jan.boydstun@la.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Cobbossee Lake Restored: 35 Years of Sustained Work Succeeds
ImnrOVPd
Cobbossee Lake had a long history of nuisance algae blooms that
turned its once sparkling clear, trout-filled water murky green.
Nonpoint source pollution in Cobbossee Lake's watershed, as well as pollution from upstream lakes,
delivered excess phosphorus into the lake. Elevated phosphorus levels promoted algae blooms,
which discouraged recreation, spoiled aquatic habitat, and caused the lake to not meet water quality
standards. After 35 years of restoration work, including upstream alum treatments and widespread
installation of best management practices (BMPs), Cobbossee Lake exhibits remarkably improved
water clarity. The lake has been free of nuisance algae blooms for the past 10 years and now attains
water quality standards. This impressive recovery prompted the Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) to remove Cobbossee Lake from Maine's section 303(d) impaired waters list in 2006.
Problem
Cobbossee Lake (short for Cobbosseecontee), a
large 5238-acre lake in central Maine, is valued
by people for fishing, swimming, boating, and
wildlife. One of Maine's premier bass fishing
lakes, Cobbossee Lake is also a secondary source
of drinking water for Maine's capital — Augusta.
In the 1960s water quality in Cobbossee Lake
began to deteriorate. Elevated nutrient (i.e.,
phosphorus) levels spurred the growth of noxious
blue-green algae, which reduced water clar-
ity, formed green surface scums, and depleted
oxygen in the bottom waters of the lake. The
excess phosphorus in Cobbossee Lake's water-
shed was caused by soil erosion and runoff from
agricultural, residential, and commercial lands,
and the gradual conversion of forested land into
developed land. The other significant source of
phosphorus came from Annabessacook Lake,
immediately upstream of Cobbossee. At one
time, Annabessacook received sewage dis-
charges from the town of Winthrop, and this nutri-
ent-rich sewage caused algae blooms. Although
sewage discharges to Annabessacook Lake were
eliminated by 1977, the phosphorus in the lake's
sediments continued to recycle and flow into
Cobbossee Lake.
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assess-
ment developed for Cobbossee Lake in 1995
Governor Baldacci (left) and DEP Commissioner Littell (right) recognize
cleanup of Cobbossee Lake
estimated that two-thirds of the external phospho-
rus load came from the lake's direct 32-square-mile
watershed, and one-third came from the indirect
upstream watershed. Agriculture accounted for
about 60 percent of the phosphorus and developed
lands accounted for about 40 percent of the phos-
phorus load. The TMDL showed that in-lake phos-
phorus needed to be reduced to 15 parts per billion
(ppb), or 5,904 kg P/yr, for Cobbossee to attain
Maine's water quality criterion for water clarity
(more than 2 meters of Secchi Disc Transparency).
-------
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Minimum
Improving Water Clarity - Secchi Disk Transparency
Cobbossee Lake, Maine
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76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06
YEAR
Minimum Secchi Depth read-
ings (1976-2006) indicate no
nuisance algal blooms have
occurred since 1997. Maine's
definition of a nuisance algae
bloom is a minimum Secchi Disc
Transparency of less than 2.0
meters in lakes.
Project Highlights
Cobbossee Watershed District (CWD), formed
in 1973, collaborated with nine municipalities,
Maine DEP, and federal agencies to restore
Cobbossee Lake. In the 1970s and 80s, funding
from EPA's Clean Lakes Program and United States
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Bill
Program helped farmers reduce polluted runoff on
31 dairy farms. Other farmers in this area received
technical support from Maine DEP and USDA.
EPA funded two alum treatments that contributed
to Cobbossee Lake's recovery. Alum forms an alu-
minum hydroxide precipitate that removes phospho-
rus from the water column and forms a long-lasting
barrier on the lake bottom that substantially reduces
phosphorus released from sediment. In 1978, CWD
conducted an alum treatment in Annabessacook
Lake. In 1986, an alum treatment and watershed
BMP-implementation at another upstream lake,
Cochnewagon, further reduced phosphorus inputs
to Cobbossee Lake.
In addition, CWD helped towns and landowners
adopt erosion control BMPs at homes, on town
roads, and on private camp roads. In the early
1990s, five towns adopted ordinances requiring
that new developments be designed to meet strict
phosphorus allocation standards for stormwater
runoff. Under two EPA section 319-funded projects
in the 1990s, a significant number of erosion control
and nutrient management practices were installed
on dairy farms, along roads, and on residential prop-
erties. One of these section 319 projects was in
Jock Stream, a major tributary responsible for one-
third of the phosphorus loading from Cobbossee
Lake's direct watershed.
Results
Cobbossee Lake now meets water quality stan-
dards, which in Maine means that the lake has a
stable or improving trophic state and has been free
of culturally induced algae blooms. Maine DEP
removed Cobbossee Lake from the state's 303(d)
list during the 2006 cycle.
Partners and Funding
CWD provided sustained leadership, water quality
assessment, and technical services. Many local,
state, and federal partners contributed funding
and services over the years. Key partners include
watershed towns, the Kennebec County Soil and
Water Conservation District (SWCD), USDA, Maine
DEP, EPA, Maine Department of Transportation,
Cobbossee Lake Association, Annabessacook
Lake Improvement Association, and Friends of
Cobbossee Watershed.
From 1975 to 1985, EPA provided more than $1 mil-
lion in Clean Lakes grants for diagnostic studies and
restoration activities, including alum treatments
and BMP installations, throughout the CWD. Two
EPA section 319-funded projects helped control
NPS in the watershed. From 1995 to 1998, CWD
demonstrated effective erosion and sediment
control BMPs using $35,820 in section 319 funds
and $23,880 in matching funds. From 1999 to 2004,
Kennebec County SWCD reduced phosphorus and
sediment export from roads and farms in the Jock
Stream watershed using $220,040 in section 319
funds and $152,117 in matching funds.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001F
May 2007
For additional information, contact:
Norm Marcotte, Maine Department
of Environmental Protection
207-287-3901 • norm.g.marcotte@maine.gov
William Monagle, CLM, Cobbossee Watershed District
207-377-2234 • cwd@fairpoint.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Improved Forestry Practices Help Restore Lake
ImnrnvoH
I nprOVea
Located in northern Maine's vast forest, Madawaska Lake experi-
ence(j declining water quality beginning in the 1980s when increased
timber harvesting and shoreland development in the watershed con-
tributed excess phosphorus and sediment to the lake. As a result, Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (MDEP) added Madawaska Lake to the state's 1988 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of
impaired waters. The lake's water quality began improving in the mid-1990s, due to changes in state-
wide forestry standards, improved regulatory oversight of development and the implementation of
forestry best management practices (BMPs). MDEP removed Madawaska Lake from its section 303(d)
impaired waters list in 2006.
Problem
Madawaska Lake is located in the town of
Westmanland and in one of Maine's unorga-
nized townships, T16 R4. The 1,600-acre lake is
valued for boating, fishing and swimming and is
composed of two basins: Big Madawaska Lake
and Little Madawaska Lake. The watershed is
primarily forested, with residential development
concentrated along the shoreline (Figure 1).
In the 1980s extensive timber harvest activity
(including clearcuts and road building) and a
surge in shoreline development increased the
export of sediment and phosphorus from the
watershed into the lake. A 1993 summary of
watershed land use conditions reported that
21.8 percent of the watershed was harvested
(13.5 percent clear cut; 8.3 percent selective
cut). Until about 1982, most of the land was
owned and managed by one forestland compa-
ny for commercial timber production, and the
lakeshore was leased for seasonal camp lots.
After the land was sold in 1982, the new owner
built new forest access roads and increased
timber harvest activity including both selective
cuts and clear cuts. Lake shoreland properties
were sold to former lease holders, many of
whom decided to upgrade camps into year-
round homes. The result was a small building
boom around Big Madawaska Lake.
Erosion and sediment from timber harvest oper-
ations, roads and shoreland development, and
Figure 1. Madawaska Lake's watershed is forested
with numerous homes along the shoreline.
septic systems contributed excess phosphorus
to the lake, which spurred the growth and over-
abundance of noxious blue-green algae. From
1987 to 1992 the lake suffered four nuisance
algae blooms, and water clarity was reduced to
less than 2.0 meters, meeting MDEP's defini-
tion of a culturally induced nuisance algal bloom
that impairs swimming and aquatic life. In 1988
MDEP designated Madawaska Lake as impaired
for aquatic life support due to the observed
decline in trophic status and added the lake to
Maine's 303(d) list.
In 1994 MDEP completed an EPA section
314-funded Diagnostic Feasibility study of the
water quality problem. In 2000 MDEP complet-
ed the Madawaska Lake total maximum daily
load for total phosphorus.
-------
Project Highlights
Water Clarity - Secchi Disk Transparency
MDEP worked with the new owners of
the timberlands to install BMPs on new
roads and harvested areas. In addition,
a 1990 EPA-funded section 319 project
was undertaken to identify problem sites
in the watershed and provide technical
assistance for forestry and shoreland
development practices. The Maine Forest
Service produced statewide guidelines for
forestry BMPs with financial assistance
from MDEP and a section 319 grant. In
1999 the Maine Legislature passed the
Forest Practices Act, which improved
regulation of timber harvesting.
t-'^-
oooooooocncncnooo
O5O5O5O5O5O5O5OOO
The Maine Land Use Regulatory Commission
(LURC) opened an office in Presque Isle in
1989 to improve land use regulation services
in the region. LURC staff services helped
control new development to meet standards.
In 1990 LURC staff used section 319 funds to
inspect and evaluate the use of timber harvest-
ing BMPs in the Madawaska Lake watershed.
The town of Westmanland and the Aroostook
County government used MDEP's Small
Community Grant Program to help replace
failing septic systems at homes in lake shore
areas. In addition, MDEP successfully encour-
aged residents to adopt practices that reduce
erosion and sedimentation. Residents conduct-
ed a section 319-funded watershed survey in
2003 with the help of an Americorps Volunteer
working for MDEP.
Water clarity abruptly declined in 1987. From 1987 to 1992 the lake suffered
four nuisance algae blooms (SDT < 2.0 meters). Since 1993 water clarity has
improved, and the lake has been free of algae blooms for 14 of the past 15
years. (Note: no data were collected in 1979, 1984 and 1985.)
Figure 2. Big Madawaska Lake Minimum Secchi Disk Transparencies
(SDT) 1974 to 2007.
Results
Phosphorus loads to the lake have been steadi-
ly declining due to watershed improvements
such as the gradual reforestation of timber
harvest sites; reduced timber harvest and road
building activity, use of timber harvest BMPs
and better erosion control in developed shore-
land areas. Madawaska Lake now meets water
quality standards—it has a stable or improving
trophic state and has been free of culturally
induced algae blooms for more than 5 of the
past 10 years (Figure 2). Therefore, MDEP
removed Madawaska Lake from the state's
2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
MDEP, Maine Forest Service, and LURC
provided services to help the large forestland
owner and homeowners understand and
comply with state land use laws and BMPs.
EPA provided funds under the Clean Lakes
($88,830) and section 319 programs for lake
diagnostic studies and MDEP and LURC staff
services. Westmanland and the Aroostook
County government worked with landown-
ers to replace failing septic systems. Central
Aroostook County Soil and Water Conservation
District completed land use surveys and pro-
vided technical assistance to landowners. In
addition, the Maine Volunteer Lakes Monitoring
Program has assisted MDEP in assessing the
lake's water quality since the mid-1970s.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001Y
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Kathy Hoppe
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
207-760-3134 • kathy.m.hoppe@maine.gov
Norm Marcotte
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
207-287-7727 • norm.g.marcotte@maine.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Local Groups Key to Mousam Lake Restoration
Watprhnrlv Imnrnx/pH
die UUUy p U WU
Decades, Maine's Mousam Lake received increased stormwater
runoff from shoreland development, lawns, roads and aging septic
systems. Phosphorus in the stormwater led to increased algal growth and subsequent impairments to
water quality, including decreased water clarity and dissolved oxygen. Following 10 years of intensive
nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control projects, water clarity in Mousam is three feet deeper, and the
lake now attains water quality standards. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP)
removed Mousam Lake from its section 303(d) impaired waters list in 2006.
Problem
Mousam Lake, a three-mile-long lake in southern
Maine, attracts boaters, anglers, and vacation-
ers with its sandy shores and excellent cold and
warm water fisheries. One of the largest lakes (863
acres) in Maine's southernmost county, Mousam's
watershed encompasses 21 square miles, and its
shoreline is heavily developed with 700 seasonal and
year-round homes. In addition, the lake features a
frequently used public boat ramp.
Lake residents and local activists first noticed
problems with the lake's water quality in the late
1970s. Changes in the watershed, especially the
gradual conversion of forested land into developed
land and septic systems, resulted in increased
stormwater runoff from residential areas, lawns and
roads. Phosphorus in the stormwater led to exces-
sive algal growth, which, in turn, caused increases
in chlorophyll a levels and decreases in water clarity
and dissolved oxygen. From 1980 to 1992, the lake
experienced a steady decline in trophic state. In 1998
MDEP designated Mousam Lake as impaired for
aquatic life support and added the lake to the state's
section 303(d) list.
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assessment
developed for Mousam Lake in 2003 identified shore-
land development as the largest source (51 percent)
of phosphorus to the lake. Relatively high-density
development in shoreland areas (i.e., numerous
houses and gravel roads) increased stormwater
runoff and erosion. In addition, aging septic systems
in the sandy soils around the lake increased phos-
phorus in ground water that enters the lake. The
TMDL estimated that the annual external phospho-
rus loading (556 kg/year) would need to be reduced
by 27 percent (150 kg/year).
Foot of lake gets a facelift
Project Highlights
Since 1997, the York County Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD), Mousam Lake
Figure 1. Vegetated buffer planting at the foot of Mousam Lake.
Region Association (MLRA), the towns of Acton and
Shapleigh, and MDEP collaborated to identify and
mitigate NPS pollution sources and foster long-
term watershed stewardship. In 1997 a watershed
survey documented key NPS pollution sites including
erosion at residential sites, private camp roads and
driveways. In 1999 a U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) section 319 grant was used to install
and demonstrate conservation practices at six proj-
ect sites and to initiate watershed stewardship and
education programs (see Figure 1).
From 2001 to 2006, EPA, Maine Department of
Agriculture and MDEP funded additional erosion
control practices. Cost share agreements with
public and private landowners resulted in best
management practices being installed at 45 priority
NPS sites and an associated reduction in pollutant
loading to the lake by more than 150 tons of sedi-
ment and 130 pounds of phosphorus peryear. Work
included stabilizing erosion at developed shoreland
properties and improving gravel road surfaces and
roadside drainage. In addition, more than 250 other
landowners received technical assistance to reduce
erosion on their properties. The Mousam Lake Youth
Conservation Corps (YCC) program was established
-------
with section 319 funds in 2001 to install practices,
raise local awareness and commitment to lake pro-
tection, and involve local youth in stewardship. The
program was so effective and popular that the towns
and MLRA fully funded the YCC from 2002 through
2007, enabling the YCC to complete 115 projects in
the watershed.
In addition, more than 200 residents attended work-
shops known as Septic Socials to learn about septic
system function, proper maintenance and water con-
servation. These socials, modeled after a successful
Washington State Sea Grant program, were led by
project staff and local septic system professionals,
and hosted by local residents in their homes.
The high-profile work around Mousam Lake inspired
lake protection efforts on several neighboring lakes.
Most notably, the Acton Wakefield Watersheds
Alliance (in Maine and New Hampshire) formed in
2004 and started its own YCC program.
Results
Following a decade of local watershed management
and restoration efforts, Mousam Lake now meets
water quality standards. As seen in Figure 2, water
clarity in recent years (2002-2006) was one meter
deeper than the lows experienced in the early 1990s
(1989-1992). The water quality data trend from 1997
through 2006 indicates that Mousam Lake has a
stable or improving trophic state and meets Maine's
water quality standards for lakes. MDEP removed
Mousam Lake from its 303(d) list in 2006 because all
trophic parameters indicated a persistent improve-
ment or stabilization of water quality/trophic state.
Partners and Funding
York County SWCD provided sustained leader-
ship, technical services and grants management.
Other key partners include Pat Baldwin (a longtime
watershed resident and advocate for lake protec-
tion programs), the towns of Acton and Shapleigh,
MLRA, MDEP, Maine Department of Transportation
(MOOT), and EPA.
Since 1997, federal- and state-funded projects
helped prompt widespread implementation of
erosion control practices. EPA provided $230,000
in section 319 and 604(b) grants, and the Maine
Department of Agriculture provided $40,000 toward
these efforts. In addition, MOOT fixed three major
erosion problems associated with state roads.
The local match for the restoration work exceeded
$400,000. Each year since 2002, the towns of Acton
and Shapleigh have provided approximately $39,000
per year, fora total of $234,000, to fund the YCC
program. In addition, MRLA provided a $17,500 cash
match, and local residents, road associations and
towns provided $151,000 of in-kind matches.
Mousam Lake Mean Secchi Disk Transparencies (SDT): 1 980 to 2006
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
0 "
1 "
3 "
E /i
-=• 4
0- 5
0)
Q r -
6
7 "
8 ~
*-*-? * * * • -*
+- * * * • +
SDT Trendline (1 980 -1 992) SDT Trendline (1 997-2006)
Figure 2. Mousam
Lake Mean Secchi Disk
Transparencies (SDT)
from 1980 to 2006.
Annual mean Secchi
depth readings from
1980 to 1992 indicate a
trend (red line) toward
reduced water clarity.
Secchi readings from
1997 to 2006 indicate a
trend (green line) toward
stable and improved
water clarity. (Note: no
data were collected
between 1993 and 1996.'
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001A
February 2008
For additional information contact:
Wendy Garland, Maine DEP
207-822-6300 • wendy.garland@maine.gov
Joe Anderson, York County Soil and Water
Conservation District
207-324-0888 • janderson@yorkswcd.org
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Cattle Leave, Aquatic Community Returns to Furlong Creek
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd Unrestricted cattle access to a 4-mile reach of Furlong
Creek caused impairments to its aquatic macroinvertebrate
community. With the creek unable to meet its aquatic life support designated use,
Michigan placed the waterbody on its 303(d) list in 1996. Project partners installed fencing
to keep cattle away from the creek. Soon thereafter, the macroinvertebrate community
improved, allowing the state to delist the stream reach in 2005.
Problem
Project Highlights
Furlong Creek flows through Mackinac County
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Surveys
conducted in 1989 found diverse fish and
macroinvertebrate communities in the creek.
By 1999, however, cattle grazing on private
property had unrestricted access to the creek.
The animals walked in the creek and trampled
riparian vegetation, causing excessive instream
habitat disturbance and sedimentation.
Subsequent creek monitoring revealed low
fish and macroinvertebrate diversity. Pollution-
sensitive insect families (e.g., caddisflies,
stoneflies, and mayflies) and fish species (e.g.,
rainbow trout) were absent or very rare. These
aquatic life support impairments led Michigan
to place a 4-mile segment of Furlong Creek on
its 303(d) list in 1996.
In the early 2000s, the landowner, Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ),
and Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA)
collaborated to address the water quality
problems in Furlong Creek. MDA Right-to-Farm
staff worked with the landowner to develop
a farm management plan. In implementing
the plan, project partners installed more than
20,000 feet of streambank fencing to exclude
cattle from Furlong Creek.
Results
The accompanying table shows that, by
2004, the creek had recovered. Fish and
macroinvertebrate populations were essen-
tially identical to those found before cattle
gained unrestricted access to the creek. The
Number of fish species
Rainbow trout present?
Kinds of macroinvertebrates
Kinds of mayflies
Kinds of caddisflies
Mussels present?
Macroinvertebrate community rating
1989
(limited cattle access)
12
Yes
24
2
6
Yes
Attainment
1999
(unrestricted cattle access)
7
No
18
1
0
No
Nonattainment
2004
(limited cattle access)
13
Yes
26
3
5
Yes
Attainment
Biological monitoring data from Furlong Creek. Pollution-sensitive fish and macroinvertebrate species
returned after the installation of cattle exclusion fencing.
-------
waterbody had recovered from cattle impacts
and as a result, the state removed Furlong
Creek from its 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
DEQ provided $214,000 in section 319 funds to
the Luce-West Mackinaw Conservation District
for streambank fencing in Furlong Creek and
a neighboring watershed. The funding also
supported the pre- and post-project biological
surveys.
<
30
ft
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Off ice of Water
S Washington, DC
841-F-06-0030
December 2006
For additional information contact:
Bill Taft
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality,
Water Bureau
517-335-4205
taftw@michigan.gov
-------
•
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stabilizing Stamp Sand Deposits and Streambanks Improve Water
Quality and In-stream Habitat
Watprhnrlv Imnrnx/pH Historic copper mining activities deposited mounds of fine-grained
VValWlUUUy lillfjlUVWU rock waste — also known as stamp sands — into the stream channels
and floodplains of Kearsarge Creek and Scales Creek. Runoff from these stamp sands resulted in impaired
aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and elevated water column copper concentrations, which led
Michigan to list a combined segment of these waterbodies on its 2002 and 2004 303(d) list. Capping
and stabilizing two large stamp sand deposits has decreased copper concentrations and improved the
macroinvertebrate community enough that these impaired miles will be nominated for removal from the
2008 303(d) list.
Problem
Figure 1. Kearsarge Creek before and after restoration.
Kearsarge Creek and Scales Creek are headwater
tributaries to Houghton County's Trap Rock River in
Michigan's Upper Peninsula. All three waterbodies are
on Michigan's 303(d) list for excessive copper concen-
trations and poor biota. The 3.5-mile impaired segment
of Kearsarge Creek/Scales Creek includes a portion
of Kearsarge Creek upstream of where it flows into
Scales Creek, as well as the lower portion of Scales
Creek to its confluence with the Trap Rock River.
Copper mining operations dating from the 1860s
deposited tons of fine-grained mine tailings in the
floodplains of these streams, and decades of water
and wind erosion have transported large quantities
of these stamp sands into the stream channel and
floodplain. These mineral-rich, fine-grained particles
degrade aquatic life in the streams by (1) burying
in-stream habitat features and (2) leaching copper into
the water column. Bioassays performed in the early
1990s demonstrated that water from these headwater
streams exceeded state water quality standards for
copper. Biological surveys conducted at the same
time found that excessive sedimentation caused
degraded in-stream habitat and impoverished fish and
benthic macroinvertebrate communities.
Before: Stamp sand deposits
cover Streambanks and riparian
area.
After: Removal of upstream
stamp sand source allows
revegetation of Streambanks
and riparian area.
Figure 2. Scales Creek before and after restoration.
to*
Project Highlights
Project partners isolated two areas of stamp sand
deposits from the streams by stabilizing the stream
banks and capping and revegetating the upland areas.
The Houghton/Keweenaw Conservation District
\
Before: Stamp sand deposits
cover Streambanks and riparian
area.
After: Habitat improves once
stamp sand source is removed
and Streambanks and riparian
area are stabilized.
-------
stabilized one 2.5-acre deposit in the Kearsarge Creek
watershed in 1998 (Figure 1). U.S. EPA stabilized
another 19-acre deposit along Scales Creek in 2005
using Superfund Program funds (Figure 2).
Results
The Kearsarge Creek project stabilized a 2.5-acre
stamp sand deposit and triggered natural revegeta-
tion downstream. This improved the in-stream habitat
conditions and benthic macroinvertebrate communi-
ties. In-stream copper concentrations fell by a factor
of 10, total macroinvertebrate taxa tripled, sensitive
macroinvertebrate taxa (mayflies, caddisflies, and
stoneflies, also known as EPT) returned, and the
in-stream habitat assessment noted steadily less
sediment deposition between 1991, 2001, and 2006
(Table 1). Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality (MIDEQ) uses a macroinvertebrate community
scoring procedure to identify impaired waterbodies.
Possible scores range from -9 to +9; a score of less
than-4 is considered unacceptable. Macroinvertebrate
scores improved from a score of -7 in 1991 to +2 and
+1 in 2001 and 2006, respectively.
The Scales Creek project stabilized 19 acres of
stamp sand deposits and restored 1,205 linear
feet of Scales Creek streambank. MIDEQ noted
measurable improvements within one year of this
project's completion; between 1991 and 2006
in-stream copper concentrations deceased slightly,
total macroinvertebrate taxa increased by 40 percent,
sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa doubled, and
in-stream habitat features such as substrate
embeddedness and sediment deposition improved
substantially (Table 2). Macroinvertebrate scores, as
determined by MIDEQ's scoring procedure, improved
from 0 in 1991 to +4 in 2006. MIDEQ expects
scores to continue to improve as biota colonizes the
improved habitat. Given the positive results from
both projects, MIDEQ expects to remove Kearsarge
Creek/Scales Creek from the state's 303(d) list by
2008. MIDEQ will survey the creeks again in 2011.
Partners and Funding
In 1998 MIDEQ provided $44,359 in section 319
funds to the Houghton/Keweenaw Conservation
District for the Kearsarge Creek restoration. EPA's
Superfund Program restored the Scales Creek site
in 2005 at a cost of $373,000 (including a 10 percent
match from Michigan). Section 319 also funded
Table 1. Monitoring data from Kearsarge Creek, before and after stamp sand stabilization
Year
1991
1998
2001
2005
Copper
(w/U
125
Macroinvertebrate
taxa
3
EPT
taxa*
0
Score
(-9to+9)
-7
Habitat
category
Fair
Embed-
dedness
6
Depth
regime
6
Sediment
deposition
8
Stamp sands stabilized
34
12
12
12
6
3
+2
+1
Good
Good
10
11
13
14
8
17
EPT= mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies—three orders of pollution-sensitive aquatic insects that are common
in the benthic macroinvertebrate community.
Table 2. Monitoring data from Scales Creek, before and after stamp sand stabilization
Year
1991
1998
2001
2005
Copper
(w/U
31
Macroinvertebrate
taxa
15
EPT
taxa
5
Score
0
Habitat
category
Poor
Embed-
dedness
5
Depth
regime
6
Sediment
deposition
2
Stamp sands stabilized
27
23
16
21
7
10
0
+ 4
Good
Good
8
15
12
12
8
13
f
A
\
m
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001AA
November 2007
For additional information contact:
Bill Taft, MIDEQ Water Bureau
517-335-4205
taftw@michigan.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Best Management Practices Control Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution
Peninsula was included
\A/at<2> hr>iH I n r>> oH Whetstone Brook in Michigan's Upper
vvaierooay i mprovea on the 303(d) |jst jn 1998 and 2QQQ for periodic fjsh ki||s
Nonpoint source pollution control projects in the watershed have led to increased habitat, res-
toration of the macroinvertebrate communities within the brook, and elimination of fish kills. In
2002 Michigan removed Whetstone Brook from its list of impaired waters.
Problem
Whetstone Brook flows through Marquette
County into Marquette Harbor on Lake Superior,
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Poor water qual-
ity caused fish kills in the early 1990s, which led
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
(MIDEQ) to add a 1.7-mile segment of Whetstone
Brook to its 303(d) list in 1998. MIDEQ attributed
the problems to sediment, litter, oil, and flash flood-
prone hydrologic conditions caused by uncontrolled
storm water runoff from parking lots, roads, and
inadequately protected upland construction sites.
Project Highlights
In the mid-1990s, the Marquette Conservation
District (District) undertook a project that examined
the Whetstone Brook watershed, established a
watershed plan, and demonstrated best manage-
ment practices (BMPs) for nonpoint source pollution
management at two sites. The District installed
600 linear feet of streambank stabilization, 500 feet
of a diversion outlet, 5,000 square feet of critical
area stabilization, 6 acres of filter strip restoration,
and a storm water detention basin. The District also
conducted education efforts to highlight the brook
and to reduce polluted runoff.
Results
The BMPs eliminated the cause(s) of the fish
kills; the last fish kill occurred in 1994. Biological
monitoring conducted in 1991 (pre-implementa-
tion)and again in 2001 (post-implementation)
confirmed that the project was effective. MIDEQ
Table 1. Biological data collected downstream of
the Whetstone Brook project area before and after
installation of BMPs
Year
1991
2001
Macroinvertebrate
taxa
10
16
EPT
taxa*
2
4
Score
-4
-2
Score Range
-9 to +9
Acceptable
Acceptable
EPT= mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies—three orders
of pollution-sensitive aquatic insects that are common in
the benthic macroinvertebrate community.
uses a macroinvertebrate community scoring
procedure to assess water quality. Possible
scores range from -9 to +9; a score of less than
-4 is considered unacceptable. The total num-
ber of macroinvertebrate taxa and the number
of pollution-sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa
(mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies) increased
after BMP implementation (Table 1). The MIDEQ
macroinvertebrate score in Whetstone Brook
improved slightly, from -4 in 1991 to -2 in 2001.
MIDEQ removed Whetstone Brook from the
303(d)listin 2002.
Partners and Funding
MIDEQ provided the Marquette Conservation
District with $101,861 in section 319 funds in
1993 and $197,910 in section 319 funds in 1994.
The District used these funds for both the pre-
implementation planning and implementation of
BMPs in this watershed.
. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
) Office of Water
i!Sff Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001CC
November 2007
For additional information contact:
Joe Rathbun, MIDEQ Water Bureau
517-373-8868
rathbunj@michigan.gov
-------
"\
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Lake Hazle Recovers from Development Impairments
' '
Waterbody Improved
Stormwater runoff from commercial and residential develop-
ment caused significant water quality impacts in Lake Hazle.
The problem persisted through the 1990s, degrading the lake to the point that it only par-
tially supported its aquatic life use support designation. Mississippi placed Lake Hazle on
its 303(d) list in 1996. To address the growing problem, project partners installed various
best management practices (BMPs), which allowed Lake Hazle to be delisted in 2004.
Problem
Lake Hazle is in Copiah County, south of
Jackson, Mississippi. The 22-acre lake, owned
and maintained by the city of Hazlehurst, is
primarily designed and used for public recre-
ation. In the 1980s, commercial and residential
development around Lake Hazle led to signifi-
cant impacts on its water quality.
While restoration efforts began in the early
1990s and monitoring data indicated overall
water quality improvements, Lake Hazle
nonetheless showed water quality impairments
from nutrients, pH, siltation, organic enrich-
ment/low dissolved oxygen (DO), thermal
modification, oil and grease, and suspended
solids. This information led the state to con-
clude that Lake Hazle only partially supported
its aquatic life use support designation. As a
result, Mississippi placed Lake Hazle on its
303(d) list of impaired waters in 1996. In 1998
the lake remained on the 303(d) list's monitored
section for organic enrichment/low DO, pH, and
nutrients. It was also included on the 1998 list's
evaluated section (listed without actual moni-
toring data) for siltation and oil and grease.
Lake Hazle before
the restoration
project, almost
completely filled
in with silt.
Project Highlights
In June 1990, project partners received section
319 support to upgrade the water quality and
the recreational resources of Lake Hazle. Over
a 5-year period, the partners implemented
several BMPs affecting a 23-acre area. They
planted vegetation at six heavily eroded
sites, created a grade-stabilization structure
Lake Hazle as it appears today,
supporting aquatic life.
to impede polluted runoff, and installed two
water/sediment control basins to slow runoff
and allow sediment to settle out before reach-
ing the lake.
Outreach and education also played an impor-
tant role. Project partners arranged to publish
informative articles in the local newspaper.
They also led field tours for landowners to
observe firsthand the BMPs' pollutant-removal
effectiveness.
-------
Results
Table 1. Lake Hazle water quality data from August
2001 and 2003
Date
Aug. 2001
Aug. 2001
Aug. 2001
Aug. 2001
Aug. 2003
Aug. 2003
Aug. 2003
Aug. 2003
Aug. 2003
Aug. 2003
State
screening
level
Nitrate-
nitrite
(mg/L)
< 0.02
< 0.02
< 0.02
< 0.02
-
-
-
-
-
-
< 1.0
Total
Kjeldahl
nitrogen
(mg/L)
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
-
-
-
-
-
-
< 1.5
Total
phosphorus
(mg/L)
0.04
0.05
0.11
0.04
-
-
-
-
-
-
<0.2
Turbidity
(NTU)
11
12
10
7
4
-
6
4
11
7
< 100
Oil&
grease
(mg/L)
-
-
-
-
< 5
< 5
< 5
< 5
< 5
< 5
--
Mississippi does not have numeric water quality standards for
nutrients, sediment, siltation, or turbidity. Therefore, state water
quality experts compare available data for these parameters with
screening levels that are based on literature or scientific rules
of thumb. All data for these parameters were below the state
screening levels and justified Lake Hazle's delisting. Mississippi
has neither a numeric water quality standard nor a screening level
for oil and grease. Best professional judgment determined that oil
and grease concentrations less than 5 mg/L meet the applicable
state narrative water quality standard.
Table 2. Average Lake Hazle dissolved oxygen
concentrations in 2003 and 2004
24-Hour sampling period
08/07/03-08/08/03
08/14/03-08/15/03
06/10/04-06/11/04
Type of data
automatic data
sonde logging
at 30 minute
intervals
Number of
samples
58
56
96
Average DO
(mg/L)
6.6
5.0
7.3
Lake Hazle began to show the beneficial
effects of the BMPs after several years of
vegetative growth and sediment retention.
Their implementation resulted in an estimated
soil savings of about 2,240 tons per year. Water
quality studies gave additional quantitative
evidence of the restoration's success. Studies
in 2001 and 2003, for example, showed that
nutrient, turbidity, and oil and grease concen-
trations in Lake Hazle were within acceptable
water quality screening levels. In addition, DO
data collected during three separate 24-hour
monitoring events in 2003 and 2004 met water
quality standards. Tables 1 and 2 summarize
these findings.
On the basis of the monitoring results, nutri-
ents, turbidity, organic enrichment, low DO,
and oil and grease were eliminated as causes
of impairment. Lake Hazle once again fully
attained its aquatic life use support designa-
tion and was delisted in 2004.
Partners and Funding
This project was supported by $45,641 in sec-
tion 319 funds. The Mississippi Soil and Water
Conservation Commission (MSWCC) and par-
ticipating landowners contributed an additional
$47,168 in matching funds, in-kind services,
and materials. MSWCC led in the selection and
installation of BMPs. The local Soil and Water
Conservation District, the city of Hazlehurst,
and the Southwest Mississippi Resource
Conservation and Development District over-
saw public outreach efforts. Other partners
included the Copiah County Soil and Water
Conservation District, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Mississippi Department
of Environmental Quality, and USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
The aquatic life criterion for dissolved oxygen is > 4 mg/L (under
specific sampling conditions and frequency).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001A
February 2007
For additional information contact:
Zoffee Dahmash
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality,
Nonpoint Source Section
601-961-5137
Zoffee_Dahmash@deq. state, ms. us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PRMRAM SUCCESS STORY
Agricultural BMPs Reduce Herbicide Concentrations in Five Drinking Water Lakes
Cameron Lakes, Mark Twain Lake, and Smithville Lake, Missouri
A/o+o>rK^H\/ Irv^r^w^H Herbicide application to row crop agriculture and subsequent storm
Waiyiuuuy irriuruvyu
runoff impaired the water quality of five lakes in northern Missouri
that were used as sources of drinking water. In 1998 the three Cameron Lakes, Mark Twain Lake,
and Smithville Lake were placed on the 303(d) list of impaired waters for periodic high-atrazine
concentrations. The project partners used a science-based approach to identify priority watersheds
with the highest pollutant loading contributions. Through an outreach program, farmers were
encouraged to measure and time atrazine applications more carefully, which allowed all five lakes to
successfully meet water quality standards and to be removed from the 303(d) list in 2003.
Problem
In 1998 the Missouri Department of Natural
Resources placed five lakes in northern
Missouri (three Cameron Lakes, Mark Twain
Lake and Smithville Lake) on the 303(d) list
because they exceeded state water qual-
ity standards for atrazine. All had periodic
atrazine concentrations above the Maximum
Contaminant Level (MCL) of 3 parts per billion
(ppb) established for public drinking water
supplies.
Atrazine is a low-cost herbicide used for
combating grass and broadleaf weeds in corn
and is widely used. Farmers were concerned
that they would have to greatly restrict use of
the herbicide in their corn and soybean opera-
tions. The Environmental Resources Coalition
(ERC), a nonprofit organization, used 319 fund-
ing and, with partners, formed the Watershed
Research, Assessment and Stewardship
Project (WRASP) to put together a strategy
to improve water quality without negatively
affecting farmers' business profits.
Project Highlights
Monitoring was conducted from 1999 through
2004 to evaluate the origin and quality of
the water running into the affected lakes.
Lake monitoring was conducted before and
throughout the growing season.
Approximately 50 automatic monitoring
samplers were placed at field edges and in
large and small streams that flowed into the
lakes. Strategically sited monitoring stations
measured the relative contribution of smaller
subwatersheds into the lakes. Stream flow was
taken into account at each sampling location.
Each station had instrumentation that allowed
simultaneous sampling and flow measure-
ments during peak rainstorm flow events. The
lakes themselves were sampled in late March
(before seasonal atrazine applications) and
continued every 3 weeks until September. The
-------
Results
Edge-of-field runoff monitoring equipment
resulting data identified subbasins that contrib-
uted disproportionately to pollutant loads into
the lakes.
Farmers were encouraged to voluntarily install
best management practices (BMPs) to cost-
effectively reduce pollutant runoff. Two tillage
practices—no-till and minimum-till—were
combined with selected atrazine application
methods. Atrazine was applied at one of two
rates—0.75 Ib/acre or 1.5-2 Ib/acre—using
one of three methods: incorporation into
the soil before planting, surface application
before planting, or surface application after
crop emergence. Grass buffer strips were
also planted to retard and capture field runoff
before it entered waterways. To promote these
voluntary farmer practices, WRASP conducted
field demonstrations, informational meetings,
and one-on-one consultations with farmers
from 2002 to 2004.
The Missouri House Interim Committee on Water
Quality visit a WRASP site.
Levels of atrazine (and other contaminants
in the lakes) began to decrease after the first
year of the project. The lakes' average levels of
atrazine dropped below the MCL of 3 ppb for
drinking water, and the Missouri Department
of Natural Resources removed the lakes from
the303(d)listin late 2003.
Concentrations of Atrazine
in Smithville Lake
WRASP Began 1998
3 parts per billion
^^^^^^^^^^H
ACCEPTABLE STANDARD
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
Collaboration under the WRASP project led to reduced
concentrations of herbicide in Smithville Lake.
Partners and Funding
ERC managed the WRASP project and
administered the 319 funding. They formed a
partnership with the Missouri Corn Growers
Association who put together an alliance of
business and governmental organizations
including the Missouri Department of Natural
Resources, U.S. Department of Agriculture—
Agricultural Research Service, Environmental
Protection Agency, Syngenta Crop Protection,
Inc., and Bayer Crop Sciences. Funding for
the 319 portion of the project was $1,000,000,
while the total project cost was $5,000,000
over 5 years. To ensure future longevity of
protective water quality practices, an ongoing
Stewardship Implementation Project has been
put in place. It continues the water-monitor-
ing component of WRASP and extensively
expands the one-on-one work with farmers to
implement BMPs on larger, field-scale sites in
the watersheds.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001J
June 2007
For additional information contact:
Linda Paule
Environmental Resources Coalition
3118 Emerald Lane, Suite 110
Jefferson City, MO 65109
573-634-7078
www.erc-env.org
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT
M SUCCESS STORY
Implementing Best Management Practices and Education Efforts
Restores Lake
\A/citorhnH\/ ImnrnvoH P°'nt source and nonpoint source pollution from agricultural and
y ^ suburban land sources affected water quality in Fellows Lake,
prompting the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to add the lake to Missouri's
1994 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters for mercury and nutrients.
The Watershed Committee of the Ozarks (WCO) launched outreach and education activities,
worked with landowners to implement best management practices (BMPs) and conducted
water quality monitoring. Water quality improved, and MDNR removed Fellows Lake from the
state's 2004/2006 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Fellows Lake (Figure 1) is an 826-acre lake in south-
west Missouri's Greene County. It was formed
when a dam was constructed on the upper Little
Sac River in 1957. The lake serves as a drinking
water supply for the city of Springfield, along with
McDaniel Lake, Stockton Lake, James River and
Fulbright Spring. Fellows Lake and McDaniel Lake
provided the city of Springfield with approximately
52 percent of its annual raw water in 2000.
Elevated nutrients in Fellows Lake supported excess
algal production, which caused odor and taste prob-
lems in the finished drinking water. Mercury levels
in fish tissue also showed mean values higher than
the national tissue criterion of 0.3 milligrams (mg)
per kilogram (kg). Further water quality concerns
included potential pollution introduced via fissures
and spaces in the underlying bedrock (characteristic
of the region's karst geology), the large number of
livestock in the watershed and possible biological
impairment. Because of those problems, MDNR
added Fellows Lake to the 1994 CWA section 303(d)
list of impaired waters for nutrients and mercury.
The listing attributes the impairments to agricultural
inputs from livestock, fertilizer, other farm practices
and wildlife (e.g., geese).
McDaniel Lake Watershed
Project Highlights
The WCO conducted outreach and education
activities, monitored water quality and worked
with landowners to implement BMPs. Water qual-
ity monitoring focused on determining pollutant
contributions and measured BMP success with
a cost-share program. Over a three-year period,
Figure 1. Fellows Lake is in the McDaniel Lake watershed.
sampling sites were monitored following a WCO-
developed Quality Assurance Project Plan. The
data show that the sources of phosphorus inputs
were animal and human waste, fertilizers, and
certain insecticides.
Landowner cost-share practices were a major
component of the project addressing pollution in
the Fellows Lake watershed. WCO worked with
landowners to restore riparian corridors and restrict
livestock access to the waterbody, reducing soil
erosion. The practices also reduced the chances of
water being contaminated with sediment, nutrients
and bacteria. The project educated livestock manag-
ers about management-intensive grazing systems,
which involve rotating livestock between pastures.
The systems increase grazing efficiency, reduce ero-
sion by allowing minimal groundcover exposure, and
spread the animal waste across the pasture instead
of concentrating it near water sources. One dairy
farmer implemented an animal waste containment
-------
system. Before that, unroofed concrete lots and
holding areas collected manure, which then washed
off during rain events. Cost-share programs allowed
the livestock producer to add roofs over the lots and
improve manure holding areas. As a result, manure
was not exposed to precipitation, decomposition
could occur and manure-laden runoff was greatly
reduced.
Other WCO projects included outreach and educa-
tion targeting landowners, local schools and Stream
Team volunteers. Water quality monitoring increased
the awareness of problems connected to Fellows
Lake and its tributaries and streams. Each landown-
er participating in the cost-share program learned
more about nonpoint source pollution and BMPs
that could improve water quality in local streams and
lakes. The WCO also conducted agricultural field
days, watershed festivals, greenway activities and
other efforts to educate watershed citizens.
Fellows Lake is in the 1,981-square-mile Sac River
watershed. Many CWA section 319-funded projects
in the Sac River watershed helped to improve the
lake's water quality. For example, the Polk County
Soil and Water Conservation District conducted a
series of grazing school classes north of Fellows
Lake. Also, the WCO administered several projects
that educated citizens in Springfield and surround-
ing areas, including the Show-Me Yards program
and Neighborhood Eco-Tips radio broadcasts. WCO
also helped Springfield develop a comprehensive,
watershed-based management strategy for protect-
ing Fulbright Spring, another public drinking water
source.
Results
Stakeholders' efforts in the Fellows Lake watershed
and the larger Sac River watershed combined to
restore water quality in Fellows Lake. Data collected
by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC),
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
MDNR in 2002 and 2006 show that mean mercury
levels in fish tissue have declined and now fall below
the national tissue criteria of 0.3 mg/kg (Table 1).
Therefore, MDNR removed Fellows Lake from the
2004/2006 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired
waters for mercury. It also removed Fellows Lake
from the 2004/2006 list of impaired waters for nutri-
ents on the basis of a time trend analysis showing
very slight reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus.
Moreover, Springfield's utilities recorded virtually no
taste or odor complaints for several years before the
delisting.
Partners and Funding
The WCO has managed several CWA section
319-funded projects in the watershed and surround-
ing areas, including one for $276,500 that sup-
ported the main project responsible for restoring
Fellows Lake. It has received technical assistance
through partnerships with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation
Service, soil and water conservation districts, and
MDC professionals. It continues to work to improve
water quality in the watershed and reduce nonpoint
source pollution.
Table 1. Fish tissue (fillet) data in Fellows Lake, 1993-2006
Monitoring organization
MDC
MDC
MDC
MDC
MDC
EPA/MDNR
Year
1993
1994
1994
2001
2002
2006
Species
walleye
largemouth bass
walleye
largemouth bass
largemouth bass
largemouth bass
# in sample
4
5
5
15
15
5
Weight (Ibs)
2.1
2.2
2.6
1.7
0.8
2.3
Mean mercury levels (mg/kg)
0.272
0.404
0.425
0.348
0.115
0.190
Average 0.292*
* EPA's guideline for mercury in fish tissue is 0.3 mg/kg (Water Quality Criterion for Protection of
Human Health: Methylmercury. EPA-823-R-01-001, January 2001). The document states that this is
a concentration that "should not be exceeded" based on a total consumption of 17.5 grams of fish
per person per day. The 0.3 mg/kg criterion is also based on the assumption that the fish diet is
composed of a mixture of fish from different trophic levels.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001HH
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Greg Anderson
Nonpoint Source Coordinator
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
573-751-7144 • greg.anderson@dnr.mo.gov
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STURY
Stream Restoration Efforts on Upper Cedar Creek Reduce Impacts
of Acid Mine Drainage
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd
" r
m'ne drainage (AMD) from historical mining sites has
degraded water quality in Cedar Creek in central Missouri for
years. Even though the mines were closed and reclamation projects were completed on
704 acres of watershed land, approximately 4 miles of Upper Cedar Creek continued to suf-
fer from AMD and remained on the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters due to high sulfates
and low pH. After streambank restoration projects and the construction of passive treatment
wetlands, the creek was removed from the state's 303(d) list and now meets water quality
standards for both pH and sulfates.
Problem
Prior to 1977 and the passage of the Surface
Mining Control and Reclamation Act, coal strip
mining operations disturbed nearly 2,000 acres
of the Cedar Creek watershed. AMD, gener-
ated as runoff drained over pyrite-rich soil
exposed during the mining process, severely
degraded water quality in the creek. Between
1948 and 1980 periodic discharges of AMD
and acidic sediments into the creek resulted in
numerous fish kills.
By 1990 the Missouri Land Reclamation
Program (LRP) had completed reclamation
projects on 704 acres of land in the Cedar
Creek watershed. The reclamation projects
revegetated and stabilized large areas of the
Upper Cedar Creek watershed. However, a
few remaining areas of barren acidic spoil and
eroding streambanks continued to contribute
acidic sediments and AMD to the Upper Cedar
Creek watershed. Flooding in the 1990s further
contributed to AMD problems by damaging
significant portions of streambanks, caus-
ing additional acid-forming materials to be
exposed and more sediment to enter the creek.
Although water quality greatly improved in
the 1990s, approximately 4 miles of the creek
remained on the state's 303(d) list of impaired
waters due to high sulfates and low pH.
Acidity, sulfates, and metals are removed from AMD as it
flows through layers of limestone rock and compost in the
passive treatment wetland cells.
Project Highlights
The Missouri LRP used section 319 funding in
coordination with funding from the U.S. Office
of Surface Mining (OSM) Abandoned Mine
Land Clean Streams Initiative to complete the
cooperative reclamation project to address
the remaining water quality problems at Cedar
Creek. In 2001 to 2002, six passive treatment
wetlands and alkaline-producing cells were
constructed to treat AMD by adding alkalinity
and removing dissolved metals and sulfates,
and four acid ponds were amended and
-------
Native trees and grasses are thriving along sections of
restored streambank.
neutralized. Streambank restoration projects
further added to the health and renewal of the
creek. Project partners planted approximately
200,000 native trees and shrubs and helped
repair 2,700 linear feet of eroding streambank
at 16 restoration sites. Sixty-six acres were
amended and seeded with native grasses for
erosion control and wildlife habitat enhance-
ment. Additional native grass plantings are
planned for the coming years.
Results
Data collected over the course of the 4-year
restoration project indicate Cedar Creek is now
meeting water quality standards for both pH
and sulfates. Dissolved oxygen concentrations
have also improved over time, and fewer occur-
rences of dissolved oxygen below 5 mg/L
occurred in 2001 and 2002. Alkalinity showed
the greatest increase at sites downstream
of the restoration site, suggesting that the
constructed wetlands are neutralizing the acid
seeps. Native trees and grasses are thriving,
and wildlife are returning to the restoration
site and downstream areas. As a result of the
successful cooperative reclamation project,
the creek has been removed from the state's
303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
Project partners included Missouri Department
of Natural Resources Water Protection
Program (WPP), Boone County Soil and Water
Conservation District, OSM, U.S. Department
of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation
Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri
Department of Conservation, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, the Columbia Audubon
Society, and private landowners. Construction
costs of the restoration project totaled
$354,094. The LRP received $150,000 in
section 319 grant funds from the WPP and
$204,094 from the OSM Abandoned Mine
Land Clean Streams Initiative to fund the con-
struction of six wetland cells and restoration of
streambank areas.
Maupin Road Bridge Sample Site
Before Project
After Project
PH(s.u.)
5.7
6.8
Alkalinity
(meqCaCO/L)
24.3
75.8
Acidity
(meqCaCO/L)
17.8
-57.4
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Off ice of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004T
September 2005
For additional information contact:
Gregory Anderson
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
573-751-7144 • greg.anderson@dnr.mo.gov
-------
\ Section 319
USSy NONPOINT SOURCE PRMRAM SUCCESS STORY
Collaborative Efforts at a Watershed Scale Reduce Atrazine in Drinking Water
A/ h H I H Intensive corn production in the watershed around Missouri's Vandalia
VatGrDOuy irnprOVGQ Lake contributed high levels of the herbicide atrazine to the lake water.
In the late 1990s, water quality data showed atrazine levels at approximately 89 parts per billion (ppb),
far exceeding the 3 ppb water quality criterion required for finished drinking water. As a result, Missouri
added Vandalia Lake to the state's 1998 and 2002 Clean Water Act section 303(d) lists of impaired
waters. To address the contamination, federal, state and local watershed stakeholders worked with
farmers to implement best management practices (BMPs) to improve the quality of their drinking water
source. Atrazine levels dropped, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) removed
Vandalia Lake from the state's 2006 303(d) list for atrazine.
Problem
Vandalia Lake is in portions of Pike, Audrain,
and Lincoln counties and drains a 3,660-acre
subwatershed. The 38-acre impoundment is a public
drinking water source serving more than 2,500 peo-
ple in northeast Missouri (Figure 1). In 1997 Vandalia's
city water treatment plant operator became con-
cerned about the amount of atrazine flowing into the
city's raw water supply. The city was spending a sig-
nificant portion of its available funding to remove the
herbicide from the drinking water. Atrazine is typically
applied to crops such as corn and sorghum—both of
which are grown in the watershed and serve as a vital
component of the area's economy.
Atrazine levels in Vandalia Lake were as high as
89 ppb in 1998 and 2000. Missouri's water quality
standard for atrazine is 3 ppb in finished water. As a
result, Missouri added Vandalia Lake to the state's
1998 and 2002 section 303(d) lists of impaired
waters for atrazine.
,
Project Highlights
To address the contamination problem, a group
of stakeholders quickly came together in 1997
to form a Watershed Management Committee.
Members included grain producers, city officials,
local residents, members of the Soil and Water
Conservation District and representatives from
the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension
and state and federal agencies. MDNR helped the
committee formulate plans and find solutions for
reducing pesticide and nutrient loadings in the lake.
The committee developed an atrazine reduction
plan, which was published in 1999 as the Vandalia
City Reservoir Water Resources Plan.
The committee launched significant education and
outreach efforts to increase farmers' knowledge
Figure 1. Northeast Missouri's Vandalia Lake
about the water quality contamination problems and
how they could implement new management prac-
tices to help. The committee held several meetings
with rural landowners, city residents, and business
leaders to look at the concerns, costs and outcomes
of various options for atrazine reduction.
Initially, local farmers were asked to pay for and
implement practices that would reduce atrazine
levels in the reservoir. However, in 1999 federal and
state programs began providing more assistance
in the watershed and began providing compensa-
tion to the farmers for the additional financial and
managerial burden of implementing some practices.
Farmers implemented several types of management
BMPs, including reducing atrazine application rates,
using alternative herbicides, incorporating herbicide
into the soil rather than applying it on the surface,
splitting application of atrazine (applying some
before and some after the crop begins growing),
installing or expanding buffer strips, staggering crop
rotation with neighbors and enrolling property in the
Conservation Reserve Program.
-------
Additionally, between 2002 and 2007 the MDNR
Soil and Water Conservation Program worked with
landowners to implement additional BMPs, includ-
ing terraces, waterways, retention structures and
diversions (Table 1).
Table 1. Additional BMPs implemented and
the acreage treated
NRCS land treatments
Riparian forest buffer
Forestland reestablished/improved
Field border
Filter strip
Grassed waterway
Terraces
Conservation crop rotation
Wetlands restored
Acres treated
6
236
29,078
54
62
100,867
21,003
1
Results
Atrazine levels have dropped, thanks to the effec-
tive outreach, a receptive audience and adoption of
BMPs. Data show that atrazine concentrations in
the raw water have fallen from a high of 85 ppb in
1997 to only 1.01 ppb in 2005. These data indicate
that Vandalia Lake meets the water quality crite-
rion for atrazine to support its designated use as
a public drinking water source. Therefore, MDNR
removed Vandalia Lake from Missouri's 2006 303(d)
list for atrazine.
Area farmers played a key role in the project's suc-
cess. They were willing to absorb slight increases
in production costs to show how committed they
were to reducing pesticide levels in the reservoir
and supporting the community. No single practice
works for every farmer, but by combining several
low-cost practices, the farmers have significantly
improved water quality.
Partners and Funding
This project brought together new partnerships
and a greater awareness of how to jointly resolve
water quality problems. Many groups collaborated
to organize the Vandalia Watershed Management
Committee, including University of Missouri
Outreach and Extension, the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) and the city of
Vandalia. Committee members included municipal
employees, elected officials, residents, landown-
ers, operators and Soil and Water Conservation
Districts. Other collaborators joined including
MDNR, the Missouri Department of Conservation,
the Mark Twain Water Quality Initiative, the Missouri
Department of Health and other agencies. State and
federal incentive programs provided funds through
local organizations to support organizing, planning
and implementing the project.
Clean Water Act section 319 funds supported two
projects that helped reduce atrazine levels in the
lake. The North Fork project ran from September
2002 through August 2005. The total amount for
the three-year project included federal contribu-
tions of $187,720, plus a $123,252 match by the
project sponsor, the Clarence Cannon Wholesale
Water Commission, for a total of $310,972. Funding
supported efforts to disseminate information to
community leaders about water quality issues
and to help build partnerships. The project team
provided resources and training to help communi-
ties to prepare to address water quality issues and
regulatory requirements such as total maximum
daily loads (TMDLs).
The Grassroots project (also section 319-funded)
provided $383,853 in federal funds and $257,181
in match funds to help the University of Missouri
Outreach and Extension conduct watershed
outreach and provide assistance in this and other
watersheds from April 2000 to April 2005. The
University of Missouri Outreach and Extension
receives significant credit for their dedication to
assistance in this watershed. Program staff helped
to educate and inform watershed communities
about TMDLs, assisted with watershed planning,
and helped organize and facilitate watershed
groups. The project benefited the University of
Missouri Outreach and Extension by building new
alliances, providing new avenues to train watershed
stakeholders and opening up new lines of commu-
nication with watershed landowners.
Additional funding sources supported implement-
ing BMPs. Between 2002 and 2007, MDNR Soil
and Water Conservation Program provided about
$70,000 in cost share for various BMPs including
terraces, waterways, retention structures, and diver-
sions. Missouri Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program (NRCS and MDNR drinking water protec-
tion partnership) provided $8,038 in August 2001 to
support enrolling 1,678 acres in the program.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001X
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Greg Anderson
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Nonpoint Source Coordinator
573-751-7144 • greg.anderson@dnr.mo.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
.
Forestry Best Management Practices Improve Water Quality
Imnrnx/pH
1 1 upl UVWU
Historic forestry activities impaired Lower Piper Creek and Upper
and Lower Goat Creek_ prompting Montana to add these three
segments to its 1996 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters. Landowners collaborated
with federal and state agencies to implement forestry best management practices (BMPs) in Goat and
Piper creeks. Water quality improved, and in 2006 Montana removed Upper Goat Creek from the 303(d)
list for nutrients and Lower Piper Creek and Lower Goat Creek for siltation.
Problem
Piper and Goat C
Piper and Goat creeks empty into the
Swan River in northwestern Montana
(Figure 1). Timber production is an
important economic resource and a
key source of sediment pollution in the
Swan River watershed. Most of the
land is owned and managed by the U.S.
Forest Service, the Swan River State
Forest and Plum Creek Timber Company
(PCTC). Timber activities that generated
sediment and nutrient pollution included
building forest roads, harvesting timber
from riparian areas, disturbing forest
ground, and removing trees and canopy
cover. Private developers contributed
additional pollution by disturbing ripar-
ian areas, encroaching on streams,
building septic systems and not ade-
quately maintaining private roads.
Montana Department of Environmental
Quality (MDEQ) added Piper Creek and
the entire length of Goat Creek to its
1996 303(d) list for partial support of
aquatic life and cold-water fish. During
2002 revisions to the 303(d) list, MDEQ refined
the causes of impairment to specify that nutri-
ents and suspended solids impaired a 9-mile
segment of Upper Goat Creek and that siltation
impaired both a 1-mile segment of Lower Goat
Creek and a 4-mile segment of Piper Creek.
In Upper Goat Creek, MDEQ indicated that total
suspended sediment and nutrient concentrations
exceeded the state standard, which requires
"no increases in these pollutants are allowed
above naturally occurring concentrations that will
render the waters harmful or create a nuisance
for its classified uses." The Goat Creek TMDL
established a total suspended solids (TSS) target
of 30 milligrams per liter (mg/L). This target was
based on reference streams in the Swan Lake
Flathead Indian Reservation
Mission MountainsWilderness
Swan River State Forest
Flathead National Forest
Plum Creek Timber Company Land
Other Private Land
2 Miles
Figure 1. Map of the Piper Creek and Goat Creek watersheds.
drainage area, which have peak flow TSS values
in the 15 to 20 mg/L range, indicating a range of
naturally occurring conditions.
Increased erosion caused nutrient concentra-
tions to rise as well. MDEQ analyzed nutrient
data from various sources, which indicated that
Upper Goat Creek nitrate levels ranged from
0.06 to 0.10 mg/L, and that nitrite + nitrate
levels were around 0.07 mg/L. Both estimates
exceeded background levels.
In 1989 MDEQ assessed Lower Goat Creek and
found elevated levels of sediment deposition
that contributed to an embedded substrate
and braiding of the stream channel. This seg-
ment of Goat Creek was impaired by excess
siltation, particularly near the mouth, because
of logging road runoff that caused banks to
-------
rapidly erode. In Piper Creek, the MDEQ stream
reach assessment showed that fine sediment
in the channel—mainly from timber harvest and
roads—moderately impaired the creek. MDEQ
found that 53 percent of the stream reach had
a less-than-healthy riparian plant community
because of timber harvest.
Project Highlights
Water quality improvement efforts have
been underway for the past 20 years. In 1989
Montana adopted forestry BMPs. In 1991 the
state enacted a Streamside Management Zone
law, which limits the removal of riparian vegeta-
tion for commercial timber harvest and the use
of potentially harmful timber harvest practices
near waterbodies.
Swan River and several of its tributaries provide
significant habitat for bull trout, a federally listed
threatened species. In 1997 PCTC met with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to begin develop-
ing the Native Fish Habitat Conservation Plan.
Under this plan, PCTC agreed to upgrade old
roads for which it has direct or shared respon-
sibility to an improved erosion control standard
by the end of 2015.
In 2004 MDEQ completed a Water Quality Plan
and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for
the Swan Lake Watershed. A key element of the
plan is to reduce excess sediment delivery to
streams from roads throughout the Swan Lake
Watershed. PCTC installed BMPs on existing
roads in the Goat and Piper Creek watersheds,
including relief culverts and drivable drain dips
that redirect sediment carried in snowmelt
or runoff from the road
to infiltration areas on
adjacent slopes. In addi-
tion, PCTC designed and
constructed new roads
with enhanced BMPs
that exceed existing state
rules and current BMP
standards.
Figure 2. Roadside catchments
capture sediment from runoff
and allow water to infiltrate and
sediment to settle out.
The U.S. Forest Service
added roadside drainage
catchments that accumu-
late runoff and sediment
on public lands (Figure 2).
The Montana Department
of Natural Resources and Conservation
(MDNRC) constructed road BMPs and imple-
mented a no-harvest buffer zone along a por-
tion of Goat Creek on Swan Lake State Forest
lands. MDNRC also completed other drainage
work in a major tributary to Goat Creek.
Results
This multifaceted approach has successfully
decreased concentrations of suspended solids
and nutrients in Goat and Piper creeks over time.
In fact, when MDEQ assessed water quality
as part of the 2004 TMDL, the data indicated
that Goat and Piper creeks met water quality
standards for TSS and nutrients. The impairment
indicators seen in earlier MDEQ stream assess-
ments were no longer obvious. Therefore,
although sediment and stream channel condi-
tions might not be pristine, MDEQ believes that
they are within the range of naturally occurring
and should no longer be considered impaired.
Moreover, the periphyton results do not raise
sediment or habitat concerns.
PCTC performed additional water quality
assessments and estimated that road improve-
ment efforts have led to a 29 percent and 71
percent decrease in sediment delivered to Goat
and Piper creeks, respectively, helping the
streams meet the TMDL TSS target of 30 mg/L.
As a result, in 2006 MDEQ removed Lower
Piper and Lower Goat Creeks from the state's
303(d) list for siltation and Upper Goat Creek for
nutrients.
Partners and Funding
Approximately $409,000 in EPA section 319
grants supported the Swan Ecosystem Center.
The center coordinated the Swan Watershed
Group and Technical Advisory Group, which
helped to develop the Swan Lake Watershed
TMDL. Organizations that helped to restore and
monitor water quality include MDEQ, MDNRC;
Flathead Basin Commission; Flathead Biological
Station, University of Montana; Flathead
National Forest; Friends of the Wild Swan;
Lake County; Missoula County; Montana Fish,
Wildlife and Parks; PCTC; Swan Ecosystem
Center; The Trust for Public Land and others.
The U.S. Forest Service, MDNRC, and PCTC
have funded their own restoration projects in
Goat and Piper creeks.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001A
February 2009
For additional information contact:
Robert Ray
Montana Department
of Environmental Quality
Phone: 406-444-5319
Ann Dahl
Swan Ecosystem Center
Phone: 406-754-3137
Brian Sugden
Plum Creek
Timber Company
Phone: 406-892-6368
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT
RDGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Successful Collaboration and Agricultural BMPs Improved 80 Miles of
Sun River
\A/citprhnrl\/ Imnrnx/prl ~'~'ie ma'nstem of the Sun River is split into upper and lower seg-
y ^ ments for management purposes. The Upper Sun River was listed
as impaired on Montana's 2000 and 2002 303(d) list of impaired waterbodies because of excess
nutrients. Landowners; local watershed organizations; and many federal, state, and local govern-
ment agencies collaborated to implement agricultural best management practices (BMPs) in the
Upper Sun River and its tributaries. Water quality improved as a result, allowing the Montana
Department of Environmental Quality to remove the Upper Sun River from the 303(d) list for
nutrients in 2006. The Sun River watershed project is a classic example of using the watershed
approach to address nonpoint source pollution.
Problem
The Upper Sun River is in central Montana on the
Rocky Mountain Front. The previously impaired
segment is approximately 80 miles long and runs
from Gibson Dam to Muddy Creek. The Montana
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) added
the Upper Sun River to the 2000 and 2002 303(d)
impaired waters list because high levels of nutrients
caused the river to not meet state water quality stan-
dards for aquatic life and cold water fishery uses.
Montana's nutrient standard prohibits "conditions
[that] produce undesirable aquatic life," which, in this
case, refers to excess growth of benthic algae that
interferes with aquatic life uses. Agricultural prac-
tices were largely to blame for the Upper Sun River's
elevated nutrient levels. Irrigation and stormwater
runoff carried excess nutrients from over-fertilized
fields and poorly managed livestock production areas
into the river.
Project Highlights
Early community-planning efforts produced initial
watershed plans that identified key action items
for restoration. This led to the development of the
TMDL/WatershedRestoration Plan, coordinated by
MDEQ in partnership with the Sun River Watershed
Group. As part of this plan, Montana set nutrient tar-
gets (39 micrograms per liter [jug/L] total phosphorus
and 350 jug/L total nitrogen) for the Upper Sun River.
If nutrient concentrations could be reduced to below
the stated targets, excess growth of benthic algae
would not occur under typical conditions. The plan
also included restoration strategies for the impaired
segments in the watershed.
Responding to the plan, partners have helped
implement numerous water quality improvement
projects in the Upper Sun River watershed. Farmers
implemented nutrient management BMPs in the
Ford/Elk Creek and Adobe Creek watersheds to
minimize fertilizer applications and thus reduce the
amount of nutrients transported to streams via run-
off. Farmers improved irrigation water management
practices by (1) lining irrigation canals to minimize
and stabilize irrigation return flows and (2) using
AgriMet—a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation satellite-
based network of automated agricultural weather
stations that provides weather, crop-water use,
and other information to help support irrigation and
agriculture management (for more information, see
www.usbr.gov/pn/agrimet). In addition, landowners
implemented riparian area grazing management
BMPs such as fencing, stream bank stabilization
techniques, and fishery improvement projects in the
Ford/Elk Creek and Adobe Creek watersheds and
along Willow Creek, Big Coulee, and the mainstem
-------
Legend
303 (d) Streams/Lakes 2002
• 319 Implementation ProjectAreas
8-digitHUCs
I I Priority 12 digit HUCs
Completed TMDL Planning Areas
Sun River Watershed
Montana
Sun River Watershed
Muddy Cr. Water Quajity
mprovement 319 Project Area
Big Coulee 319
Project Area
Adobe Cr./Ft. Shaw
Sun River Watershed TMDL
And Water Quality Restoration
319 Project Area
Ford Creek/E k Creek
Restoration Project
Other projects not noted on map include
multiple "Future Fisheries" and NRCS
EQIP projects.
Map of Sun River Watershed Restoration and Water Quality Improvements.
of the Sun River. Streambank stabilization included
using non-riprap techniques such as sloping banks;
planting vegetation; and installing erosion matting,
root wads, and rock barbs.
Partners and Funding
Results
The cumulative effects of these on-the-ground
efforts, combined with outreach and education
activities that have led to better land-use
practices by landowners, resulted in 20 miles
of stabilized Streambank, four miles of restored
primary fishery and spawning habitat, 800 feet
of lined irrigation canal, and the implementation
of grazing management practices on 50,000
acres of rangeland. In 2005 and 2006, MDEQ
collected water quality samples from the Upper
Sun River. They indicated that phosphorus and
nitrogen concentrations had dropped and were
consistently below target levels of 39/jg/L and
350/jg/L, respectively, as identified in the TMDL/
Water Quality Restoration Plan. As a result, MDEQ
removed the 80-mile long impaired segment of the
Upper Sun River from the 303(d) list for nutrients
in 2006.
Many partners were involved with this project,
including seven federal agencies, eight state
agencies, ten local governments, four community
groups, and many landowners. From 1994 to 2006,
MDEQ administered $623,430 of Clean Water
Act section 319 grant funding for implementing
the variety of BMPs previously mentioned. In
addition, $2,484,926 of nonfederal and another
$1,988,793 in federal funds were used to restore
the Sun River watershed through programs such
as Montana's Future Fisheries program, and the
Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS's)
EQIP program. The Fort Shaw Irrigation District,
Greenfields Irrigation District, Milan, and Sun River
Ditch Company worked together to improve irriga-
tion efficiencies in the watershed by 10 percent.
The NRCS Conservation Reserve Program helped
to reduce salinity by converting dry cropping lands
to rangeland. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
the Lewis & Clark Conservation District; and the
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
are working on the Hogan irrigation diversion to
improve fish passage.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
£ Washington, DC
UJ
O
EPA841-F-07-001Y
October 2007
For additional information contact:
Alan Rollo, Sun River Watershed Group
406-727-4437 • arollo@mcn.net
Taylor Greenup, Montana DEQ
406-444-3527 • tgreenup@mt.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUGCESf STORY
Reservoir Restoration and Watershed Treatment Efforts Improve Water Quality
I H
improved
Urban and construction site runoff carried phosphorus, sediment and asso-
ciated pollutants to Nebraska's Holmes Lake. These pollutant loadings cre-
ated eutrophic conditions characterized by turbid water, high nutrients, low
dissolved oxygen, excessive algae growth and shallow water depths. Nebraska Department of Environmental
Quality (NDEQ) added the lake to the state's 1998 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list because of aquatic life
use impairments. In 2000 the city of Lincoln initiated a Community Based Planning process, with the goal of
developing a locally led Lake and Watershed Management Plan that would address water quality issues. The
primary components of the plan included watershed treatment, extensive education and lake rehabilitation. The
project was a success, and water quality improved. As a result, NDEQ first removed dissolved oxygen from the
list of impairments in 2002 and then removed sedimentation and nutrients from the list of impairments in 2008.
Holmes Lake now fully supports all its assigned beneficial uses.
Problem
Holmes Lake is in southeastern Nebraska in
Lincoln and falls within the Lower Platte River
Basin. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers com-
pleted the construction of the 123-acre lake
in 1962. It serves as a recreational resource
for local citizens and is managed by Lincoln's
Department of Parks and Recreation. NDEQ
added the lake to the state's 1998 Section
303(d) impaired waters list for atrazine, arsenic,
nutrients, dissolved oxygen and sedimentation.
Nebraska revised its surface water quality stan-
dards for atrazine and arsenic in 1999. Because
of the changes, atrazine and arsenic levels in
Holmes Lake no longer violated standards, and
NDEQ removed these two pollutants from the
2000 303(d) list for Holmes Lake.
Data collected between 1995 and 1998 show
that average concentrations of dissolved
oxygen in the water column fell below the
water quality standard of 5.0 milligrams per
liter (mg/L) for 5 of the 21 surface-to-bottom
profiles. Nutrient listings are partially based
on growing season mean chlorophyll a con-
centrations exceeding 44 milligrams per cubic
meter (mg/m3). The pre-project (1976-2001)
chlorophyll a growing season average value
was 46.52 mg/m3. NDEQ added sedimentation
to the list of pollutants because of the violation
of two assessment criteria. The first criterion
is the annual sedimentation rate. From 1984 to
1993, the average annual loss of original lake
r
Figure 1. Pre-project
condition of a stream
draining to Holmes
Lake. Severe stream-
bank erosion contrib-
uted sediment and
nutrients to Holmes
Lake.
volume was 1.31 percent, which exceeded the
criteria of 0.75 percent. The second criterion is
the total lake volume lost. As of 1993, Holmes
Lake had lost 27 percent of the original volume,
which exceeded the 25 percent total volume
loss criterion (Figure 1).
NDEQ developed a total maximum daily load
(TMDL) for sediment and phosphorus in 2003.
The TMDL identified annual loading reductions
of 53 percent for sediment and 97 percent for
phosphorus to achieve a full-support status in
the lake.
Project Highlights
The Community Based Planning process
encouraged extensive public input. Through
this process, various community members
representing lake users, educators and
watershed residents came together to form a
Watershed Advisory Committee (WAC). The
WAC drove the development of project goals,
-------
objectives and specific action items. While
the lake restoration was completed in 2005,
watershed treatment and educational activities
are ongoing. Since watershed build-out was
nearly completed in the 1990s, on-the-ground
controls were limited to rain gardens (20),
wetland development (10 acres), and drainage
network stabilization (Figure 2). Primary in-lake
efforts included removing 321,000 cubic yards
of sediment, stabilizating 2.4 miles of shoreline
and restoring fish habitat.
The WAC implemented an extensive educational
program that continues today. While educational
efforts cover a broad range of issues, the focus
is on lawn fertilizers and pet waste. According
to surveys conducted in the watershed, approxi-
mately 63 percent of the homeowners now
use either low phosphorus or non-phosphorus
fertilizer. During the course of the project, the
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department
and city of Lincoln worked together to adopt a
citywide pet waste ordinance.
Results
Of the nine water quality profiles measured
from 1999 through 2001, no violations of
the state's dissolved oxygen standard were
observed (Figure 3). As a result, NDEQ
removed dissolved oxygen from
the state's 2002 303(d) of impaired
waters. Post-project (2006-2007)
chlorophyll a values of 17.30 mg/m3
met standards and prompted NDEQ
to remove the chlorophyll a impair-
ment from the 2008 303(d) list.
Sedimentation also declined. The
average annual lake volume loss fell
to 0.13 percent, and sediment removal
efforts in the lake reduced the loss
of original volume to 14 percent.
Consequently, NDEQ removed the
sedimentation impairment from the
state's 303(d) list in 2008. As a result
of the in-lake and watershed improve-
ments, Holmes Lake now fully sup-
ports all beneficial uses.
Figure 2. Post-project
condition of a stream
draining to Holmes
Lake. The revegetat-
ed stream channel
includes rock piles
that serve as check
dams to slow water
flow to the lake.
Partners and Funding
The project was made possible through a
strong partnership between Lincoln, Nebraska
Environmental Trust, Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission, Lincoln-Lancaster County
Health Department, EPA, NDEQ and the
Holmes Lake Watershed Council. Section
319 funding supported water quality planning
and demonstrations ($95,119), information
and education ($34,934), sediment removal
($2,084,409), engineering design ($311,588)
and drainage network rehabilitation ($163,616).
Additional sources of project funding include
the city of Lincoln ($1,275,099), Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission ($1,777,000),
Nebraska Environmental Trust ($620,000) and
the Lower Platte South Natural Resources
District ($67,483).
Holmes Lake: Water Column Average Dissolved Oxygen
18.00 -
T3
- 6.00
^^^
1 = Assessment Criteria Vio ation
1998 303(d) Listing 2002 303(d) De-listing
±1
A
"V \
i i
T
-
• 1
1 1
Wetland Construction: 1996 & 2000
Lake Restoration/Watershed Treatment/Education: 2001-present
Figure 3. Bar graph noting water column average dissolved oxygen measure-
ments by sampling date. Red bars indicate a violation of assessment criteria.
Data show no violations since 1998.
\
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001AA
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Paul Brakhage
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Assessment Section
402-471-4224 • paul.brakhage@nebraska.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUGCESf STORY
Land Treatment Efforts Improve Water Quality
ImnrnvoH
I IprOVea
Nebraska's Kirkmans Cove Reservoir had severe dissolved oxygen
prob|ems through the mid-1990s. High levels of sedimentation and
nutrients also impaired the reservoir. The Nebraska Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) added this waterbody to the state's 1998 Clean Water Act section 303(d)
list of impaired waters. In 2000 the Nemaha Natural Resources District partnered with several local,
state and federal agencies to initiate a Community Based Planning process. Through this locally led
process, the partners developed a Watershed Management Plan that incorporated a unique mix of cost
share and incentives to encourage farmers to implement a host of agricultural management practices.
The plan paid off, and water quality improved. DEQ removed the dissolved oxygen impairment for
Kirkmans Cove Reservoir from Nebraska's 2002 303(d) list.
Problem
Kirkmans Cove Reservoir is in southeast
Nebraska's Richardson County. It was
designed and developed as a multipurpose,
flood control/public use area (Figure 1). Part
of the Nemaha River Basin, the 160-acre
reservoir has a watershed of 4,896 acres of
which 2,590 acres (53 percent) are used for
crop production. The reservoir had dissolved
oxygen problems linked to excessive nutrient
loading and organic enrichment. Data col-
lected in 1997 and 1998 showed that the water
column average dissolved oxygen concentra-
tions fell below 5.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L)
for six of the eight water quality profiles. From
a sample size of eight, regulations would allow
only two violations of the assessment criteria.
Therefore, DEQ added the reservoir to the
1998 303(d) list because low dissolved oxygen
concentrations impaired the reservoir's benefi-
cial uses for aquatic life.
In 2002 DEQ developed a TMDL for total phos-
phorus to address dissolved oxygen problems.
The TMDL indicated that a phosphorus load-
ing reduction of 92 percent would be needed
to increase dissolved oxygen concentrations
above impairment levels.
Figure 1. One of several water quality basins
constructed in the watershed to complement land
treatment measures. These basins are effective at
controlling steep grades and trapping pollutants
that are mobilized during larger storm events. Each
structure is fenced to exclude livestock and alternate
livestock water is provided below the structure.
Project Highlights
Participation in the watershed project was
good—21 of the 36 landowners implemented
controls. Overall, project partners treated 1,911
acres of cropland with terraces, rehabilitated
seven existing water quality basins to increase
-------
sediment and water storage,
built four grade-stabilization
structures, converted 147 acres
of cropland to grass and cleaned
out an existing water quality
basin (built in 1996) on the prima-
ry reservoir inflow that provides
additional sediment storage.
Kirkmans Cove Reservoir - Dissolved Oxygen Assessment
Results
Data have shown that water
quality has steadily improved.
Reservoir data collected from
1999 through 2001 showed that
of eight profiles taken, only two
violated the assessment criteria.
Consequently, DEQ removed
Kirkmans Cove Reservoir from
the 2002 303(d) list for dissolved
oxygen impairment (Figure 2).
• Water Column Profiles
• violations
D Violations Allowed
1998 Listing 2002 De-listing
r^v — — \
• I
li li n EJG
«-,
1
]
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Management Practice Implementation
Figure 2. Water quality profile data showing water quality improvement.
Dissolved oxygen conditions have continued
to improve through the course of the project.
From 2004 through 2007, only three of 40
profiles were found to violate the assessment
criteria. Although the TMDL identified a phos-
phorus loading reduction target of 92 percent,
the achieved reduction of 48 percent improved
oxygen conditions sufficiently to meet the dis-
solved oxygen standard.
Loadings of other targeted pollutants such as
sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen and atrazine
(a herbicide) have also decreased. Land treat-
ment measures in the watershed reduced
annual sediment loading by 54 percent,
phosphorus loading by 48 percent and nitro-
gen loading by 39 percent. Additionally, data
show that atrazine concentrations in the res-
ervoir exhibited a significant decreasing trend
(a = .05) from 1997 through 2007; overall, the
pre-project median atrazine concentration
declined by 59 percent.
Partners and Funding
The project was made possible through a strong
partnership of the Nemaha Natural Resources
District, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska
DEQ, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,
Kirkmans Cove Watershed Council and water-
shed landowners/operators. Section 319 funds
supported land treatment technical assistance
($48,437), engineering design ($34,528),
management practice cost share and incentives
($566,301) and information/education ($3,453).
Additional sources of practice cost share and
incentive funds include the USDA Environmental
Quality Incentive Program ($115,699), Nebraska
Environmental Trust ($200,000) and Nemaha
Natural Resources District ($147,574). Project
partners implemented the majority of land
treatment measures from 2001 through 2007.
However, maintaining a high-quality reservoir
will continue to be a priority for the resource
management agencies, so they will continue to
maintain and implement traditional and nontra-
ditional practices as needed.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001T
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Paul Brakhage
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
402-471-4224 • paul.brakhage@nebraska.gov
Shawn Kreienhop
Nemaha Natural Resources District
402-335-3325 • skreienhop@nemahanrd.org
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUGCESf STORY
Land Treatment Practices Lower Atrazine Levels
ImnrnvoH
I IprOVea
R°ut'ne monitoring conducted by the Nebraska Department of
Environmenta| Qua|ity (DEO) in 1997 identified high concentrations of
atrazine in southeast Nebraska's Swan 5A Reservoir, prompting DEQ to
add it to the state's 1998 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters for atrazine. In response,
stakeholders developed and implemented a watershed management plan. The reservoir's atrazine levels
dropped, and DEQ removed Swan 5A Reservoir's atrazine impairment from Nebraska's 2006 303(d) list.
Problem
The 95-acre Swan 5A Reservoir was designed
and developed as a multipurpose, flood-con-
trol/public use area in Saline County, Nebraska,
and falls within the Big Blue River Basin.
Approximately 52 percent of the reservoir's
4,590-acre watershed is used for crop produc-
tion (2,399 acres). Monitoring data collected in
1997 showed that the reservoir had elevated
levels of the herbicide atrazine. This herbicide
is typically applied to crops such as corn and
sorghum—both of which are grown in the
watershed.
The Nebraska water quality standard for
chronic exposure to atrazine is 12 micrograms
per liter (ji/g/L), which is equivalent to 12 parts
per billion (ppb). Eight of the 24 samples col-
lected from the reservoir in 1997 exceeded the
chronic water quality standards with a median
concentration of 5.6 ppb and a maximum
concentration of 42.56 ppb. For the reservoir to
meet standards, regulations would allow only
4 exceedances of the standard in a sample size
of 24. Consequently, DEQ added the reservoir
to the state's 1998 303(d) list of impaired
waters due to an impairment of the aquatic life
use from high atrazine concentrations.
Project Highlights
The majority of watershed landowners (35 of
43) participated in the project. Participants
implemented numerous pollution control mea-
sures, including placing an additional 65 percent
of the cropped ground (1,550 acres) under
no-till and nutrient and pesticide manage-
ment practices, installing 29,345 linear feet of
terraces on highly erosive crop ground, con-
structing or restoring 16 water quality basins
to original holding capacity, converting 237
acres of crop ground to grass, installing 2 new
waterways, planting 7 acres of trees, decom-
missioning 5 abandoned wells and bringing 6
septic systems into compliance with current
standards (Figures 1 and 2).
Figure 1.
Watershed
landowners and
operators attend-
ed water quality
workshops to learn
about the benefits
of no-till farming
and nutrient and
pesticide manage-
ment.
Figure 2.
Constructing a weir
has established a
wetland area directly
above the reservoir.
The wetland will
complement other
nonpoint source
controls in the
watershed aimed at
reducing sediment,
nutrient and pesti-
cide loads.
-------
In 2003 the Lower Big Blue Natural
Resources District partnered with sev-
eral local, state and federal agencies to
initiate a Community Based Planning
process. Through this locally led process,
the partners developed a Watershed
Management Plan that incorporated a
unique mix of cost share and incentives
to encourage farmers to implement a
host of agricultural management practic-
es. The plan also requires that landown-
ers upgrade septic systems and close
abandoned wells.
Results
Atrazine Concentrations in Swan 5A Reservoir
40-
30-
.Q
Q.
Q.
•i 20-
ro
10-
0-
NE Standard - 12.0
Water quality data collected between
2004 and 2006 showed that all 13 atra-
zine samples were below the standard
with a post-project median concentration
of 2.85 ppb, which led DEQ to remove
Swan 5A Reservoir from the state's
303(d) list in 2006 (Figure 3). Two samples
collected in 2007 exceeded the chronic stan-
dard; however, Swan 5A remained off the 2008
303(d) list because of a large sample size.
Loadings of other targeted pollutants such as
sediment and nutrients have also decreased.
To date, land treatment measures in the water-
shed have helped reduce sediment loading by
almost 69 percent and phosphorus loading by
58 percent—exceeding the 50 percent reduc-
tion goals established for both.
Pre-Project Atrazine
Post-Project Atrazine
Partners and Funding
The project was made possible through a
strong partnership of the Lower Big Blue
Natural Resources District, U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Nebraska Environmental
Trust, Nebraska DEQ, U.S. Environmental
Figure 3. Boxplots indicate the interquartile range (25th-75th percen-
tile), median (represented by dots) and outliers (represented by aster-
isks) of the date in each of two periods: Pre-project data (years 1997
and 2003) and post-project data (2004-2007).
Protection Agency, Saline County Cooperative
Extension, Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, Swan Reservoir Watershed
Council and watershed landowners and opera-
tors. Section 319 funding supported efforts to
conduct resource inventories ($7,500), engi-
neering design ($100,000) and management
practice cost-share and incentives ($300,000).
Additional sources of cost share and incentive
funds include the USDA Environmental Quality
Incentive Program ($215,000), Nebraska
Environmental Trust ($275,000), Lower Big Blue
Natural Resources District ($124,000) and land-
owners ($175,000). This project to implement
land treatment measures began in 2004 and
will continue through fall 2008. Maintaining a
high-quality reservoir will continue to be a pri-
ority for the resource management agencies,
so they will maintain and implement traditional
and nontraditional practices as needed in the
future.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001S
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Paul Brakhage
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
402-471-4224 • paul.brakhage@nebraska.gov
Scott Sobotka
Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District
402-228-3402 • sobotka@lbbnrd.org
-------
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SDURCF WXM SUCCESP STDRY
Innovative System Clears Up Sediment Problem in Nebraska Lake
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd
! "
Valentine Mill Pond was a popular destination for fishing and
swimming from the turn of the century until the 1970s, when
sediment problems made it impossible to enjoy the lake as before. Mechanical dredging
deepened the lake and a sediment bypass system was designed and constructed to elimi-
nate future sediment buildup. The sediment bypass system has effectively addressed the
sedimentation problem, and the pond was removed from the state's 303(d) list in 2003.
Problem
Valentine Mill Pond was originally created in the
1890s by S.F. Gilman to power a gristmill. Since
the 1970s the lake had shrunk from more than
30 acres to less than 15 acres. Exposed mud
bars indicated the source of the problem—
excessive sediment. A diagnostic feasibility
study conducted by the Middle Niobrara
Natural Resources District (NRD) indicated that
the primary water quality concern was the
amount of sand being deposited in the pond.
Minnechaduza Creek, the pond's water source,
was depositing as much as 60 tons of sediment
into the lake daily. As a result of the feasibility
study, Valentine Mill Pond was added to the
Nebraska Department of Environmental
Quality's (DEQ) section 303(d) list for impair-
ment to aquatic life due to excessive sediment.
As part of the project, a unique labyrinth spillway
was constructed to pass large storm event flows
without manual operation. The hydrosuction system
passes around the dam shown here.
Project Highlights
Mechanical dredging was necessary to remove
sediment deposits and deepen the lake, but
that alone would not solve the excessive sedi-
mentation problems. To prevent excessive
sedimentation from reoccurring, an innovative
solution was needed. Rollin Hotchkiss, Ph.D.,
director of the Albrook Hydraulics Lab at
Washington State University, joined the project
team as a special consultant to Olsson Environ-
mental Services. Dr. Hotchkiss, formerly with
the University of Nebraska, had conducted
research involving sediment bypass systems.
To address the unique problems of Valentine
Pond, he designed a "hydrosuction
sediment removal system" with a unique
labyrinth spillway.
The system is designed to capture sediment as
it enters the pond and to transport it via a pipe-
line around the dam to be discharged back into
Minnechaduza Creek, without the use of exter-
nal energy. "The system was also designed
with the capability of collecting, through hydro-
suction dredging, the sediment that was not
captured by the bypass system," said Daryoush
Razavian of Olsson Environmental Services.
"We believe that the sediment removal system
implemented at the mill pond is the first system
operating in the world capable of both bypass-
ing and dredging sediment."
-------
Pre- and Post-Project Summer Conditions for Valentine Mill Pond
Conservation pool storage
Total phosphorus
Dissolved orthophosphorus
Total suspended solids
Water clarity
Algae density
Nitrate nitrogen
Number of
Samples
NA
13
14
14
9
10
14
Pre-Project Median
1997-1999a
76 acre-feet
0.13mg/L
0.05mg/L
31.0 mg/L
21 inches
5.38 mg/m3
0.45 mg/L
Number of
Samples
NA
4
5
5
5
4
5
Post-Project Median
2003a
162 acre-feet
0.07 mg/L
0.02 mg/L
6.5 mg/L
57 inches
7.51 mg/m3
0.21 mg/L
% Change
+ 113%
-46%
-60%
-79%
+ 170%
+ 40%
-54%
'Median not applicable to pool storage.
Results
The sediment removal system has effectively
addressed the problem of excess sedimenta-
tion in Valentine Mill Pond. Ongoing monitoring,
conducted by the Nebraska DEQ, has revealed
significant water quality improvements,
including reductions in phosphorus, nitrates,
and total suspended solids. As a result of
water quality improvements, Valentine Mill
Pond was removed from the state's section
303(d) list in 2003. It now supports aquatic
life, serves as an agricultural water supply, and
offers aesthetic enjoyment.
Partners and Funding
The Nebraska DEQ provided the initial funding
for the NRD's diagnostic feasibility study.
However, the project would not have been
possible without the cooperation of the City
of Valentine, Nebraska Public Power District,
Cherry County, Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, Nebraska Environmental Trust,
and Valentine Mill Pond landowners. The project
cost a total of $1.6 million, including $155,000
of Clean Water Act section 319 funding.
The hydrosuction sediment removal system lies
directly beneath the walkbridge shown here.
Valentine Mill Pond has been transformed from a
mud hole to a popular recreation area.
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004F
June 2005
For additional information contact:
Mike Murphy
Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District
402-376-3241
Paul Brakhage
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
402-471-4224 • paul.brakhage@nebraska.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT
RDGR2M SUCCESS STORY
Watershed Project Reduces Sediment and Nutrient Loading
Waterbodv Improved Excess sediment and nutrient loads from crop produc-
1 "' * ^ tion practices impaired the aquatic life designated use of
Nebraska's Wildwood Reservoir, prompting the Nebraska Department of Environmental
Quality (NDEQ) to add the waterbody to the state's 1994 Clean Water Act (CWA) section
303(d) list of impaired waters. Landowners implemented best management practices
(BMPs) that reduced nutrient and sediment loading in the reservoir. Water quality improved,
and the reservoir now supports its aquatic life designated use. As a result of the improve-
ments, NDEQ removed Wildwood Reservoir from the Nebraska CWA section 303(d) list of
impaired waters for nutrients and sediment in 2004.
Problem
Wildwood Reservoir is a 103-acre multipurpose
impoundment (Figure 1) in southeast Nebraska.
The Lower Platte South Natural Resources
District (LPSNRD) built the dam in 1978 in coop-
eration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The watershed drains an area of approximately
4,835 acres, most of which is used for crop produc-
tion. Watershed slopes are typically 6 to 12 percent,
and soils are considered to be highly erosive. NDEQ
and LPSNRD conducted a Clean Lakes Phase I
Diagnostic and Feasibility Study of Wildwood
Reservoir in 1988. The study indicated that exces-
sive sediment and nutrient loads from crop pro-
duction practices along with highly erosive soils
adversely affected water quality in the reservoir.
As a result of the study's findings, NDEQ added
Wildwood Reservoir to the Nebraska 1994 CWA
section 303(d) list for impairments to its aquatic
life designated use because of excessive sediment
loading. In 1998 NDEQ added nutrients and atrazine
to the list of pollutants impairing the aquatic life
designated use. NDEQ removed the atrazine impair-
ment in 2002 after Nebraska's atrazine water quality
standard/aquatic life criterion was increased.
Wildwood Lake
Contour Map /
S
I Base map (2003) provided by the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission, Fisheries Division
Project Highlights
In 1992 LPSNRD, NDEQ, and University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension Service initiated a watershed
treatment project to reduce sediment loadings. Of
the 40 watershed landowners, 16 participated in the
project, treating approximately 38 percent of the
cropped ground and 60 percent of the critical areas
targeted for treatment. Landowners implemented
Figure 1. The 103-acre Wildwood Reservoir is in extreme
southeast Nebraska. Green areas represent islands.
numerous BMPs, including storage terraces, grade-
stabilization structures and sediment control basins.
An additional sediment basin was constructed
in the upper end of the reservoir on the primary
inflow, thereby allowing sediment to settle out
before the water reaches the reservoir (Figure 2).
In 2001 LPSNRD and Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission (NGPC) drained the reservoir to remove
organic, rich-bottom sediments; repair eroding
shorelines; and develop habitat. Additional restora-
-------
Figure 2. Projects partners constructed a sediment
basin above Wildwood Reservoir to complement land
treatment measures implemented in the watershed.
tion efforts included stabilizing shoreline, removing
sediment, developing habitat and renovating the
fishery within the reservoir.
Results
The watershed project effort was a success—
it achieved the sediment loading reduction target
by 1998 (Figure 3). The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA's) Spreadsheet Tool for
Estimating Pollutant Load was used to determine
nutrient loading reductions associated with the
implemented BMPs. Model results show that
BMPs reduced sediment loads by 4,893 tons per
year (39 percent), equating to an annual volume
loss reduction of 0.58 percent. While partners'
efforts helped to achieve targeted reductions by
1998, a watershed loadings assessment was not
conducted until the lake restoration project was
completed. The assessment concluded that the
reservoir's average annual volume loss (reduced to
0.58 percent) met the state criterion of 0.75 percent
per year.
In addition, by draining the reservoir and removing
organic, rich-bottom sediment, LPSNRD and NGPC
helped reduce annual loadings of total phosphorus
and total nitrogen (49 and 63 percent, respectively).
On the basis of those findings, NDEQ believes that
Wildwood Reservoir is supporting its aquatic life
designated use and removed it from the state's
2004 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters for
nutrients and sediment.
NDEQ added Escherichia Co/i bacteria to the
monitored parameter list in 2009 to assess the
recreational/full body contact designated use.
Results indicate that bacteria is not a pollutant
of concern and does not impair recreational use.
However, NDEQ will not officially document that
result or designate the reservoir as fully supporting
its recreational use until the next Integrated Water
Quality Report is completed in 2010.
Partners and Funding
Numerous partners supported the watershed proj-
ect, including LPSNRD, NDEQ, NRCS, watershed
landowners and EPA. Partners relied on CWA sec-
tion 319 funding to support land treatment projects
($114,629), in-lake wetlands and sediment basin
construction ($54,563), monitoring and modeling
($51,500), technical assistance, education and
project coordination ($65,000), and project admin-
istration ($9,375). LPSNRD also contributed funding
for land treatment projects ($146,585), in-lake wet-
lands and sediment basin construction ($32,652),
and monitoring ($12,402). Watershed landowners
contributed $81,198 toward land treatment mea-
sures. The NRCS provided technical assistance to
landowners in designing management practices.
The reservoir restoration project, conducted from
February 2001 through June 2003, was funded by
LPSNRD ($201,877) and NGPC ($551,100).
Sediment Loading and Loading Reductions to Wildwood Reservoir
14,000
2,000
Assessment Criteria and Target Load • 9,450 tons/year
Pre-project Reduction from Reduction from Reduction from Post-project
Sediment Load Watershed Basins Terraces In-lain Basin Sediment Load
Figure 3. Bar graph showing sediment loading reductions from
various protection measures in addition to pre- and post-project
loads. Pre-project loads were determined by analyzing water-
shed data collected from 1988 through 1991, while post project
loads were determined from watershed data collected in 1999.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001BB
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Paul Brakhage
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
402-471-4224 • paul.brakhage@nebraska.gov
Paul Zillig
Lower Platte South Natural Resources District
402-476-2729 • pzillig@lpsnrd.org
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Best Management Practices Drastically Reduce Sediment and
Restore Water Quality in Las Vegas Wash
Watprhnrlv Imnrnvpd The Las Vegas Wash drains the 1,600-square-mile Las Vegas
' Valley, delivering stormwater, urban runoff, and highly treated
effluent to Lake Mead, the nation's largest manmade reservoir and the primary water sup-
ply for millions of people in Nevada, Arizona, and southern California. These sources caused
water quality impairments to the lower wash due to excess sediment and iron transported
with that sediment. In 2002, Nevada placed the lower reach of Las Vegas Wash on its 303(d)
list of impaired waters, with impairments to aquatic life propagation (excluding fish) due to
total suspended solids (TSS). Following the construction of erosion control structures, restora-
tion of wetland areas, and removal of invasive species, average TSS concentrations declined
significantly. This allowed the state to remove the lower reach from its 303(d) list in 2004.
Problem
During the past 30 years, the Las Vegas area of
southern Nevada experienced dramatic popula-
tion increases. Indeed, the 1,600-square-mile
metropolitan Las Vegas Valley is one of the
fastest growing areas in the United States. The
valley drains into Las Vegas Wash, which car-
ries stormwater runoff and wastewater 12 miles
to Las Vegas Bay, an arm of Lake Mead.
Rising population and development rates have
increased the volume of water discharged into
the wash. An increase in impervious surfaces
allows more stormwater runoff to flow directly
into the wash rather than be absorbed by
the soil. In addition, the growing population
produces a high volume of wastewater that is
discharged into the wash. The increased water
flow, when added to an area already prone to
flash flooding, accelerated erosion in the wash,
destabilized the stream channel, significantly
degraded wetland areas, and contributed
excessive sediment to Las Vegas Bay.
For state water quality management purposes,
Nevada divides the wash downstream of the
city of Las Vegas into two reaches. The lower
reach, which extends 5.12 miles upstream from
Weirs are low dams designed to reduce streambed erosion by
flattening the slope of the channel and slowing flows. Many weirs
are constructed of confined rock riprap, providing a somewhat
natural look (top). Other structures are built with concrete,
resulting in a more engineered look (bottom). Weirs, wetland
restoration, and invasive vegetation removal helped reduce TSS
concentrations in lower Las Vegas Wash and led to its removal
from the Nevada 303(d) list in 2004.
-------
Las Vegas Bay, has a state TSS water quality
standard of 135 mg/L to protect aquatic life
propagation (excluding fish). For a waterbody
to be deemed in compliance with the standard,
it must not exceed the standard more than 10
percent of the time over 5 consecutive years.
Between 1997 and 2001, the lower reach failed
to meet the 5-year exceedence criterion, so the
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
(NV DEP) placed the lower reach on the 2002
state 303(d) list for impairments to aquatic life
propagation (excluding fish) due to TSS.
Results
Project Highlights
When NV DEP first listed the lower reach in
2002, efforts were already underway to restore
the lower reach and protect the waterbody.
In 1998 the Las Vegas Wash Coordination
Committee (LVWCC) met to develop a practical,
comprehensive plan to rehabilitate and manage
the wash downstream of the city of Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Wash Comprehensive Adaptive
Management Plan (CAMP) was approved and
adopted in January 2000.
The CAMP identified various activities needed
to improve water quality, such as installing
weirs and other erosion control structures,
creating and restoring wetlands, and controlling
noxious and invasive plant species. The CAMP
also called for an extensive revegetation effort
to stabilize soils and replace previously lost
riparian and wetland habitat.
LVWCC sponsored numerous planting events
that helped increase citizen awareness and
foster community support for the restoration
effort. Citizen volunteers removed trash from
the wash and planted wetland, riparian, and
upland plant species. They also removed inva-
sive vegetation such as tall whitetop, which has
narrow and easily broken roots that destabilize
the soil and allow increased bank erosion.
LVWCC initiated an extensive long-term moni-
toring program to provide baseline water qual-
ity data and measure the success of erosion
control and revegetation efforts.
As of June 2006, the project has involved
constructing nine weirs, stabilizing more than
21,000 linear feet of streambank, restoring 33
acres of wetlands, and removing 500,000 pounds
of trash and 680 acres of tall whitetop.
While project water quality benefits had begun
to be realized before 2002, the lower reach of the
wash did not meet the 5-year threshold criteria
for TSS and was therefore placed on the 2002
Nevada 303(d) list. Water quality improvements
continued, however, with average TSS concentra-
tions declining 50 percent since 2001. Analysis of
1999-2003 water quality data showed that TSS
concentrations exceeded the 135 mg/L standard
11 times out of 130 samples collected. This repre-
sented an 8.5 percent noncompliance rate, below
the maximum 10 percent allowable rate.
With TSS data showing compliance with water qual-
ity standards, Nevada removed the lower reach's
aquatic life propagation (excluding fish) impairment
from its 303(d) list in 2004. The NV DEP will contin-
ue to review monitoring data to confirm continued
compliance with water quality standards.
Partners and Funding
The cooperation of 28 members of the LVWCC,
representing local, state, and federal agencies,
local environmental groups, businesses, and
interested citizens, was essential in the creation
of a comprehensive management plan for the Las
Vegas Wash. Volunteers also played an important
role in the project, providing the needed labor for
wetland and riparian plantings and invasive spe-
cies removal. The overall cost to implement the
CAMP is projected to be approximately
$127 million through 2013.
As of 2006, $33 million has been spent on CAMP
implementation. Approximately $600,000 of sec-
tion 319 funds was used to support construction
of erosion control structures, bank revegetation,
and public outreach efforts. Participating agen-
cies contributed $1.8 million during the
2005-2006 fiscal year.
^tosrx
I
55
^^
, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
T> Off ice of Water
2 Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-003G
July 2006
For additional information contact:
Keiba Crear
Southern Nevada Water Authority
Las Vegas Wash Coordination Team
702-822-3388
keiba.crear@snwa.com
-------
•
*
°
Section 319
NQOTOINT SOURHF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Project Improves Water Quality and Saves Eroding Farmland
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd 'Dast remova' of woody riparian shrubs made the banks of Bog
! " Brook susceptible to erosion. As erosion continued overtime,
the stream channel became wider and more unstable. This made the erosion problem worse,
sending tons of sediment into the stream. Project partners returned the stream channel to a
more natural state and planted vegetation at the site. As a result, the channel stabilized and
erosion subsided. In 2006, New Hampshire will upgrade the stream from Impaired by other
flow regime alterations to Fully Supporting in its 305(b) surface water quality report.
Problem
Bog Brook is in the Connecticut River Basin,
near the town of Stratford in northern New
Hampshire. Much of the area is in agricultural
use. Decades ago, riparian vegetation was
removed along the streambank, presumably
to increase the amount of arable land. The
absence of deep-rooted shrubs made the bank
vulnerable to erosion. The once meandering
stream channel became marked by a sharper
bend as the bank eroded. This change in
stream channel geometry caused erosion to
accelerate even further. The eroding stream
channel eventually threatened a barn and
septic system on private property, prompting a
need for action.
Analysis of aerial photographs showed that
the stream channel had eroded laterally up
to 35 feet between 1999 and 2003, consum-
ing 4,000-square feet of land. This translated
to 120 tons of sediment— approximately the
amount needed to fill 9 dump trucks — entering
the stream each year to worsen water qual-
ity and smother fish habitat. Had this been
allowed to continue, the stream likely would
have cut a new channel into valuable farmland,
sending several thousand tons of additional
sediment downstream.
In 2004, New Hampshire listed Bog Brook as
Impaired by other flow regime alterations in its
305(b) report with a probable source of stream-
bank modifications/destabilization.
Bog Brook before restoration. Removing riparian
vegetation facilitated channel erosion, which ultimately
threatened the barn.
Project Highlights
The landowner adjacent to the eroding channel
worked with the town of Stratford and a con-
sultant to secure a section 319 grant from the
New Hampshire Department of Environmental
Services (NH DBS). The project called for a
comprehensive stream morphology assessment,
design plan, and reconstruction of a 275-foot
stretch of the stream to a more natural condition.
The partners developed the project using
natural stream channel design methods. In
the past, landowners and engineers typically
turned to hard bank armoring for streambank
erosion problems. Because armoring treats
only a symptom rather than the cause of bank
-------
Results
Bog Brook after restoration. The project saved the barn
and stopped several thousand tons of sediment from
smothering fish habitat.
erosion, it is often ineffective over the long
term. Natural stream channel design uses
a stable reference stream to determine the
proper slope, width, depth, and geometry
needed to restore the impaired stream. To
restore channel stability in Bog Brook, project
leaders determined it necessary to
• Increase the meander radius, or curva-
ture of the bend in the stream, to reduce
stress on the eroding bank
• Increase the channel slope to improve the
stream's ability to transport sediment
• Plant a vegetated buffer of deep-rooted
shrubs along the streambank to help hold
sediments in place
Construction occurred in May 2004. Using an
excavator, a small bulldozer, and several dump
trucks, project leaders realigned the stream
channel, filled in the former channel, and plant-
ed riparian vegetation along the streambank.
Post-construction monitoring the following
year confirmed that the work had stabilized
the stream system. The table below compares
the reference stream with Bog Brook, before
and after construction, using the three major
factors determining Bog Brook channel stabil-
ity. The table shows that Bog Brook, after
construction, more closely matched the stable
reference stream conditions.
One year after construction, the relocated
stream reach had become more narrow and
deeper—a positive trend indicative of channel
stability. The vegetation along the bank was
found to be well-established and firmly rooted.
On the basis of these post-construction find-
ings, the state concluded that severe bank
erosion had been arrested, and the sediment
load to the stream had been significantly
reduced. These conclusions allowed the state
to upgrade Bog Brook to Fully Supporting in its
2006305(b) report.
Partners and Funding
The Bog Brook restoration effort involved
several partners who provided financial and
in-kind contributions. The NH DBS Watershed
Assistance Section awarded the town of
Stratford a $14,912 section 319 grant to par-
tially fund survey, design, permitting, and
construction. The property owner contributed
$8,748 in additional funds. In-kind professional
services for construction supervision com-
prised the remainder of the required nonfed-
eral match. The total project cost $24,460.
Factor in Bog Brook channel
stability
meander radius
channel slope
vegetation
Reference stream
80-120 ft.
--
deep-rooted
riparian shrubs
Bog Brook
Pre-construction
40ft.
.081%
shallow-rooted (6-in.) grasses
(e.g., timothy, reed-canary
grass, Kentucky bluegrass,
orchard grass)
Post-construction
92ft.
1.00%
deep-rooted riparian
shrubs (e.g., alder,
willow)
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Off ice of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003E
June 2006
For additional information contact:
Eric Williams
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
603-271-2358
ewilliams@des. state, nh. us
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Community-led Sediment Control Projects Restore Recreational
Uses to Lake and Beach
\A/ t h H I H Beginning in the 1970s, recreational uses at Manchester's Crystal
VV3I6rDOOy irnprOVGQ L^ were affected by chronic water quality problems including
elevated levels of sedimentation with accompanying nutrient loading and weed infestations. New
Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) placed both Crystal Lake and Crystal Lake
Beach on the 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters. In the mid-1990s, the City of Manchester and Crystal
Lake Preservation Association (CLPA) began addressing stormwater problems using structural and non-
structural best management practices (BMPs). Manchester implemented sediment control measures,
and CLPA organized outreach and monitoring efforts. As a result of these and other measures, Crystal
Lake and Crystal Lake Beach are no longer listed as impaired for primary or secondary contact recre-
ation on New Hampshire's 2008 303(d) impaired waters list.
Problem
Crystal Lake is a 19-acre lake (Figure 1) in New
Hampshire's largest city, Manchester. Much of the
200-acre watershed is comprised of residential
neighborhoods, all served by a municipal sewer
system. Shoreline development includes seasonal
camps, year-round homes, and the city's only
municipal beach. Crystal Lake has no surface
tributaries; rather it is a seepage lake, fed primarily
by groundwater flow and stormwater runoff.
Historically, untreated runoff deposited large
amounts of sediment into the lake. The sediment
deposition and associated nutrients led to shallow
water depths, algal blooms, reduced water clarity,
and excessive aquatic vegetation growth, especial-
ly adjacent to the city beach. Manchester's Parks
and Recreation department began reporting these
issues and their impact on recreation in 1973. The
frequent algal blooms, which could be attributed
in part to phosphorus transported and retained in
sediments, caused low dissolved oxygen levels and
decreased biodiversity.
In 1985 NHDES completed a Diagnostic and
Feasibility Study which documented that the main
impact to water quality at Crystal Lake resulted
from untreated stormwater runoff. The study found
that sediments, nutrients, bacteria, and heavy met-
als were present in elevated levels. The study also
noted that deposited sediment was a main com-
ponent of a phosphorus rich, unconsolidated muck
layer that was up to 25 feet deep in spots. In 2006,
NHDES added Crystal Lake and Crystal Lake Beach
to New Hampshire's section 303(d) impaired waters
Figure 1. Crystal Lake beach in July 2008.
list for primary and secondary contact recreation
due to sedimentation/siltation.
Project Highlights
In 1994 CLPA received a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) section 319 grant to
engage local residents and begin restoration efforts.
CLPA organized one of New Hampshire's first storm
drain stenciling programs, delivered stormwater
pollution information door to door, constructed an
information kiosk at the beach, and, with technical
assistance from DES staff, measured water quality
benefits of street sweeping. CLPA, NHDES, and the
city cooperated on a 1996 EPA section 104(b)(3)
project to install six StormTreat® systems to address
the first of two large stormwater outfalls. Another
section 319 grant in 2004-2005 provided funds for
-------
Figure 2. A vegetated swale built to treat road and
parking lot runoff before it enters Crystal Lake.
the city to construct BMPs at the second outfall
including deep sump catch basins, a stormwater
baffle tank, lateral drains, and vegetated swales
(Figure 2). As part of the non-federal match for the
grant, the city dredged the beach to remove historic
sediment and weed accumulations.
CLPA received two additional section 319 grants
to help fund outreach and capacity-building for
local water quality protection. Volunteers from
CLPA with assistance from NHDES Volunteer Lake
Assessment Program, and Manchester's Urban
Ponds Restoration Program continue to monitor
water quality at Crystal Lake. The city sweeps the
roads in the watershed at least three times annu-
ally, and sweeps the beach parking area five times
annually. The city implements a NPDES Phase II
Stormwater Plan that includes semiannual inspec-
tion of catch basins and treatment units around the
lake, with clean-outs performed at least annually.
Results
Crystal Lake has no remaining untreated
stormwater outfalls. The city's dredging project
removed 121.5 tons of historic sediment, which
improved water depth and reduced aquatic weed
growth at the beach. Partners implemented
structural and non-structural BMPs to prevent
sediment re-accumulation. Since 2005, the city has
removed on average 9.5 tons of sediment annually
from catch basins and treatment devices. Additional
sediment removal is achieved with the vegetated
swale and street sweeping, but those amounts are
not tracked. Street sweeping also reduces phospho-
rus and metal inputs to the lake (Figure 3). Because
of these projects, primary and secondary contact
recreation is no longer impaired by sedimentation/
siltation. These impairments were removed from
NH's 2008 section 303(d) list; however, Crystal Lake
remains listed for dissolved oxygen and mercury.
Partners and Funding
This project involved cooperation of CLPA,
Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program,
Manchester Parks Recreation and Cemeteries
Department, Manchester Environmental Protection
Division, NHDES Watershed Management Bureau,
and EPA. The association of local volunteers, along
with city, state, and federal staff worked coopera-
tively throughout the project period and continue to
coordinate maintenance and monitoring activities.
The 1985 Diagnostic and Feasibility study was
funded through an EPA section 314 Clean Lakes
grant with in-kind services provided by the state.
From 1994 through 2005, EPA provided a total of
$111,845 to facilitate restoration work at Crystal
Lake. In 1994, 1997, and 2003, CLPA used a total
of $14,362 in section 319 funds and $9,557 in
matching funds to complete outreach and educa-
tion activities related to nonpoint source pollution
and water quality monitoring. In 1996 CLPA used
$24,000 in section 104(b)(3) funds and $36,000
in matching funds to install the initial series of
structural BMPs. From 2003 to 2005, the city used
$73,483 in section 319 funds and $85,199 in match-
ing funds to construct additional BMPs. The city
continues to fund BMP maintenance and laboratory
costs for water quality samples. CLPA continues
to provide additional funding and in-kind services
through volunteer monitoring activities.
Street Sweeping: Percent Removal of Contaminants
m
Copper
Turbidity
TSS Phosphorus
Figure 3 . Data from samples collected at stormwater
outfalls, before and after street sweeping, were compared
to determine contaminant removal efficiencies.
f
A
\
m
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001DD
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Barbara McMillan
Watershed Outreach Coordinator
New Hampshire Department of Environmental
Services
603-271-7889 • Barbara.mcmillan@des.nh.gov
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Stakeholders Cooperate to Control Sediment Inputs and Restore Navigability
A / t h H imnr^/pH By the late 1990s navigation in Middle Brook canal was
vvdiei uuuy n i ipi uvwu extreme|y difficu|t and the upper end Of the cana| was
impassable due to sediment deposition and resulting shallow water depths. The sediments in
the canal were largely attributed to runoff from eroding unpaved roadways, flooding caused
by an undersized culvert, and erosion from a nearby boat ramp and beach. The canal was
listed as impaired for secondary contact recreation on New Hampshire's 2004 303(d) list. To
reduce erosion and sedimentation throughout the sub-watershed, the Balmoral Improvement
Association (BIA) partnered with state and local agencies on stormwater management projects.
BIA and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) also partnered on a
successful dredging project to restore the canal to navigable depths. As a result. Middle Brook
Canal is no longer impaired for secondary contact recreation, and DES removed the impairment
from New Hampshire's 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Middle Brook is a tributary that enters Lake
Winnipesaukee's Moultonborough Bay in the
town of Moultonborough. Situated in a 75-acre
sub-watershed, the canal is a 2,000-foot-long
by 50-foot-wide man-made inlet at the mouth
of Middle Brook (Figure 1). The canal provides
access to boat docks for 39 canal-front residents.
There is a boat ramp and a beach located on the
southeast corner of the canal's confluence with
Moultonborough Bay. The canal is within the
Balmoral homeowner's association neighborhood.
Balmoral consists of approximately 400 homes,
about half of which are seasonal homes, and the
other half are primary residences.
Historically the canal's approximately 10-foot
depth allowed for the safe passage of boats into
Lake Winnipesaukee. Residents who routinely
used the canal began noticing sediment accu-
mulation and reduced canal depth as early as the
1980s. By 2003, sediments from unpaved roads,
undersized culverts, and an eroding boat ramp
and beach resulted in drastically reduced water
depths and visible sediment deltas. In addition
to causing navigation difficulties, the sediments
reduced water depths and exacerbated the growth
of invasive species and other aquatic plants. By
2004, Middle Brook Canal was listed as impaired on
New Hampshire's 303(d) list for secondary contact
recreation due to sedimentation/siltation.
Figure 1. Summer 2008 photograph showing boats in
the restored Middle Brook Canal.
Project Highlights
BIA undertook several projects in the sub-
watershed to reduce sediment inputs to the canal.
Beginning in 2000, BIA hired contractors to install
a concrete boat ramp and "no wake" buoys to
mitigate boat-related erosion and sediment trans-
port. To reduce erosion caused by flooding and
high flow velocities, BIA worked with engineers and
consultants to increase the size of the canal's inlet
culvert. BIA also hired crews to crown roads, pave
critical sections of dirt roads, stabilize roadside
swales, and implement a street sweeping program.
-------
BIA worked with the DES Invasive Species Program
to identify invasive species, and then collaborated
on an agreement with a contractor who chemically
treated milfoil growing in the canal.
After addressing the major erosion problems in
the watershed, BIA received a U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) section 319 grant to
restore the canal to navigable depths. An engineer-
ing firm hired by BIA completed a dredging plan,
submitted permit applications for approval, and
collected sediments for laboratory analysis. A local
dredging company then removed tons of accumu-
lated sediment from the canal (Figure 2) and created
a 5.5-foot deep trapezoidal channel to allow for safe
boat passage.
Results
Figure 2: Dredge removing accumulated sediment
from the mouth of Middle Brook Canal (Fall 2004).
To protect the canal from future sedimentation, BIA
continues to operate a street sweeping program. In
addition, BIA conducted a public education cam-
paign to help reduce erosion and halt the spread
of invasive species. Through project signs and key
chains, boaters were asked to refrain from power-
loading boats onto trailers, warned against spread-
ing milfoil, and reminded of the no wake zone in and
around the canal. Information was also provided to
residents on best management practices, such as
proper yard waste disposal, that should be followed
around the home.
After several years of BMP installations, dredg-
ing, street sweeping, and public education
efforts, Middle Brook Canal has been returned to
a navigable channel which is no longer impaired
by sedimentation/siltation. The dredging removed
approximately 3,780 tons of sediment from the
canal. Post-implementation surveys indicated that
boaters could navigate the canal without difficulty.
Secondary contact recreation was restored in the
canal and the impairment was removed from NH's
2006 303(d) list; however, Middle Brook Canal
remains listed for mercury.
Partners and Funding
The work to restore recreational uses at Middle
Brook Canal involved the cooperation of BIA, local
residents, the town of Moultonborough, DES, and
EPA. BIA funded and managed all of the erosion
and sediment control projects, and also provided
the required non-federal cash match through a
coordinated fundraising effort with all 39 canal-front
residents. DES provided technical assistance and
administered the EPA section 319 grant that funded
a portion of this project. The town continues to
provide street sweeping for some of the area roads.
In 2003 EPA provided a $51,126 section 319 grant to
dredge and restore the canal to navigable depths.
BIA provided $51,057 in cash and in-kind match and
completed the project in 2005. In 2001 BIA provided
$23,000 for roadway runoff improvements, and
$10,160 for the new boat ramp and no-wake signs.
Funding and in-kind services continue to be pro-
vided by BIA and the town for ongoing road runoff
maintenance activities. In addition, between 2000
and 2003 BIA provided $7,500 for milfoil treatment.
f
A
\
m
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001EE
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Barbara McMillan
Watershed Outreach Coordinator
New Hampshire Department of Environmental
Services
603-271-7889 • Barbara.mcmillan@des.nh.gov
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURHE PROGRAM SUGKSS STPRY
Watershed Grazing Initiative Reduces Nutrient and Sediment Impacts
Waterbodv Imoroved
Excessive nutrient loads and turbidity severely reduced the
water transparency of New York's Chittenango Creek, pre-
venting fish propagation. As a result, the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYS DEC) added Chittenango Creek to the state's 1998 303(d) list of
impaired waters. Farmers implemented a series of agricultural best management practices
(BMPs), which improved the creek's water quality. Therefore, NYS DEC proposed removing
Chittenango Creek from New York's 2008 303(d) list for nutrients (phosphorus).
Problem
Chittenango Creek flows northward from its
headwaters at the Erieville Reservoir before
draining through the Cicero Swamp and eventu-
ally into Oneida Lake. It forms the border between
Madison and Onondaga counties for its lower
18 miles. The old Erie Canal flows east to west
through the Chittenango Creek watershed. The
creek flows through a unique geologic feature,
the Chittenango Gorge and Chittenango Falls
(Figure 1) north of Cazenovia. The drainage area of
the Chittenango Creek subwatershed is approxi-
mately 99,250 acres. The subwatershed includes
the villages of Cazenovia and Chittenango. Most
of the subwatershed is within the Oneida Indian
land claim. Agriculture is a primary land use, with
approximately 60 operating farms in the Madison
County portion alone. Thirty-seven of these farms
are dairy operations, while others include cash grain
and beef operations, along with several sheep and
pig farms. Chittenango Creek contributes approxi-
mately 18 percent of the total surface water inflow
to Oneida Lake (Figure 2).
New York added a 3-mile segment of Chittenango
Creek to its 1998 303(d) list because of impairments
to aquatic life uses and minor impacts to recre-
ational uses. NYS DEC identified agriculture as the
primary source of excess phosphorus, with addi-
tional contributions from urban/suburban land uses
and on-site wastewater systems. The 1998 assess-
ment of Chittenango Creek indicated violations
of the state's narrative water quality standard for
nutrients, which prohibits nutrients in "amounts that
will result in growths of algae, weeds and slimes
that impair the waters for their best usages."
Figure 1. Chittenango Falls is one of the outstanding
waterfalls in central New York.
-------
Project Highlights
Farmers implemented a series of agricultural BMPs
designed to reduce nutrient and sediment loads
to the Chittenango Creek subwatershed. BMPs
include restricted/designated livestock laneways,
controlled stream crossings for livestock, improved
fencing parameters, alternative livestock watering
systems, improved stewardship of existing pas-
turelands, and selecting and implementing better
vegetative cover. Additional BMP projects continue
to be funded through the latest round of grants.
Results
A range of both point and nonpoint source controls
helped improve water quality in Chittenango Creek;
however, implementing agricultural BMPs contrib-
uted significantly to the overall result. The agri-
cultural environmental management program that
was implemented worked to reduce phosphorus
loads to Chittenango Creek. Macroinvertebrate data
indicate that aquatic communities are no longer
impaired. The state's narrative standard is being
attained, and the creek now fully supports its des-
ignated uses of aquatic life and recreational uses.
Consequently, NYS DEC proposed removing the
creek from New York's 2008 303(d) list of impaired
waters for nutrients (phosphorus).
Partners and Funding
The Oneida Lake Watershed Agricultural Advisory
Committee, established in 2002, encourages
farmer participation in the Oneida Lake Watershed
Management Program, which includes the
Chittenango Creek subwatershed. Supporting
this effort, the NYS Agricultural Nonpoint Source
Abatement and Control Program (ANSCAP) has
funded a continuing series of BMP projects to
Source: New York State
Lands Interactive Mapping Tool—
www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/454T5.html
VA.
i
Figure 2. Chittenango Creek drains into New York's Oneida
Lake.
reduce nutrient, sediment and pathogen loads to
the watershed. ANSCAP funds are used as a match
for section 319 funding.
The BMP projects highlighted in this success story
were funded through ANSCAP, which provided
$246,687 of state funds on 26 farms in the Oneida
Lake watershed, including six high-priority farms
(receiving $47,772 of the funds) in the Chittenango
Creek subwatershed. The practices that were imple-
mented include those endorsed by the NYS Grazing
Lands Conservation Initiative, a grassroots coalition
of producers, agricultural industry and conservation
groups with an interest in the sound conservation
of private grazing lands. ANSCAP has continued to
support BMP projects that contribute to nutrient
and sediment load reductions in the Chittenango
Creek subwatershed.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001P
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Francis Zagorski
Nonpoint Source Management Program
New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation
518-402-8168 • fgzagors@gw.dec.state.ny.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOU
ROGRAM SUCCESS STPRY
ew
Multitiered Management Efforts Reduce Sediment and Phosphorus Impacts
Waterbodv Imoroved Excess phosphorus from agricultural runoff and on-site
wastewater systems from lakeside residences violated water
quality standards and contributed to eutrophication of New York's DeRuyter Reservoir. The
problem included excessive growth of rooted aquatic vegetation that impaired boat traf-
fic and discouraged fishing. As a result, the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYS DEC) added the reservoir to the state's 1998 303(d) list for nutrients. A
combination of nonpoint source management projects addressing each of the three prin-
cipal sources of impairments — sediment, agriculture and on-site wastewater systems —
improved water quality. Therefore, NYS DEC proposed removing DeRuyter Reservoir from
New York's 2008 303(d) list of impaired waters for nutrients (phosphorus).
Problem
DeRuyter Reservoir is one of the larger lakes in
Madison County. The 557-acre lake has a distinctive
history and hydrology. It was established early in
the 19th century as part of the water feeder system
for the original Erie Canal, which did not receive any
significant amount of water from natural sources
and depended on the man-made feeder system.
Artesian springs feed the lake at its southern end,
supplementing natural runoff from its inlet streams
and small watershed. The DeRuyter Reservoir outlet
forms the eastern headwater tributary of Limestone
Creek, which supports a good trout population, and
ultimately converges with Chittenango Creek before
flowing into Oneida Lake (Figure 1).
New York added DeRuyter Reservoir to its 1998
303(d) list because aquatic life and recreational
uses (fishing) were impaired. New York originally
listed DeRuyter Reservoir as impaired by nutrients',
however, in more recent listings, the state identified
the cause of impairment as nutrients (phosphorus).
Excess phosphorus loads caused the reservoir to
violate the numeric water quality standard, which
states that for waters classified as ponded (i.e.,
lakes, reservoirs and ponds, excluding Lakes Erie,
Ontario and Champlain), the epilimnetic summer
mean total phosphorus level shall not exceed 20
micrograms per liter (jug/L), based on biweekly
sampling, conducted from June 1 to September 30.
Sources of the impairment include sediment from
the watershed, agricultural runoff and on-site waste-
water systems from lakeside residences.
Figure 1. Photograph of DeRuyter Reservoir.
Project Highlights
The Madison County Planning Department and Soil
and Water Conservation District received support
from the Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed
Protection Alliance to complete a sediment control
project in 2007 on a seasonal stream feeding the
DeRuyter Reservoir. The stream flows down a steep
hill and was eroding rapidly and contributing high
sediment loads to the reservoir. The project team
installed five grade-control structures that prevented
further downcutting and reduced sediment inputs.
Madison County Soil and Water Conservation
District worked with operators on three farms
-------
in the watershed to develop and implement
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans
(CNMPs), which have successfully reduced agri-
cultural sources of nutrients and sediments. The
CNMPs use scheduled soil sampling and annual
manure samples, manure spreading schedules
and fertilizer recommendations to minimize nutri-
ent runoff while at the same time maximizing crop
production. Implementing additional best manage-
ment practices (BMPs) such as manure storage and
silage leachate control helped use the nutrients on
the farm more efficiently and reduced field runoff
potential. Work on these farms has been underway
since 2001. In addition, the DeRuyter Reservoir
Septic Tank Pumping Project pumped nearly 25
percent of the residential systems on the lake and
led to upgrades of nearly one-fifth of those systems
pumped.
Hydrologic management changes of the reservoir
as part of the canal feeder system might have also
contributed to water quality improvements over
time. When reservoir levels become low, water
managers may allow water from the Tioughnioga
River, a distinctly separate watershed, to enter
the DeRuyter Reservoir. That watershed, with
considerably greater agricultural land use, con-
stitutes a potential source of nutrients. However,
no Tioughnioga River inflow has been needed in
DeRuyter Reservoir since 1993.
Results
This multitiered approach to managing nonpoint
sources of sediments and nutrients contributed
to water quality improvements. Lake monitoring
data show that eutrophic indicators fall below
New York's assessment criteria. For example,
mean summer phosphorus concentrations average
approximately 12 jug/L—well below the phosphorus
standard of 20/jg/L—and show no increasing trend.
The 20-year trend in chlorophyll a data shows a
decline from nearly 8/jg/L (New York's assessment
criterion for threatened waters) to approximately
4/jg/L. The New York's Citizens Statewide Lake
Assessment Program recently conducted a user
perception assessment that indicated excellent to
slightly impacted recreational use support. NYS
DEC has determined that DeRuyter Reservoir meets
the water quality standard for phosphorus and has
proposed removing the reservoir from the state's
2008 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
Local, regional and state agencies along with
citizen and farmer groups have partnered to restore
DeRuyter Reservoir. Local leadership included
Madison County's Soil and Water Conservation
District, Planning Department and Health
Department. Regional support included both the
Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection
Alliance and the Oneida Lake Watershed Task
Force, which includes the Oneida Lake Watershed
Agricultural Program that addresses agricultural
nonpoint source management for the entire water-
shed (including DeRuyter Reservoir). Citizen sup-
port included the DeRuyter Lake Association and
the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program.
State agency partnerships among the NYS DEC,
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, the
NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee and
the NYS Canal Corporation supported the goals and
objectives of these local and regional groups.
More than $175,000 from the NYS Environmental
Protection Fund (EPF) through the NYS Agricultural
Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program
(ANSCAP), as well as cost-sharing from three farms,
funded the agricultural BMPs. ANSCAP and EPF
funds are often used to match section 319-funded
grant projects. In addition, approximately $20,000
in combined funding from EPF (through the Finger
Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance)
and NYS DEC funded the sediment control and
septic tank management projects.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001Q
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Francis Zagorski
Nonpoint Source Management Program
New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation
518-402-8168 • fgzagors@gw.dec.state.ny.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORM PROGRAM SUGHSS STPRY
Agricultural Environmental Management Projects Reduce Phosphorus in Lake
Waterbodv Imoroved Algal blooms and rooted vegetation impaired recreational
uses of New York's Oneida Lake, causing New York to add
the lake to its Clean Water Act section 303(d) list in 1998. Excess nutrients, specifically
phosphorus, from agricultural and urban/suburban runoff contributed to the growth of algal
blooms in the lake. Implementing best management practices (BMPs) such as barnyard run-
off management systems, silage leachate control systems, manure storage systems, and
nutrient and sediment control systems successfully reduced phosphorus loads to Oneida
Lake. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) has proposed
Oneida Lake for delisting in 2008 because data show steady declines in nutrient enrich-
ment (phosphorus levels) and indicate that the lake supports designated uses related to
nutrient enrichment.
Problem
Oneida Lake, while not recognized as one of the
Finger Lakes, is sometimes referred to as the
"Thumb of the Finger Lakes." It is the largest lake
entirely within New York State. It encompasses
51,000 acres and drains more than 2,300 miles
of streams. The Oneida Lake watershed is in the
Oswego-Seneca-Oneida Rivers Drainage Basin,
which drains to Lake Ontario (Figure 1). It also
serves as one of the links in the Erie Canal. The
Oneida Lake watershed (approximately 1,364
square miles) contains portions of six counties, 69
municipalities and has a population of 262,000. The
lake is approximately 21 miles long, 5 miles wide
and 22 feet deep.
DEC regional fisheries staff indicated that while
historically Oneida Lake has been green with con-
siderable rooted aquatics and algae, anthropogenic
activities worsened the conditions in some areas.
DEC identified excess phosphorus as the cause of
the unusually high number of algal blooms, which
impaired public bathing and other recreational uses
and also led to reduced dissolved oxygen levels
resulting in impacts to aquatic life. DEC placed
Oneida Lake on the state's 1998 303(d) list of
impaired waters for violating the state's narrative
standard for phosphorus, which states that phos-
phorus may not be present in "amounts that will
result in growths of algae, weeds and slimes that
will impair the waters for their best usages."
Source: New York State
Lands Interactive Mapping Tool—
www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45415.html
Figure 1. Oneida Lake is located northeast of New York's
Finger Lakes and southeast of Lake Ontario.
Two major reports by the Central New York Regional
Planning and Development Board documented
the status of Oneida Lake and relevant manage-
ment strategies—Oneida Lake: State of the Lake
and Watershed Report (2003) and A Management
Strategy for Oneida Lake and its Watershed (2004).
-------
Project Highlights
Funds from the New York State Agricultural
Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program
(ANSCAP), a grant program that serves as a vital
component of the state's Agricultural Environmental
Management program, were used to implement
a series of agricultural BMPs designed to reduce
nutrient and sediment loads to the Oneida Lake
watershed. These include soil conservation practic-
es (reduced tillage, buffer strips, fencing, and such),
silage leachate control systems (5), manure storage
systems (3), barnyard runoff management and other
nutrient and sediment control systems (3), access
road improvements (2), constructed wetland (1),
protected outlet (1), and detention basins (2).
The Oneida Lake Watershed Agricultural Advisory
Committee, established in 2002, encourages farm-
ers' participation in the Oneida Lake Watershed
Management Program. Supporting this effort,
ANSCAP has funded a continuing series of BMP
projects to reduce nutrient, sediment and pathogen
loads to the watershed.
Results
DEC has proposed Oneida Lake for removal from
the 2008 303(d) list because data show a steady
decline in phosphorus levels over the past 20 years.
Oneida Lake now meets the state's narrative stan-
dard for nutrients and supports its designated uses
related to nutrient enrichment. The Management
Strategy for Oneida Lake and its Watershed
(2004) with the associated State of the Lake and
its Watershed Report, indicate that current phos-
phorus levels (20-30 milligrams per liter [mg/L])
are more than 50 percent less than they were in
the 1970s (40-60 mg/L). The lower phosphorus
levels in the lake have reduced the number of algal
blooms and the amount of rooted aquatic vegeta-
tion, consequently improving aquatic life habitat
and restoring the recreational uses of the lake.
Although a range of point and nonpoint source
controls were implemented, agricultural land man-
agement improvements are considered to be the
primary reason for achieving the load reductions.
Partners and Funding
State agency partnerships among the Departments
of Agriculture and Markets and Environmental
Conservation and the New York Soil and Water
Conservation Committee supported the goals and
objectives of the Oneida Lake Watershed Task
Force with ANSCAP grant funding to implement
high-priority agricultural practices. ANSCAP provid-
ed funding through a series of rounds of requests
for proposals. Many of the BMP projects highlight-
ed in this success story are those from ANSCAP
Round 9 (2002), which provided $249,150 in cost
share funds through the Environmental Protection
Fund (EPF) to the Madison County Soil and Water
Conservation District for work on nine high-prior-
ity dairy farms in the Oneida Lake watershed.
Landowners and sponsors contributed an additional
$147,724. ANSCAP and EPF funds are often used to
match section 319-funded grant projects.
ANSCAP has provided a total of $2,404,922 in all
rounds of funding for other agricultural practices in
the Oneida Lake watershed to reduce the nutrient
and sediment loads to Oneida Lake and its tributar-
ies. With local landowner matches, the total funding
for all agricultural BMP projects in the Oneida Lake
watershed is $3,382,712. ANSCAP continues to
support BMP projects that contribute to phospho-
rus load reductions in the Oneida Lake watershed.
I
55
PR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-0010
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Seth Ausubel
Chief, New York Watershed Management Section
212-637-3852
Ausubel.Seth@epa.gov
-------
"\
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Remediation of Hazardous Waste Nonpoint Sources Partially Restores Water Quality
W3t6rbodl6S ImprOVGd New York's Niagara River flows 38 miles from Lake Erie to Lake
Ontario, forming the border between western New York State and
the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Niagara River watershed, with its access to inexpensive hydroelec-
tric power and close proximity to rail and shipping routes, was a magnet for heavy industry and chemi-
cal manufacturing companies beginning in the early 1900s. By the 1960s, decades of poor management
of industrial and hazardous waste had severely impaired Niagara River's water quality. In 1998 New York
included the river on its 303(d) list of impaired waters for priority organics. Since then, significant reme-
diation efforts at many sites have improved water quality, prompting New York to propose removing
four contaminants from its 2008 303(d) list for both the upper and lower segments of the river.
Problem
The Niagara River's pollution affected both the
United States and Canada. In 1987 four environmen-
tal agencies—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), Environment Canada, New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC), and the Ontario Ministry of the
Environment—signed a binational Declaration of
Intent (DOI), committing to developing and imple-
menting a plan to reduce concentration of toxic
chemicals in the Niagara River. The DOI and work
plan together form the Niagara River Toxics
Management Plan (NRTMP). Environmental monitor-
ing data collected for the NRTMP identified 18
priority toxics in the Niagara River that exceeded
water quality criteria (Table 1).
New York State included the entire length of the
Niagara River on its 1998, 2002, 2004, and 2006
303(d) lists for not meeting beneficial uses of
aquatic life and fish consumption due to priority
organics. These priority organics, the same organic
chemicals that are included on the NRTMP priority
toxics list, are identified as originating from contam-
inated sediments and land disposal. Beginning in
2004, New York began listing the upper mainstem
and lower mainstem of the Niagara River as two
separate segments.
of U.S. hazardous waste sites responsible for
approximately 700 Ibs/day of priority toxics load-
ings to the river. In response, hazardous waste
remediation programs under Superfund, the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and state
hazardous waste program authority focused on
remediation of these sites. These efforts addressed
the most significant nonpoint sources of toxic
contamination to the Niagara River.
Results
To date, remediation is complete at 21 of the 26
priority waste site clusters. Remediation costs
have exceeded $400 million, paid mostly by
Potentially Responsible Parties. Remedial actions
continue at the five remaining sites. The efforts
Table 1. NRTMP Priority Toxics
Project Highlights
Through the NRTMP process, the four participat-
ing environmental agencies evaluated all potential
sources of priority toxics and identified hazard-
ous waste sites as the most significant nonpoint
sources of priority toxics loading. A 1988 EPA
hazardous waste site study identified 26 clusters
Chlordane
Mirex/PhotoMirex*
Dieldrin
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)*
DDT and metabolites
Toxaphene
Mercury*
Arsenic
Lead
PCBs*
Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)*
Octachlorostyrene (OCS)
Tetrachloroethylene*
Benzofa (anthracene*
Benzo(a)pyrene B(a)P*
Benzo(b)fluoranthene*
Benzo(k)fluoranthene*
Chrysene/Triphenylene
* Targeted for 50% Niagara watershed point and nonpoint
reduction from 1987 baseline.
-------
are working—total priority toxics loads to the
river have decreased more than 90 percent, from
approximately 700 Ibs/day to less than 50 Ibs/day.
Remediation at sites such as the Cherry Farm/
Roblin Steel federal Superfund site (Figure 1), which
included capping contaminated sediments, has con-
tributed to this decrease by significantly reducing
the amount of priority toxic contaminants reaching
the Niagara River from nonpoint sources.
Figure 1. These pic-
tures of the Cherry
Farm/Roblin Steel
federal Superfund
site show the differ-
ence between the
actively polluting site
in 1960 (left) and the
post-remediation site
in 2001 (right).
Niagara River surface water quality data show that
water quality has improved over the past decade in
response to the remediation projects. Data show
that concentrations of most of the NRTMP priority
toxics have decreased significantly, and several are
now meeting water quality standards. For example,
monitoring data collected from April 2004 through
March 2005 at the head of the Niagara River (Fort
Erie) and at the mouth of the Niagara River (Niagara-
on-the-Lake) show that annual average concentra-
tions of total chlordane (organochlorine pesticide),
p,p'-DDD (organochlorine pesticide metabolite of
DDT), octachlorostyrene, and benzo(a)anthracene (a
polycyclic aromatic hyrocarbon) are now below New
York's water quality standards (Table 2).
As a result, New York has proposed removing these
four contaminants from its 2008 303(d) list for both
the upper and lower segments of the river. This
continues a long-term trend in decreasing concen-
trations of NRTMP priority toxic chemicals in the
Niagara River.
Partners and Funding
Since its inception, implementing the NRTMP in the
United States has been a joint EPA Region 2 and
NYSDEC water program priority. These agencies
played key roles in setting overall NRTMP priorities,
developing program work plans, and overseeing
environmental monitoring and public reporting of
success. Funding support for the Niagara River
Toxics reduction efforts came from a variety
of sources including Performance Partnership
Agreement/Grant (PPG) funds, which include specific
program outputs for NRTMP. EPA Region 2 awards
Clean Water Act section 319(h) nonpoint source
program funds to NYSDEC through the annual PPG
process. In fact, Section 319(h) funds have been
included in all of New York State's PPG Work Plans
since the inception of the partnership process in
1996.
Table 2. The 2004/2005 annual average Niagara River surface water concentrations for
contaminants proposed for 303(d) delisting compared to New York's water quality standards
Parameter
Total Chlordane
Predicted mean (ng/L)
NYWQS(ng/L)
Upper 90% confidence interval (ng/L) |
3
0.02
0.009
0.012
0.008
0.011
p,p'-DDD
0.08
0.052
0.015
0.049
0.013
OCS
0.006
ND
0.005
ND
0.004
Benzo(an)anthracene
2.0
0.948
1.960
0.835
1.842
NYWQS = New York Water Quality Standards; ND = Non-detect; FE = Fort Erie (at the head of the Niagara
River); NOTL = Niagara-on-the-Lake (at the mouth of the Niagara River); ng/L = parts per trillion (Adapted from
Table 3 in the October 2007 NRTMP report)
I
o
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001H
July 2008
For additional information contact:
Frederick Luckey, EPA Region 2 Resources District
212-637-3853
luckey.frederick@epa.gov
Jeff Myers, NYSDEC
518-402-8286
jamyers@gw.state.dec.ny.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORG
GRAM SUMFSS STPRY
Restoration and Protection Activities in the Upper Branch of the
Delaware River Protects New York City's Drinking Water Supply
Waterbodv Improved The uPPerWest Branch of the Delaware River is a significant
source of drinking water for New York City (NYC). It directly feeds
the Cannonsville Reservoir, the third largest reservoir serving NYC. Historically, the Cannonsville
Reservoir experienced summertime eutrophic (low oxygen) conditions because of high phospho-
rus loads predominantly from nonpoint sources. New York State (NYS) placed the Upper West
Branch of the Delaware River (UWBDR) on its 1998 303(d) list due to concerns about the vulner-
ability of the reservoir to additional sources of phosphorus. Because efforts by the local commu-
nity and numerous other partners successfully reduced phosphorus loads, the state removed the
UWBDR from its 2004 impaired water list.
Problem
The UWBDR is in Delaware County in south-
central New York. The UWBDR and its tributar-
ies encompass a watershed area of 450 square
miles with approximately 662 linear miles of riv-
ers and streams that are the source waters for
the Cannonsville Reservoir. The 37.1-mile listed
segment of the UWBDR begins near the Village
of Stamford and runs to Chambers Hollow
Brook. NYS listed this segment on its 1998
303(d) list of impaired waters for not meeting
criteria to support its designated use—aquatic
life support—due to excess phosphorus levels.
The state's narrative standard states that phos-
phorus may not exist "in amounts that will result
in growth of algae, weeds, and/or slimes that
will impair the waters and their best usages."
NYC's Department of Environmental Protection
completed a TMDL for phosphorus, which EPA
approved in 2000. Forestry and agriculture
represent 95 percent of the UWBDR's land
use, and impacts from forestry, agricultural
areas, and septic systems contribute to nutri-
ent enrichment. NYC identified dairy farming
and failing onsite septic systems as the most
significant watershed sources of impairment to
the UWBDR. Runoff from these sources carried
excess phosphorus to the UWBDR, threatening
to alter the natural aquatic community and corn-
Prior to the restoration
work in the watershed,
the UWBDR's tributaries
frequently suffered from
algae blooms caused by
phosphorus inputs from
agricultural runoff. This
image shows a 1981
algae bloom that occurred
on Trout Creek (Photo
credit: Patricia Bishop, NY
Dept. of Environmental
Conservation).
promise the reservoir as a source of high-quality
drinking water.
Project Highlights
Delaware County worked with watershed
partners to develop the Delaware County Action
Plan (DCAP), a comprehensive watershed man-
agement program that provided a framework
for protecting water resources through local
decision making—within the context of state
and federal laws. Through the DCAP, Delaware
County has achieved many of the initiatives
highlighted below. The accomplishments of the
DCAP demonstrate the importance of managing
land uses and nonpoint pollution sources at the
local level.
-------
The New York-based nonprofit Watershed
Agricultural Council championed a voluntary,
incentive-based program through which farm-
ers implemented numerous best management
practices (BMPs). The Watershed Agricultural
Council encourages farmers to adopt and imple-
ment Whole Farm Plans (WFP) on dairy farms to
successfully integrate traditional and innovative
farm management approaches. These holistic
farm plans (along with other nonpoint and point
source reduction activities) helped reduce
dissolved phosphorus loads in the UWBDR by
53 percent and particulate phosphorus loads
by approximately 36 percent. The agricultural
BMPs implemented through the WFPs included
riparian buffers; alternate water sources for
dairy cows; barnyard management improve-
ments (waste removal, collection of polluted
runoff); precision feeding (controlling nutrient
excretions through diet management); and
stream relocation.
A septic system repair and replacement pro-
gram, overseen by the Catskill Watershed
Corporation, also served as a key element of the
UWBDR watershed protection and restoration
program.
To ensure continued success, the Delaware
County Soil and Water Conservation District
worked with watershed stakeholders and
cooperating agencies to develop a West
Branch of the Delaware River Stream Corridor
Management Plan, This plan provides a founda-
tion for local residents, municipalities, inter-
ested organizations, and cooperating agencies
to enhance stewardship of the UWBDR and its
tributaries.
Results
assessment surveys, and ambient monitoring in
the UWBDR and in the Cannonsville Reservoir.
These monitoring activities showed a reduction
in phosphorus enrichment in the UWBDR and
the achievement of the state guidance limit of
20 micrograms per liter (ji/g/L) for reservoirs.
These findings ensured that the drinking water
supply was safe from eutrophic conditions and
that the waterbody provided a healthy eco-
system for aquatic life. After the Cannonsville
Reservoir met the state's guidance limit, NYC
removed it from the phosphorus restricted list in
2002. This list, established by NYS regulations,
limits the amount of phosphorus released in
designated reservoir basins. In addition, survey
data collected on the UWBDR indicated that
the waterbody fully supported its designated
uses and had no water quality impairments
associated with the state's narrative standard
for phosphorus. Therefore, NYS removed the
UWBDR from the 303(d) list of impaired waters
in 2004.
Partners and Funding
Project partners conducted several monitor-
ing activities in the UWBDR Basin, including
a paired watershed study to evaluate water
quality impacts of agricultural BMPs, biological
Many agencies participated in the restoration
of UWBDR including the NYC Department
of Environmental Protection, Soil and Water
Conservation Districts, Delaware County
Planning Department and Department of
Public Works, Catskill Watershed Corporation,
Watershed Agricultural Council, Upper
Susquehanna Coalition, NYS Department of
Environmental Conservation, NYS Department
of Health, NYS Department of State, NYS
Department of Transportation, NYS Department
of Agriculture and Markets, NYS Soil and Water
Conservation Committee, Cornell University,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers. Funding for the phosphorus load
reduction efforts came from many sources,
including more than $420,000 from Clean Water
Act section 319 funds.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001Z
October 2007
For additional information contact:
Donna Somboonlakana, EPA Region 2
212-637-3700
Somboonlakana.Donna@epa.gov
Michael Shaw, EPA Region 2
212-637-3785
Shaw.Michael@epa.gov
-------
Section 319
NPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCPtfS STDRY
Watershed Partnership Pays Off for Brasstown Creek
\A/catorhnH\/ I mnrnwoH Eroding streambanks, runoff from agricultural lands, and livestock
VvdltMUUUy II11 fj I UvtJU access causec| widespread nonpoint source pollution problems in the
Brasstown Creek watershed in the mid-1990s. By 1994 the creek had failed to meet aquatic life criteria
and North Carolina had placed it on the state's 303(d) list due to sediment impairments. Public and private
partners implemented several best management practices (BMPs)—restricting livestock access to the
creek, providing livestock with alternative water sources, reconstructing stream channels, enhancing
riparian buffers, and others—to reduce water quality impacts. Water quality improved enough to once
again support a healthy macroinvertebrate community, and the state delisted Brasstown Creek in 2000.
Problem
Brasstown Creek originates in Georgia and
flows generally northwest into North Carolina.
From the Georgia-North Carolina border, the
creek meanders 8.5 miles before reaching
the Hiwassee River. The watershed has an
83-square-mile drainage area and contains
low-density residential development, pasture
and hay lands, and a relatively large amount of
forest cover.
The North Carolina Division of Water Quality
(NC DWQ) monitored macroinvertebrates in
that state's portion of Brasstown Creek using
two biological indices. The EPT index is a
measure of pollution-sensitive aquatic insects
inhabiting a waterbody A stream showing
high EPT richness is less likely to be polluted
than one with low richness in the same geo-
graphic region. In addition, NC DWQ evaluated
Brasstown Creek's biotic integrity (Bl), which
measures the presence of pollution-tolerant
species. High Bl values characterize streams
that have poor water quality and are dominated
by pollution-tolerant species.
The accompanying table shows biomonitor-
ing results from Brasstown Creek. In 1994 the
creek had an EPT index of 18. This low value
caused the state to place an 8.5-mile segment
of Brasstown Creek on its 303(d) list for only
partially supporting state aquatic life use cri-
teria. NC DWQ cited sediment from nonpoint
sources, including streambank erosion and
Before: Channel instability and bank erosion along this Brasstown
Creek tributary were caused by historic channelization, lack of
riparian vegetation, and cattle access.
agricultural and highway runoff, as the causes
of impairment. This assessment was sup-
ported by a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
analysis of land use in the Brasstown Creek
watershed.
Project Highlights
In response to these problems, in 1995 the
Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition (HRWC)
formed a locally driven partnership to restore
the watershed and implement numerous BMPs.
The partners revegetated 160 acres of criti-
cally eroding bare areas (lands within 1,000
feet of streams); installed nearly 6.2 miles of
-------
After: The rebuilt channel was designed with
a more stable pattern, modeled after a similar,
relatively undisturbed stream.
livestock exclusion fencing; reconstructed
stream channels; and created, enhanced,
or protected 48 acres of forested riparian
buffer from 1999 through 2004. In addition,
project partners installed stock trails, stream
crossings, wells, and spring developments in
heavy-use areas, thereby improving more than
2,000 acres of pastureland. These practices
kept an estimated 650 tons of soil, 162 pounds
of nitrogen, and 45 pounds of phosphorus out
of Brasstown Creek annually.
Results
NC DWQ sampled Brasstown Creek again in
1999 and found that although instream habitat
and sedimentation problems remained, the
benthic macroinvertebrate community showed
a marked improvement. Evaluating EPT and Bl
indices, NC DWQ assigned Brasstown Creek
a "Good" bioclassification, indicating that the
creek met its aquatic life support designation
Year
1994
1999
2004
EPT
18
44
53
BI
4.6
4.8
State bioclassification
Fair
Good
Excellent
Brasstown Creek biomonitoring results. NC DWQ
assessed EPT and Bl to assign a bioclassification
for the creek. A "Good" or "Excellent" bioclassifica-
tion indicates that the creek meets its aquatic life
support designation.
and allowing North Carolina to delist it in 2000.
Subsequent monitoring in 2004 reaffirmed that
the benthic community had recovered.
Other signs of water quality improvement in
Brasstown Creek have been noted. A pollutant
loading model developed by TVA, for example,
showed a nearly 25 percent reduction in total
suspended solids (TSS) for the North Carolina
portion of the Brasstown Creek watershed
between 1997 and 2004. Even greater TSS
reductions—up to 83 percent—occurred in
some subwatersheds where several BMPs
were in close proximity.
Success is not yet complete for the entire
watershed, however. Upstream portions
remain listed as impaired or partially support-
ing their designated uses. The HRWC and its
partners plan to implement similar restoration
work in the Georgia portion of the watershed.
Partners and Funding
The HRWC spearheaded the Brasstown Creek
Watershed Restoration Project and was joined
by government and non-government part-
ners. These included NC DWQ; Clay County
(North Carolina), Cherokee County (North
Carolina), and Blue Ridge Mountain (Georgia)
Soil and Water Conservation Districts; TVA;
North Carolina Division of Soil and Water
Conservation (Agriculture Cost Share Program);
USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service; and 47 private landowners.
Nearly $4 million has gone toward the Brass-
town Creek watershed recovery effort. Agri-
cultural BMPs were implemented with approxi-
mately $450,000 in section 319 funds, $400,000
from the North Carolina Agriculture Cost Share
Program and the federal Environmental Quality
Incentives Program, and $127,500 in landowner
cost share payments. The North Carolina Clean
Water Management Trust Fund provided an
additional $2.5 million for stream and riparian
buffer restoration. Finally, TVA contributed an
approximately $500,000 in-kind donation for
technical support and watershed modeling.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003L
December 2006
For additional information contact:
Heather Boyette
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
919-733-5083 ext 357 • heather.boyette@ncmail.net
Callie Dobson Moore
Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition
828-837-5414 • hrwcoalition@brmemc.net
-------
Section 319
NQNPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCPE8S STDRY
Partners Reduce Polluted Runoff from Agricultural Areas
Waterbodv Improved Runoff Carn/in9 sediment from agricultural areas impaired
'"""• ' r '"'""" aquatic habitat in North Carolina's Little Ivy Creek. North
Carolina added the creek to its 2002 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired
waters. Using CWA section 319 and state funding, Madison County Soil and Water
Conservation District installed best management practices (BMPs) including livestock exclu-
sion fencing, alternative watering facilities, pastureland management and riparian buffer
plantings. Water quality improved, and North Carolina removed a 2.6-mile segment of Little
Ivy Creek from its CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Little Ivy Creek, in Madison County, North Carolina,
is a subwatershed of the larger Ivy River watershed
in the Upper French Broad River Basin. Nonpoint
source pollution has plagued the 60,000-acre Ivy
River watershed for years. Contaminants include
fecal coliform, nutrients and sediment. Biological
monitoring on Little Ivy Creek in 2002 showed a
score of fair, which failed to support the creek's
aquatic life designated use. As a result, North
Carolina added Little Ivy Creek to its CWA section
303(d) list for impaired waters in 2002.
Project Highlights
Community partners came together to combat the
fecal coliform bacteria and sedimentation prob-
lems identified by North Carolina Division of Water
Quality in the watershed. This multi-project effort
focused primarily on installing agricultural BMPs.
To date, partners have installed four projects using
CWA section 319 funds in the Little Ivy Creek and
Ivy River watersheds.
Partners installed more than 48,000 linear feet of
livestock exclusion fencing to keep livestock out of
the stream and reduce erosion (Figure 1). Project
participants also installed 170 alternative watering
facilities (Figure 2). One farmer adopted pasture and
hay management plans, protecting an additional
530 acres of natural area. Additional BMPs funded
by CWA section 319 grants helped develop a farm
access road, 30 acres of riparian buffer and 25 feed/
waste management structures (Table 1).
Figure 1. This fence prevents livestock from accessing
Little Ivy Creek.
Figure 2. This alternative water source allows livestock
to drink without entering Little Ivy Creek.
-------
Table 1. BMPs installed in Little Ivy
Creek watershed
BMP installed
Riparian Buffer Planting
Livestock Exclusion Fencing
Critical Area Planting
Feed/Waste Structures
Rotational Grazing
Pastureland Management
Tree Planting
Stream Restoration
Farm Road Stabilization
Nutrient Waste Management
Size/unit
31 ac
48,500ft
17 ac
25 unit
830 ac
530 ac
15 ac
1,500ft
1,000ft
530 ac
Results
Biological monitoring data indicate that water qual-
ity in Little Ivy Creek has improved. North Carolina
developed the North Carolina Index of Biological
Integrity (NCIBI) to assess a stream's biological
integrity by examining the structure and health of
the fish community. NCIBI incorporates information
about species richness and composition, trophic
conditions, and fish abundance and condition. The
NCIBI effectively summarizes all classes of factors
that influence aquatic faunal communities such as
water quality, energy source, habitat quality, flow
regime and biotic interactions.
The North Carolina Division of Water Quality breaks
the Little Ivy Creek watershed into two main
segments hosting one macroinvertebrate and one
fish sampling station. At the most recent sampling
interval in June 2007, segment 6-96-10a received a
good rating for fish, and segment 6-96-10b received
a good-fair rating for both macroinvertebrate and
fish (Table 2). These data indicate marked biological
improvement and evidence of macroinvertebrate
habitat recovery in Little Ivy Creek. On the basis
of these data, the North Carolina Division of Water
Quality removed the 2.6-mile segment from the
state's CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters
in 2008.
Table 2. Environmental monitoring data NCIBI
score
Waterbody
Little Ivy Creek
Little Ivy Creek
Location
SR 1547
SR 1547
Index #
6-96-10
6-96-10
Date
08/03/02
06/18/07
Score
44
52
Rating
Fair
Good
Partners and Funding
Support for this project came from $359,606 in U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency CWA section 319
funds and $291,750 in state funds. CWA section 319
grant funds awarded in the larger Ivy River water-
shed to date totals $1,384,356. Partners include
North Carolina Division of Water Quality, North
Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation,
Madison County, University of North Carolina at
Asheville, Clean Water Management Trust Fund,
North Carolina Department of Transportation, North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the
Tennessee Valley Authority, which cumulatively
have provided an additional $1,069,855 in matching
funds.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001Y
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Heather Boyette
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
919-807-6437 • Heather.boyette@ncmail.net
Sara Nichols
Madison County Soil and Water Conservation
828-649-9099 • Sara.nichols@nc.nacdnet.net
-------
1
Section 319
NOKPOINT SOIHCE PRIGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Aquatic Life Use Restored in Agricultural Watershed
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Agricultural runoff decimated macroinvertebrate life in a 1.9-
! " mile segment of the Mills River in western North Carolina.
Because the segment failed to meet aquatic life criteria. North Carolina placed it on the
state's 303(d) list of impaired waters in 1998. Local and state water quality experts worked
with the community to implement several best management practices, including moving
pesticide mixing stations away from river banks and restoring vegetated buffers. Water
quality improved enough to once again support macroinvertebrate life, and the state
expects to remove the river segment from its 303(d) list in 2006.
Problem
The Mills River supplies drinking water for
more than 50,000 people in three western
North Carolina counties. Areas upstream from
the town of Hendersonville are home to many
intensely managed agricultural activities, includ-
ing the production of cattle and specialty crops
such as tomatoes. Officials suspected that
these operations contributed sediments and
pesticides to a 1.9-mile river segment extend-
ing upstream from the town's water intake.
The state conducted benthos sampling in
the river segment and used the EPT index to
measure the presence of pollution-sensitive
aquatic insects. The index assumes that a
waterbody showing high EPT richness is less
likely to be polluted than another waterbody
with relatively low EPT richness in the same
geographic region. In addition, the state mea-
sured biotic integrity (Bl) in the river segment.
A low Bl value indicates better water quality
than a high Bl value.
As shown in the accompanying table, monitor-
ing results from both indices revealed that the
segment met state water quality standards
for aquatic life support in 1997. In subsequent
years, however, the North Carolina Division of
Water Quality (NC DWQ) found much lower
EPT and higher Bl values, indicating a decline
in water quality. In 1998, NC DWQ assigned a
This chemical-handling facility replaced one that was
directly adjacent to Mills River.
Year
1997
1998
2001
2002
EPT
24
2
6
28
Bl
5.17
6.69
-
5.54
State assessment rating
Good-Fair
Poor
Poor
Good-Fair
Mills River biomonitoring results using the EPT
index and Bl. Low EPT/high Bl indicate poor water
quality, while high EPT/low Bl suggest good water
quality.
Poor rating to the river segment and placed it
on the state's 303(d) list.
Project Highlights
State and local water quality experts teamed
with landowners and other organizations to
address suspected pollutant loading sources
-------
Streambank and buffer restoration shortly after tree
planting. Small trees are in the tall grass on the left.
to the river segment. Project partners obtained
three conservation easements totaling 192
acres, designated and planted 7.8 acres of
riparian buffers, and restored nearly 4,700
linear feet of streambanks. In addition, they
moved two chemical mixing stations away
from river tributaries.
To address the sources of sediment, project
partners stabilized 10 miles of logging roads,
installed 2,580 linear feet of cattle fencing, and
created 400 feet of stock trails to reduce cattle
traffic on steep slopes. Area cattle operations
received two water tanks, further helping to
keep cattle away from streams.
Public outreach also played a role in the
restoration effort. Workshops educated local
agriculture producers about the dangers of
pesticides in the river. Local residents received
general watershed education.
Finally, project partners established a
stormwater monitoring program in 2001.
Results
Restoration efforts resulted in dramatic water
quality improvements, as confirmed by benthic
monitoring. In 2002, NC DWQ macroinver-
tebrate sampling showed a much richer EPT
index of 28 and a stronger Bl of 5.54. Both indi-
ces placed the river segment in the Good-Fair
assessment rating, placing the river segment
in compliance with its aquatic life support
designation. With such a positive result, North
Carolina expects to remove this river segment
from its 303(d) list in 2006. Macroinvertebrate
monitoring will continue, with the next sam-
pling event scheduled for the summer of 2007.
Gains will be lost, however, if work does not
continue. The Mills River watershed is in
western North Carolina's fastest growing area.
Keeping pace with development impacts is
essential if designated uses are to be sus-
tained. The state's future plans include restor-
ing a mile of vegetated buffer and constructing
a chemical mixing building that will eliminate
two additional streamside mixing stations.
Partners and Funding
Numerous groups worked together successfully
to restore this segment of the Mills River. The
NC DWQ supported the work with a 319 grant of
$448,000. The state's Clean Water Management
Trust Fund provided $730,000, and the partners
used a $50,000 EPA Source Water Protection
grant to create land conversion inventories and
hold meetings and workshops.
Many agencies and organizations contrib-
uted services and funds, including North
Carolina's Divisions of Forest Resources and
Soil and Water Conservation; N.C. Ecosystem
Enhancement Program; N.C. Wildlife
Resources Commission; N.C. State University
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research
Station; Henderson County; Henderson
County Soil and Water Conservation District;
Environmental Conservation Organization
of Henderson County; U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Forest Service, and Natural
Resources Conservation Service; Carolina
Mountain Land Conservancy; City of Asheville's
Water Treatment Plant; City of Hendersonville;
Cross Creek Foundation; Land of Sky Regional
Council; Tennessee Valley Authority; Trout
Unlimited (Land of Sky Chapter); North and
South Mills River Community Development
Center; Regional Water Authority of Asheville,
Buncombe and Henderson Counties; University
of North Carolina at Asheville's Environmental
Quality Institute; and Mills River Partnership.
. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003D
June 2006
For additional information contact:
Michelle Raquet
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
919-733-5083 ext. 367
Michelle.Raquet@ncmail.net
-------
Section 319
NQNPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCPE8S STDRY
Using Best Management Practices Restores Aquatic Habitat
Waterbody Improved L°W dissolved oxygen levels and poor biological integrity
scores in Smith Creek prompted North Carolina to add a seg-
ment of the creek to its 2004 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Using CWA section 319 and state funding, the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation
District worked with landowners to install best management practices (BMPs) along Smith
Creek, including conservation tillage, livestock exclusion fencing, heavy-use area protection
and cropland conversion. Such nonpoint source pollution control efforts restored aquatic
habitat along Smith Creek, allowing North Carolina to remove the 1.6-mile segment from its
CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Smith Creek, a tributary to the Roanoke River, flows
through Warren County in the central piedmont
region of North Carolina. After monitoring showed
that biological impairment and low dissolved
oxygen prevented Smith Creek from meeting its
aquatic life designated use, North Carolina added
a 1.6-mile creek segment (from Cabin Branch to
SR1208) to the state's 2004 CWA section 303(d)
list of impaired waters. North Carolina identified
the pollution source as erosion and sedimentation
from livestock grazing practices, which allow direct
stream access, and agricultural crop production
without proper management plans in place.
Project Highlights
Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District
wrote and implemented 24 BMP contracts between
July 2005 and September 2008, which helped
improve a total of 753 acres in the watershed.
BMPs included converting 43 acres of cropland
to grassland; stabilizing 3,000 feet of roadway;
installing 24,000 feet of livestock-exclusion fencing
that prevents stream access and provides a buffer
between pastureland and Smith Creek (Figure 1);
and adding more than 18 water troughs (alternative
watering facilities) that provide drinking water to
cattle. Farmers also constructed stream crossings
and stock trails that support alternative grazing
practices. The trails provide a means for moving
cattle from one pasture to another, which allows
grasses to regenerate and pastures to stabilize
when not in use (Table 1).
Figure! Livestock-exclusion fencing protects Smith Creek.
Table 1. BMPs installed in the Smith Creek watershed
BMP installed
Farm Road Stabilization
Livestock Exclusion Fencing
Water Troughs
Wells
Heavy-use Area
Stream Crossings
Stock Trail
Cropland Conversion
Size/unit
3,000ft
24,000ft
18 units
7 units
4 units
2 units
2 units
43 ac
-------
Results
Partners and Funding
The North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Environmental Sciences Section routinely monitors
watersheds across the state using ambient stations,
as well as macroinvertebrate and fish sampling. The
agency collected biological monitoring data that
showed water quality markedly improved between
May 2002 (rated fair) and June 2007 (rated good-fair)
(see Table 2). The principal metrics used to denote
water quality improvement include increases in the
total macroinvertebrate families (or genera) and the
increased species richness of mayflies, stoneflies
and caddisflies (collectively referred to as EPT—short
for the order names Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and
Trichoptera). Because the three EPT taxa are particu-
larly sensitive to pollutants, evidence of increased
species richness indicates improving water quality
and biological integrity. On the basis of the data,
North Carolina removed a 1.6-mile segment of Smith
Creek from the 2008 CWA section 303(d) list of
impaired waters.
Table 2. Benthic sampling data for Smith Creek
The North Carolina Division of Soil and Water
Conservation, in partnership with Warren County
Soil and Water Conservation District, wrote a
thorough nine-element watershed management
plan outlining management measures for the con-
tinued success of the Smith Creek watershed. The
partners submitted the watershed management
plan (dated October 2007) to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Region 4.
Approximately $180,000 in CWA section 319
grant funds supported water quality improve-
ment projects in Smith Creek. The North Carolina
Agricultural Cost Share Program provided an addi-
tional $121,000 in match contribution, for a total of
$300,000 applied in the Smith Creek watershed.
Assessment unit
23-10C
23-10C
23-10C
23-10C
23-10C
23-10C
23-10B
Date
08/15/1984
07/18/1986
07/12/1989
08/22/1994
07/16/1999
04/23/2004
04/26/2004
EPT sample
12
10
12
6
12
10
22
Bioclassification
Fair
Fair
Fair
Fair
Fair
Fair
Good-Fair*
*A more intense study covering a larger watershed
showed significant improvement.
UJ
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001Z
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Heather Boyette
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
919-807-6437 • heather.boyette@ncdenr.gov
Julie Henshaw
North Carolina Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
919-715-9630 • julie.henshaw@ncdenr.gov
-------
\
Section 319
NPNPSINT SfllTC&E PROGRAM SUGHSS STDRY
Tar-Pamlico Basin Agricultural Management Strategy
Reduces Instream Nutrients
Watprhnrlv Imnrnx/pH
' "'""" '' '' ' '' '
cr°Ps anc' anima' feeding operations in the Tar-Pamlico River
Basin, one of three main feeders to the nation's second largest
estuary — the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound — have led to excessive nutrients in the estuary, forcing it to
be added to the state's 303(d) list for chlorophyll a. Through implementation of best management
practices (BMPs) on agricultural lands, such as riparian buffer protection, reduced fertilizer use,
and implementation of conservation tillage practices. North Carolina met its 30 percent nitrogen
reduction goal ahead of schedule and impaired acreage in the estuary was reduced by 90 percent,
allowing one section of the estuary to be removed from the 303(d) list for chlorophyll a.
Problem
In the mid-1980s, the Pamlico River estuary
saw an increase in problems that pointed to
excessive levels of nutrients in the water —
harmful algal blooms, low oxygen levels,
increased numbers offish kills, and other
symptoms of stress and disease. Row crops,
confined animal feeding operations, and highly
erodable soils were the culprits. The Pamlico
River estuary was eventually placed on the
303(d) list for chlorophyll a, driven by excess
nutrient concentrations contributed by agricul-
tural runoff and point sources.
Project Highlights
In response, the North Carolina Environmental
Management Commission designated the
Tar-Pamlico River Basin as "Nutrient Sensitive
Waters" and called for a strategy to reduce
nutrient inputs from around the basin. The
strategy's first phase, which ran from 1990
through 1994, produced an innovative point
source/nonpoint source trading program that
allows point sources, such as wastewater
treatment plants and industrial facilities, to
achieve reductions in nutrient loading in more
cost-effective ways. The group cap structure
of the trading program has allowed the point
source coalition to exceed its reduction targets
Area farmers installed water table control structures
like the one shown here to address excess nutrients.
so cost-effectively that nonpoint source trades
have been unnecessary to date. The second
phase established a plan to reduce nitrogen
by 30 percent (from 1991 levels) and hold
phosphorus loadings to 1991 levels based on
estuarine conditions by 2006, implementing
the targets set in the total maximum daily
load (TMDL) for chlorophyll a. In addition to
point sources, Phase II called on nonpoint
sources to contribute to meeting these goals
and established a set of nonpoint source rules
addressing agriculture, urban stormwater, and
fertilizer management across all land uses and
called for riparian buffer protection. Between
-------
1991 and 2003, farmers installed water control
structures to treat 32,200 acres of cropland,
buffers to treat 72,000 acres and planted
scavenger crops on 81,500 acres. In addition,
many farmers reduced fertilizer use and imple-
mented conservation tilling practices to help
meet the goal. The third phase of the nutrient
strategy was adopted by the EMC effective
April 14, 2005, setting an eight year clean-up
deadline for the rest of the estuary by 2013.
Results
Agriculture met its 30 percent nitrogen
reduction goal ahead of schedule. In fact, data
from 2003 indicate a 45 percent reduction in
nitrogen losses compared to 1991, mostly from
decreasing fertilization rates. Progress is fur-
ther reflected by samples taken at the Pamlico
estuary's head showing an 18 percent in-
stream reduction in nitrogen and a 33 percent
instream decrease in phosphorus between
1991 and 2002, reflecting significant progress
toward meeting the targets set in the TMDL.
The installation of BMPs in the watershed has
prevented more than 396,000 tons of soil from
being washed away by erosion. As a result of
Sampling at Pamlico Estuary
I
ALL SEASONS
• Seasonal Sen Slope
SEASONAL KENDALL (SKWC)
Slope = -0.01686
2xP = 0.0197
Signif9S%
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
YEAR
Samples reflect an 18 percent instream reduction in nitrogen.
watershed-wide efforts, impaired acreage in
the estuary has been reduced by 90 percent
(from 36,200 to 3,450 acres), and one segment
of the Pamlico estuary has been removed from
the 303(d) list for chlorophyll a.
Partners and Funding
Partners involved in the effort were North
Carolina Division of Water Quality, Soil and
Water Conservation Districts, North Carolina
Division of Soil and Water Conservation, North
Carolina Cooperative Extension, U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture's Natural Resources Con-
servation Service, North Carolina Department
of Agriculture, North Carolina Farm Bureau,
North Carolina State University, and agricultural
community and commodity groups. The North
Carolina Environment Management Commis-
sion brought together stakeholder groups of
affected parties and provided the participants
with a chance to express differing viewpoints.
Stakeholders involved in the process included
environmental groups, municipalities, devel-
opers, businesses, and the public. The North
Carolina Agriculture Cost Share Program,
administered by the Division of Soil and Water
Conservation (DSWC), contributed $12.5 million
between 1992 and 2003. Another DSWC-
administered program, the federal Conserva-
tion Reserve Enhancement Program, has
obligated approximately $33.1 million in the Tar-
Pamlico River Basin since 1998. Between 1995
and 2003, approximately $2.67 million in Clean
Water Act section 319 expenditures supported
a variety of nonpoint source projects in the Tar-
Pamlico Basin, including BMP demonstration
and implementation, technical assistance and
education, GIS mapping, development and dis-
semination of accounting tools, and monitoring.
As part of the Phase I Agreement, the area's
Point Source Association both contributed
funds and acquired a section 104(b)(3) grant for
agricultural BMP implementation. The com-
bined total of their contributions was $850,000
in nutrient-reducing BMPs in the basin.
I
5
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004B
July 2005
For additional information contact:
Rich Gannon
NC Division of Water Quality
919-733-5083x356 • rich.gannon@ncmail.net
Chrystal Bartlett
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
919-715-4116 • chrystal.bartlett@ncmail.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Implementing Innovative Best Management Practices and
Targeting Technical Assistance Restored Recreational Uses
u ^i I ^i Uncontrolled livestock grazing and poor cropland management con-
VV3t6rDOCly IrnprOVGO tributed high levels of bacteria to the uppermost segment of Lower
Pipestem Creek, prompting North Dakota to include the creek on its
2004 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters. Landowners implemented various agricul-
tural best management practices (BMPs) to reduce bacteria levels, including keeping livestock out of
the creek, establishing riparian area easements, and better management of manure, crop residues and
nutrients. Bacteria levels declined, and the creek now meets fecal coliform standards for recreation,
allowing North Dakota to remove this portion of Lower Pipestem Creek from the 2008 section 303(d)
list for fecal coliform.
Problem
Project Highlights
A segment of Lower Pipestem Creek flows
through Wells County and extends from
Sykeston Dam downstream to a small impound-
ment known as Pipestem Dam #3, located
just south of the Wells County/Foster County
line (Figure 1). In 1999 the Stutsman, Wells
and Foster County Soil Conservation Districts
(SCDs), in cooperation with the North Dakota
Department of Health (NDDH) and the Natural
Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), initi-
ated a Lower Pipestem Creek Water Quality
Assessment project. The primary goal of the
two-year assessment was to determine the sta-
tus of the stream's beneficial uses and identify
the sources of pollutants impairing those uses.
Water quality monitoring data collected dur-
ing the two-year assessment showed high
levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, suspended
solids and fecal coliform bacteria in the creek.
Additionally, other monitoring data from 1994
to 2005 showed that more than 10 percent of
monthly samples collected from May 1 through
September 30 exceeded a density of 400
colony forming units (CFU) per 100 milliliters
(mL), violating the state standard to protect rec-
reational uses. Therefore, North Dakota includ-
ed this 10.53-mile upper segment of Lower
Pipestem Creek on the 2004 section 303(d) list
of impaired waters for total fecal coliform.
The Lower Pipestem Creek Water Quality
Assessment project gave watershed partners
a head start in the effort to fix the problem.
The assessment had already concluded that
improper land management and lack of soil
conservation measures in the watershed led
to the nonpoint source pollution problems.
The assessment recommended that partners
could restore the creek by helping landowners
to better manage manure within concentrated
Pipeslem Creek, North Dakota
-H-——
Figure 1. This location map for Lower Pipestem Creek includes
shaded areas that indicate where landowners implemented BMPs.
-------
livestock feeding areas and implement BMPs
that improve cropland and grazing land man-
agement.
Given the assessment findings, the local SCDs
launched the Lower Pipestem Creek Watershed
Project in April 2002—even before the stream
was officially included on the state's 303(d) list
of impaired waters. This project delivered finan-
cial and technical assistance to agricultural pro-
ducers to implement various BMPs addressing
livestock grazing, manure management, riparian
restoration and cropland management. Clean
Water Act section 319-funded practices include
improving manure management at two animal
feeding operations. For example, landowners
installed additional wells and water tanks and
began spreading out livestock winter feeding
locations across cropland and hayland, thereby
eliminating areas that generated concentrated
runoff (Figure 2). Landowners also converted
550 acres of cropland to hayland (including
mildly saline areas using saline-tolerant vegeta-
tion), implemented nutrient management on
1,300 acres, applied residue management to
800 acres and prescribed grazing management
for 340 acres. In addition, they established ripar-
ian area easements on 41 acres and erected
livestock exclusion fencing on an animal feeding
operation near the riparian area.
Results
The project successfully reduced the amount
of bacteria reaching the creek. Data from a set
of 54 fecal coliform bacteria samples collected
in 2006 and 2007 show that the upper segment
of Lower Pipestem Creek met North Dakota
water quality standards. The standards require
that the geometric mean of the samples be
below 200 CFU/100 mL and that no more than
10 percent of samples exceed 400 CFU/100 mL.
Because the upper segment's recreational uses
are now fully supported, North Dakota removed
it from the 2008 section 303(d) list for fecal
coliform. The Lower Pipestem Creek Watershed
project will remain active until June 2010. These
ongoing efforts will likely result in additional
BMPs being applied in the watershed.
Figure 2. This
is a temporary
winter feeding
and watering
area on cropland.
The landowner
insulated the
water tank to
keep it from
freezing and
created a
windbreak with
hay bales.
Partners and Funding
The NRCS coordinated with the Stutsman,
Foster and Wells County SCDs and watershed
project staff to provide technical assistance
for conservation planning and financial assis-
tance for installing BMPs through the NRCS
Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
granted $82,049 in section 319 funds ($46,925
in producer match) through NDDH to the SCDs'
alliance, which provided agricultural produc-
ers (farmers, ranchers and other landowners)
with one-on-one planning assistance and
cost-sharing to implement BMPs and con-
servation plans. The North Dakota Game and
Fish Department's Save Our Lakes Program
provided $23,578 for riparian easements and
restoration practices. In addition to the finan-
cial support, the partners provided approxi-
mately 400 hours of technical assistance to
agricultural producers in the watershed to help
plan and install the BMPs.
NDDH oversaw project management, devel-
oped the quality assurance project plan, con-
ducted water quality sample collection training
and helped to develop and implement informa-
tion and education activities. The North Dakota
Extension Service also provided technical
support for education activities and materials.
The partners encouraged and maintained public
involvement by holding workshops, creating
newsletters, maintaining a project Web site, and
presenting information to community groups.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
z Washington, DC
e
EPA841-F-08-001EE
November 2008
For additional information contact:
Ryan Odenbach, Watershed Coordinator
Stutsman County Soil Conservation District
701-252-2521 • ryan.odenbach@nd.usda.gov
Greg Sandness, North Dakota Department of Health
701-328-5232 • gsandnes@nd.gov
Eric Steinhaus, North Dakota Watershed Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8
303-312-6837 • steinhaus.eric@epa.gov
-------
w.
h.'^^^^^^^J
1
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCHSf! STORY
Dam Modification Project Helps Restore Water Quality in the
Middle Cuyahoga River
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd
- vc* ••"••••—-> •• t '-
The Kent Dam on Ohio's Middle Cuyahoga River was a barrier to
fish migration and contributed to water quality problems due to
stagnant flows within the dam pool, preventing the river from meeting its designated use for
warmwater habitat (WWH). As a result of modifications to the dam that restored a free flowing
river channel and other activities implemented both above and below the dam, the Cuyahoga
River is now meeting the full attainment of its WWH aquatic life use designation, and it is
expected to be removed from the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters in the next listing cycle.
Problem
In 1999 the Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency (Ohio EPA) completed a total maxi-
mum daily load (TMDL) study on the Middle
Cuyahoga River that found the river was only
partially attaining objectives for its WWH
designation. In 2000 it was placed on the
state's 303(d) list as impaired by nutrients,
siltation, low dissolved oxygen, flow alteration,
and other habitat alteration. Major sources of
impairment included municipal point sources,
combined sewer overflows, septic systems,
urban runoff, channelization, and dam con-
struction. The TMDL indicated that point
source regulation alone would be insufficient to
achieve water quality goals within the river and
recommended the modification or removal of
dams in the cities of Kent and Munroe Falls.
Ohio EPA determined that the Kent Dam was
contributing to water quality problems due to
stagnant flows and eutrophication within the
dam pool, causing dissolved oxygen levels to
fall well below water quality criteria during peri-
ods of low flow. The dam pool altered aquatic
habitat, impairing both the health and diversity
of indigenous fish species. Additionally, the
dam posed a physical barrier to fish migration.
The dam pool was eliminated by removing an old canal
lock and allowing the river to return to free-flowing
conditions.
-------
Project Highlights
Ohio EPA Kent Dam Pool Bio-Survey Data
The Middle Cuyahoga River Restoration Project
required consideration of complex science
and engineering, cultural and archaeologi-
cal sensitivity, regulatory finesse, and public
involvement. The Kent Dam project initially
faced fierce public resistance due to the dam's
historic value and location in a designated his-
toric district. The dam itself was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places because
it was one of the first recorded arched dams
constructed in the United States.
An independent committee composed of the
general public and various local, state, and
federal representatives determined that the
dam could be successfully modified without
destroying its historic character. The project
involved removing an old canal lock east of the
dam to provide for a free-flowing river channel,
while at the same time preserving and restoring
the arched dam structure. The former dam pool
area was converted into Heritage Park, and
extensive interpretative signage chronicles the
history of the area as well as the environmental
benefits of the project. To further restore water
quality and aquatic habitat, the project incor-
porated extensive natural stream channel and
streambank restoration above the dam.
Results
Prior to the project, the Index of Biological
Integrity (IBI)—an objective measurement of
the diversity of the fish community—indicated
that fish life within the river failed to meet
WWH standards. Physical habitat conditions
within and along the river were measured using
the Qualitative Habit Evaluation Index (QHEI)
and also failed to meet WWH standards.
Following completion of the Middle Cuyahoga
Restoration Project, IBI scores within the Kent
Dam area increased by 57 percent and QHEI
scores increased by 56 percent. Modified
Index of Well Being (MiWb) scores—used to
IBI
MiWb
QHEI
Pre-Construction
28.0
8.2
51.0
Post-Construction
44.0
8.9
79.5
WWH Criteria: IBI > 40; MiWb > 7.9; QHEI > 60
measure the general health offish communi-
ties within a waterbody—increased slightly
from 8.2 to 8.9. As a result, the Cuyahoga River
fully attained its WWH aquatic life use desig-
nation, and it is expected to be removed from
the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters in the
next listing cycle.
As an additional benefit, the city of Kent saved
several million dollars in wastewater treatment
upgrades that otherwise would have been
required to address impairments caused by the
dam. Developing the city of Kent's Heritage
Park in the former dam pool also preserved
an important connection to Ohio's history.
Continued water quality improvements are
expected upon the completion of additional
projects such as modification of the dam
downstream at the city of Munroe Falls.
Partners and Funding
The city of Kent, in partnership with the cities
of Ravenna and Massillon, Summit County,
and agencies such as the U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA
and Ohio Department of Natural Resources
(ODNR), secured more than $5 million for the
Kent Dam Project. Funding was provided as
follows: Ohio EPA's Clean Water Act (CWA)
State Revolving Loan Fund's Water Resource
Restoration Sponsor Program—$3.94 million;
The Clean Ohio Fund—$636,000; CWA
section 319 Grant—$500,000; and ODNR—
$6,400. The section 319 grant funds were used
to restore degraded and exposed streambanks
following removal of the dam pool.
I
5
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004Y
October 2005
For additional information contact:
Russ Gibson
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
614-644-2020
russ.gibson@epa.state.oh.us
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURC* PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
BMPs Result in Significant Reduction of Bacteria and Phosphorus
Loading
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Beaty Creek, in northeast Oklahoma, was impaired for patho-
gens, specifically E coA'and Enterococcus, due in part to poor
waste management practices and direct access of livestock to the stream. Landowner educa-
tion and implementing best management practices (BMPs) to promote proper animal waste
and nutrient management, as well as better riparian zone management have led to signifi-
cantly decreased amounts of bacteria in the creek. As a result, Oklahoma expects to remove
Beaty Creek from its 2006 303(d) list for E coli impairment. In addition, expected phosphorus
loading to Beaty Creek is also decreasing as compared to a control watershed with no BMP
implementation.
Problem
The Beaty Creek watershed contains approxi-
mately 39 chicken houses; hog and turkey
operations; and extensive, streamside cattle
grazing on pasture fertilized with animal waste.
Septic systems, land development, some row
crop agriculture and fertilizer application are
also found in the watershed. These activities
have cumulatively generated a high amount
of nonpoint source pollution and resulted in
elevated levels of bacteria in Beaty Creek. In
2002, Oklahoma placed all 13 miles of Beaty
Creek on the 303(d) list as impaired for E. coli
and Enterococcus. In addition, high levels of
phosphorus loading contributed to eutrophi-
cation and phosphorus exceedance in Lake
Eucha, a downstream reservoir.
Project Highlights
The number one restoration priority for the
Beaty Creek area was riparian buffer estab-
lishment and protection. Another focus was
disseminating information on pasture manage-
ment and proper application of poultry litter
as fertilizer—key issues in the watershed.
Numerous educational workshops, meet-
ings, and tours demonstrating BMPs in the
watershed were essential for the success
Areas for cattle feeding and waste storage
were constructed to reduce the amount of
bacteria and nutrients entering the stream.
of this project. Approximately 63 percent of
landowners in the watershed implemented
BMPs through cost-share contracts from 2000
to 2004.
Results
Attendance was high at the various educational
presentations. Approximately 100 cost-share
contracts to implement BMPs in the Beaty
Creek watershed were signed into action in
both Oklahoma and Arkansas. BMPs included
establishing 335 acres of riparian buffer
-------
areas, establishing/managing approximately
10,000 acres of pasture; the provision of more
than 150 alternative water sources for cattle;
the construction of 56 heavy use areas, 16 cat-
tle feeding/waste storage facilities, 31 miles
of cross fencing, four poultry waste storage
facilities; and the replacement of 27 septic
systems. Resulting water quality improve-
ments led to Beaty Creek being nominated for
removal from the 2006 303(d) list forf. coli.
This brings it one step closer to full attainment
of the Primary Body Contact Recreation (PBCR)
beneficial use.
In addition, BMPs have reduced the expected
loading of phosphorus in the Beaty Creek
watershed as compared to a control water-
shed with no BMPs. Analysis of water quality
data collected after the implementation of the
Beaty Creek BMPs indicates that the increas-
ing trend is no longer evident, which, in itself,
is a measure of success. Independent analysis
of water quality data, conducted by Oklahoma
State University, using a paired watershed
methodology showed a 31 percent decrease
in expected phosphorus loading to the lake
from Beaty Creek in the presence of BMPs,
compared to expected loading in the absence
of BMPs. Average flow-weighted phosphorus
concentrations decreased from 0.220 mg/L to
0.191 mg/L. Although phosphorus loadings are
still significant, the rate of phosphorus loading
has been reduced. BMP implementation to
reduce nutrient loading and evaluation of the
stream continues.
The success of this project and continued
interest in implementing BMPs has allowed
the pursuit of a related project in the adjoining
Spavinaw Creek watershed. One of the great-
est successes of the project is that landown-
ers are beginning to implement the practices
without the benefit of cost-share assistance,
and they are requesting assistance with BMP
design and using their own funds. Even land-
owners outside the watershed are interested in
the practices that were demonstrated in Beaty
Creek and are beginning to implement them.
Partners and Funding
A total of $1,338,401 was available to sup-
port installation of the BMPs associated with
this project. This included $632,467 federal
dollars from EPA section 319 funds, $528,133
state dollars, and a required $177,800 match
from landowners. The Eucha watershed has
been a special emphasis area for Oklahoma's
EQIP program, ensuring that at least $325,000
worth of additional practices were imple-
mented throughout the watershed. Different
groups participating in the Beaty Creek
project included the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission, Delaware County, Oklahoma
and Benton County, Arkansas Conservation
Districts, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,
Oklahoma State University Cooperative
Extension Service, NRCS, Farm Services
Agency, Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation
Commission, local producers, poultry integra-
tors, and animal waste marketers.
sou
E 600-
o
o
^™
Colonies/
1 1
o-
£. coli
Geometric mean=115
Geometric mean=25
*
*
P ±
^ i
800-
600-
400-
200-
o-
Enterococcus
Geometric mean=274
*
Geometric mean =76
D
r^
*
*
*
'
Boxplots indicate the
interquartile range
(25th-75th percentile)and
median of the data in
each of two periods: "Pre"
contains data from August
1999 to January 2001;
"Post" includes data from
July 2001 to May 2005.
The red line indicates the
geometric mean above
which the beneficial use is
not achieved. There were
significant reductions in
mean levels of both £ coli
and Enterococcus bacteria.
Pre
Post
Pre
Post
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001D
April 2007
For additional information, contact:
Dan Butler
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
405-522-4500
dan.butler@conservation.ok.gov
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NONPOINT SO
RAM SUCCESS STORY
Improvement of Surface and Ground Water Quality
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd '~a'
-------
median number of fish caught in 1998 was
637, compared to 299 in 1990. The increase
in these parameters improved the IBI scores
for Lake Creek to the degree necessary to
fulfill the state biological criteria in support of
the FWP beneficial use. Additionally, samples
of Lake Creek water and sediment failed to
exhibit any toxicity using the same tests that
had demonstrated toxicity in 1990. Because of
these results, Oklahoma removed Lake Creek
from the 303(d) list for unknown toxicity and
pesticides in 2002.
Lake Creek Fish Bioassessment
Partners and Funding
Many groups contributed to the success of this
project. Crucial educational efforts were led by
the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture
(now Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,
Food and Forestry) with the participation
of the other agencies. EPA section 319
funds provided $280,441, while the State of
Oklahoma supplied $186,961 toward the Lake
Creek project.
24
23
22
£! 21
8
OT
520
19
18
17
16
Fully Supporting
Undetermined
Not Supporting
1990 1998
Fish bioassessment results from 1990 and
1998. Circles represent the IBI scores of fish
collections at two sites in Lake Creek; diamonds
indicate the average IBI score of the two sites.
The improvement in these parameters resulted
in an average IBI score that justified delisting
(Oklahoma biocriteria allows pooling of data
from multiple sites when they lie within the
same reach).
\
111
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001E
April 2007
For additional information, contact:
Dan Butler
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
405-522-4500
dan.butler@conservation.ok.gov
-------
*»* PRO^°
Section 319
NONPOINT SOIPRG* PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Education and Demonstration Efforts Result in Turbidity Improvements
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Sandy and Yellowstone Creeks, both in the Salt Fork of the
Arkansas River watershed in north central Oklahoma (in Alfalfa
and Woods Counties, respectively), were impaired for turbidity due in part to practices associ-
ated with crop and cattle production. Agricultural producer education and implementation of
best management practices (BMPs) to promote conservation tillage, proper fertilizer application,
integrated pest management, and riparian buffer establishment helped to decrease sediment
and nutrients going into both creeks. As a result, Oklahoma removed Sandy Creek from its
2004 303(d) list for turbidity impairment, and nominated Yellowstone Creek for removal from the
state's 2006 303(d) list for turbidity.
Problem
The Salt Fork is an agriculture-intensive
watershed where wheat and alfalfa are the
primary crops. Producers often plowed fields
to the edge of streams, and cattle often grazed
at stream edges, both of which contributed
to bank erosion. Consequently, streams in
this watershed had high turbidity problems.
Oklahoma placed both Sandy Creek, 18 miles
long, and Yellowstone Creek, 22 miles long, on
the 1998 303(d) list for not attaining their des-
ignated use of Fish and Wildlife Propagation
(FWP) because of turbidity impairment.
Project Highlights
Educating agricultural producers was a top
priority for the Salt Fork watershed program.
Better management techniques for sediment,
nutrient, and pest control, such as no-till and
reduced-till planting; proper fertilizer and
chemical (pesticide, herbicide, fungicide) appli-
cation; the use of crop varieties that require
fewer chemicals; and riparian buffer zone
establishment were taught through multiple
channels. Ten BMP demonstration projects
showed producers that BMP implementation
need not affect their bottom line or production
volumes. Numerous educational meetings,
tours, and field days, in combination with a
Potential sources of sediment and
nutrients in the Salt Fork watershed before
implementing the BMPs: fields were often
cultivated or grazed to the edge of the
stream; riparian buffers were nonexistent
or rare.
Web site and newsletters also promoted the
BMPs.
Results
During the project period, from 1999 to 2002,
conservation tillage use within the Salt Fork
watershed increased by 21 percent (to 88 per-
cent of producers), soil test-based fertilizer
application increased by 29 percent (to 67 per-
cent of producers), and 78 percent of produc-
ers recognized the benefits of using vegetative
-------
SANDY CREEK
14-
g12-
a
' in.
I,
£
| 6-
r 1
§
°- 2-
2002 2004 2006
Assessment Year
YELLOWSTONE CREEK
2002
2004
Assessment Year
2006
A stream is considered impaired due to turbidity if
10 percent or more of the seasonal base flow water
samples exceed 50 NTUs (based on 5 years of data
preceding the assessment year). Both creeks now fully
attain their FWP use designation.
buffers along streams. As a result, turbidity
has decreased in the Salt Fork watershed. In
the 2002 assessment, 13 percent of seasonal
base flow water samples from Sandy Creek
exceeded the turbidity criteria; in the 2004
assessment it was reduced to 8 percent. In
2006, it was further reduced to 4 percent.
Similarly, in 2002, Yellowstone Creek had a 10
percent exceedance of turbidity criteria, which,
by 2006, was down to only 6 percent exceed-
ance. Both creeks now meet the requirements
of their FWP use designation. Oklahoma
removed Sandy Creek from its 303(d) list in
2004, and it expects to remove Yellowstone
Creek from its 2006 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
EPA section 319 funds provided $90,000
for the implementation of this project. The
Oklahoma Conservation Commission supplied
$60,000, which was used to subcontract with
the Oklahoma State University Cooperative
Extension to conduct education and demon-
stration tasks.
^tosrx
I
55
^K*1
5
o
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001C
April 2007
For additional information, contact:
Dan Butler
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
405-522-4500
dan.butler@conservation.ok.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Eradication of Invasive Species Restores Lake Water Quality
WatPfbodv ImnroVPd The dan9er of toxins from blooms of blue-green algae led offi-
y ^ cials to sometimes close Diamond Lake for contact use recre-
ation. As a result, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) included Diamond Lake
on the 1998 303(d) list of impaired waters for pH and algae. Excess algae resulted from a shift
in the trophic levels after the introduction of tui chub, a nonnative fish species. After careful
planning, project partners successfully eradicated the fish in the fall of 2006, and water qual-
ity conditions improved dramatically. Currently, all water quality standards are being met and
ODEQ expects to remove Diamond Lake from the list in the next assessment cycle in 2010.
Problem
Diamond Lake is situated between two volcanic
peaks in the southern Oregon Cascade Mountains
in the Umpqua National Forest (Figure 1). Perched
at 1,580 meters, or about 1 mile elevation, Diamond
Lake developed into a world-renowned trout fishery
after Oregon Fish and Game officials began stock-
ing it with rainbow trout in 1910.
Oregon first added Diamond Lake to its 303(d) list
of impaired waters in 1998 due to high pH and chlo-
rophyll a values found during the summer when the
lake experienced excessive algal blooms. In 2004 it
was also listed for low dissolved oxygen and high
pH values during the fall, winter and spring. Algae
blooms resulted from a shift in trophic levels due
to the introduction of tui chub, a nonnative species
offish used as live bait by recreational fishermen.
The tui chub overtook the lake's ecosystem and
consumed many of the small aquatic organisms
that normally control algae growth. Toxic blue-green
algae proliferated, which caused the lake to fail to
support its designated uses of aesthetics, fishing
and water contact recreation.
ODEQ developed the Umpqua Basin Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in 2006. TheTMDL
determined that biomass limitation through the
eradication of the tui chub would improve water
quality and restore the lake's beneficial uses.
Bathymetry
Project Highlights
Thorough planning efforts led to a well-coordinated
drawdown of the lake in September 2006 and
subsequent treatment with rotenone to remove the
Figure 1. Depth
contours of
Diamond Lake
in the Umpqua
National Forest.
tui chub. Rotenone is a naturally occurring chemi-
cal derived from the roots of several tropical and
subtropical plant species. Routinely used to control
unwanted fish species, rotenone is rapidly broken
down in soil and water and usually loses toxicity
within six days. The lake drawdown reduced the
quantity of water to be treated and maximized the
mechanical removal of tui chub biomass before
rotenone application. Pretreatment netting removed
68,000 pounds of tui chub. Mechanical and hand
removal of the dead chub after rotenone treatment
recovered an additional 35,000 pounds of tui chub
carcasses. All chub were composted and later used
as a nutrient supplement for farming operations.
-------
Results
Diamond Lake met all water quality standards not
long after chub removal. In late 2007, chlorophyll
a values decreased from a high of 50/jg/L before
rotenone treatment to less than 10/jg/L (the water
quality criterion) after treatment (Figure 2). Algal
production is being held in check by the reestab-
lished zooplankton populations. Midsummer water
Figure 2. Reduction
in algal blooms, as
represented by chlo-
rophyll a, before and
after chub removal.
Figure 3. Transparency
depths with and
without tui chub
shows the Secchi
disk readings at the
height of the tui chub
population in 2006
and extreme clarity in
the summer of 2007.
Figure 4. Observed
overall decrease in pH
after eradication of
tui chub. Excursions
over the pH criteria
in 2007 are natural
and can occur during
extended periods
of above-average
air temperature and
below-average wind
velocities.
Feb
Jun
\ I
Aug Oct
Apr IVlay Jun .Tut Aug Sep Oct Nov
Quality
^ Standard
clarity increased from an average of 10 feet to
nearly 50 feet, the lake's depth at its deepest point
(Figure 3), and blue-green algae declined from the
dominant type of algae to a very small percent-
age of the algal community. The lake remained
cooler in 2007, which can be attributed to reduced
algal populations in the upper layers that absorb
solar energy. After the spring of 2007, scientists
observed that pH values recovered to below or near
the 8.5 criteria value (Figure 4). Zooplankton popula-
tions have rebounded and trout restocking led to
increased angler catches in 2007.
Water quality improvements have restored the
aquatic life designated use. On the basis of the
data, ODEQ expects this waterbody to continue
to meet standards in the future, warranting the
delisting from the 2010 303(d) list of impaired
waterbodies.
Partners and Funding
7
The project co-leaders included Umpqua National
Forest and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
ODEQ led water quality efforts, while many private
and public entities played supporting roles. State
Representative Susan Morgan brought together a
wide range of responsible and interested parties
focused on solving the deteriorating Diamond Lake
water quality conditions. Additional partners include
Partners for Umpqua Watersheds, Oregon Wildlife
Heritage Foundation, Oregon Division of State
Lands, Oregon Department of Agriculture, Douglas
County, PacifiCorp, and several other state and
federal agencies.
Clean Water Act section 319 funds helped support
several phases of the project, including database
development, baseline monitoring fortheTMDL
assessment and analyses of water quality following
lake drawdown and rotenone application. In total,
this project used $166,338 of section 319 funds,
including the state match. Diamond Lake's restored
waters generate $3.5 million annually for the state
and local economies.
To keep Diamond Lake sparkling, Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State
Marine Board, Umpqua National Forest, and ODEQ
have launched an intensive invasive species preven-
tion campaign. The partners are communicating
the following message: "Spread the word...not the
unwanted species."
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001E
May 2008
For additional information contact:
Paul Heberling, Umpqua Basin Team Coordinator
541-687-7428
heberling.paul@deq.state.or.us
-------
Section 319
NONPQfNT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Abandoned Mine Drainage Treatment Restores Drinking Water Source
atPrhnHv Imnrnx/pH LI°Ydville Run is the local name for an unnamed tributary
l/ tfd LUI LUU ¥ " ' lpl uvuu (UNT) to Bells Gap Run, which has been subject to historic
strip mine and deep mine coal extraction, resulting in impaired water quality because of
acid mine drainage (AMD). Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP)
added Lloydville Run to Pennsylvania's 2002 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list
of impaired waters for metals, pH and siltation. Water quality improved after PADEP's
Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR) installed a network of treatment systems
designed to remove metals and neutralize the acidity of the inflowing water. As a result,
PADEP expects to remove this 2.77-mile segment of Lloydville Run from the state's 2010
CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Lloydville Run (Figure 1) flows south near the
boundary of Pennsylvania's Cambria and Blair
counties before emptying into Bells Gap Run, which
flows into the Little Juniata River near Altoona. The
headwaters flow through state-owned game lands
that contain several abandoned strip and deep
coal mines that contribute AMD to Lloydville Run.
PADEP added the creek to the 2002 CWA section
303(d) impaired waters list because it was not
meeting water quality criteria for metals, pH and
siltation and was unable to support its aquatic life
designated use.
AMD forms when the iron sulfide mineral pyrite
in the mines is exposed to water and air, and a
chemical reaction occurs that produces acidic
water (low pH). The acidic water can leach various
contaminants from rocks in abandoned mines,
including metals that can pollute drinking water and
endanger aquatic life such as macroinvertebrates
and fish. Often, contaminants such as aluminum,
iron and manganese are found at toxic levels.
Depending on the circumstances, the pollutant that
poses the biggest concern at one site might not be
an issue at another site, further complicating the
problem.
Because AMD contributes to widespread acidic
water when it flows into surface water or groundwa-
ter, restoring an impaired stream can be challenging.
Figure 1. Lloydville Run in November 2008.
In general, the goal is to get metals to drop out of
solution by neutralizing the water's pH. This is done
by adding alkalinity to the source of AMD.
Project Highlights
PADEP BAMR designed three treatment systems
and a land-reclamation site to clean up the dis-
charges along Lloydville Run. The agency finished
constructing the treatment systems in the fall of
2001. The project included 18 acres of bare earth
revegetation above the treatment sites.
-------
The network of treatment systems includes an
anoxic limestone drain, a limestone vertical flow
pond, sediment ponds, and aerobic and anaerobic
wetlands. The treatment system series covers an
area of approximately 7 acres. To address specific
water chemistry issues, BAMR also implemented
passive treatment features to address several
acidic seeps from abandoned coal extraction
areas. Improved water quality in Lloydville Run
and Bells Gap Run benefits Bellwood Reservoir, a
downstream water source for the Altoona Water
Authority.
Results
Monitoring data collected at a sampling location on
Lloydville Run downstream of the treatment sys-
tems and land reclamation show that the pH level
increased from an average of 4.10 in 2000 to 6.92 in
2007 (Figure 2). Metal concentrations at the location
also dropped significantly over the same period.
Manganese dropped by 80 percent, aluminum
by 67 percent and iron by 59 percent. Monitoring
data collected between 2005 and 2007 show that
metal concentrations meet water quality standards
(Table 1).
In addition, PADEP biologists have documented
healthy populations of macroinvertebrates. All sites
sampled throughout the Bells Gap Run watershed
in 2008 produced Index of Biologic Integrity (IBI) val-
ues ranging from 66.4 to 94.4. An IBI value of 63 or
greater indicates good water quality and supports
removing a stream from the CWA 303(d) list. PADEP
expects to remove a 2.77-mile segment of Lloydville
Run (UNT to Bells Gap Run) from that list for pH and
metals in 2010.
Partners and Funding
Partners involved in restoring the watershed
include Environmental Alliance for Senior Involve-
ment (EASI), BAMR, and the Altoona Water
Authority. EASI performed the original water quality
8
7
6
_ 5
J 4
* 3
2
1
0
Lloydville Run pH Monitoring Results
pH before treatment pH after treatment
(2000) (2007)
Figure 2. Increase in pH in Lloydville Run from 2000 to 2007 as a
result of land treatment.
Table 1. Measured reductions in metal concentrations in
Lloydville Run
Metal
Aluminum
Manganese
Iron
2000 average
measured
concentration
(mg/L)'
2.7
2.6
1.5
2005-2007
average measured
concentration
(mg/L)
0.64
0.48
0.4
Water quality
criteria maximum
(mg/L)
0.75
1.00
1.50
1 mg/L: milligrams per liter
monitoring. Although the organization disbanded
locally, many of the same volunteers continue to
monitor the watershed. The project's total cost was
$503,970. PADEP's Growing Greener Program pro-
vided $337,515 and the U.S. Department of Interior
Office of Surface Mining's Clean Streams Initiative
funded the remaining $166,455.
\
PR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001CC
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Joseph Kelly
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Nonpoint Source Program
717-783-2404 • josephkel@state.pa.us
Pamela J. Milavec
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
814-472-1832 • pmilavec@state.pa.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCGESS STORY
Sealing Mines and Installing Treatment Systems Restores Streams
fltPrhnrlipQ Imnrnx/pH Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) has polluted Gumboot Run
VVdltM UUUlWb II I ipi UVWU and tne East Branch Clarion River in northwestern Pennsylvania's
McKean County since the 1800s. Numerous AMD seeps flow in the Gumboot Run watershed, which,
in turn, flows into the East Branch Clarion River. Those seeps negatively affected the water quality in
four waterbodies, including three segments in the Gumboot Run watershed and one segment on the
East Branch Clarion River mainstem, which prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection (PADEP) to add the segments to the state's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of
impaired waters for low pH. PADEP added the three segments in Gumboot Run in 2004 and the East
Branch Clarion River segment in 2006. Early efforts to clean up the watershed included sealing mines
and stabilizing spoil piles in the 1970s. Between 2001 and 2007, several AMD treatment systems were
constructed in the Gumboot Run Watershed that produced acceptable levels of pH and metals in both
streams. PADEP intends to remove all four segments from the 2010 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired
waters as the result of the water quality improvements.
Problem
Project Highlights
Coal mining began in the Gumboot Run watershed
in the late 1800s, near the small village of Clermont
in McKean County. Gumboot Run is a tributary of
the East Branch Clarion River, which is dammed to
form the East Branch Lake in a heavily forested part
of northwestern Pennsylvania. Deep mines pro-
duced a large amount of coal that was shipped by
railroad to western Pennsylvania and Buffalo, New
York. Although coal production decreased in the
Gumboot Mines by the early 1900s, coal continued
to be taken from the area into the late 1900s. An
assessment of the East Branch Clarion River in
1969 determined that numerous AMD sources
remained in the watershed. Attempts were made
in the 1970s to seal mines and reclaim the area, but
water quality impairment persisted.
In the late 1990s, data show that Gumboot Run had
a pH as low as 3.8 (standards require a minimum of
6.0 to support aquatic life) and had elevated levels
of manganese and aluminum. PADEP biologists
sampled the East Branch Clarion River in 2004 and
documented an impaired aquatic macroinvertebrate
population approximately 0.4 mile downstream of
the confluence with Gumboot Run. On the basis of
these data, PADEP added four waterbodies (7.48
stream miles total) to the state's CWA section 303(d)
list for low pH levels. The four waterbodies were
three segments in the Gumboot Run watershed
(added in 2004) and one segment on the mainstem
of the East Branch Clarion River (added in 2006).
Between 2001 and 2005, project partners installed
several passive treatment systems in the Gumboot
Run watershed. First, in 2001, PADEP's Knox
District Mining Office installed a vertical flow
system to add alkalinity directly into the stream.
Then, in 2007, partners installed an additional
passive treatment system to more thoroughly
treat AMD sources in the watershed at a cost of
approximately one million dollars. This project,
designed by PADEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine
Reclamation (BAMR) and completed by E.M. Brown
Construction, has a series of ponds with limestone
beds that neutralize the acidic water and allow met-
als to drop out of solution (Figures 1 and 2).
Figure 1. One of a series of limestone treatment
ponds installed.
-------
Figure 2. Another limestone treatment pond.
Results
Water quality has been improving as a result of the
restoration efforts. Data from Gumboot Run in 2007
and 2008 indicated that pH was achieving state
standards, and aluminum and manganese were
dropping to acceptable levels. PADEP's BAMR has
collected samples on Gumboot Run approximately
three-quarters of a mile downstream of the treat-
ment systems. The average pH at that location was
4.1 between 1996 and 1999. It rose to 7.3 between
2007 and 2008. During the same period, aluminum
declined by 46 percent (Figure 3) and manganese
declined by 78 percent (Figure 4) in samples taken
at the site.
PADEP's Division of Water Quality Standards reas-
sessed the stream in 2009 to ensure that minimum
state standards are being met. Results of their
findings are that benthic populations have returned
to both Gumboot Run and the previously impaired
segment of the East Branch of the Clarion River.
The waterbodies now meet Pennsylvania's water
quality standards. PADEP plans to remove the four
segments from the 2010 CWA section 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
Funding for the large, passive treatment system com-
pleted in 2007 was provided by the Surface Mining
Control Reclamation Act, Title IV, Appalachian Clean
Streams Initiative ($233,304) and Pennsylvania's
Growing Greener Program ($804,972).
Additional partners include the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, and Pennsylvania's Game Commission,
Fish and Boat Commission, and Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources. In addition,
in the early 1990s, the now disbanded Elk County
Fishermen worked to clean up the watershed. The
PADEP Knox District Mining Office and BAMR
have been very involved in monitoring the benthic
populations and metal levels, as well as funding and
designing treatment systems.
Aluminum water quality standard = 0.75 mg/L
Average Aluminum level (mg/L) before
treatment (1995-1999)
Average Aluminum level (mg/L) after
treatment (2007-2008)
Figure 3. Aluminum reductions in Gumboot Run in milligrams per
liter (mg/L).
1 1
1.2
0 8-
0.6-
0.4-
02-
0-
Average Manganese level (mg/L) before Average Manganese level (mg/L) after
treatment (1996-1999) treatment (2007-2008)
Figure 4. Manganese reductions in Gumboot Run in mg/L.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001MM
December 2009
For additional information contact:
Joe Kelly, Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
717-783-2404 • josephkel@state.pa.us
Ely Heferle, Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
Bureau of District Mining Operations
814-797-1191 • eheferle@state.pa.us
-------
Section 319
NONPniNT
PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stream Restoration and Dam Removal Restore Waterbodies
\A/dtQrh/^H\/ Irv-imr/^waH Many years of agricultural runoff had caused nutrient and dissolved
vvaisrDOQy improvsQ . . , . .„ . ^ i i ,..,
! oxygen impairments in Manatawny Creek and an unnamed tributary
to the Manatawny. In addition, an orphaned dam on the creek had blocked migratory fish access and
triggered sediment accumulation in the stagnant waters. By 1998 Pennsylvania had included approxi-
mately 22.3 miles of Manatawny Creek and its tributary on the state's 303(d) list, citing sediment,
nutrients, low dissolved oxygen, and thermal impairments due to agriculture and hydromodification.
To address these problems, project partners stabilized stream channels, restored riparian buffers, and
removed the dam. Water quality improved as a result, allowing the state to delist both waters in 2004.
Problem
The Manatawny Creek watershed covers
91.6 square miles and includes parts of two
counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. The
creek drains into the Schuylkill River at the
town of Pottstown, approximately 40 miles
northwest of Philadelphia.
Although urbanization is taking place through-
out the watershed, much of the area remains in
agricultural use. Nonpoint source runoff from
agricultural fields and operations delivered high
nutrient and sediment loads to Manatawny
Creek and its tributaries. Algal blooms and low
dissolved oxygen levels were pervasive issues.
An orphaned dam near the mouth of the creek
compounded the upstream problems in both
Manatawny Creek and an unnamed tributary
to the Manatawny. The dam blocked migratory
fish passage and caused stagnant flows, which
allowed sediment to accumulate.
These circumstances prompted the Pennsylv-
ania Department of Environmental Protection
(PA DEP) to place approximately 20 miles
of Manatawny Creek and 2.3 miles of the
tributary on the state's 303(d) list of impaired
waters for failing to meet aquatic life uses. The
agency identified several causes of impair-
ment, including
• Low dissolved oxygen concentrations trig-
gered by nutrient-rich agricultural runoff
Restored riparian buffer along Manatawny Creek.
• Accumulated sediments from runoff and
dam-caused streamflow stagnation
• Water temperature increases produced by
stagnant waters
Project Highlights
Project partners employed several approaches
to address the water quality troubles. First,
they removed the dam in 2000, restoring the
flow of the Manatawny and the tributary. Next,
they stabilized approximately 2,000 linear
feet of stream channel to reduce erosion.
Finally, to further deal with erosion and to
-------
reduce nutrients entering the waterway, project
partners restored nearly 2,000 linear feet of
riparian buffers. These actions helped to reduce
annual sediment loads to Manatawny Creek by
an estimated 800 tons.
In addition to engineering approaches, project
partners used public education throughout
the project's duration. They conducted public
meetings on the dam removal project, partici-
pated in formal meetings with borough officials
and residents to discuss riparian vegetation
management, and distributed project informa-
tion through print and television media.
Results
PA DEP reassessed Manatawny Creek and its
tributaries in 2002. By that time, the state had
changed its 303(d) listing and delisting meth-
odologies. When Manatawny Creek had been
listed in the mid-1990s for not meeting aquatic
life uses, the state had based its decision on
chemical parameters like nutrients and dis-
solved oxygen. Later, as part of programmatic
changes in Pennsylvania's total maximum
daily load (TMDL) program, the state revised
its criteria to base them primarily on benthic
macroinvertebrate data.
As shown in the accompanying table, state
biologists found that Manatawny Creek's
macroinvertebrate populations consisted
largely of pollution-sensitive taxa comparable
to those found at reference locations. In addi-
tion, PA DEP showed that dissolved oxygen
consistently remained above the state stan-
dard of 5 mg/L.
On the basis of these findings, Pennsylvania
removed 20 miles of Manatawny Creek and
2.3 miles of the unnamed tributary from its
303(d) list of impaired waters. Project partners
attribute the delisting of these waterbodies
to the dam removal and stream restoration
efforts.
Partners and Funding
Using a $90,000 section 319 grant, the
Delaware Riverkeeper Network spearheaded
efforts to stabilize streambanks and restore
riparian areas. The Academy of Natural
Sciences' Patrick Center for Environmental
Research used a PA DEP Growing Greener
grant to assess the effectiveness of dam
removal as a river restoration method. The
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission over-
saw the actual dam removal.
Additional partners included Greater Pottstown
Watershed Alliance; Borough of Pottstown
(Parks and Recreation); U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service; PA DEP; U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Nonpoint Source Program;
Montgomery County Conservation District;
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; and
Berks County Conservancy.
Sensitivity rating
Sensitive
Facultative
Tolerant
Number of macroinvertebrate taxa
Station 1
5
9
0
Station 2
7
10
0
Station 3
7
10
0
Station 4
7
13
1
Station 5
7
9
1
Reference
Station 1
7
9
2
Reference
Station 2
5
12
2
Macroinvertebrate data for Manatawny Creek in 2002 after stream restoration and dam removal. The table
shows the number of pollution-sensitive, facultative, and pollution-tolerant taxa for five sampling stations
and two reference sites. Taxa distribution in sampling stations compared favorably with that of reference
sites. This finding, in part, led to the delisting of Manatawny Creek and an unnamed tributary.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003N
December 2006
For additional information contact:
Russell Wagner
Department of Environmental Protection,
Nonpoint Source Program
717-772-5642 • ruwagner@state.pa.us
Dave Williams
Delaware Riverkeeper Network
215-369-1188 • dave@delawareriverkeeper.org
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Passive Treatment System Removes Pollutants
Waterbody Improved
An abandoned mine discharged metals, primarily iron, into
Pennsylvania's Semiconon Run, prompting the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to add it to the state's 2002 Clean Water Act sec-
tion 303(d) list of impaired waters for metals. Construction of a passive treatment system collected
and directed the acid mine drainage (AMD) to a settling pond, then to a wetland where it is treated by
vegetation and organic matter. The treated flow is then discharged through a limestone spillway before
entering Semiconon Run. As a result, iron levels declined, and PADEP removed Semiconon Run from
the state's 2008 303(d) list for metals.
Problem
Semiconon Run flows south from northern Butler
County to the Connoquenessing Creek and even-
tually empties into the Ohio River northwest of
Pittsburgh. The Semiconon Run watershed was
the site of coal mining activities from the 1870s to
the 1970s. In 2002 PADEP placed 2.3 miles of the
Semiconon Run mainstem on the state's 303(d) list
of impaired waters for metals.
An abandoned mine generated an acidic discharge
to a small channel that emptied directly into
Semiconon Run, conveying elevated metal loads
(Figure 1). The iron contributed to the stream was
high, as compared to other AMD metals such as
aluminum and manganese. Historic water sampling
near this location pinpointed the source of the prob-
lem to an abandoned mine. According to a Statewide
Surface Water Assessment Program Survey
(SSWAP) conducted near the mouth of Semiconon
Run in 1999, metals impaired the biological habitat.
The SSWAP identified an abandoned deep mine
upwelling as the source of impairment (Figure 2).
Figure 1. The
confluence
of AMD and
Semiconon Run
(6/26/03).
Figure 2. Deep
abandoned mine
upwelling.
Photo courtesy of Camp Lutherlyn
Project Highlights
The abandoned mine is on property owned by
Camp Lutherlyn. The camp offered to sponsor a
project to design and build a passive treatment
system to remediate the contaminated source.
Construction of the treatment system began in
2003 and was completed in 2004. The AMD is
collected and directed to a settling pond, then to
a wetland where it is treated by vegetation and
organic matter (Figure 3). The treated flow is then
discharged through a limestone spillway before
entering Semiconon Run.
Figure 3.
Volunteers plant-
ing in the con-
structed wetland,
8/22/03.
Photo courtesy of Camp Lutherlyn
-------
The treatment facility also serves as part of the
Camp Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program.
The program uses the facility to help teach camp
attendees about the remediation of Semiconon
Run. The project includes walking paths and a park-
ing area. Since the project was completed in 2004,
as many as 8,000 visitors per year have learned
about AMD, how it can negatively affect streams,
and what can be done about the problem.
Results
Data from a stream survey near the mouth of
Semiconon Run in 2007 show that the stream
habitat is no longer impaired. The stream survey
used the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), a measure of
the aquatic organisms living in the stream based on
a variety of metrics. In 2007 Semiconon Run's IBI
score was 68.6—an IBI greater than 63 indicates a
healthy population of aquatic organisms.
Additionally, metal loads from the mine to the
stream have declined significantly. The average
iron load in Semiconon Run between 1983 and
2002 was 0.80 milligrams per liter (mg/L) upstream
of the mine discharge, 8.54 mg/L at the mine
discharge, and 3.54 mg/L downstream of the
mine discharge. Samples taken by PADEP's Water
Quality and Assessment Division near the mouth
of Semiconon Run in the summer of 2007 show an
average iron load of 0.69 mg/L (Figure 4). As a result
of these reductions in metal concentrations and the
improved biological community, PADEP removed
Semiconon Run from the state's 2008 303(d) list.
Iron levels in Semiconon Run
:^
E 5
c .
o 4
0-
| |
I 1
Upstream of discharge discharge avg. Below discharge avg. Semiconon Run at mouth
avg. 1983-2002 1983-2002 1983-2002 2007
Sample Locations
Figure 4. Measurements of iron concentrations.
Partners & Funding
In 2002 Camp Lutherlyn obtained a Growing
Greener grant to design and construct the pas-
sive treatment system. Other project participants
included the Butler County Conservation District,
Connoquenessing Watershed Alliance, Western
Pennsylvania Coalition of Abandoned Mine
Reclamation, as well as a number of private consul-
tants. While no Clean Water Act section 319 funds
were used for the work in Semiconon Run, PADEP's
Nonpoint Source Program provided $60,000 for a
Growing Greener grant.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001W
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Joseph Kelly
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Nonpoint Source Program
717-783-2404 • josephkel@state.pa.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Plugged Gas Wells Improve Water Quality
W3terbodv ImDrOVed
f'ows through a part of northwestern Pennsylvania
that has been the site of oil and gas drilling since the early
1900s. Abandoned oil and gas wells have been degrading streams in this part of the state
for the past 50 years. Artesian flows with high acid concentrations lower the streams' pH
to below tolerable levels for many aquatic organisms. The Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (PADEP) added Step Run to the state's 2006 Clean Water Act sec-
tion 303(d) list of impaired waters due to low pH. After two local organizations partnered
to plug four abandoned wells in the Step Run watershed, the pH increased to acceptable
levels, and Pennsylvania removed one segment of Step Run from its 2008 303(d) list.
Problem
Step Run is a first-order stream in northern Clarion
County that flows into Licking Creek and then sev-
eral larger streams before eventually emptying into
the Clarion River. In 2006 PADEP added 3.4 miles
of Step Run's mainstem to the state's 303(d) list for
failing to support its aquatic life designated use due
to acidity. The source of acidity was groundwater
flowing up (an artesian flow) through abandoned oil
and gas wells and reaching the land surface.
PADEP estimates that as many as 200 abandoned
oil and gas wells remain in Clarion County. Stream
surveys completed in 2003 in the Licking Creek
watershed found pH as low as 3.5. A stream needs
to have a pH higher than 6.0 to support aquatic life.
A biological stream survey conducted by PADEP
in April 2004 noted that the stream had a sterile
appearance, and that there was "low EPT diversity,
abundance, no mayflies, no sensitive caddisflies
and low pH." EPT is short for the order names
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera, and
collectively refers to the families of mayflies, stone-
flies, and caddisflies found in a stream.
Project Highlights
In 2003 the Lucinda Watershed Association/Lucinda
Antler Club received a Growing Greener grant to
conduct a Licking Creek Watershed Assessment.
The watershed assessment found that the aban-
doned oil and gas wells must be plugged to raise
the pH of the impaired streams in the Licking
Creek watershed, including Step Run. In response,
the Clarion County Conservation District and the
Alliance for Wetlands and Wildlife plugged four
wells along Step Run (Figure 1).
f
- LI ' -
. ...
•
'; ' > .. ' !
-
»
•
,
- (tiflion (VitllllY. V\
V •': ...... *
O
o
Figure 1. Black dots show the four plugged wells along Step Run.
-------
PADEP did not develop a total maximum daily load
(TMDL) for Step Run or any of the streams to which
it flows on its way to the Clarion River; however,
the TMDL endpointforpH isa minimum of 6.0 in
accordance with the state standard for pH.
Results
Plugging the abandoned wells along the mainstem
of Step Run removed the source of acidity and
allowed water quality to improve. Samples taken by
PADEP's Water Quality and Assessment Division in
the summer of 2007 showed an average pH of 6.7,
which meets standards. Therefore, PADEP removed
3.4 miles of Step Run's mainstem from the state's
2008 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
Two Growing Greener grants and a PADEP
Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement
grant, awarded between 2001 and 2004, supported
the watershed assessment, stream monitoring and
well plugging. While no section 319 funds were
specifically used for plugging the abandoned oil
and gas wells, PADEP's Nonpoint Source Program
provided $131,025 as part of a Growing Greener
grant. The Clarion County Conservation District and
the Alliance for Wetlands and Wildlife coordinated
efforts to plug the abandoned oil and gas wells.
Efforts to plug additional abandoned wells that are
impairing waterbodies in the Clarion River Basin
are ongoing. Most notably, the Clarion County
Conservation District along with partners such as
the Alliance for Wetlands and Wildlife continue to
apply for and secure grant funding for this purpose.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001V
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Joseph Kelly
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Nonpoint Source Program
717-783-2404 • josephkel@state.pa.us
Trudy Alexander
District Manager, Clarion County Conservation District
814-226-4070 ext. 111 • talexander08@verizon.net
-------
•
*
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCGESS STORY
Installing Passive Treatment System Restores Trout Population
Waterbodies Improved Abandoned mine draina9e
-------
which consists of collection channels, limestone
treatment and settling ponds (Figures 2 and 3),
raises pH levels and allows the metals to drop out of
solution. The project also included planting 50,000
trees on Pennsylvania Game Commission watershed
land in 2000, which emphasized including trees and
shrubs that are desirable to local wildlife.
Figure 2. Vertical flow limestone treatment pond.
Figure 3. Settling pond with limestone baffles.
Results
Data collected by BAMR in November 2006 through
July 2008 show an average pH of 4.5 above the
treatment system and an average downstream pH
of 7.5. Data indicate that the passive treatment
system captures 84 percent of aluminum and
86 percent of manganese present.
On the basis of a 2008 BAMR biologist's assess-
ment of aquatic macroinvertebrates in the Sterling
Run watershed, PADEP's Division of Water Quality
Standards has determined that the Index of Biotic
Integrity is sufficiently high to support removing
five segments (12.33 miles) of Sterling Run from
the state's 2010 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired
waters.
Studies by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission show that brook trout populations
increased post-project. A May 2009 report notes that
only one brook trout was present in 1985 below the
point where Boake Run flows into Sterling Run. When
sampled again in 2008, 31 brook trout were present.
Also, the overall biomass at that location increased
from 0.2 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha) to 5.9 kg/
ha from 1985 to 2008. The number of brook trout
and biomass present increased significantly after
completing the treatment system. This reestablish-
ment of naturally reproducing brook trout population
indicates that waterbodies are attaining their aquatic
life designated use.
Partners and Funding
Sterling Run's heavily forested watershed drains
mostly state-owned land that is managed by the
Pennsylvania Game Commission. The rest of the
watershed is privately held, except for a small
portion that lies within the Sproul State Forest
and is managed by the Pennsylvania Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources. Primary
partners in the project were BAMR and the
Game Commission. Other partners include the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which has
sampled for fish species in the watershed as far
back as 1985, and E.M. Brown Construction.
The Game Commission dedicated the Boake Run
Mine Acid Abatement Project on September 29,
2005 (Figure 4). Final cost for the entire project was
$856,677, which was provided by the federal Office
of Surface Mining through the Appalachian Clean
Stream Initiative.
Figure 4.
Partners from
PADEPBAMR,
Pennsylvania
Game
Commission
and E.M. Brown
Construction
gathered to
dedicate the
Boake Run
project.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-00100
December 2009
For additional information contact:
Joe Kelly, Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection
717-783-2404 • josephkel@state.pa.us
Pamela J. Milavec, Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
814.472.1832 • pmilavec@state.pa.us
-------
•
*
Section 319
NONPOINT SPUSCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Outhouse Removal Eliminates Source of Bacteria
WatPfbodv ImnrovPd
' "' r
Rnocle lslancl placed Gilbert Stuart Stream on its 2000 303(d)
list of impaired waters because it did not meet the state's
fecal coliform bacteria water quality standard. The bacteria impairment was caused by an
outhouse near the shore of a pond that serves as the stream's source. After removing the
outhouse, bacterial levels dropped, and the segment now meets water quality standards.
Rhode Island removed the stream from its list of impaired waterbodies in 2008.
Problem
Gilbert Stuart Stream is the largest freshwater
tributary to Narrow River and an important
anadromous fish run. Narrow River is in
southern Rhode Island, west of Narragansett
Bay. Its watershed lies within the towns of
North Kingstown, Narragansett and South
Kingstown. Gilbert Stuart Stream originates
at the discharge spillway of Carr Pond at the
Gilbert Stuart Museum historical site in North
Kingstown, travels approximately 0.3 km
through hardwood wetlands and terminates
at the northern end of Upper Pond, which is
the beginning of the Narrow River (Figure 1).
The surrounding watershed is sparsely settled
with several camps and low-density residen-
tial development. Local organizations and
the general public enjoy hiking, camping and
canoeing in the watershed.
Water quality monitoring data collected dur-
ing the development of the Narrow River Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for pathogen
impairments indicated that Gilbert Stuart
Stream's fecal coliform (FC) levels were
sporadically very elevated and consistently
violated the state's bacteria water quality
standards. Rhode Island classifies Gilbert
Stuart Stream as a Class A waterbody. The
water quality standard for fecal coliform (an
indicator of pathogen contamination) in Class
A waters requires that concentrations do not Rgure ^ An aeria| view of the project |ocation |nset pictures
exceed a geometric mean value of 200 MPN show a fish ladder at the Carr Pond Dam (top left) and two views
(per 100 milliliters (ml), and not more than of the Gilbert Stuart Museum site (right).
-------
10 percent of the total samples shall exceed a
value of 400 MPN/100 ml, where MPN is the
most probable number.
Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management's (OEM's) 1999 water qual-
ity data showed that, at a sampling station
immediately downstream of the Gilbert Stuart
Museum, the dry-weather geometric mean of
the stream was 182 FC/100 ml, while the wet-
weather geometric mean was 573 FC/100 ml.
The calculated weighted-geometric mean for
the segment was 290 FC/100 ml, and the
90th percentile value was 4,320 FC/100ml_.
DEM determined that Gilbert Stuart Stream
did not meet standards necessary to support
its designated use (primary recreation) and
added the stream to its 2000 303(d) list of
impaired waters.
Project Highlights
DEM determined that human activity was
likely the dominant source of fecal coliform
bacteria. A failing septic system at the Gilbert
Stuart Museum (at the headwaters of the
stream) was replaced around 1997; however,
fecal coliform concentrations in the stream
remained elevated. During the 1999 sampling
effort, the primary source of fecal coliform
contamination to the stream was localized to
the Gilbert Stuart Museum property (Figure 2).
DEM identified an outhouse within 35 feet of
Carr Pond as the probable source. Museum
curators agreed to replace the outhouse with
a portable toilet in 1999. Removal of this
outhouse was the only remedial measure
deemed necessary for Gilbert Stuart Stream
in the Narrow River TMDL report.
Figure 2. The Gilbert Stuart Museum and
waterwheel.
Results
Data indicate that Gilbert Stuart Stream water
quality has improved significantly. Project part-
ners collected and analyzed 29 water samples
from 2000 to 2005. Results show a geometric
mean of 45.75 FC/100 ml with only 2 of the 29
samples exceeding 400—a drastic decrease in
fecal coliform levels. The stream now meets the
state's Class A water quality standard and sup-
ports its designated use for primary recreation.
Therefore, Rhode Island removed the stream
from its303(d) list in 2008.
Partners and Funding
University of Rhode Island Watershed Watch
volunteers contributed to the water quality
monitoring effort. Rhode Island DEM used
Clean Water Act section 319 funding to develop
the Narrow River TMDL.
I
5
PR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001J
August 2008
For additional information contact:
Ernie Panciera
Office of Water Resources, Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Management
401-222-4700x7603
ernie.panciera@dem.ri.gov
-------
Section 319
NPNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
Homeowners and Agricultural Community Reduce Bacteria Levels
in Oconee County Watersheds
atPrhnHv ImnrnvpH Livestock operations and failing septic systems caused excessive
fecal coliform levels in two rural South Carolina creeks. In 1998 the
state placed three sites (i.e., waterbody segments) along Coneross and Beaverdam Creeks on its
303(d) list for violating bacterial indicator water quality standards. The three watersheds represented
by these sites did not support recreational uses because of the bacterial impairment. The South
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) developed total maximum daily
loads (TMDLs) for fecal coliform for Beaverdam Creek and two sites within Coneross Creek. Public
and private partners met these TMDLs by implementing several best management practices (BMPs)
designed, in part, to help the creeks meet state water quality standards for fecal coliform. At the
close of the project in December 2005, all three sites were meeting South Carolina's water quality
standards for fecal coliform.
Problem
Coneross and Beaverdam Creeks flow though
Oconee County in the northwest corner of
South Carolina. Water quality monitoring data
within the two rural watersheds showed that
three sites consistently exceeded state water
quality standards for fecal coliform. As a result,
South Carolina placed two sites on Coneross
Creek and one site on Beaverdam Creek on its
303(d) list for fecal coliform bacteria violations.
These watersheds encompass 47,016 acres in
Coneross Creek and 9,099 acres in Beaverdam
Creek. Staff at SCDHEC attributed the violations
to failing septic systems and runoff from animal
management sites. South Carolina removed
the Beaverdam Creek site from the 303(d) list
in 2000 and the Coneross Creek site in 2002
because a TMDL had been developed and
approved for each station. However, water qual-
ity standards were not met at any of the three
sites until 2005.
Project Highlights
In 2002 South Carolina initiated a 3-year
project to develop and implement three fecal
coliform TMDLs for the creeks. To effectively
meet the TMDLs, project partners developed
a watershed-based plan that targeted the
This alternative watering source on the Hendrix
Farm keeps cattle out of nearby creeks and ponds.
agricultural community and homeowners with
septic systems needing repair or replacement.
The plan included an extensive commu-
nity education component. Through various
outreach efforts, project partners improved
homeowner awareness of the importance of
proper septic system maintenance. Outreach
to the agricultural community included infor-
mation about various BMPs to improve water
quality.
By 2005, homeowners and farmers had
taken many steps to improve Coneross and
-------
This septic tank was completely filled with solids. Cooperators removed the solids and replaced the tank.
Beaverdam Creeks. Using the technical and
financial support of project partners, hom-
eowners repaired or replaced 38 failing septic
systems. Likewise, project partners helped
the agricultural community to adopt 80 BMPs,
which included planting buffers and field bor-
ders, fencing cattle from creeks and providing
alternative water sources, building waste-stor-
age sheds, and installing compost facilities.
Results
Monitoring data from SCDHEC show that
the efforts of the project team members,
homeowners, and the agricultural community
resulted in a measurable reduction in fecal
coliform in Coneross and Beaverdam Creeks.
By the end of the project in December 2005,
data from each of the three stations showed
that the water was meeting water quality
standards for fecal coliform (South Carolina's
water quality standard for fecal coliform
bacteria allows for no more than 10 percent
exceedances of the 400 cfu/100 ml instanta-
neous criterion). Monitoring will continue at
all three stations to ensure that standards are
maintained.
In addition to the obvious water quality
benefits, the Coneross Creek and Beaverdam
Creek project has resulted in many physi-
cal, economic, and social benefits to project
participants. Agricultural producers, for
example, discovered that implementing the
Waste stacking sheds, like this one, reduce the
amount of fecal coliform that washes away after a
rain event.
BMPs improved forage management and utiliza-
tion, distributed livestock grazing patterns more
evenly, and increased revenue from the addition
of product lines such as compost.
Partners and Funding
The project was a partnership between
SCDHEC, Clemson University, USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Oconee
County Soil and Water Conservation District, and
the Oconee County Cattlemen's Association.
The project used just over $583,000 in federal
319 funds and $100,000 in EQIP, which included
an additional match of $417,000. The total cost
for this project was over $1,100,000.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001K
June 2007
For additional information contact:
Meredith Barkley, South Carolina Department of
Health and Environmental Control
803-898-4222
barklemb@dhec.sc.gov
-------
Section 319
NUNPOINT SOURCE PRPQRAM SUCCESS STORY
Watershed Partnership Restores River
Waterbodv Imoroved
Stream entrenchment and bank failure caused excess
sediment to enter the Belle Fourche River, prompting South
Dakota to add a 17-mile-long segment of the river to its 1998 and 2002 Clean Water Act
section 303(d) lists of impaired waters for elevated total suspended solids (TSS). The Belle
Fourche River Watershed Partnership (BFRWP) led efforts to restore riparian grazing areas
and reduce the volume of unused irrigation water returning to the river, both of which
reduced the amount of sediment entering the river. Water quality improved, and South
Dakota removed this segment of the Belle Fourche River from the 2008 303(d) list for TSS.
Problem
The Belle Fourche River drains
parts of Butte, Lawrence and
Meade counties in western South
Dakota. The river flows into the
Cheyenne River and, ultimately,
to the Missouri River. Land
use in the watershed is primar-
ily livestock grazing with some
cropland and a few urban and
suburban areas. Data show that
elevated levels of sediment in the
river were causing TSS levels to
exceed the water quality standard
of 158 milligrams per liter (mg/L)
TSS daily maximum. Therefore,
South Dakota added the 17-mile-
long Whitewood Creek to Willow
Creek segment (Figure 1) of Belle
Fourche River to the 1998 section
303(d) list of impaired waters
because of elevated TSS.
Figure 1. Map of the
In April 2001 BFRWP launched
an assessment project to deter-
mine the TSS total maximum daily load (TMDL) for
the Belle Fourche River. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) approved the final TMDL in
2005. The primary contributors of TSS, as defined
by the TMDL, included the large volume of unused
irrigation water that was discharged to the natural
waterways, natural bank sloughing and impaired
riparian habitat.
The TMDL indicated that irrigation and the return
flow of unused irrigation water were responsible for
Legend
Other 2002 303d Rivers
Belle Fourche Success Story segment
C3 Belle Fourche SP-12 Watershed
impaired portion of the Belle Fourche River.
approximately 20 percent of the TSS in the Belle
Fourche River system. As unused irrigation flows
return to the river, the increased water volumes
erode the river channel, causing parts of the river
bank to slump into the channel and create increased
TSS levels. Much of the irrigation in the watershed
is flood irrigation. This type of irrigation mobilizes
sediments by three processes: (1) tail water/runoff
crossing fields, (2) water flowing inthecanalsand
laterals, and (3) flows in the intermittent streams
carrying tail water/runoff to the perennial streams in
the watershed.
-------
According to the TMDL, stream entrenchment and
bank failure were responsible for another 75 percent
of the TSS in the river. Stream energy caused natu-
ral bank failure, particularly in the eastern portion of
the watershed. These areas are dominated by high
banks composed of primarily clay soils that supply
suspended solids to the channel. Increased quanti-
ties of water resulting from the unused irrigation
return flows caused additional channel erosion,
which in turn led to additional bank failures.
Finally, the TMDL estimates that rangeland and
riparian area erosion contributed the remaining
5 percent of the TSS load to the river.
Results
Project Highlights
In 2004 BFRWP adopted a watershed approach to
implement the best management practices (BMPs)
recommended in the Belle Fourche River TMDL. To
help implement the TMDL, BFRWP developed the
Ten-Year Belle Fourche River Watershed Strategic
Implementation Plan and the Five-Year Belle
Fourche Irrigation District Water Conservation Plan.
The projects focused on addressing how irrigation
was conveyed within the Belle Fourche Irrigation
District (BFID), including the on-farm delivery of
irrigation waters. Other projects included restor-
ing riparian rangeland areas and increasing public
outreach. BFRWP collaborated with six different
producers to complete the riparian grazing reha-
bilitation projects and eight separate producers to
complete the irrigation improvement projects.
The project partners implemented a canal auto-
mation project, a canal operational model and an
updated water card/billing system within the BFID.
These projects dramatically increased irrigation
delivery efficiency while improving the under-
standing of how the system operates as a whole.
Providing off-stream water supply and managed
grazing alternatives has improved the health of both
riparian and upland habitat by trapping sediments
before they can enter the stream.
Recent quarterly sampling performed by the South
Dakota Department of Environment and Natural
Resources indicates a drop in TSS concentrations
below the standard of 158 mg/L daily maximum
(see Table 1). As a result of these improvements,
South Dakota removed this 17-mile segment from
its 2008 303(d) list for TSS.
Table 1. TSS statistics (mg/L) for the Belle
Fourche River at Vale
Statistic
Mean
Median
Standard
Deviation
Maximum
Number of
Samples
Pre-BMPdata
(June 1977-
April2005)
76.8
34.5
153
885
106
Post-BMP data
(June 2005-
August2006)
18.3
15
12.3
32
3
Partners and Funding
The success of the project is largely a result of
the participation of the following local, state and
federal agencies and organizations: Butte and
Lawrence County Conservation District, Elk Creek
Conservation District, South Dakota Conservation
Commission, South Dakota Department of
Agriculture, South Dakota Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, South Dakota
Game Fish and Parks, South Dakota Grassland
Coalition, South Dakota School of Mines and
Technology, South Dakota State University, U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, EPA, U.S. Geological
Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
More than $9.1 million secured from several local,
state and federal sources funded the watershed's
rehabilitation, including $2.5 million from EPA sec-
tion 319 funds, $3.7 million from local participants
and $2.9 million from other federal sources.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001B
February 2009
For additional information contact:
Steve Bubnick
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8
bubnick.steven@epa.gov • 303-312-6829
Pete Jahraus
South Dakota Dept. of Natural Resources (SDDENR)
pete.jahraus@state.sd.us • 605-773-5623
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Streambank Restoration and Cattle Exclusion Reduce Siltation and
Improve Water Quality
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd Agricultural practices and land development in the Arrington
Creek watershed were contributing to silt runoff that was
degrading the water quality of the creek. The waterbody was listed as impaired on
Tennessee's 2002 303(d) list due to siltation from agriculture and land development. Best
management practices (BMPs) implemented in the watershed successfully improved the
water quality of Arrington Creek and allowed for its removal from the impaired list in 2004.
Problem
Arrington Creek is located in Williamson
County in central Tennessee. It is in the
Harpeth River watershed, Ecoregion 71i. A
24.6-mile segment of Arrington Creek was
listed as impaired on the state's 2002 303(d)
list for siltation. Arrington Creek was only
partially supporting criteria for its designated
use classification (fish and aquatic life). The
state identified agricultural practices and land
development as the primary sources of silt
entering the waterbody. A siltation and habitat
alteration total maximum daily load (TMDL)
was previously developed for this watershed
and approved by EPA in 2002.
helped reduce the amount of silt and runoff
entering the waterway.
Results
Project Highlights
Eight BMPs were implemented along Paige
Branch, a tributary to Arrington Creek,
between 1999 and 2003. The installment of
exclusion fencing and an alternative water-
ing facility prevented livestock from entering
the stream, thereby reducing the trampling
of streambanks. Other BMPs implemented
include pasture and hay planting along criti-
cal areas, reinforcement of heavy use areas,
Streambank protection, and planting riparian
buffers (Figure 1). These management practices
The BMPs implemented along Paige Branch,
a tributary to Arrington Creek, have helped
reduce the level of siltation entering the
waterbody and allowed it to meet its desig-
nated water quality standards such that there
were no distinctly visible solids, scum, foam,
oily slick, or the formation of slimes, bottom
deposits or sludge banks. In addition the
Branch was found to be no longer detrimental
to fish and aquatic life. This stream was reas-
sessed in 2002 by the Tennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).
Using EPA's rapid bioassessment protocol III
(RBPIII), state biologists calculated a biological
reconnaissance (biorecon) score for Arrington
Creek, which is used to measure a compliance
with the state water quality standard for silt-
ation. Biorecon is one tool used to recognize
stream impairment as judged by species rich-
ness measures, emphasizing the presence or
absence of indicator organisms without regard
to relative abundance. The biorecon index is
scored on a scale from 1-15. A score less than
-------
5 is regarded as very poor. A score over 10 is
considered good. The principal metrics used
are the total macroinvertebrate families (or
genera), the number of families (or genera) of
mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT), and
the number of pollution intolerant families (or
genera) found in a stream. The biorecon results
for Arrington Creek indicated 10 EPT families,
7 intolerant, and 25 total families. The stream
received a score of 15 out of 15, indicating that
it is now fully supporting fish and aquatic life.
The stream got a habitat score of 115, which is
similar to the established habitat goal for this
region. The stream has improved since last
assessed and therefore Arrington Creek was
removed from Tennessee's list of impaired
waters in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The Williamson County Soil Conservation
District and the Harpeth River Watershed
Association helped implement the BMPs with
$12,500 of section 319 direct and matched
funding. An additional $55,627.81 was contrib-
uted by the Tennessee Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund and matching funds.
Arrington Creek, Williamson County in the Harpeth River
Watershed, 05130204
Williamson County
2004 fish & aquatic life
stream attainment
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
Dry
Arrington Creek
Arrington Creek was
impaired for all 24.6
miles. Paige Branch is
not included in the
^StarnesCreekl listing.
BMPs Installed 1999-2003
Harpeth River Watershed, 051302040104
Rutherford County
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, August 2006
Figure 1. BMPs implemented in the Harpeth River watershed.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001Q
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II @state.tn. us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Agricultural Best Management Practices Reduce Erosion and
Improve Water Quality
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Livestock activity eroded pasture areas along Tennessee's
^ ^ Austin Branch, causing siltation problems in the creek. The
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) added the 3.9-mile long
Austin Branch to the state's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters
in 2002. Local farmers implemented agricultural best management practices (BMPs) to
exclude livestock from creek areas and control erosion. Water quality improved, prompting
TDEC to remove the creek from the state's list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Austin Branch flows through Sumner County,
southwest of Portland, Tennessee, and empties
into the Red River (Figure 1). Land use is primarily
agricultural, with some large residential properties
(on five-acre lots or larger) along the stream. Poorly
managed livestock grazing operations led to erosion
of pasture areas along Austin Branch. The eroded
sediment washed into the stream and accumulated
on the substrate. The standard states that there
must be no distinctly visible solids, scum, foam, oily
slick, or the formation of slimes, bottom deposits or
sludge banks of such size or character that could be
detrimental to fish and aquatic life. The high levels
of siltation in Austin Branch prevented the water-
body from supporting its designated use of fish and
aquatic life.
In addition, TDEC conducted a biological reconnais-
sance (biorecon) survey of Austin Branch in 2001
using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
rapid bioassessment protocol III. A biorecon survey
is a tool used to evaluate stream impairment
as determined by species richness measures,
emphasizing the presence or absence of indicator
organisms without regard to relative abundance.
The biorecon survey score is used as a measure
of compliance with water quality standards for the
beneficial use of fish and aquatic life. The principal
metrics used are the total macroinvertebrate fami-
lies (or genera); the number of families (or genera)
of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (collectively
Austin Branch TN05130206024-0300
Sumner County, Tennessee
Figure 1. Austin Branch empties into Tennessee's Red River.
The triangles on the map denote where landowners
implemented BMPs.
-------
referred to as EPT—short for the order names
Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera); and
the number of pollution-intolerant families (or gen-
era) found in a stream. Austin Branch's 2001 biore-
con survey score was poor, prompting TDEC to add
the entire 3.9-mile creek segment to Tennessee's
CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2002.
TDEC identified poorly managed livestock grazing/
pasture areas as the primary source of the creek's
siltation and consequent loss of biological integrity.
Results
Project Highlights
Local farmers installed agricultural BMPs along
Austin Branch using money from both the CWA
section 319 program and Tennessee's Agricultural
Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF). Between
2003 and 2005, landowners used CWA section 319
funds to renovate 47.6 acres of pasture and hay-
land (reseeding and otherwise improving grazing
management) and to protect two heavy-use areas
(see Figure 1 for BMP locations). Protecting heavy-
use areas involves stabilizing land areas that are
frequently used by people, animals or vehicles. For
instance, the practice is applied in streams where
cattle or farm equipment frequently cross, around
cattle watering or feeding facilities or in cattle feed-
lots or walkways. In 2003 landowners used money
from the ARCF to convert 8.1 acres of cropland to
grassland (Figure 2).
In 2004 TDEC performed a follow-up biorecon
survey of Austin Branch, which indicated that the
stream had improved since the 2001 survey. The
2004 survey documented 8 EPT families, 4 intoler-
ant families and 25 total families—yielding an over-
all habitat score of 112, which met TDEC's regional
goals. On the basis of these data, TDEC believes
that Austin Branch meets its designated uses and
removed the stream from the state's list of impaired
waters in 2008.
Partners and Funding
Watershed partners used $3,877 of CWA section
319 funding (including additional matching funds of
$1,292) and $330 from the Tennessee ARCF (includ-
ing matching funds of $110) to implement BMPs in
the Austin Branch watershed. Key partners include
the Sumner County Soil Conservation District (for
helping to design and implement BMPs) and land-
owners (for contributing the majority of the in-kind
match for BMPs).
Figure 2. Example of cropland
conversion in a Tennessee field.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001N
July 2009
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306 • Sam.Marshall@state.tn.us
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PFQSRAM SUCCESS STURY
Best Management Practices Reduce Siltation and Contaminated Runoff
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd uno from livestock operations and unrestricted grazing
was contributing high levels of sediment and nutrients to Blue
Spring Creek in Coffee County, Tennessee. Education and the introduction of best manage-
ment practices (BMPs), including fencing, water facilities for cattle, and waste management
systems, have helped to eliminate existing water quality problems, allowing the creek to be
removed from Tennessee's 303(d) list.
Problem
Beef production is a major enterprise in Coffee
County, Tennessee, and livestock are raised
throughout the region to supply this industry.
Poor nutrient management plans and grazing
practices resulted in runoff that contained
sediment and nutrients entering the stream
untreated. Based on the results of a macroin-
vertebrate sampling and habitat assessment
that demonstrated values below expecta-
tions for streams in the Eastern Highland Rim
ecoregion, the Blue Spring Creek was listed on
Tennessee's 2002 303(d) list as having "other
habitat alterations" due to nonirrigated crop
production.
Project Highlights
Educational efforts have raised awareness
about the water quality problems associated
with unrestricted livestock grazing. Farmers
have been willing to help improve water quality
by installing BMPs on their land. Exclusion
fencing was used to keep livestock out of
natural water sources and off streambanks.
As a result, native vegetation has returned to
streambank areas, providing habitat for wildlife
and serving as a natural filter strip.
Alternative watering systems provide livestock
with water in areas with no stream access.
Frost-free water tanks have been particularly
successful in providing better water quality for
humans, livestock, aquatic plants, and animals.
The soil in heavy-use areas surrounding alter-
native water ponds is stabilized with geotextile
material to further prevent erosion.
Animal waste management systems, such as
holding ponds, allow for proper waste disposal.
Such systems take care of contaminated run-
off, as well as wash water and flush water from
dairy or swine operations.
Pasture seeding with a mix of fescue and white
clover, in combination with a nutrient manage-
ment plan, provided effective erosion control
on area farms.
Results
By 2003 biological integrity and habitat at
Blue Spring Creek had improved, as measured
by the higher diversity and types of macroin-
vertebrates such as insects, crayfish, snails,
and clams—indicators of good water quality.
Almost twice as many EPT families (a category
of insects used to measure water quality) were
present in 2003 (11 EPT) than in 1999 (6 EPT),
and 25 different taxa were collected in 2003
as compared to 15 different taxa found in
1999. Eight of these families are intolerant of
pollution. These metric values represent the
-------
highest score possible (15) out of a family-level
biological reconnaissance (biorecon) index that
considers scores from 11 to 15 indicative of a
non-impaired biological community. The habi-
tat assessment score had improved from 114
in 1999, which is considered inadequate in the
ecoregion, to a score of 136—well above the
target habitat score of 123, which indicates a
healthy biological population in the ecoregion.
As a result, Blue Spring Creek was removed
from Tennessee's 303(d) list in 2004.
Partners and Funding
This project included support from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Natural Resources
Conservation Service and the Coffee County
Soil Conservation District, which designed and
approved the animal waste management sys-
tems. The project costs totaled $110,219, includ-
ing funding through the Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF) and $8,733 of Clean
Water Act section 319 cost-share funding, which
was used to cover the costs of exclusion fencing,
alternative water facilities, and pasture seeding.
Total Taxa
EPT Taxa
Number of families in the pollution-sensitive group EPT found at
Blue Spring Creek in Coffee County between 1999 and 2003.
I
5
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004P
August 2005
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, PhD
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
sam.marshall@state.tn.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Implementing Agricultural Best Management Practices Improves
Water Quality
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd
Livestock activity eroded pasture areas and stream banks
along Tennessee's Brush Creek, causing siltation problems in
the creek. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) added an
11.6-mile segment of Brush Creek to the state's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of
impaired waters in 2002. Landowners implemented agricultural best management practices
(BMPs) to exclude livestock from creek areas and control erosion. Water quality improved,
prompting TDEC to remove the creek from the state's list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Tennessee's Brush Creek watershed is south of
Clarksville in Montgomery County. The 11.6-mile
long creek flows into the Cumberland River at
Barkley Reservoir. Land use along the stream is
primarily agricultural. Poorly managed livestock
grazing operations led to erosion of pasture areas
and stream banks along Brush Creek. The eroded
sediment washed into the creek, preventing it from
supporting its designated use of fish and aquatic
life because of high levels of siltation. In 2002 TDEC
placed Brush Creek on Tennessee's CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters. TDEC identified
poorly managed livestock grazing/pasture areas as
the primary source of the creek's siltation.
Project Highlights
Local landowners installed agricultural BMPs along
Brush Creek using money from CWA section 319
grants and Tennessee's Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF). In 2006 landowners
used section 319 funds to help pay for installing
6,080 feet of fence for rotational grazing. From 2003
to 2008, landowners used ARCF grants to support
other BMPs, including installing 396 feet of fenc-
ing, protecting seven heavy use areas (HUAs) from
erosion, and converting 10 acres from cropland to
grassland orforestland (Figure 1).
Protecting HUAs involves stabilizing areas frequent-
ly used by people, animals or vehicles. For instance,
this practice is applied in streams where cattle or
farm equipment frequently cross, around cattle
\ V. ^MPsalon9f rush Creek TN05130205015T-1300
\"N ~^—M^rjjgomery County, Tennessee^
Legend
# BMPs
Brush Creek
Cumberland River Watershed
05130205
f- \\
/ \ \
1—/Barkley ReservoirJUr
"\ I
•^
I Barkley Reservoir MiscJprDs-
S D/c*son
0 0.40.8 1.6 Miles
ID Practice
1 Heavy Use Area
2 Fence
3 Fence
4 Pipeline
5 Heavy Use Area
6 Alternative Watering System, Public Water Source
7 Cropland Conversion
Size of Project
5 HUAs
6080 feet
396 feet
830 feet
2 HUA Pads
2 waterers
10 acres
Figure 1. Map showing location of BMPs installed in the
Brush Creek watershed.
-------
Figures 2 and 3. Examples of alternative watering systems installed in the Brush Creek watershed.
watering or feeding facilities, or in cattle feedlots
or walkways. Converting cropland to forestry and
grassland is an important method to reduce soil
erosion and improve the biophysical environment.
In addition, landowners installed two alternative
watering systems using public water as a source
(Figures 2 and 3).
Results
In 2006 TDEC performed a Semi-Quantitative
Single Habitat Assessment (SQSH) survey at mile
1.9 near Beardon Ridge Road. The principal metrics
used were the total macroinvertebrate families
(or genera); the number of families of mayflies,
stoneflies and caddisflies (collectively referred to
as EPT—short for the order names Ephemeroptera,
Plecoptera and Trichoptera); and the number of
pollution-intolerant families found in a stream. The
SQSH scored an almost perfect 40 out of 42 on the
Tennessee Macroinvertebrate Index. The assess-
ment documented 6 EPT families, 3 intolerant and
20 total families. The overall habitat score for this
site was 120, suggesting that the stream's water
quality has improved. On the basis of these data,
TDEC removed Brush Creek from the CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters in 2008.
Partners and Funding
Brush Creek has benefited from $6,355 of CWA
section 319 funding (including additional matching
funds of $2,118). In addition, Tennessee's ARCF
provided $6,146 (plus an additional $2,049 in
matching funds). Key partners in this effort include
the Montgomery County Soil Conservation District
for implementing BMPs and the landowners who
contributed the majority of the in-kind match.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001M
July 2009
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306 • Sam.Marshall@state.tn.us
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
Reducing the Impacts of Cattle Grazing Improved Water Quality
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd P°"u1:ec' runoff from pasture-grazing cattle and erosion
of sensitive pastureland degraded the water quality of
Cripple Creek. This led to the listing of a 7.7-mile segment of Cripple Creek as impaired in
2002. Several best management practices (BMPs) were implemented, including pasture
renovation, grassed waterways, and a livestock watering facility. This resulted in water
quality improvements of the 7.7-mile segment of Cripple Creek and its removal from the
2004 list of impaired waters.
Problem
Cripple Creek is located in the East Stones
River Watershed in Rutherford County,
Ecoregion 71i. The creek was listed as
impaired on the 2002 303(d) list for siltation,
which is a common pollutant of surface
waters. Siltation can cause significant eco-
nomic impacts such as increased water
treatment costs, loss of storage capacity in
reservoirs, direct impacts to navigation, and
the increased possibility of flooding. The state
identified pasture grazing as the major source
of impairment. A siltation total maximum
daily load (TMDL) was established in 2002 by
Tennessee's Department of Environment and
Conservation for Cripple Creek.
Cripple Creek was listed for not meeting the
state water quality standard for siltation in
order to fully support its designated benefi-
cial use offish and aquatic life. The standard
states that there shall be no distinctly visible
solids, scum, foam, oily slick, or the formation
of slimes, bottom deposits or sludge banks of
such size or character that may be detrimental
to fish and aquatic life.
Project Highlights
Fourteen BMPs were implemented by the
Rutherford County Soil Conservation District
from 1999 to 2003 in the East Stones Fork
River Watershed. Over 157 acres were reno-
vated as a result of replanting pasture lands
and the implementation of grassed waterways
(Figure 1). Grassed waterways are graded
natural structures that improve water quality
by conveying runoff without causing flooding
or erosion, and help to reduce gully erosion.
In addition, an alternative livestock watering
facility was implemented to provide acces-
sible water for livestock. The watering facility
has several positive effects: 1) it protects and
enhances vegetative cover through proper
distribution of grazing, 2) it provides erosion
control through better grassland management,
and 3) it protects Cripple Creek and other water
supplies from contamination by providing
livestock with alternative access to water.
Results
Using EPA's rapid bioassessment protocol III
(RBPIII), state biologists calculated a biological
reconnaissance (biorecon) score for Cripple
Creek, which is used to measure compli-
ance with the state water quality standard for
siltation. Biorecon is one tool used to recognize
stream impairment as judged by species rich-
ness measures, emphasizing the presence or
absence of indicator organisms without regard
to relative abundance. The biorecon index is
scored on a scale from 1 - 15. A score less
than 5 is regarded as very poor. A score over 10
is considered good. The principal metrics used
-------
ID
5746
5760
5761
5764
5795
7600
5825
COUNTY
Rutherford
Rutherford
Rutherford
Rutherford
Rutherford
Rutherford
HUC
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
5130203
Cripple Creek, Rutherford County in the East Fork
Stones River Watershed, 05130203
Rutherford County
2004 fish & aquatic life
stream attainment
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
Dry
BMPs Installed 1999-2003
I East Fork Stones River Watershed, 051302030104 X
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, August 2006
^ \
STREAM
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
PRACTICE
NAME
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Pasture/Hay Planting
Grassed Waterway
NRCS
CODE
614
512
512
512
512
512
512
412
412
512
512
512
512
412
2001
2001
2001
2002
2003
are the total macroinvertebrate families (or
genera), the number of families (or genera) of
mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT), and
the number of pollution intolerant families (or
genera) found in a stream. The biorecon results
for Cripple Creek indicated 8 EPT families, 3
pollutant intolerant taxa, and 20 total families.
Using the scoring system for biorecons, this
stream scored a 15. The stream got a habitat
Figure 1. Map of Implemented BMPs. Table (left)
is a list of implemented BMPs.
score of 146, which is better than the estab-
lished habitat goal for this ecoregion. Water
quality standards were also met at a chemical
station located on the creek at mile 0.4, result-
ing in the delisting of Cripple Creek from the
2004 303(d) list. ~
Partners and Funding
The Rutherford County Soil Conservation
District helped implement the BMPs with
section 319 funding. $7,143 of section 319
funding was matched with $3,146.86 in local
contributions. The Tennessee Agricultural
Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF) provided
an additional $9,341.02, $3,699.22 of which
was locally matched.
\
111
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001V
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II @state.tn. us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Conservation Efforts Improve Water Quality
Waterbodv Improved A9ricultural Practices alon9 DeMoss Creek contributed
y ^ to silt runoff that degraded water quality. The Tennessee
Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) added the creek to the state's
2002 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters because of siltation.
Landowners implemented numerous best management practices (BMPs), including sedi-
ment control basins and conservation plantings. Water quality improved, prompting TDEC
to remove DeMoss Creek from Tennessee's list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
DeMoss Creek is part of the South Fork Obion River
watershed. It flows west of the town of Trezevant in
Carroll County, Tennessee. DeMoss Creek did not
support its designated uses of fish and aquatic life,
prompting TDEC to add a 24.2-mile segment of the
creek to the state's 2002 CWA section 303(d) list
of impaired waters for sedimentation and siltation.
TDEC attributed the loss of biological integrity to
sediment from eroding, non-irrigated cropland and
riparian areas.
Project Highlights
Landowners installed agricultural BMPs along
DeMoss Creek with support from Tennessee's
Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF)
(Figure 1). BMPs included two water and sediment
control basins and one acre of critical area plantings
(see Figures 2 and 3). The practices helped reduce
the amount of sediment entering the creek.
Results
In 2005 TDEC conducted a biological reconnais-
sance (biorecon) survey of DeMoss Creek using
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rapid
bioassessment protocol III. A biorecon survey is a
tool used to evaluate stream impairment as deter-
mined by species richness measures, emphasizing
the presence or absence of indicator organisms
without regard to relative abundance. The biorecon
survey score is used as a measure of compliance
with water quality standards for the beneficial use
offish and aquatic life. The principal metrics used
DeMoss Creek, TN08010203001-1200
in the South Fork Obion River WS in Carroll County, Tennessee
0 0.5 1
TN Dept of Agriculture
8/14/08
Figure 1. This map shows the location and types of BMPs
installed in the DeMoss Creek watershed.
-------
Figures 2 and 3. Examples of water and sediment control basins implemented in western Tennessee.
are the total macroinvertebrate families (or genera);
the number of families (or genera) of mayflies,
stoneflies, and caddisflies (collectively referred to
as EPT—short for the order names Ephemeroptera,
Plecoptera and Trichoptera); and the number of
pollution-intolerant families (or genera) found in a
stream. The biorecon index is scored on a scale
from 1 to 15. A score of less than 5 is regarded as
very poor. A score of more than 10 is considered
good. The 2005 biorecon survey score for DeMoss
Creek was 11. The survey documented four EPT
families, one intolerant family and 18 total fami-
lies—yielding an overall habitat score of 93. Those
results indicate that the water quality in DeMoss
Creek has improved and now supports the creek's
fish and aquatic life designated use. Therefore,
TDEC removed a 24.2-mile segment of DeMoss
Creek from the state's CWA section 303(d) list of
impaired waters in 2008.
Partners and Funding
This project was funded through cost-sharing from
CWA section 319 grant pool projects. From 2003
to 2008, ARCF provided $10,938 in funding with
an additional match of $4,538 from landowners.
Other key partners include the Carroll County Soil
Conservation District, which helped landowners
implement BMPs, and landowners, who contributed
the majority of the in-kind match.
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001Q
August 2009
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306 • Sam.Marshall@tn.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
New Diversion Levee and Dike Protect Water Quality
Waterbody Improved
Sediment in runoff from pastureland and from non-irrigated crop
production caused siltation and a loss of habitat in Dry Creek. This led
Tennessee to place 17.8 miles of Dry Creek on its 303(d) list of impaired waters for siltation and habitat
alteration. To remedy this problem, local agencies installed a diversion levee that affected 83 acres and
a dike that affected another 5 acres in the watershed. These practices mitigated runoff from the crop
fields and prevented sediment from reaching the stream. As a result, water quality improved along the
17.8-mile Dry Creek segment, and Tennessee removed it from its 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Dry Creek is in Benton County's Big Sandy River
watershed. Tennessee listed the creek as impaired
on its 2004 303(d) list because siltation and a loss
of habitat reduced the creek's biological integrity.
The creek did not meet the state standard for
the designated use of fish and aquatic life, which
requires that waterbodies have no distinctly visible
solids, scum, foam, oily slick, or the formation of
slimes, bottom deposits, or sludge banks of such
size or character that could be detrimental to fish
and aquatic life. Sediment from eroding stream-
banks and agricultural fields accumulated in Dry
Creek—physically altering the creek's substrate and
reducing viable habitat for macroinvertebrates and
fish.
Figure 1. Re-grading channel banks and installing a
levee along a rapidly eroding drainage area prevents
agricultural field runoff from entering Dry Creek.
Project Highlights
The Chickasaw-Shiloh Resource Conservation &
Development Program (RC&D) installed a diver-
sion levee in 1998 using Tennessee's Agricultural
Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF). The diversion
levee stopped runoff water from rapidly eroding the
upper end of a drainage channel (Figure 1). This site
had been contributing large volumes of sediment to
the creek. A diversion levee is a berm of earth that
redirects polluted runoff to a pipe or some other
controlled outlet that slows the water and allows
sediments and nutrients to settle out before the
water discharges to the stream. The RC&D con-
structed the diversion levee on an agricultural field
that was subsequently enrolled in the Conservation
Reserve Program, which promotes the retirement
of cropland along waterbodies. In this case, the
landowner, Mark Hargis, further protected the land
from erosion and eliminated sedimentation of the
stream channel by planting grass instead of crops
(Figure 2).
Figure 2. A completed levee system borders an
agricultural field, now converted to grassland.
Using matched Clean Water Act section 319
funds from the ARCF, the Benton County Soil
Conservation District constructed a dike in 2004 in
a different area of the watershed. The dike, also a
type of earthen berm, provides a barrier to protect
-------
people and cropland from flooding, while also
reducing erosion and preventing sediment from
further degrading aquatic habitat. Henry County Soil
Conservation agents advised landowners on the
technical design and specifications of best manage-
ment practices (BMPs), and provided oversight and
expertise during installation (see Figure 3 for BMP
location map).
Results
State monitoring data show that siltation and
habitat alteration declined, allowing the waterbody
to meet state standards. The quality of the in-
stream habitat improved, once again providing for
the development of a diverse aquatic community
that meets regionally based biological integrity
goals. Using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
rapid bioassessment protocol III, state biologists
calculated a biological reconnaissance score
(biorecon) for Dry Creek, which is used to measure
compliance with the state water quality standard for
siltation. Biorecon—a tool used to assess stream
impairment—uses species richness measures,
emphasizing the presence or absence of indicator
organisms without regard to relative abundance.
The biorecon index is scored on a scale from 1 to
15. A score of less than 5 is regarded as very poor.
A score of more than 10 is considered good. The
principal metrics used are the total macroinverte-
brate families, the number of families of mayflies,
stoneflies, and caddisflies (collectively referred to
as EPT—short for the order names Ephemeroptera,
Plecoptera, and Trichoptera), and the number of
pollution-intolerant families found in a stream.
In 2004 biological sampling of Dry Creek, state
biologists documented 23 total macroinvertebrate
families, including 4 EPT families and 1 intolerant
family. The biological reconnaissance (biorecon)
score for the station was 11 out of a total score of
15, which is in the unimpaired range. Therefore,
Tennessee removed Dry Creek from its 303(d) list
in 2006.
Partners and Funding
This project was funded through cost-sharing
from section 319 grant pool projects. The ARCF
provided $2,500 in state matching funds, and
landowner Mark Hargis donated $3,343. Additional
key partners in this effort included the Henry and
Benton counties' Soil Conservation Districts and the
Chickasaw-Shiloh RC&D.
Dry Ci««k In ••mm Couitfy
Big S*ndy Riv*r VVMWftwd. TNOMM0005O/U2
7
per TDEC 2004 303(d) List
] Fully Supporting
I Not Supporting
I Not Assessed
Dry. Insufficient Information
• BMPS installed 1999-2005
Citin in Bintnn County
Big Sandy Watershed
Figure 3. Map indicating
the locations of the two key
BMP measures (diversion
levee and dike) installed in
the Dry Creek watershed
(see the lower-right portion
of the map).
PR
I
o
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001I
July 2008
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II ©state .tn. us
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NONPOINT
PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
lennexe
Best Management Practices Reduce Pathogens in Cane Creek
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Cane Creek, in McMinn County, Tennessee, was contaminated
by pathogens due to urban runoff/storm sewers and pasture
grazing. Pathogen inputs to the creek were reduced by stabilizing erosion-prone areas
near animal feeding operations and relocating the discharge point for the city of Etowah's
stormwater discharge. As a result. Cane Creek was removed from Tennessee's 303(d) list.
Problem
Effluent from the city of Etowah's sewage
treatment plant and runoff from cattle and
poultry production areas contributed to the
high levels of pathogens in Cane Creek. Of
12 fecal coliform samples collected between
1993 and 1996, 4 samples exceeded the fecal
coliform criterion of 1,000 colonies per 100 ml.
In 2002 Cane Creek was added to the state's
303(d) list as impaired by pathogens due to
urban runoff/storm sewers and pasture grazing
in the watershed.
Project Highlights
Poultry and cattle farmers in the Cane Creek
watershed installed conservation treatments
known as heavy-use areas (HUAs). HUAs
usually use geotextile material and gravel to
stabilize soil in areas containing large concen-
trations of animals, thereby preventing soil ero-
sion and improving water quality. Nine HUAs
were installed on a large (400-acre) farm in the
Cane Creek watershed and three more were
installed on a smaller farm according to Natural
Resources Conservation Service design
standards. In addition to the HUAs, fencing
was installed to exclude cattle from streams
and stream crossing to minimize erosion where
crossings are necessary. Trees were planted
in critical areas to decrease soil erosion and
provide additional habitat.
The city of Etowah's sewage treatment plant
moved its stormwater discharge to another
stream. The city had historically discharged to
Cane Creek, which was previously assessed as
impaired by pathogens on the basis of sampling
results from the 1990s.
Results
By 2004 pathogen levels had reached accept-
able levels as a result of the best management
practices (BMPs) implemented throughout the
watershed. Of the nine fecal coliform samples
collected between 1999 and 2004, only one
sample exceeded the E. coli criterion of 941
colonies per 100 ml. Although the fecal coli-
form criterion had been replaced byf. coli,
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
^
Fecal Coliform
Number of fecal coliform colonies per 100 ml at Cane Creek
River Mile 1.5 in McMinn County 1993-2004. Data collected by
Water Pollution Control, Tennessee Department of Environmental
Conservation.
-------
levels were reduced to 640 colonies or fewer,
which is below the criterion of 1,000 colonies
per 100 ml that was used to list the stream.
As a result, Cane Creek was removed from
Tennessee's 303(d) list in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural
Resources Conservation Service and the
McMinn County Soil Conservation District
helped design and implement many of the
BMPs. The project cost a total of $36,550,
funded through the Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF) and $7,576 of Clean
Water Act section 319 funding that was used
for critical area plantings, HUAs, and a stream
crossing.
I
5
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004Q
August 2005
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, PhD
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
sam.marshall@state.tn.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Exclusion Fencing Reduces Cattle s Impact and Restores Creek
Waterbodv Improved A9ricultural Practices and land development along Cherokee
' """""> '" - • Creek contributed to increasing stream siltation, prompting
the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to add a 20.8-mile
long segment of the creek to Tennessee's Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired
waters. Project partners implemented agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that
reduced siltation and improved water quality. TDEC removed Cherokee Creek from the
state's 303(d) list in 2008.
Problem
Project Highlights
Cherokee Creek is in eastern Tennessee's rural
Washington County. In 2000 TDEC performed a
biological reconnaissance (biorecon) survey for the
creek at mile 2.1 near Highway 81. Biorecon is one
tool used to recognize stream impairment as judged
by species richness measures, emphasizing the
presence or absence of indicator organisms without
regard to relative abundance. The biorecon survey
documented poor scores, prompting
TDEC to place a 20.8-mile segment
of upper Cherokee Creek (from its
headwaters to a point near Cherokee
Road) on Tennessee's section 303(d)
list in 2002. TDEC identified grazing
practices and land development as
the primary sources of sediment pol-
lution that caused a loss of biological
integrity. TDEC completed a total
maximum daily load (TMDL) for
siltation and habitat alteration for the
Nolichucky River watershed, which
includes Cherokee Creek. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
approved the TMDL on February 26,
2008.
Project partners installed agricultural BMPs along
the impaired segment of Cherokee Creek in 2006 to
reduce erosion. They built fences to exclude cattle
from the creek and installed a pipeline to carry
water to a new alternative watering tank (Figure 1).
Funding from Tennessee's Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund helped pay for the BMPs.
Figure 1. Example of an alternative watering tank.
-------
Results
Implementing agricultural BMPs had reduced silt-
ation and improved habitat, allowing macroinverte-
brate populations to rise. In 2005 TDEC established
Semi-Quantitative Single Habitat Assessment
(SQSH) stations at mile 1.0 (Taylor Bridge Road)
and at mile 2.5 (Charlie Parker Road). Similar to the
biorecon, the SQSH assessment is a tool used to
recognize stream impairment as judged by species
richness measures, emphasizing the presence or
absence of indicator organisms without regard to
relative abundance. The principal metrics used are
the total macroinvertebrate families (or genera)
and the number of families of mayflies, stone-
flies and caddisflies (EPT). At mile 1.0, the SQSH
documented 9 EPT genera and 31 total genera.
The SQSH scored 38 out of 42 on the Tennessee
Macroinvertebrate Index. At mile 2.5, the SQSH
documented 9 EPT genera and 23 total genera for
a score of 36 out of 42. On the basis of the SQHS
data, TDEC removed the 20.8-mile segment of
Cherokee Creek from Tennessee's 2008 Clean
Water Act section 303(d) list for siltation (Figure 2).
Partners and Funding
Staff from Washington County Soil Conservation
District worked closely with landowners to iden-
tify and implement BMPs. This project received
cost-share funds from Tennessee Agricultural
Resources Conservation Fund. From 2003 to 2008,
the Tennessee Agricultural Resources Conservation
Fund provided $1,980 with an additional match of
$661 from local landowners.
BMPs installed along Cherokee Creek in Washington County, Tennessee
TN06010108536-2000
Legend
A BMPs along Cherokee Creek
Cherokee
Q^ Cherokee Creek WS
L17J Tennessee Counties
ID NRCSCode
1 614
2 516
Practice
Watering Facility
Pipeline
Size of Project
1 Tank
600 feet
County
Washington
Washington
HUC8
6010108
6010108
Streamname
Cherokee Creek
Cherokee Creek
TN Dept of Agricultui
Cherokee Creek segments
are delisted for Pasture Graz
and Land Development, 20.8
Figure 2. Map showing the previously impaired portion of Cherokee
Creek and the locations of BMPs installed.
I
55
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
"fc Office of Water
g Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001K
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Sam.Marshall@tn.gov
615-837-5306
-------
•
*
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Implementing Agricultural Best Management Practices Reduces Siltation
Waterbody Improved P°°rly managed livestock Pasture grazing and other
agricultural activities around Cove Creek led to erosion and
increases in sediment and siltation in the creek. In 2002 the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation (TDEC) added a 29.7-mile segment of Cove Creek to the
state's Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters because of siltation
and habitat alteration. Landowners implemented agricultural best management practices
(BMPs) to control erosion. Water quality improved, prompting TDEC to remove Cove Creek
from Tennessee's list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
Northeast Tennessee's Cove Creek flows for almost
30 miles through Greene County, beginning near the
mountainous Cherokee National Forest and empty-
ing into the Nolichucky River. The upper watershed
is mostly forested, while the lower watershed is
largely agricultural. TDEC conducted habitat sur-
veys in 2000 that showed that Cove Creek did not
support its designated use of fish and aquatic life
because of siltation. TDEC added the entire length
of Cove Creek (29.7 miles) to the state's 2002 CWA
section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
TDEC completed a total maximum daily load
(TMDL) study on Cove Creek for siltation and
habitat alteration; the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency approved the TMDL in early 2008. The
TMDL identifies poorly managed livestock grazing/
pasture areas as the primary source of the creek's
siltation and consequent loss of biological integrity.
Project Highlights
Local landowners installed agricultural BMPs in
the Cove Creek watershed using grants from both
the CWA section 319 program and Tennessee's
Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF).
In 2007 landowners used section 319 funds to install
6,300 feet of fence (Figure 1), two pumping plants
(facilities that transfer water to livestock watering
areas), four alternative watering facilities (Figure 2),
3,100 feet of pipeline, and 0.2 acre of heavy-use
area protection. Protecting heavy-use areas involves
stabilizing land areas that are frequently used
by people, animals or vehicles. For instance, the
Figure 1. Landowners built fences to exclude livestock
and establish a riparian zone along Cove Creek.
Figure 2. This recycled earth mover tire serves as
part of an alternative watering facility for livestock.
-------
practice is applied in streams where cattle or farm
equipment frequently cross, around cattle watering
or feeding facilities or in cattle feedlots or walk-
ways. In 2008 landowners used money from the
ARCF to build an alternative access road and install
more fencing to exclude livestock from Cove Creek.
Farmers in the area also participated in Tennessee's
voluntary cost share program and installed other
BMPs that helped to control erosion and sediment.
The locations and types of BMPs implemented in
the Cove Creek watershed are shown in Figure 3.
Results
Implementing BMPs successfully reduced erosion
and siltation and improved water quality. In 2003
the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) performed
a biological reconnaissance (biorecon) survey on
Cove Creek. A biorecon survey is a tool used to
evaluate stream impairment as determined by spe-
cies richness measures, emphasizing the presence
or absence of indicator organisms without regard
to relative abundance. The biorecon survey score
is used as a measure of compliance with water
quality standards for the beneficial use of fish and
aquatic life. The principal metrics used are the total
macroinvertebrate families (or genera); the number
of families (or genera) of mayflies, stoneflies, and
caddisflies (collectively referred to as EPT—short
for the order names Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and
Trichoptera); and the number of pollution-intolerant
families (or genera) found in a stream. The biorecon
survey is scored on a scale from 1 to 15—a score of
less than 5 is regarded as very poor, while a score
of more than 10 is considered good. In the 2003
TVA biorecon survey, Cove Creek received a perfect
score of 15.
Furthermore, in 2005 TDEC established a Semi-
Quantitative Single Habitat Assessment (SQSH)
station on Cove Creek. The SQSH is similar to a
biorecon survey but is scored differently. The 2005
SQSH documented 8 EPT genera with 28 total
genera, and an overall habitat score of 153 out
of 200, which is considered excellent. The Cove
Creek SQSH scored 36 out of 42 on the Tennessee
Macroinvertebrate Index—a very good score. The
multiple results showed that water quality had
improved, prompting TDEC to remove the 29.7-mile
segment of Cove Creek from Tennessee's list of
impaired waters in 2008.
BMPs along Cove Creek,
TN06010108009 -1000, in Greene County, Tennessee
Legend
A BMPs along Cove Creek
CD Lakes
—^ Cove Creek
Streams
QD Cove Creek Watershed
Q 1 Tennessee Counties
ID Practice
1 Fence
2 Pumping Plant
3 Watering Facility
4 Pipeline
5 Access Road
6 Fence
7 Watering Facility
8 Fence
9 Heavy Use Area
10 Pipeline
11 Pumping Plant
Size of Project
4900 feet
1 pumping plant
2waterers
1700 feet
300 feet
1,275 feet
2 waterere
1400 feet
0.2 acres
1400 feet
1 pumping plant
TO Daft at Agriculture, 7/1VOS
0 0.5
I I I I
2 Miles
_|
Figure 3. This map shows the location and types of BMPs
installed in the Cove Creek watershed.
Partners and Funding
Projects in Cove Creek received funding from the
CWA section 319 program ($15,276 plus additional
matching funds of $5,093) and the Tennessee ARCF
($5,397 plus matching funds of $952). Farmers also
participated in Tennessee's voluntary cost share
program. Key partners include the Greene County
Soil Conservation District (for helping to design and
implement BMPs) and local landowners (for contrib-
uting the majority of the in-kind match for BMPs).
I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-0010
July 2009
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306 • Sam.Marshall@tn.gov
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
Bedford County Improves Water Quality Through Waste Management Systems
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd P°"u1:ec' runoff from pasture grazing caused nutrients
and sediment to enter into Fall Creek, which led to the
listing of a 11.4-mile segment of Fall Creek as impaired in 2002 and 2004. Using section
319 funding, the Bedford County Soil Conservation District installed two major Waste
Management Systems on tributaries to Fall Creek in 1999. This resulted in water quality
improvements of the 11.4-mile segment of Fall Creek and its removal from the 2006
303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Fall Creek is located in the Duck River
watershed in Bedford County. This specific
segment is impaired from Duck River to the
headwaters in EcoRegion 711. Fall Creek was
listed as impaired on the 2002 and 2004
303(d) lists due to nutrients, loss of biological
integrity, and habitat alterations from pasture
grazing. Fall Creek has many designated use
classifications including fish and aquatic life,
recreation, livestock watering and wildlife,
and irrigation. It was listed as impaired for
not fully supporting the fish and aquatic life
and recreation beneficial uses due to siltation
altering the habitat and excess nutrients
resulting in low dissolved oxygen.
Two total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)
were established for Fall Creek in 2006 by
the Tennessee Department of Environmental
Conservation for low dissolved oxygen
caused by excess nutrients and habitat altera-
tion caused by siltation.
Project Highlights
Water Act section 319 funding to allocate
funding assistance. Using a combination of
319 funding as well as state funds through
the Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund
(ARCF) they installed Waste Management
Systems on tributaries to Fall Creek in 1999.
These systems included two litter storage
units for chickens with the capacity to store
and compost 199 acres on Parch Corn Creek,
which runs into Fall Creek (Figure 1).
The installation of these poultry composters
and animal waste systems minimized the
potential for contamination of streams. The
waste facilities also reduce the pollution
potential of organic agricultural wastes to
surface and ground water.
Results
The local Soil Conservation District offices
in Bedford County administered the Clean
The Tennessee Macroinvertebrate Community
Assessment is used to calculate the
Tennessee Stream Condition Index (TSCI),
which is a measure of biological health of an
aquatic system. This index is used by the state
in determining a waterbody's compliance to
state water quality standards for the beneficial
-------
Fall Creek Watershed, Bedford County in the
Duck River Watershed, 06040002
} J
2004 fish & aquatic life
stream attainment
Rutherford
County
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
Dry
Minkslide Creek
Fall Creek, TDEC Waterbody
TN06040002038-1000
Ps Installed 1999-20
Watershed. 060400020308
Note: The waterbodv was also impaired for Recreation uses
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, August 2006
Figure 1. Locations of BMPs installed from 1999-2005
use of fish and aquatic life. The TSCI was
used to compare subregions and determine a
score, for a total possible score of 42.
Chemical and biological stations were
established on this stream in 2004. While
the stream was found to still be impacted
by pathogens and will remain listed on
that basis, Rapid Bioassessment Protocol
(RBPIII) sampling at two different locations
documented TSCI scores of 36 and 32, which
met Tennessee's biological integrity goals.
Therefore Fall Creek has been removed from
the 303(d) list in 2006 for nutrients, biological
loss due to siltation, and habitat alteration.
Partners and Funding
Fall Creek has benefited from a total of
$13,861.47 provided through cost-share from
section 319 grant pool projects. In addition,
$94,747.00 was provided by a Tennessee
State ARCF grant and local match.
. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001X
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sam.Marshall@state.tn.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Livestock Management Restores Waterbody
WatPrhnHv Imnrn\/Prl Polluted runoff from pasture-grazing cattle caused abnormal
VVdieiUUUy IplUVWU Escherjchja co// counts in Hinds Creek, which led to 8.9 miles of the
stream being listed on the state's 303(d) list in 2002 and 2004.
Using section 319 funding, farmers installed a number of BMPs on pastureland adjoining the creek. The
practices included pasture and hay planting, fencing, streambank protection, and separate watering struc-
tures. The farmers' action allowed the Hinds Creek segment to be removed from the 2006 303(d) list.
Problem
Hinds Creek is in the Lower Clinch watershed
in eastern Tennessee, a primarily rural water-
shed with approximately 75 percent forest
and 15 percent agriculture. Hinds Creek was
listed as impaired on the state's 2002 and 2004
303(d) lists due to high E. coli colony counts
and in-stream concentrations. Polluted runoff
carrying fecal matter and pathogens from
pasture-grazing livestock was the source of
this pollution.
Hinds Creek has multiple designated use
classifications, including fish and aquatic life,
livestock watering and wildlife, irrigation, and
recreation. Monitoring along Hinds Creek
between 1999 and 2004 found that the creek
was fully supporting all designated uses
except recreation. Analysis results for indi-
vidual samples collected by the state were in
violation of the state-established water quality
criteria for E. coli. The Tennessee water quality
standards state that the concentration of the
E. coli group in any individual sample must not
exceed either (a) 487 cfu/100 ml for lakes,
reservoirs, State Scenic Rivers, or Tier II or III
waterbodies or (b) 941 cfu/100 ml for all other
waterbodies. Hinds Creek is in the latter
category.
A TMDL for pathogens in the Lower Clinch
watershed, established in 2005 by the
Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation, specified a 49.5 percent reduc-
tion in pathogen loading into Hinds Creek.
Before the project, high flows during storm events caused
increased erosion.
Project Highlights
Local Soil and Water Conservation District
offices in Anderson and Union counties
administered the CWA section 319 funding to
allocate funding assistance to local landown-
ers. Using a combination of 319 funding and
state funds from the Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF), they worked with
local landowners to promote and install man-
agement practices and structures that would
reduce pathogen runoff into Hinds Creek and
improve landowners' operations.
-------
Installed fencing with stream buffer on left.
The BMPs installed included (1) pasture seed-
ing and riparian zone planting along Hinds
Creek and tributaries; (2) stabilization of heavy-
use areas using gravel and geotextile fabric;
(3) installation of alternative watering facilities,
such as tanks, troughs, and ponds fed by pipe-
lines to keep livestock out of streams; and (4)
alternative access roads to help combat further
erosion.
Pasture and riparian critical areas were seeded
with a selection of grasses that were accept-
able to livestock and beneficial for proper soil
drainage in the area. Problem weed and thistle
species were replaced with balanced and
native foliage to improve water quality, con-
serve soil, and increase carbon sequestration.
Local Soil and Water Conservation District
agents advised landowners on the technical
design and specifications of the BMPs, and
they provided oversight and expertise during
the installation process. Landowners partici-
pated voluntarily, partially providing labor and
funds for the BMPs. The BMPs were installed
beginning in 2000, and continue to be installed
to help continue to meet the load reduction
allocations in the 2005 TMDL.
The Hinds Creek Watershed Partnership, a
group composed of federal, state, and local
partners, is focused on improving water
quality and community awareness of water
quality issues in Hinds Creek. The Partnership
is part of a cooperative water quality monitor-
ing project with the Tennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation and the
Tennessee Valley Authority that aims to pro-
duce comprehensive watershed assessments.
Gathering information regarding the health of
the watershed will help in prioritizing areas of
work.
Results
Recent monitoring in Hinds Creek showed
E.coli values below the individual sample stan-
dard of 941 cfu/mL. Hinds Creek is no longer
considered impaired for any of the four des-
ignated uses, including recreation. Therefore,
the 8.9 total miles previously listed as impaired
were not included on the 2006 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
Since 2001 Hinds Creek has benefited from
$39,246.41 of Clean Water Act section 319
funding (including additional matching funds,
a total of $57,695.17 was spent). In addition,
$30,840.35 was provided by the Tennessee
ARCF. Key partners in this effort include the
Anderson County and Union County Soil
Conservation Districts, whose agents pro-
vided technical expertise and labor hours.
Landowners in the Lower Clinch watershed
contributed in-kind labor hours and some
funding.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001L
July 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II ©state .tn. us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Agricultural BMPs Reduce the Impact of Cattle Grazing and Improve
Quality of Creeks Habitat
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd ^ portion of Lick Creek located in Marshall and Rutherford
Counties was listed as impaired due to Escherichia coli
(E. coli) and habitat alterations on the 2004 303(d) list. Using section 319 and state funding,
the Marshall County Soil Conservation District installed Heavy Use Area (HUA) best man-
agement practices (BMPs), including exclusion fencing, animal waste lagoons, and planted
hay and pasture grasses along Lick Creek. These nonpoint source pollution control efforts
allowed this 8.8-mile segment of Lick Creek to be removed from the 2006 303(d) list for
habitat alterations.
Problem
Lick Creek is located within the Duck River
Watershed in Marshall and Rutherford
Counties, Ecoregion 71i. The source of the
pollutants was identified as livestock grazing in
pasturelands where cattle had direct access to
the stream, which resulted in the degradation
of habitat through the trampling of stream-
banks and the input of pathogens.
Lick Creek was listed in 2004 for not meeting
water quality standards for its designated ben-
eficial uses due to elevated E. coli values and
habitat alterations as a result of unrestricted
cattle access to the creek. Lick Creek Marshall
has multiple designated use classifications,
including fish and aquatic life, livestock water-
ing and wildlife, irrigation, and recreation. Lick
Creek Marshall was listed for not meeting
standards to fully support two of its four desig-
nated beneficial uses: fish and aquatic life, and
recreation.
Tennessee's water quality standards for
recreation state that the concentration of the
E. coli group in any individual sample shall
not exceed either (a) 487 cfu/100ml for lakes,
reservoirs, State Scenic Rivers, or Tier II or III
waterbodies or (b) 941 cfu/100ml for all other
waterbodies. Lick Creek Marshall falls into the
latter category.
E. coli and siltation total maximum daily loads
(TMDLs) were established in 2006 by the
Tennessee Department of the Environment and
Conservation (TDEC) for Lick Creek in Marshall
County.
Project Highlights
Funding from the Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF) was used to plant
25 acres of hay and pasture grasses along this
segment of Lick Creek and its tributary Plum
Branch, to filter pollutants, reduce erosion, and
stabilize the stream banks (Figure 1). In addi-
tion, exclusion fencing and an animal waste
lagoon were installed along the stream to
reduce the direct input of pathogens such as
E. coli.
-------
Results
The Tennessee Macroinvertebrate Community
Assessment is used to calculate the
Tennessee Stream Condition Index (TSCI),
which is a measure of biological health of an
aquatic system. The principal metrics used
are the total macroinvertebrate families (or
genera), the number of families (or genera)
of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT),
and the number of pollution intolerant families
(or genera) found in a stream. This index is
used by the state to determine a waterbody's
compliance to state water quality standards
for the beneficial use of fish and aquatic life.
The TSCI was used to compare subregions and
determine a score, for a total possible score
of 42. Using EPA's rapid biological protocol
III sampling at station 1.8 (Mt. Vernon Road),
state biologists found six EPT species and a
total diversity of 23 different types of macro-
invertebrates. The TSCI score for the station
was 36, which is greater than the regional goal
of 32 and within the "very good" range. Since
biological integrity appears to be no longer
impaired, the stream was delisted for habitat
alteration and removed from the 2006 303(d)
list. However, this segment of Lick Creek
remains on the list for E.coli.
Partners and Funding
Lick Creek Marshall has benefited from
$536.40 provided through cost-share from
section 319 grant pool projects. In addition,
$1608.60 was provided from the State's ARCF.
Lick Creek in the Duck River Watershed
Marshall & Rutherford Counties
Williamson County
Marshall County
Assessment per TDEC
2004 303(d) List
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
— Dry
September 2006
BMPs installed 1999-2005
Duck River Watershed 060400020503
N
Rutherford County
Lick Creek,
TN06040002047-0300
Bedford County
Figure 1. Map of BMPs installed.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001U
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II ©state .tn. us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Revegetation and Streambank Restoration Reduce Siltation and Improve
Water Quality
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd P°"u1:ec' runoff from non-irrigated crop production resulted
in excess sediment in Lick Creek. This resulted in a loss of
biological integrity and physical substrate habitat alterations due to siltation, which led to
the listing of a 20-mile segment of Lick Creek as impaired in 2002 and 2004. Using section
319 funding, McNairy County Soil Conservation District planted pasture and hay to reveg-
etate the pasture and protect the streambank. These efforts resulted in the removal of the
impaired 20-mile segment of Lick Creek from the 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
This 20-mile segment of Lick Creek extends
from Snake Creek to the headwaters in the
Snake Creek Watershed, McNairy County
in Ecoregion 65e. Lick Creek was listed as
impaired due to siltation and habitat altera-
tion, resulting in a loss of biological integrity.
Polluted runoff carrying sediment from non-
irrigated crop production was the source of
this pollution and prevented Lick Creek from
meeting state water quality standards to fully
support its designated beneficial use for fish
and aquatic life. The standard states that there
shall be no distinctly visible solids, scum,
foam, oily slick, or the formation of slimes, bot-
tom deposits or sludge banks of such size or
character that may be detrimental to fish and
aquatic life.
to plant pasture and hay to act as a covercrop
and reduce erosion of non-irrigated croplands,
as well as provide streambank protection to
reduce siltation and improve the habitat of Lick
Creek (Figure 1).
Results
Project Highlights
The local Soil and Water Conservation District
office in McNairy County administered the
funding for this project. Using a combination
of section 319 matched funding and state
funds through the Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF), the Conservation
District offices worked with local landowners
Lick Creek was reassessed in 2004 using the
biological reconnaissance (biorecon) survey,
which is used to measure water quality compli-
ance for the beneficial use of fish and aquatic
life. Biorecon is one tool used to recognize
stream impairment as judged by species rich-
ness measures, emphasizing the presence or
absence of indicator organisms without regard
to relative abundance. The biorecon index is
scored on a scale from 1 - 15. A score less
than 5 is regarded as very poor. A score over
10 is considered good. The principal metrics
used are the total macroinvertebrate families
(or genera), the number of families (or genera)
of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT),
and the number of pollution intolerant families
(or genera) found in a stream. The biorecon
results for Lick Creek indicated 4 EPT genera, 2
pollutant intolerant genera, and 15 total genera.
-------
The resulting score of 11 for this subecoregion
(65e) is within the "non-impaired" range. In
addition, Lick Creek met the narrative criteria
for turbidity and total suspended solids of no
observed presence of solids, floating materials
and deposits of such a size or character that
may be detrimental to fish and aquatic life.
Therefore, 20 total previously-impaired miles
were delisted from the 2006 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
Since 2004, Lick Creek has benefited from
$7,805.97 provided through cost-share from
section 319 Grant Pool Projects. In addition,
$3,121.71 was provided by the Tennessee
State ARCF. Additional matching funds (state
and local) amounted to a total of $10,237.03.
Another key partner in this effort was the
Chickasaw-Shiloh Resource Conservation and
Development Council.
Lick Creek, McNairy County in the Snake Creek
Watershed, 060400010201
McNairy County
2004 fish & aquatic
life stream attainment
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Little Snake Creek
BMPs Installed 1999-2005
Snake Creek Watershed. 060400010201
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, August 2006
Figure 1. Location of Implemented Best Management Practices (BMPs)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001T
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II @state.tn. us
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NONPOINT
PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
lenn&tet
New Grazing Practices Minimize Impacts on Little Shoal Creek
Waterbody Improved
The Little Shoal Creek in south-central Tennessee was
clogged with silt from pasture grazing and other agricul-
tural activities. Pasture management practices were successfully implemented to reduce
erosion and pollution transport to the creek, allowing the creek to be removed from
Tennessee's 303(d) list.
Problem
Overgrazing and poor pasture management
caused heavy erosion in Little Shoal Creek
in Lawrence County, Tennessee. A macro-
invertebrate sample collected in 1999
demonstrated values below expectations
for biological communities in the Western
Highland Rim ecoregion. Based on these
results, Little Shoal Creek was added to the
state's 303(d) list in 2002 as impaired due to
siltation from pasture grazing.
Project Highlights
To combat erosion, BMPs were implemented
on the land surrounding Little Shoal Creek
and its two tributaries, Crossfield Branch and
Fourmile Hollow. To control and minimize the
impacts of agriculture, farm conservation prac-
tices, including conservation tillage, cropland
conversion, pasture renovation, and hay plant-
ing, were implemented. In addition, red clover
and other legumes were introduced to improve
ground cover in bare areas. Installing grassed
waterways on 150 acres of farmland near
streams and tributaries has helped to prevent
gully erosion and reduce pollutants carried by
runoff water to streams. Farmers also use the
grassed areas periodically for grazing livestock.
Results
The increased ground cover and installation
of grassed waterways have resulted in less
soil erosion and siltation in the stream, reduc-
ing the amount of pollutants entering the
streams and improving water quality. Another
macroinvertebrate sample collected in 2003
demonstrated thattaxa richness had more
than doubled to 28, as compared to only 12 in
1999—an indicator of good water quality as
measured by the higher diversity and types of
organisms living in the stream. These metric
values are within the guidelines for the eco-
region and would score 13 on the genus-level
Taxa
Richness
EPT
Intolerant
Taxa
• 1999
D2003
Macroinvertebrate taxa groups found in 1999 and 2003 from Little
Shoal Creek in Lawrence County.
-------
biological reconnaissance (biorecon) index,
which considers scores from 11 to 15 indica-
tive of a non-impaired biological community.
As a result of the restoration efforts, Little
Shoal Creek was removed from Tennessee's
303(d) list in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural
Resources Conservation Service and the
Lawrence County Soil Conservation District
spearheaded the effort to design and imple-
ment many of the BMPs. The project cost a
total of $44,800, including funding from the
Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund
(ARCF) and $10,000 of Clean Water Act section
319 funding, which was used for pasture/hay
planting.
I
5
Q
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004R
August 2005
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, PhD
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
sam.marshall@state.tn.us
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
Heavy Use Area BMPs Reduce Erosion and Improve Water Quality
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd P°"u1:ec' runoff from pasture grazing livestock and the removal
of riparian vegetation caused siltation and habitat alterations
in Rock Springs Branch. This led to the listing of an 8.1-mile segment of Rock Springs
Branch as impaired in 2002. Using section 319 funding, Putnam, Smith, and DeKalb County
Soil Conservation Districts installed heavy use area (HUA) best management practices
(BMPs) on Bates Branch, a tributary to Rock Springs Branch. Fifteen acres of HUA were
implemented to help stabilize an area that cattle trod through, helping to improve water
quality and prevent soil erosion. This resulted in the removal of the Rock Springs Branch
segment from the 2004 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Rock Springs Branch is located in Putnam
County within the Caney Fork River Watershed,
and consists primarily of rural/urban land uses
with approximately 75% forest and 21% agricul-
ture. The Branch was listed as impaired on the
state's 2002 303(d) list due to siltation and other
habitat alterations. Polluted runoff carrying sedi-
ment from grazing fields was the source of this
pollution, which impaired the Branch's ability
to meet Tennessee's water quality standards to
fully support its designated use classifications
for fish and aquatic life. The standard states that
there shall be no distinctly visible solids, scum,
foam, oily slick, or the formation of slimes,
bottom deposits, or sludge banks of such size
or character that may be detrimental to fish
and aquatic life, and the instream habitat within
each subecoregion shall be generally similar to
that found at reference streams.
A siltation total maximum daily load (TMDL)
was established for the Rock Springs Branch
in 2005 by the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation.
Project Highlights
allocated funding assistance to farmers of
pasture grazing lands through a grant from
the Tennessee State Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF). Using a combination
of matched 319 funding as well as state funds,
they worked with local landowners to promote
and install management practices and struc-
tures that would both reduce runoff into Rock
Springs Branch and improve their operations.
Heavy use area BMPs were installed on two
different farms along both Rock Springs and
Bates Branch to reduce soil erosion (Figure 1).
Results
Local Soil and Water Conservation District
offices in Putman, Smith, and De Kalb counties
Rock Springs Branch was found to have greatly
improved water quality due to the installed
BMPs. Using EPA's rapid bioassessment pro-
tocol III (RBPIII), state biologists calculated a
biological reconnaissance score (biorecon)
for the Branch, which is used as a measure of
compliance with water quality standards for the
beneficial use offish and aquatic life. Biorecon is
one tool used to recognize stream impairment as
judged by species richness measures, emphasiz-
ing the presence or absence of indicator organ-
isms without regard to relative abundance. The
biorecon index is scored on a scale from 1 to 15.
-------
Rock Springs Branch, Putnam County in the
Caney Fork River Watershed, 05130108
Smith County
2004 fish & aquatic life
attainment
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
BMPs Installed 1999-2003
Center Hill Reservoir
Caney Fork Watershed, 05130108
Figure 1. Location of Implemented BMPs
A score of less than 5 is regarded as very poor.
A score of more than 10 is considered good.
The principal metrics used are the total mac-
roinvertebrate families (or genera), the number
of families (or genera) of mayflies, stoneflies,
and caddisflies (EPT), and the number of pol-
lution intolerant families (or genera) found in a
stream. The biorecon score for Rock Springs
Branch indicated 12 EPT families, six pollutant
intolerant species, and a total of 29 macroin-
vertebrate families. Using the Division scoring
system for biorecons, this stream scored a 15.
The stream got a habitat score of 137, which is
better than the established habitat goal for this
region. These results indicated the improved
water quality and ability to fully support fish and
aquatic life. Therefore, the 8.1-mile segment of
Rock Spring Branch was delisted from the 2004
303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
Since 2002, Rock Springs Branch has benefited
from $57,378.00 provided through cost-share
from section 319 grant pool projects. In addi-
tion, the State ARCF provided $36,986.72. Key
partners in this effort include the Putnam, Smith,
and De Kalb County Soil Conservation Districts.
\
111
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001W
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II ©state .tn. us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Pasture and Hay Planting Improve Wades Branch Water Quality
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd
from pasture grazing cattle resulted in excess sedi-
ment entering and degrading a 7.2-mile segment of Wades
Branch. This led to the listing of the segment as impaired in 1998 and subsequent years
for siltation and habitat alteration. In 2002 and 2003, best management practices (BMPs),
including pasture and hay planting, reduced sediment loads and resulted in the removal of
Wades Branch from the 2004 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Wades Branch is located in the Stones River
Watershed in Rutherford County, Ecoregion
71i. The 7.2-mile impaired segment, which
runs from Stones River to the Dunaway Chapel
Road Fork, was added to Tennessee's 2002
303(d) list of impaired waters for not meeting
state water quality standards for siltation and
habitat alteration to fully support its desig-
nated use classification offish and aquatic
life. The standard states that there shall be no
distinctly visible solids, scum, foam, oily slick,
or the formation of slimes, bottom deposits
or sludge banks of such size or character that
may be detrimental to fish and aquatic life, and
the instream habitat within each subecore-
gion shall be generally similar to that found at
reference streams. Excess siltation alters the
in-stream conditions by covering substrate
with a layer of sediment that reduces habitat
for benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms that
provide food for fish.
A siltation and habitat alteration total maxi-
mum daily load (TMDL) was completed for
Wades Branch, by Tennessee's Department of
Environment and Conservation, and approved
by EPA in 2002.
watershed (Figure 1). In 2003, 21 acres of
pasture lands along Wades Branch were
renovated. The re-introduction of native plant
species and more adaptable species not only
helps to eliminate soil erosion and improve
water quality, it also improves grazing livestock
nutrition.
Results
Project Highlights
In 2000, 24 acres were renovated by replan-
ting hay and pasture grasses within the
Using EPA's rapid bioassessment protocol III
(RBPIII), state biologists calculated a biologi-
cal reconnaissance score (biorecon) for the
Branch, which is used as a measure of com-
pliance with water quality standards for the
beneficial use offish and aquatic life support.
Biorecon is one tool used to recognize stream
impairment as judged by species richness
measures, emphasizing the presence or
absence of indicator organisms without regard
to relative abundance. The biorecon index is
scored on a scale from 1 to 15. A score of less
than 5 is regarded as very poor. A score of
more than 10 is considered good. The principal
metrics used are the total macroinvertebrate
families (or genera), the number of families (or
genera) of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies
(EPT), and the number of pollution intolerant
families (or genera) found in a stream. The
biorecon results for Wades Branch indicated
11 EPT families (pollution sensitive species), 8
pollutant intolerant species, and 26 total
-------
families. Using this scoring system for biore-
cons, this stream segment scored a 15. The
stream segment got a habitat score of 125,
which is better than the established habitat
goal for this region. The stream segment has
improved greatly since last assessed and
consequently resulted in the removal of this
7.2-mile segment of Wades Branch from the
2004 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
The Rutherford County Soil Conservation
District implemented the BMPs using
$1,807.41 provided through cost-share from
section 319 grant pool projects. In addi-
tion, the Tennessee Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund (ARCF) provided $2,000 in
funding.
Wades Branch, Rutherford County in the
East Fork Stones River Watershed, 05130203
East Fork Stones River
2004 fish & aquatic life
stream attainment
Fully Supports
Not Supporting
Not Assessed
Dry
Impairment was from
mouth to headwaters
TN05130203023-0100 |
&015&TTDECritr
Number) /
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
August 2006
1.25 2.5 5 Miles
East Fork Stones River Watershed, 051302030107
BMPs Installed 2000-2003
Figure 1. BMPs implemented in the East Fork Stones River Watershed (051302030107) 2000-2003
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001R
September 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sa m. Marsha II ©state .tn. us
-------
jig
't.'^^^^^^^J
\
Section 319
NDNPDINT SDURCF PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
Diverse Best Management Practices Control Urban and Agricultural Runoff
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd ^]^ nu1:r'ent concentrations from agricultural runoff, loss
of biological integrity as a result of siltation, and habitat
loss from streamside alteration caused Tennessee to put a 15-mile segment of West
Sandy Creek on its 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2002 and 2004. Sources included
agriculture use, bank and shoreline modification, and runoff from urbanized areas.
To help address the problems, the Henry County Soil Conservation District (District)
implemented 10 best management practices (BMPs), including grade-stabilization
structures, water/sediment control basins, terrace construction, and hay and pasture
plantings. The BMPs improved the water quality in the 15-mile segment, which was
removed from the 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
West Sandy Creek is in the Kentucky Lake
watershed in Henry County (Ecoregion 65E).
The 15-mile impaired segment of West Sandy
Creek extends from the West Sandy embay-
ment in Kentucky Lake to the creek's head-
waters. Tennessee added the creek to its
2002 and 2004 303(d) lists of impaired waters
because of siltation, high nutrient concentra-
tions, loss of habitat, and poor biological
integrity. The state identified the sources
of siltation as runoff from agricultural land
and urban areas. Modification of the creek's
shoreline led to its listing for habitat loss.
This segment of West Sandy Creek was not
meeting water quality criteria to fully support
its designated use classification for fish and
aquatic life. The state standards require that
there be no distinctly visible solids, scum,
foam, oily slick, or the formation of slimes,
bottom deposits, or sludge banks of such size
or character that could be detrimental to fish
and aquatic life.
Project Highlights
The District implemented 10 BMPs in the
Kentucky Lake watershed between 1999 and
2005. Pasture and hay planting, terrace con-
struction, and installing water/sediment con-
trol basins helped to prevent excess silt from
entering the creek. The terraces stabilized
steep slopes along the creek and reduced
runoff and soil erosion. Water/sediment con-
trol basins reduced stream bank scouring and
gully erosion, trapped sediment, and reduced
runoff, thereby improving water quality.
The District also created grade-stabilization
structures throughout the watershed. These
structures controlled the grade of the creek
and helped prevent water from cutting into
the side of natural or artificial channels. The
practice was used in areas where the con-
centration and flow of water could potentially
have caused gully erosion.
Three grade-stabilization structures and one
terrace were installed in the drainage area of
West Sandy Creek (Figure 1). The District also
installed two water/sediment control basins
and one grade-stabilization structure in the
Spring Creek drainage area. Clifty Creek ben-
efited from the installation of one water/sedi-
ment control basin. One grade-stabilization
-------
structure was installed on Chapel Branch, in
the Kentucky Lake watershed.
Results
The BMPs implemented in the West Sandy
Creek watershed reduced the level of nutri-
ents and silt in the water and helped to
prevent streamside erosion. Using the U.S.
Environmental Protections Agency's (EPA's)
rapid bioassessment protocol III (RBPIII), state
biologists calculated a biological reconnais-
sance score (biorecon) for the West Sandy
Creek, which is used to measure compliance
with the state water quality standard for
siltation. Biorecon is one tool used to recog-
nize stream impairment as judged by species
richness measures, emphasizing the presence
or absence of indicator organisms without
regard to relative abundance. The biorecon
index is scored on a scale from 1 to 15. A
score of less than 5 is regarded as very poor.
A score of more than 10 is considered good.
The principal metrics used are the total mac-
roinvertebrate families, the number of families
of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (col-
lectively referred to as EPT, which is short for
the order names Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera,
and Trichoptera), and the number of pollution
intolerant families found in a stream.
In 2004 biological sampling on West Sandy
Creek, state biologists found 19 total families,
5 EPT families, and 1 pollutant-intolerant fam-
ily. The biorecon score for the station was 13,
which is in the good range. The data indicate
that the stream is meeting water quality stan-
dards. Therefore, Tennessee removed this
15-mile segment of West Sandy Creek from
its 2006 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
The Henry County Soil Conservation District
implemented the BMPs with $24,817 provided
by the Tennessee state Agricultural Resources
Conservation Fund through cost-share from
Clean Water Act section 319 grant pool
projects. In addition, local matching funds
contributed $13,170.
Tennessee Department of Agriculture, August 2006
Figure 1. Location of BMPs installed along West Sandy Creek, TN.
. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
o Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001DD
November 2007
For additional information contact:
Sam Marshall, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
615-837-5306
Sam.Marshall@state.tn.us
-------
"*A\ Section 319
M/ NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM
STORY
Improved Herbicide Management Restores Safety of Drinking Water Source
WatPrhndv Imnrnvpd Aquilla Reservoir is an important source of drinking water
and recreation but was found to have excessive levels of the
herbicide atrazine beginning in 1997. Project partners initiated efforts to reduce agricultural
atrazine sources—and to a lesser extent, urban sources—in the watershed. As a result
of technical assistance to corn and sorghum producers, using agricultural best manage-
ment practices (BMPs), and educating urban residents, atrazine concentrations in Aquilla
Reservoir declined by 60 percent. The waterbody now meets atrazine concentration stan-
dards, and in 2004 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) recommended
that Aquilla Reservoir be removed from the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters for 2004.
Problem
Aquilla Reservoir was built in 1983 for water
supply, flood control, and recreation purposes.
Approximately 10 miles southwest of the city
of Hillsboro in east-central Texas, it controls
drainage from a 255-square mile watershed.
Corn and sorghum production comprise 40
percent of land use in the watershed. The res-
ervoir is the sole source of water for the Aquilla
Water Supply District's treatment plant.
Atrazine is an herbicide used by many corn
and sorghum producers. It is also an ingredi-
ent in many residential lawn products. During
the late 1990s, monitoring of finished drinking
water showed that atrazine concentrations
consistently exceeded state and federal drink-
ing water standards mandating a maximum
contaminant level (MCL) of 3 micrograms per
liter (3jL/g/L). Three consecutive MCL violations
led the state to place the reservoir on its 303(d)
list of impaired waters in 1998.
The Aquilla Water Supply District took immedi-
ate steps to ensure public safety by reducing
atrazine in drinking water through its treatment
process. Meanwhile, TCEQ began an examina-
tion of atrazine loading to the reservoir.
The study found that all loading originated
from nonpoint sources. This led TCEQ and
the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation
Board (TSSWCB) to establish a total maximum
daily load (TMDL) for atrazine. EPA approved
5.0
„ 4-°
c
| 3'°
I 2.0
1.0
-Atrazine in Aquilla
Feb-97 Feb-98 Feb-99 Feb-00 Feb-01 Feb-02 Feb-03 Feb-04 Feb-05
Atrazine concentrations in Aquilla Reservoir. Data represent
running annual averages. Concentrations have steadily remained
below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) since 1998. With the
reservoir meeting the MCL requirement for more than 2 consecu-
tive years, Texas has recommended that it be removed from the
state's 303(d) list.
the TMDL in 2002. It required the reservoir
to maintain a running annual average atrazine
concentration not to exceed the 3^/g/L MCL for
2 consecutive years. This would amount to a 25
percent atrazine load reduction.
Project Highlights
The atrazine threat to drinking water triggered
several coordinated projects to address urban
and agricultural atrazine sources and restore
water quality in Aquilla Reservoir. State, fed-
eral, regional, and local agencies collaborated
to formulate and implement plans designed
to reduce reservoir pollution, protect against
new pollution sources, and monitor progress
through water quality testing.
-------
Sample best management
practices used to reduce
atrazine loads. Afield of corn
(1) is cultivated. Atrazine is
tilled into the soil, rather
than simply applied on top
of the ground. Farmers
may install filter strips (2)
between the field and an
adjacent creek (4). A grassed
waterway (3) may also be
used to direct runoff to the
creek while filtering out pol-
lutants at the same time.
Agricultural producers, affected water
supply companies, government agencies,
and other stakeholders formed the Texas
Watershed Protection
Committee, which identified
BMPs for use in the water-
shed and documented BMP
adoption. Recommended
BMPs included incorporat-
ing atrazine into the soil,
filter strips, grade stabiliza-
tion, grassed waterways,
terraces, integrated pest
management (e.g., targeted
herbicide application), and
education. The committee
also worked to increase pes-
ticide dealers' awareness of
the problem and gain their
assistance and support in
solving it. Finally, corn and
sorghum producers received
technical and financial
assistance to implement the
BMPs.
Results
Project leaders also tar-
geted urban areas for
atrazine reductions. They
prepared fact sheets about
atrazine and alternative
lawn management. Through
the Texas Master Gardener
program, they delivered
television public service announcements
about proper application and storage of
herbicides and pesticides. Finally, they
distributed fact sheets and general articles
to local newspapers, to feature columnists,
and at local meetings.
To measure the effectiveness of reduction
efforts, TCEQ conducted monthly water
quality monitoring. In addition, a private
corporation that markets atrazine continued
its voluntary pesticide monitoring program
with the area's public water suppliers.
These efforts led to a 60 percent atrazine load
reduction, far exceeding the TMDL. As pre-
sented in the graph on the previous page, over 2
consecutive years of monthly reservoir sampling
showed atrazine concentrations well below the
3jL/g/L requirement. The waterbody now meets
atrazine concentration standards, and TCEQ has
recommended that it be removed from the state
303(d) list.
TCEQ will continue collecting quarterly samples
to monitor reservoir water quality. In addition,
finished drinking water will continue to be
monitored for compliance with the Safe Drinking
Water Act.
Partners and Funding
TCEQ and TSSWCB led the atrazine reduction
project and developed the TMDL. Various Texas
Watershed Protection Committee activities
were also vital to the effort. Led by the Texas
Department of Agriculture, the committee
consists of representatives from TCEQ,
TSSWCB, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station-
Blacklands Research Center, Texas Cooperative
Extension, USDA-Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Brazos River Authority,
and Texas Farm Bureau.
Other partners included the Aquilla Water
Supply District, Woodrow-Osceola Water
Supply Corporation, Hill County Appraisal
District, Hill County Blackland Soil and Water
Conservation District, Sabine River Authority,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, and Syngenta (for-
merly Novartis).
Since 1999, approximately $2.8 million in EPA
section 319 and nonfederal matching funds have
helped to support this restoration effort. In addi-
tion, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation
Service provided more than $1.9 million in cost-
share funds between 1998 and 2003 to assist
producers implementing BMPs in the watershed.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003F
June 2006
For additional information contact:
Arthur Talley
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,
TMDL Program
512-239-4546 • atalley@tceq.state.tx.us
Aaron Wendt
Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
254-773-2250 • awendt@tsswcb.state.tx.us
Frank Burleson
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,
Region 9 Office-Waco
254-751-0335
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Removing Legacy Pollutants Restores Fish Consumption Use
Waterbody Improved
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) banned people
from possessing fish taken from Lake Como because the tissues of these
fish contained high concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals. The
fish possession ban prompted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to include Lake Como
on the state's 1996 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters. In response to the water quality
problem, local, state and federal agencies implemented a range of best management practices (BMPs) in the
city of Fort Worth. Recent risk analyses by the DSHS have shown that fish tissue pollutant levels have dimin-
ished sufficiently to rescind the fish possession ban. The TCEQ determined that Lake Como is fully support-
ing its fish consumption use and removed the lake from the 2008 303(d) impaired waters list.
Problem
Lake Como is a 10-acre impoundment of an
unnamed tributary to the Clear Fork Trinity River
in Fort Worth (Figure 1). The lake drains a 743-
acre watershed that is 65 percent residential.
DSHS issued a ban on the possession of all
fish species from Lake Como in 1995 because
of elevated levels of several legacy pollutants
including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and
the pesticides chlordane, DDT and dieldrin. In
1996, TCEQ added the lake to the state's 303(d)
list of impaired waters due to impairment of its
designated fish consumption use.
Legacy pollutants are those pollutants that
have been banned or had their uses restricted,
yet remain in the environment. These materials
were widely used in the past in products such
as pesticides, coolants and lubricants. Area
soils were contaminated through direct appli-
cation, leaks and spills. Extensive urban devel-
opment in the watershed caused contaminated
soils to erode and accumulate in Lake Como.
The pollutants then entered the food chain and
became concentrated in fish tissue.
In 2001 TCEQ and EPA approved a total
maximum daily load (TMDL) for Lake Como for
legacy pollutants in fish tissue. The endpoint
of the TMDL was to restore the fish consump-
tion use by meeting the DSHS' criteria for con-
taminant levels. The DSHS procedures specify
that the additive risk of all contaminants
cannot exceed either the cancer risk level or a
non-carcinogenic hazard index.
Figure 1. Lake
Como in Fort
Worth, Texas.
Project Highlights
Fort Worth's Environmental Management
Department (FWEMD) operates the
Environmental Collection Center (ECC), a perma-
nent, year-round facility that accepts household
hazardous waste from residents of Fort Worth
and other areas. The ECC modified its record
keeping to track the amounts of legacy pollut-
ants collected. The city used the information as
a measure for evaluating its pollution prevention
program and targeting its educational efforts.
Fort Worth educates residents about local
watersheds and the inherent problems associ-
ated with the use of pesticides. The city holds
Lake Festivals and cleanup events. In 2004,
the event included more than 30 information
booths and educational activities. The city also
installed a message board at the lake to provide
water quality information. FWEMD produced a
stormwater pollution prevention public service
advertisement shown at local movie theaters.
To reach a wider audience, FWEMD staff made
presentations about water quality issues to
numerous groups in the Fort Worth area.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted
sediment and runoff sampling and analysis to
-------
evaluate loading of legacy pollutants, trends
and sources of pollutants. The DSHS collected
fish tissue samples for developing a quantita-
tive risk characterization that was the basis of
a revised health risk assessment that DSHS
adopted in 2008.
Results
Sampling of sediments in the reservoir detect-
ed all four legacy pollutants responsible for
the fish consumption bans. However, con-
centrations of DDE, PCBs and chlordane have
declined in Lake Como sediment since the
1960s. Results of core samples taken in the
lake show a decrease over time in the pollut-
ants of concern, with the exception of dieldrin.
Sampling of residential stormwater outfalls
showed that legacy pollutants were present
and being transported in urban runoff.
Pollution prevention and source control prac-
tices helped reduce legacy pollutant levels.
Fort Worth's educational program led to a
21 percent increase in the number of citizens
using its permanent household hazardous
waste facility. As of 2006, ECC collected and
logged more than 8,000 pounds of materials
containing legacy pollutants.
Mean TMDL Contaminant Concentrations in Fish Tissue
Lake Como, TX
(n = 4) 1997 (n = 5)
n - number of samples
nd - all samples less than detection limit
na - samples not analyzed for contaminant.
Raw data obtained from the Texas Department of State Health Services
• Chlord
ne
n
D
eldrin
n
DDE
n
PCBs
Figure 2. Trends of chlorinated hydrocarbons in Lake Como core
sediment and Lake Como inflow suspended sediment. Kendall's
tau rank correlation test was used to indicate whether there was
a statistically significant relation between concentration and time,
from 1965 to top of the core.
The combination of these investigations, man-
agement activities and the natural attenuation
of the pollutants proved to be effective for Lake
Como. Recent fish tissue monitoring shows that
concentrations of legacy pollutants comply with
the endpoint target in the TMDL (Figure 2). For
example, chlordane fish tissue data collected
in 1994 show a mean value of 1.78 milligrams
per kilogram (mg/kg) and a range of values from
1.00 to 2.90 mg/kg. By 2008, data showed that
chlordane concentrations in fish tissue had
declined to mean of 0.036 mg/kg, with a range
of values from 0.013 to 0.086 mg/kg.
The final risk assessment by DSHS found that
"no single contaminant in fish from Lake Como
increased the likelihood of systemic or carci-
nogenic health outcomes in people who eat
fish from this lake." Additionally, DSHS risk
assessors found no increase in the lifetime
excess cancer risk with simultaneous exposure
to more than one contaminant. This exposure
scenario also does not increase the risk of sys-
temic adverse health outcomes in those who
would regularly consume fish from Lake Como.
These findings demonstrate that historical
contamination has attenuated, resulting in
reduced fish tissue concentrations. Because
of the actions taken to restore Lake Como, and
since PCBs and the pesticides bioaccumulat-
ing in fish tissue are all banned, TCEQ believes
levels in fish tissue will continue to decline. On
the basis of the DSHS findings, TCEQ deter-
mined that Lake Como is fully supporting its
fish consumption use and removed the lake
from the state's 2008 303(d) impaired waters
list. Periodic monitoring of fish tissue in the
future will serve to confirm that concentrations
remain below levels of concern.
Partners and Funding
Fort Worth contributed to the project by
educating the public and collecting hazardous
household waste. USGS investigated legacy
pollutants in sediments. TCEQ and USGS each
contributed $39,000 for the joint investigation.
TCEQ contributed approximately $25,000 in
EPA section 319 funds to cover the DSHS's
analytical expenses. DSHS matched the grant
with salaries and in-kind services to collect the
samples and develop the risk characterizations.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
z Washington, DC
o
EPA841-F-08-001BB
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Roger Miranda
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Water Quality Planning Division, TMDL Team
512-239-6278 • RMiranda@tceq.state.tx.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STOKY
•
Riparian Area Grazing Management Practices Reduce Phosphorus Loads
and Restore Water Quality
WatPrhnHv I mnrnvpH Excess phosphorus from agricultural runoff led Utah to list the upper
-! •• r - "' and lower segments of the Little Bear River on its 1998, 2000 and
2002 303(d) lists of impaired waterbodies. Landowners, local watershed organizations and many
federal, state and local government agencies collaborated to implement agricultural best manage-
ment practices (BMPs), which improved water quality in the Little Bear River and its tributaries. These
improvements prompted the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) to remove the upper
segment of the Little Bear River from the 303(d) list for total phosphorus (TP) in 2004. Water quality in
the lower segment of the Little Bear River has also improved significantly, but it still exceeds standards
and remains on the 2004 303(d) list for TP and hydrological modification.
Problem
The Little Bear River is split into upper and lower
segments for management purposes. The upper
segment is approximately 6.8 miles long and runs
from the East Fork to Hyrum Reservoir. The lower,
28.1-mile segment runs from Hyrum Reservoir to
Cutler Reservoir. UDEQ included both segments
on its 1998, 2000 and 2002 303(d) lists of impaired
waterbodies because the segments did not fully
support aquatic life and cold water fishery des-
ignated uses due to high TP concentrations and
hydromodification.
Agricultural practices are the leading sources of the
nonpoint source pollution in the Little Bear River
and the primary cause of water quality impairment.
Much of the corridor is used for livestock grazing
and crop production. In addition, several tributar-
ies contributed high sediment loads during storm
events—largely because of severe streambank
erosion, channel straightening, road damage, poorly
managed upland grazing and cropland erosion
(Figure 1).
The Little Bear River total maximum daily load
(TMDL) outlines several goals, including that TP
concentrations may not exceed the water quality
standard, 0.05 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and that
theTP load will be reduced by 13 kilograms per
day (kg/day) above Cutler Reservoir and 2.4 kg/day
above Hyrum Reservoir. Although the goal is to
not exceed the TP standard at all, a stream is not
actually identified as nonsupporting until 25 percent
or more of its samples exceed the 0.05 mg/L TP
value. Therefore, to meet water quality standards,
the TP levels in Little Bear River must not exceed
Figure 1. This photo shows an example of a typical
eroding streambank in the Little Bear River water-
shed before the restoration project began.
the 0.05 mg/L standard more than 25 percent
of the time. The TMDL also identifies hydrologic
modification as a water quality concern in the lower
segment. Phosphorus is readily adsorbed to sedi-
ment particles, so a reduction in erosion and total
suspended solids will also lead to a reduction in TP
in both segments.
Project Highlights
Beginning in 1989, community planning efforts by
the Little Bear River Steering Committee gave rise
to the operating structure of this project, and over
the course of 15 years, the public has been continu-
ously informed and involved. The group developed
the Little Bear River Watershed Plan in 1992 as
part of a comprehensive, coordinated resource
-------
management effort to address nonpoint source
pollution in the drainage basin.
Since then, project partners implemented more
than 100 water quality improvement projects on the
Little Bear River and its tributaries, including many
different types of riparian area grazing manage-
ment and streambank stabilization BMPs. These
included stabilizing 9,350 feet of streambank using
14 in-channel drop structures and 19 rock barbs,
completing 59 animal waste management projects,
placing more than 22,300 feet of riparian fencing
and implementing many other projects such as filter
strips, livestock exclusion, pasture planting, range
seeding and other farming and irrigation BMPs.
Project partners also established successful educa-
tion and outreach programs and completed several
fishery improvement projects.
Results
The cumulative effects of these on-the-ground
restoration efforts, combined with outreach and
education activities, have led to better land use
practices by landowners and reduced pollutant
loadings to the streams (Figure 2). Data show that
water quality in both segments of the Little Bear
River has significantly improved. Figure 3 presents
the percentage of samples exceeding the TP stan-
dard during three periods of intensive monitoring
conducted since 1993. TheTP levels in the upper
segment decreased from 34 percent exceedance
of the standard in the 1993-1994 monitoring cycle
to 8 percent exceedance by the 2003-2004 cycle.
The TP levels in the lower segment decreased
from 88 percent exceedance of the standard in the
Figure 2. This photo shows an example of a restored
stream channel in the Little Bear River watershed
after significant restoration had taken place.
1993-1994 cycle to 50 percent exceedance by the
2003-2004 cycle.
These results indicate that TP levels in the upper seg-
ment of the Little Bear River are consistently below
state water quality standards. Therefore, UDEQ
removed the upper 6.8 miles of the Little Bear River
from its 2004 303(d) list for TP. Although the lower
segment is still nonsupporting, a steady decrease
in TP and total suspended solids indicates that the
BMPs in place are positively affecting the watershed.
Percent Exceedances of TP for Upper and Lower Sections
of the Little Bear River
Upper
Lower
Figure 3. Recent monitoring data show that TP
levels in the upper section of the Little Bear River
are now below the 25 percent exceedance target
level as represented by the red dotted line.
Partners and Funding
Since 1991 UDEQ has administered a total of
$1,616,055 in Clean Water Act section 319 grant
funds to implement the variety of BMPs previously
mentioned. Project partners relied on an additional
$1,082,170 of nonfederal and $1,554,178 in federal
funding to restore the Little Bear River watershed.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah
State University conducted specific partnership
efforts to improve the fishery and fish habitat. U.S.
Department of Agriculture funds helped improve
habitat and agricultural production by focusing
on a holistic approach to farm and environmental
management. The Natural Resources Conservation
Service provided technical assistance to plan,
design, implement BMPs and evaluate BMP effec-
tiveness. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided
technical assistance for fish habitat projects and
streambank and stream channel design. Local
participants included the Cache County Local Work
Group, the local soil conservation district, the Little
Bear Water Users Association, Cache Society of
Fisheries and many others.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001G
June 2008
For additional information contact:
Mike Allred, Utah Department of
Environmental Quality
801-538-6316 • mdallred@utah.gov
Gary Kleeman, EPA Region 8
303-312-6246 • kleeman.gary@epa.gov
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stream Restored through Improved Agricultural Practices and
Erosion Control Work
WatPrbndv Irnnrnvpd Sediment and nutrients in agricultural, roadway, and parking
' '' "! ' * lot runoff degraded Adams Brook's biological communities
and resulted in the waterbody being listed on Vermont's section 303(d) list of impaired
waters. The installation of several best management practices, including improvements to
a manure storage facility and erosion control work in several areas, resulted in improved
water quality and allowed Adams Brook to be removed from the 303(d) list in 2004.
Problem
Adams Brook, a 3.5-mile stream in the cen-
tral Vermont town of Randolph, is a tributary
within the White River Basin. The Vermont
Department of Environmental Conservation
(VT DEC) classifies Adams Brook as a Class B
water, a designation defined as "suitable for
bathing and recreation, irrigation and agricul-
tural uses; good fish habitat; good aesthetic
value; acceptable for public water supply with
filtration and disinfection."
In 1997, VT DEC monitored macroinvertebrates
in Adams Brook using the EPT index, which
measures the presence of pollution-sensitive
aquatic insects in a waterbody. The index
assumes that streams showing high EPT rich-
ness are less likely to be polluted than streams
showing relatively low EPT richness in the
same geographic region. In addition, VT DEC
measured Adams Brook's biotic integrity (Bl).
Monitoring results from both indices indicated
that Adams Brook failed to meet Vermont's
Class B water quality standards for aquatic life
support.
As a result of these findings, the state placed
Adams Brook on Vermont's 303(d) list of
impaired waters in 1998. Two VT DEC surveys
and a concurrent White River Basin planning
process indicated that the impairment was
caused by nutrient and sediment loads coming
from a nearby farm, poorly protected roadside
Ditch near Adams Brook prior to being lined with rock.
Rock lining reduced sedimentation into Adams Brook.
ditches, and certain stretches of badly eroding
streambanks.
Project Highlights
In 1998, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food
and Markets worked with a local farmer to
plug a leak in the farm's manure storage pit.
They also expanded the pit size to better
accommodate the volume and type of animal
waste being generated. These actions helped
to significantly reduce nutrient loading to the
waterbody. Other activities helped to reduce
sedimentation. In 2001, VT DEC secured
the removal of an unauthorized culvert at an
upstream tributary, thereby reducing the ero-
sive force of stormwater in the channel. During
-------
Adams Brook Biomonitoring Results
Geomorphic instability and an unauthorized culvert
(upstream of the location in this photo) caused
heavy erosion and the dumping of rock piles at the
culvert shown here. Removing the unauthorized
culvert helped to address the instability and reduce
the water quality impacts on Adams Brook.
the summer of 2002, the Vermont Agency
of Transportation lined the eroding roadway
ditches with stone and stabilized erosion at a
nearby parking lot. All these actions contrib-
uted to bringing the stream into compliance
with Vermont's water quality standards.
Results
Macroinvertebrate sampling in 2001 showed
improvements in EPT taxa richness and Bl,
allowing Adams Brook to be assessed as
"good" and attaining water quality standards.
However, a waterbody cannot be removed
from the state's impaired list until 2 years of
biological monitoring data indicate compliance
with water quality standards.
Consequently, Adams Brook was reassessed
in 2002 and evaluated to be in "very good"
condition, exhibiting only minor differences
from nearby reference streams. The EPT rich-
ness remained well above the guideline for
Class B waters (though down somewhat from
the 2001 sampling period) and the Bl value was
significantly lower (better) than the previous
2 sampling years.
Sampling
Site
1.5
1.5
1.5
Date
9/16/1997
9/10/2001
10/2/2002
Assessment Rating
Fair
Good
Very good
Class B Guideline
EPT
15.0
23.0
19.0
> 1,8,0
Bl
4.77
4.30
2.14
<4.50
The table above compares Adams Brook
biomonitoring results with Class B water
guidelines. Data highlighted in bold indicate
the waterbody's failure to meet aquatic life
support biocriteria for Vermont Class B waters.
These data led to Adams Brook being added to
Vermont's 303(d) list in 1998.
Metric improvements in 2001 and 2002 indi-
cated that the stream community was under
less stress and the brook had achieved compli-
ance with Vermont water quality standards.
As a result, Adams Brook was removed from
the 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2004. The
next scheduled monitoring year for the brook
is 2006.
Partners and Funding
This project included financial and techni-
cal support from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation
Service and the Vermont Agency of
Agriculture, Food and Markets for improve-
ments to the animal waste storage facility.
These improvements were also funded in part
by the farm producer. The Vermont Agency
of Transportation protected roadside ditches
and established parking area erosion control
measures. All the improvement and protection
work was facilitated by the broader White River
Basin planning process, which was managed
by VT DEC and supported, in part, with approx-
imately $50,000 in section 319 funding.
I
5
PR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003A
May 2006
For additional information contact:
Eric Perkins, EPA Region 1
617-918-1602 • perkins.eric@epa.gov
Rick Hopkins, VT DEC Nonpoint Source Program
802-241-3769 • rick.hopkins@state.vt.us
Steve Fiske, VT DEC Biomonitoring Program
802-241-1378 • steve.fiske@state.vt.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Ski Resort Controls Erosion and Sedimentation, Restores Two Streams
WaterbodieS Improved
!
Er°Si°" ™d sediment runoff from ski area parking lots and
roads degraded biological communities in Chase and Slide
Brooks. As a result, Vermont placed the streams on its 303(d) list for aquatic life use impair-
ments due to excessive sediment. The installation of new runoff controls and improved
management practices brought the streams into compliance with Vermont's water quality
standards, and the state removed both streams from its 303(d) list in 2004.
Problem
Chase and Slide Brooks, 1 and 3 miles long,
respectively, flow through the Sugarbush
Resort, a ski area and resort in the north-
ern Vermont town of Fayston. The Vermont
Department of Environmental Conservation
(VT DEC) classifies both brooks as Class B
waters—a designation defined as "suitable for
bathing and recreation, irrigation and agricul-
tural uses; good fish habitat; good aesthetic
value; acceptable for public water supply with
filtration and disinfection."
VT DEC monitored macroinvertebrates in both
streams using several different techniques,
including the EPT index—a measure of pol-
lution-sensitive aquatic insects inhabiting
a waterbody. Streams showing high EPT
richness are less likely to be polluted than
streams showing low richness in the same
geographic region. In addition, VT DEC deter-
mined macroinvertebrate densities and the
percentage of macroinvertebrates composed
of pollutant-tolerant worms of the taxonomic
class Oligochaeta.
In the mid-1990s biological monitoring found
that a 0.5-mile segment of each stream did not
fully meet Vermont's water quality standards
for aquatic life. The segments had low EPT val-
ues, relatively low macroinvertebrate densities,
and biotic communities with high percentages
of oligochaetes. As a result, Vermont placed
the segments on its 303(d) list of impaired
waters in 1996. VT DEC attributed the impair-
Stream embeddedness—the extent to which sediment
filled in gaps around rocks and cobbles in the Chase and
Slide Brook streambeds—was 50-75 percent before the
restoration effort. Embeddedness declined to 25-50
percent following restoration, representing significant
habitat improvement.
ments to sediment washing from nearby gravel
parking lots and smothering benthic habitat in
the streams.
Project Highlights
In compliance with Vermont's land develop-
ment law (Act 250), which regulates expan-
sions as well as new developments disturbing
more than 10 acres in Vermont, the Sugarbush
Resort prepared a comprehensive water qual-
ity remediation plan for the entire resort in
the late 1990s. The remediation plan included
a survey of all sites and sources believed to
contribute to the water quality impairments,
-------
along with a list of recommended actions to
address these sources.
The resort completed the recommended
improvements between 2000 and spring 2002.
The improvements included re-grading gravel
parking lots and routing drainage through grass
islands and sediment traps; enhancing the
riparian buffer along Chase Brook; revegetating
sections of work roads; cleaning, shaping, and
matting swales; installing stone check-dams;
replacing gravel with wood chips in heavily
used areas; changing snow disposal practices
to eliminate dumping in riparian zones; and
instituting regular fall/spring maintenance of all
the runoff control measures.
Table 1. Chase Brook Biomonitoring Results
Results
Pre- and post-project biomonitoring results are
shown in the accompanying tables. The tables
compare results with the Class B water guide-
lines for aquatic life support. Data highlighted
in bold indicate non-attainment of the Class B
guidelines.
Chase Brook experienced a substantial
decrease in the percentage of oligochaetes
and increases in density and EPT indices. As
a result, VT DEC assigned "very good" and
"good" ratings to Chase Brook in 2000 and
2002, respectively. Both are passing grades
under Vermont's water quality standards.
The monitoring results for Slide Brook indi-
cated similar improvements. A decreased
percentage of oligochaetes, combined with
consistently strong values for the other indices,
allowed VT DEC to assign Slide Brook ratings
of "excellent" and "very good" in 2000 and
2002, respectively.
The data indicated that the remediation prac-
tices had reduced sediment delivery to the
Sampling
site
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
Date
9/14/1993
9/20/1994
10/6/1998
9/18/2000
9/2/2002
Assessment
rating
Fair
Fair
Fair
Very good
Good
Class B Guideline
EPT
15.0
22.5
19.0
19.0
16.7
>16.0*
Density
(individuals/m2)
357
584
493
673
1253
>300
Individuals from
Oligochaeta(%)
10.6
23.8
11.7
2.4
1.4
<12.0
'Vermont Class B Guideline for EPT was 18.0 until the state changed it to 16.0
in 2002.
Table 2. Slide Brook Biomonitoring Results
Sampling
site
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
Date
10/21/1991
9/14/1993
9/18/2000
9/2/2002
Assessment
rating
Good-Fair
Fair
Excellent
Very good
Class B Guideline
EPT
24.0
20.5
25.0
21.7
>16.0*
Density
(individuals/m2)
762
856
522
944
>300
Individuals from
Oligochaeta (%)
11.7
12.6
0.3
1.2
<12.0
* Vermont Class B Guideline for EPT was 18.0 until the state changed it to 16.0
in 2002.
streams, improved stream habitat, and allowed
Vermont water quality standards to be met
in both streams by the fall of 2002. The state
removed both streams from its 303(d) list in
2004. The streams are scheduled to be moni-
tored again in late 2006.
Partners and Funding
Sugarbush Resort contributed $11,500 to
develop the remediation plan and $14,000 to
implement it. The resort also spends $5,000-
$7,000 annually for operation and maintenance.
In addition, approximately $3,000 in section
319 funds supported stream monitoring work
byVTDEC.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003K
December 2006
For additional information contact:
Eric Perkins
EPA Region 1
617-918-1602 • perkins.eric@epa.gov
Steve Fiske
VT Department of Environmental Conservation
802-242-1378 • steve.fiske@state.vt.us
Jason Lisai
Sugarbush Resort
802-583-6324 • jlisai@sugarbush.com
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Area Residents Keep Shelburne Beach Open
Unnamed Tributary to Shelburne Beach, VT
Watprhnrlv Imnrnvpd Bacteria leaking from residential septic systems caused
exceedances of Vermont's E. coli criteria in a tributary to
Shelburne Beach, resulting in occasional beach closures. As a result, Vermont placed
the one-mile unnamed tributary on its section 303(d) list for E. coli in 1998. The Town
of Shelburne identified the potential source of the bacteria, prompting improvements to
a number of residential septic systems along the stream. Subsequent monitoring data
showed that the stream and beach consistently met water quality standards, and the tribu-
tary was removed from the state's 303(d) list in 2004.
Problem
Shelburne Beach is a town swimming beach
on a central portion of Lake Champlain in the
town of Shelburne, Vermont. The state has
classified the beach and the unnamed tribu-
tary to the beach as class B waters—a desig-
nation defined as "suitable for bathing and
recreation, irrigation and agricultural uses;
good fish habitat; good aesthetic value;
acceptable for public water supply with
filtration and disinfection."
The town monitors E. coli levels at the beach,
including at a station at the mouth of the tribu-
tary, about 20 times a year during the swim-
ming season, to check for compliance with
Vermont's E. coli criteria. The criteria are 77
colony-forming units (cfu) per 100 milliliters for
Class B waters. Among other purposes, the
E. coli standard is designed to protect human
health by preventing exposure to harmful
levels of pathogens. Monitoring results for
a number of years in the mid- to late 1990s
indicated occasional exceedances of the E.
coli standard at the monitoring station at the
tributary mouth, causing occasional closures
of the beach. The high E. coli counts resulted
in the state's adding the unnamed tributary to
the303(d)listin 1998.
Coordinated efforts by area residents to
control bacteria levels permit the con-
tinual enjoyment of Shelburne Beach
Project Highlights
In 1997 the town commissioned a study to
find the source of the bacteria in the tributary,
and the study identified six residential septic
systems along the stream as the most likely
source. Based on the findings of the study,
the town encouraged the homeowners of
concern to correct the deficiencies in their
septic systems. Between 1998 and 2001, all six
homeowners rebuilt their systems by installing
new tanks and leach fields.
-------
Results
The data summarized in Table 1 show that
the E. co/i standard was exceeded occasion-
ally during the years 1996 to 1999. Although
data are not available for 2000 and 2001,
the data for 2002 and 2003 (following septic
system improvements) show that the Vermont
water quality standards for/:, co//were met
100 percent of the time during those years.
Accordingly, the state removed the tributary
from the 303(d) list in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The restoration work in this case was funded
by the Shelburne homeowners, who together
spent approximately $90,000 to rebuild
their on-site septic systems. The Town of
Shelburne supported this work with seasonal
bacteria monitoring and funding for the study
that identified the bacteria source. Vermont
Department of Environmental Conservation
staff, funded with section 319 funds, provided
some technical assistance to the town during
the source-tracking phase.
Table 1. Summary of E. coli data at the mouth of the southern tributary to Shelburne Beach
Year
1996
1997
1998
1999
2002
2003
Number of samples
taken throughout the
season
31
28
26
16
21
21
Number of samples that exceeded
Vermont's £ coli criterion of
77CFU/100mL
1
3
3
1
0
0
Average £ coli count for
samples that exceeded
criterion(CFU/100mL)
240
197
3,033
130
—
-
Number of days
beach was closed to
swimming
1
1
4
0
0
0
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001G
June 2007
For additional information contact:
Eric Perkins
EPA Region 1
617-918-1602 • perkins.eric@epa.gov
Bernard T. Gagnon
Director of Public Works
802-316-1320
Susan Craig
Shelburne Parks and Recreation
802-985-9551
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SOCCESS STOR
Local Farmers Help Restore South Bay by Reducing Phosphorus in Runoff
Waterbodv Improved Be9'nnin9 in the 1960s and 1970s- Phosphorus inputs from
agricultural lands caused South Bay to exceed Vermont's
water quality criterion for phosphorus. The state added the bay to its Clean Water Act sec-
tion 303(d) list in 1992 on the basis of available phosphorus data. Since then, landowners
throughout the watershed have implemented conservation practices designed to control
phosphorus associated with manure, fertilizers and sediment. Monitoring from 2005 to
2007 showed that the bay now attains water quality standards, and Vermont is proposing to
remove it from the section 303(d) list in 2008.
Problem
South Bay is a fairly shallow body of water at the
southern end of Lake Memphremagog, a large
lake spanning the border between Vermont and
Quebec (Figure 1). The 470-acre South Bay is
fully on the Vermont side of the border, near the
city of Newport in Orleans County. The Vermont
Department of Environmental Conservation
(VTDEC) classifies South Bay as a Class B water,
a designation defined as "suitable for bathing and
recreation, irrigation and agricultural uses; good fish
habitat; good aesthetic value; acceptable for public
water supply with filtration and disinfection."
Vermont's water quality standards specify a phos-
phorus criterion of 25 micrograms per liter (jug/L)
for South Bay, a standard first adopted in 1991.
The Vermont water quality standards express the
25/jg/L as an annual average value. Phosphorus
monitoring data from the 1960s and 1970s show
that South Bay exceeded the 25 jug/L criterion;
therefore, VTDEC placed South Bay on its section
303(d)listin 1992.
A 1993 report by the Quebec/Vermont Working
Group Managing the Lake Memphremagog and
Its Environment identified the primary cause of
impairment to be nonpoint source runoff from the
large number of farms in the two tributary water-
sheds that were operating without basic conserva-
tion practices. Four small wastewater treatment
plants were also operating in these watersheds
and contributing some phosphorus to the bay, but
the majority of phosphorus inputs were linked to
agricultural nonpoint sources.
Figure 1. This Google Earth™ image shows South Bay, VT A
small portion of Lake Memphremagog is visible in the upper left.
Project Highlights
Between 1985 and 2004, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and the Vermont Agency
of Agriculture, Food and Markets worked with
local farmers to establish conservation practices
on about 90 of the approximately 140 farms in the
Barton River and Black River watersheds—the two
watersheds draining to South Bay. Funding from the
USDA's PL83-566 Small Watershed Program helped
support conservation work in these watersheds in
the early 1980s. EPA section 319 funds (mid-1990s)
-------
and a special EPA congressional earmark grant
(early 2000s) helped reduce landowner cost-share
amounts for conservation practices to boost farmer
participation in the program. Vermont Agency of
Agriculture funds allowed yet more farms to join
the program between 1998 and 2004. The farmers
implemented conservation practices that primarily
addressed manure storage, barnyard runoff man-
agement and nutrient management.
Partners and Funding
Results
The data presented in Table 1 show that the phos-
phorus levels exceeded the standard frequently
in the early years (1960s and 1970s). South Bay
phosphorus data were not collected during the
1980s and 1990s, but sampling resumed in 2005.
While the phosphorus levels slightly exceeded the
criterion of 25^/g/L in 2005, data from both 2006
and 2007 indicate compliance with the standard.
Accordingly, the state is proposing that South Bay
be removed from the 303(d) list in 2008.
Table 1. South Bay average annual
phosphorus levels
Year
1966
1969
1970
1972
1974
1975
1976
1977
2005
2006
2007
Mean Phosphorus Concentration
wu
33.0
26.2
95.0
59.6
17.0
18.4
19.1
26.0
25.2
23.0
23.5
USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service
provided primary financial and technical assis-
tance, through the PL83-566 Small Watershed
Program and the Environmental Quality Incentive
Program. USDA cost-share assistance to agricul-
tural conservation projects within the Barton and
Black River watersheds totaled approximately $1.3
million between 1985 and 2004. EPA contributed
approximately $300,000 through both the Clean
Water Act section 319 program and a separate
grant authorized by Congress. The Vermont Agency
of Agriculture, Food and Markets contributed an
additional $270,000 in cost-share assistance and
provided engineering design services for conserva-
tion practices installed during the later years of the
project period. Farmers and landowners contrib-
uted approximately $630,000 in matching funds
for the conservation practices. The Orleans Natural
Resources Conservation District provided nutrient
management assistance to farmers and helped
coordinate and oversee the project. VTDEC con-
ducted water quality monitoring and supported the
development of watershed plans for this basin.
Source: VTDEC
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001N
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Eric Perkins
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1
617-918-1602 • perkins.eric@epa.gov
Neil Kamman
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
802-241-3795 • neil.kamman@state.vt.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Improved Management of Farm Drainage Restores Taft Brook
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Silage and milkhouse waste from a nearby farm degraded
biological communities in a 0.1-mile section of Taft Brook. As
a result, Vermont placed the stream on its 303(d) list for aquatic life use impairments due
to excessive nutrients. Cooperation among the farm owner and other partners resulted in
the construction of a waste storage system, which eliminated the cause of impairment.
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC) expects to remove Taft
Brook from its 303(d) list in 2006.
Problem
Taft Brook, a 6-mile stream in the northern
Vermont town of Westfield, is a tributary
within the Missisquoi River watershed. VT DEC
classifies Taft Brook as a Class B water—a
designation defined as "suitable for bath-
ing and recreation, irrigation and agricultural
uses; good fish habitat; good aesthetic value;
acceptable for public water supply with filtra-
tion and disinfection."
In 1999, VT DEC monitored macroinvertebrates
in Taft Brook using several different measures,
including the EPT index—a measure of pol-
lution-sensitive, aquatic insects inhabiting a
waterbody. Streams showing high EPT rich-
ness are less likely to be polluted than streams
showing low richness in the same geographic
region. In addition, VT DEC evaluated Taft
Brook's biotic integrity (Bl), which measures
the presence of pollution-tolerant species.
High Bl values characterize streams with poor
water quality and dominated by pollution-toler-
ant species.
Biomonitoring revealed that a 0.1-mile segment
of Taft Brook had low EPT richness and high Bl.
These findings, along with other biomonitoring
results, put the segment in noncompliance
with Vermont Class B water quality standards
for aquatic life support. As a result, Vermont
placed Taft Brook on its 303(d) list of impaired
waters in 2000. VT DEC identified the drainage
of nutrient-rich milkhouse and silage wastes
from an adjacent farm as the likely cause of
impairment.
Project Highlights
Technical assistance staff from the Winooski
Natural Resources Conservation District con-
tacted the owner and operator of the nearby
farm in 1999. The farm owner then applied for
and received cost-share assistance from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the
Vermont Agency of Agriculture to construct
a waste storage system. The concrete stor-
age lagoon was installed later that same year,
accommodating drainage from the milkhouse
and silo areas as well as manure wastes. This
eliminated the source of nutrients contaminat-
ing Taft Brook.
Results
In 2004, macroinvertebrate sampling found
a decrease in pollution-tolerant species and
an increase in sensitive species. The accom-
panying table shows the improvement in Taft
Brook's biomonitoring results and compares
them with Class B water guidelines for aquatic
-------
life support. Data highlighted in bold indicate
the waterbody's failure to meet the Class
B guidelines. As data from 2004 show, Bl
improved from 6.88 to 4.40, and EPT rose from
9.0 to 18.0—both within the guidelines for
Vermont's Class B waters. Primarily because of
the improvements to these key measures, VT
DEC gave Taft Brook an overall assessment rat-
ing of "good," a passing grade under Vermont's
water quality standards.
With the segment in compliance with aquatic
life support criteria, VT DEC expects to delist
Taft Brook in 2006. The waterbody is sched-
uled to be monitored again in 2009.
Partners and Funding
Entities contributing to the design and
construction of the waste storage facility
included the USDA, which provided $40,000
in cost-share funding; the Vermont Agency of
Agriculture, which provided $26,000 in cost-
share assistance; and the farm owner, who
contributed $12,000. The Winooski Natural
Resources Conservation District used $500 in
section 319 funding to provide outreach and
technical assistance to the farmer. In addition,
approximately $2,000 in section 319 funding
supported stream monitoring by VT DEC staff.
Taft Brook Biomonitoring Results
Sampling site
0.1
0.1
9/9/1999
10/26/2004
Assessment rating
Poor
Good
Class B Guideline
EPT
9.0
18.0
> 16.0
Bl
6.88
4.40
< 4.50
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003J
September 2006
For additional information contact:
Eric Perkins
EPA Region 1
617-918-1602
perkins.eric@epa.gov
Steve Fiske
Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation
802-242-1378
sieve.fiske@state.vt.us
Pamela Stefanek
Otter Creek Natural Resource Conservation District
802-388-6746
pam.stefanek@vt.nacdnet.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PPOPRAM SUCCESS STUB
Cleanup of Leaked Petroleum Restores Whetstone Brook
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd ^'' 'ea'<'n9 ^rom a nearby underground storage tank caused
sheens and degraded biological communities in Whetstone
Brook. This resulted in the state placing the waterbody on its 303(d) list in 1998 for aesthet-
ic and aquatic life support use impairments. Project partners removed the storage tank and
much of the leaked oil from the area. Several years later, biological assessments showed
that Whetstone Brook once again met state water quality standards. Vermont removed the
brook's aesthetic and aquatic life use impairments from its 303(d) list in 2004.
Problem
Whetstone Brook, a 7-mile stream in the
southern Vermont town of Brattleboro, is a
tributary within the state's Lower Connecticut
River Basin. The Vermont Department of
Environmental Conservation (VT DEC) classi-
fies Whetstone Brook as a Class B water—a
designation defined as "suitable for bathing
and recreation, irrigation and agricultural
uses; good fish habitat; good aesthetic value;
acceptable for public water supply with filtra-
tion and disinfection."
In 1990 citizens and VT DEC staff first
observed oil sheens in a 0.2-mile segment near
the mouth of the brook. The following year, VT
DEC located the petroleum source—a leaking
underground storage tank at a nearby gas sta-
tion. Cleanup efforts began immediately.
The leak and residual groundwater contami-
nant plume created an aesthetic nuisance and
impaired aquatic life for several years. VT DEC
monitored macroinvertebrates in Whetstone
Brook using the EPT index—a measure of
pollution-sensitive, aquatic insects inhabiting a
waterbody. Streams showing high EPT rich-
ness are less likely to be polluted than streams
showing low richness in the same geo-
graphic region. In addition, VT DEC evaluated
Whetstone Brook's biotic integrity (Bl), which
measures the presence of pollution-tolerant
VT DEC monitoring staff member taking field notes on Whetstone
Brook. Monitoring is scheduled to resume in 2008.
species. High Bl values characterize streams
with poor water quality and dominated by pol-
lution-tolerant species.
Monitoring results indicated that Whetstone
Brook failed to meet Vermont's Class B water
quality standards for aesthetics and aquatic
life support. As a result, Vermont placed
Whetstone Brook on its 303(d) list of impaired
waters in 1998. VT DEC identified oil/grease as
the primary cause of impairment.
-------
Project Highlights
Once VT DEC identified the pollution source,
the agency and gas station owner quickly
initiated work to remove the storage tank and
recover much of the leaked oil. By 1996, they
had removed the storage tank and—with the
help of a soil vapor extraction system—up to
4,000 gallons of oil from the surrounding soil
and groundwater.
Even with the cleanup effort, however, residual
petroleum in contaminated groundwater con-
tinued seeping into the brook until late 1999.
VT DEC continued to monitor biological com-
munities, look for oil sheens, and measure oil
seepage along the streambank.
Results
The accompanying table compares key
Whetstone Brook biomonitoring results with
Class B water guidelines. Data highlighted in
bold indicate the waterbody's failure to meet
aquatic life support biocriteria for Vermont Class
B waters. These data led to Whetstone Brook
being added to Vermont's 303(d) list in 1998.
The monitoring team reassessed the seg-
ment in 2002 and found significant biological
improvement. However, before 2004 (when
Vermont revised its listing methodology for
impaired waters), a waterbody could not be
removed from the state's impaired list until
2 years of biological monitoring data showed
compliance with water quality standards. Such
compliance was confirmed in 2003. The EPT
richness, Bl values, and other biological indica-
tors for both years remained well within the
Class B guideline. In addition, the team found
no evidence of oil sheens either year.
Because of these findings, VT DEC concluded
that oil/grease no longer impaired Whetstone
Brook's aesthetic and aquatic life uses. As a
result, Vermont removed the waterbody from
its 303(d) list in 2004. Whetstone Brook is
scheduled to be monitored again in 2008.
Partners and Funding
Remediation costs for this effort totaled
$440,000, with $430,000 coming from
Vermont's Petroleum Cleanup Fund and the
remainder from the service station owner. VT
DEC spent another $68,000 on the groundwa-
ter investigation that tracked the leaking oil to
its source. In addition, approximately $3,000
in section 319 funding supported the participa-
tion of agency monitoring staff.
Whetstone Brook Biomonitoring Results
Sampling site
0.2
0.2
0.2
Date
9/15/1998
9/17/2002
9/11/2003
Assessment rating
Fair
Very good
Very good
Class B Guideline
EPT
17.0
23.0
20.5
> 16.0*
Bl
4.56
2.78
3.33
< 4.50
* In 1998, the Class B Guideline for EPT was 18. Vermont changed the guideline
to 16 in 2002.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-06-003I
August 2006
For additional information contact:
Eric Perkins
EPA Region 1
617-918-1602
perkins.eric@epa.gov
Steve Fiske
Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation Biomonitoring Program
802-241-1378
steve.fiske@state.vt.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Implementing Stormwater Practices Reduces Bacteria in Shellfish Beds
Waterbody Improved
Hevf d fecal c^°"*°
-------
sanitary discharges from boats, improper pet waste
disposal practices, exfiltration from existing sewer
lines, sanitary sewer overflows and sheet flow
runoff from lawns and urban areas. Natural sources
of FC bacteria include migratory and resident birds
along with the natural mammalian populations,
which are estimated to occupy 30 percent of the
watershed area.
River NOW, the city undertook an extensive public
education campaign that included installing water-
shed and storm drain identification markers and
conducting an education campaign targeted at pet
waste management.
Results
Project Highlights
In 2006 numerous partners collaborated to develop
a TMDL implementation plan. Virginia Beach
took the lead in implementing the plan, including
retrofitting many of its sewage pump stations
with generators that will alleviate the impact of
power disruptions during extreme storm events;
constructing wet ponds, extended detention ponds
and wetlands; creating seven oyster reefs; reveg-
etating 2,800 feet of riparian buffers (including
15 shoreline buffer projects, 6 stormwater proj-
ects, 4 school projects and establishing extensive
greenways); using antimicrobial mats in stormwater
pipes; installing three solar aerators in each of two
stormwater impoundments; and building one fish
ladder and five outfall sediment traps.
Additionally, the city focused staff and financial
resources on reducing and preventing sanitary
sewer overflows. The city performs smoke testing
of the sanitary sewer system and installs manhole
inserts and cleanout plugs to prevent stormwater
inflow. The city has also developed an ongoing and
intensive campaign to connect properties
to the public sewer. In fact, Virginia Beach
requires that all properties be connected
to public sewers where the service is
available. Moreover, the city aggressively
pursues repairs of its sanitary sewer
systems using a "find and fix" approach.
The city successfully sought and advo-
cated that EPA establish a "no discharge
zone" for the Lynnhaven watershed,
reducing bacteria and nutrient inputs from
boats. The boating public embraced the
requirements through the efforts of a
citizen advocacy group called Lynnhaven
River 2007 (now called Lynnhaven River
NOW). Its education and publicity cam-
paigns advocated for the availability of
sanitary pump-out facilities at city and pri-
vate marinas. Partnering with Lynnhaven
These efforts significantly reduced FC counts. All
three bays are meeting water quality standards
(Table 1) and their designated shellfishing uses.
In November 2007 state Health Commissioner
Robert B. Stroube of VDH lifted the shellfish
condemnation of 1,462 acres within the three
waterbodies (effective November 26, 2007). VDEQ
expects to remove them from Virginia's CWA sec-
tion 303(d) list of impaired waters for FC bacteria in
2010.
Partners and Funding
The comprehensive implementation strategy cost
approximately $6 million. Virginia Beach funded the
majority, spending $4.6 million alone on retrofitting
sewage pump stations with generators. Since it
began building sewers in the Lynnhaven watershed
in 1975, Virginia Beach has spent approximately
$180 million on sewer extensions and sewer reha-
bilitation and repairs. VDEQ funded the develop-
ment of both the TMDL and implementation plan
using approximately $35,000 of CWA section 319
funding provided by the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation.
Table 1. Water quality summaries for Lynnhaven, Broad and
Linkhorn bays in 2003 and 2008.
Location
Area 70:
Lynnhaven
Bay
Area 71:
Broad and
Linkhorn
Bays
February 2003
Geometric mean
(MPN/lOOmL)
25
10.9
QO^Percentile
(MPN/lOOmL)
264
90.8
September 2008
Geometric mean
(MPN/lOOmL)
6.7*
4.8*
QO^Percentile
(MPN/lOOmL)
35.1*
27.7*
o
Uj
§
(D
O
a
o
CO
Meets water quality standards, which require a geometric mean of
no greater than 14 MPN /100 mL and an estimated 90th percentile of
no greater than 49 MPN/100 mL.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001E
June 2009
For additional information contact:
Ann Carkhuff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3
crkhuff@epa.gov • 215-814-5735
Steve Mclaughlin, Virginia Beach, Virginia
smclaugh@vbgov.com • 757-385-4131
Dave Lazarus, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
dslazarus@deq.virginia.gov • 804-698-4299
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STURY
Implementing Management Practices Reduces Bacteria Levels
\A/ t h H I H Fecal coliform (FC) bacteria from agricultural activities and leaking
VVaiGrDOQy irnprOVGQ septic systems impaired shellfish harvesting and primary contact recre-
ation uses in the Chehalis River watershed. As a result, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology)
added 28 segments of the Chehalis River to the state's 1996 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list
of impaired waters. To address the problems, farmers installed numerous agricultural best management
practices (BMPs), and local governments increased efforts to identify and upgrade septic systems. FC
levels are decreasing across the watershed. Two segments are now consistently meeting FC water qual-
ity standards, prompting Ecology to remove them from Washington's impaired waters list in 2008.
Problem
The Chehalis River drains approximately
2,660 square miles on the coast of Washington
(Figure 1). The river begins in the eastern Willapa
Hills and discharges into Grays Harbor. More than
80 percent of the watershed is forested with anoth-
er 10 percent dedicated to agriculture. Although
the Chehalis Basin has a high proportion of forest
lands, development is concentrated in areas close
to waterways, enabling pollutants such as bacteria
and nutrients from agriculture and septic systems
to be more easily introduced into surface waters.
The watershed supports economically important
fish, which are vital for commercial, tribal and sport
fishing. Four major population centers depend
on surface waters for a large portion of their
municipal and industrial water supply. The Chehalis
Confederated Tribes also call the watershed home.
Waters in the upper and lower Chehalis River Basin
are designated for drinking water, recreational and
fish habitat uses. Waters in the lower Chehalis
River are also designated for commercial and public
shellfish production. The applicable FC water qual-
ity standard requires that FC not exceed a geomet-
ric mean of 100 colonies (col) per 100 milliliters (ml)
and that no more than 10 percent of samples be
greater than 200 col/100 ml. Monitoring in 1992,
1994 and 1996 indicate that numerous segments in
the upper and lower Chehalis River Basin violated
water quality standards for FC. Therefore, in 1996,
Ecology added 28 segments in the upper and lower
Chehalis River to the state's CWA section 303(d) list
for FC impairment.
Ecology developed a total maximum daily load
(TMDL) for FC for Grays Harbor/Chehalis River in
2002 and for the upper Chehalis River in 2004. The
TMDL assessments found that most of the Chehalis
River's FC load originates in the upper watershed,
and that the FC sources in the upper watershed
Figure 1. The Chehalis River drains approximately 2,660
square miles in Washington. Colors represent subbasins
in the Chehalis River watershed. The letters denote where
the lower (A) and upper (B) Chehalis basin segments are
now delisted.
are nearly all nonpoint in origin. Primary FC sources
of concern are animal waste from livestock opera-
tions and livestock stream access, agricultural and
storm runoff and untreated human sewage from
failing residential and commercial septic systems.
Wastewater and sewage treatment plant discharges
also contributes FC. To prioritize projects, local part-
ners and Ecology developed a comprehensive water
quality implementation plan in 2004.
Project Highlights
Efforts to improve water quality have been under-
way for more than a decade. Beginning in 1998 a
group of farmers implemented numerous BMPs
near the city of Centralia and adjacent to the upper
Chehalis River site that now meets water quality
standards. BMPs included implementing nutrient
management and forage harvest management plans
-------
in the floodway. The farmers partnered to store
manure during wet periods to prevent it from being
washed into the river. They apply manure on fields
according to approved nutrient management plans.
One dairy farmer took extra steps to accommodate
the project goals—implementing nutrient and irriga-
tion management plans, building a new manure
storage structure, installing underground pipe to
pump manure and adding new pumps to spread
manure more efficiently. His project cost-share was
$445,000. The Thurston Conservation District (CD)
helped to develop the farm conservation plans and
locate Environmental Quality Incentive Program
grants that paid for about 75 percent of the BMP
construction costs.
Elsewhere in the Chehalis River watershed, farm-
ers installed 159 agricultural BMPs on more than
151 farm parcels, addressing more than 6,600
acres. They also completed 57 farm plans, and
added more than 100 miles of fencing and riparian
plantings through partnerships with the Thurston,
Mason, Grays Harbor and Lewis County CDs. The
Chehalis Confederated Tribes installed numerous
riparian planting and fencing projects on reservation
land, as well as in partnership with many nontribal
public and private landowners. CWA section 319
and state Centennial Clean Water Fund (CWF)
grants supported many of those projects.
Using CWF grants and state revolving fund loans,
local agencies worked to reduce sewage-related
pollution. Thurston and Lewis County Health
Departments conducted training to teach septic
system owners about proper septic system mainte-
nance and offered low interest loans to families with
failing systems to have them repaired. Local govern-
ments upgraded seven sewage treatment plants
and added two new ones in Centralia and Chehalis.
Other ongoing efforts include protecting existing
healthy lands. The Capital Land Trust, Chehalis River
Land Trust, the Audubon Society and The Nature
Conservancy have acquired more than 4,800 acres
for perpetual conservation in the upper basin alone.
Results
Two segments are now consistently meeting water
quality criteria for FC—one segment each in the
lower Chehalis River Basin and the upper Chehalis
River Basin. The lower Chehalis River segment is at
the mouth of Grays Harbor. Monitoring data from
2000 to June 2009 in the lower basin segment show
no exceedances of the FC water quality criteria.
Data compiled from March 2005 through June 2009
have a geometric mean FC count of 17 col/100 mL
with no percentile exceedances.
The upper Chehalis River segment is on the main-
stem of the river near Centralia. Monitoring from
March 2004 through March 2005 indicate that the
upper basin segment had a geometric mean FC
count of 22.5 col/100 mL with no percentile exceed-
ances. Two years later, the FC counts had dropped
even further—to a geometric mean of 4.8 col/100 mL
with no percentile exceedances during the period
of July 2008 through March 2009. Because those
two segments are consistently meeting standards,
Ecology removed them from Washington's list of
impaired waters in 2008. Recent data show that
numerous additional segments in the upper and
lower basins are also meeting standards. If future
data support the finding, Ecology will consider
removing them from the impaired waters list in 2012.
Partners and Funding
Farmers worked with the Thurston, Mason, Grays
Harbor and Lewis County CDs to implement BMPs.
Other partners include the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Washington State Department
of Agriculture, Thurston and Lewis County Health
Departments, Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis
Indian Nation, cities of Centralia and Chehalis,
Port of Centralia, Chehalis Land Trust, Chehalis
River Council, Capital Land Trust, Chehalis Basin
Partnership, Chehalis Basin Education Consortium
and local schools, watershed residents, and Ecology.
Between 1996 and 2008, project partners received
almost $96 million to address both point ($91.5 mil-
lion) and nonpoint source ($4.3 million) pollution
in the Chehalis River Basin. Point source project
funding included $75.5 million in state revolving
fund loans and $16 million in Washington's CWF
grants for wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
Nonpoint source project funding included $675,000
in CWA section 319 grants; $2.2 million in CWF
grants to Thurston, Mason and Lewis County
CDs; $500,000 in Local Toxics Control Account
grants (for stormwater improvements); $400,000
in Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account grants
for habitat improvement and vegetation control;
and $502,000 directed by the state Legislature for
nonpoint source protection work. Landowners and
project sponsors contributed an additional $1 mil-
lion toward the projects in cost-share funds.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001II
November 2009
For additional information contact:
Dave Rountry
Water Quality Program
Washington Department of Ecology,
Southwest Regional Office
360-407-6276 • David.Rountry@ecy.wa.gov
-------
Section 319
NDNPDINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STURY
Watershed-scale Efforts Reduce Bacteria Levels
I r\ High fecal coliform (FC) bacteria levels in Washington's lower Nooksack
irnprOVGQ RjVer Basin violated water quality standards in the mid-1990s, prompting
the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) to add numerous segments to the state's Clean Water Act
(CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters. The high FC also polluted Portage Bay shellfish beds, causing
the Lummi Nation to voluntarily close the shellfish beds to harvesting. Basin stakeholders completed a FC
total maximum daily load (TMDL) study and implemented best management practices, including nutrient
management planning, upgrading septic systems and excluding livestock from streams. FC levels have
dropped, allowing all shellfish beds to be reopened for harvest. Three Nooksack River tributary segments
have met water quality standards and TMDL load reduction targets for the past few years, prompting
Ecology to remove them from the list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
The 826-square mile Nooksack River Basin flows
primarily through Whatcom County in northwestern
Washington State. While the upper Nooksack River
flows through predominantly forested mountainous
land of the Cascade Range, the lower Nooksack
River drains primarily agricultural land. The Lummi
Nation Reservation covers 33 square miles at the
mouth of the Nooksack River near Portage Bay.
In December 1996 the Lummi Nation voluntarily
closed a 60-acre portion of Portage Bay to commer-
cial shellfish harvest because water quality sampling
indicated high FC levels that violated National
Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) standards. In
August 1998 the Lummi Nation closed an additional
120 acres to harvesting.
Monitoring in 1997 and 1998 showed that numer-
ous segments in the lower Nooksack River Basin
violated Washington's water quality standard for FC
bacteria in freshwater. The lower Nooksack River is
a Class A water, which requires that FC levels not
exceed a geometric mean value of 100 colonies (col)
per 100 milliliters (ml) and not have more than
10 percent of all samples obtained for calculating
the geometric mean value exceed 200 col/100 ml.
In 1996 and 1998 Ecology added 20 Nooksack River
Basin segments to the state's CWA section 303(d)
list for FC impairments.
In June 2000 Ecology developed a TMDL establish-
ing FC pollution limits forthe Nooksack River Basin.
The TMDL indentifies the key FC pollution sources
as agriculture and leaking septic tanks. Municipal
wastewater treatment plants also contribute. To
ensure protection of downstream shellfish beds, the
TMDL establishes FC geometric mean targets that are
more stringent than water quality standards (Figure 1).
Lower Nooksack
River Basin
CANADA
UNITED STATES
Figure 1. The 2000 TMDL assigns each tributary
a FC geometric mean target value (noted in
boxes) to protect downstream shellfish beds.
The TMDL geometric mean targets range from
39 col/100 mLto 85 col/100 ml, depending on the sub-
watershed and its location within the larger Nooksack
River Basin. Ecology worked closely with the Lummi
Nation, Whatcom Conservation District (CD) and other
stakeholders to develop a 2002 detailed implementa-
tion plan to help guide efforts to reduce FC.
Project Highlights
Nooksack River Basin stakeholders have worked to
reduce FC levels through a variety of efforts. In 1998
Washington implemented a new state program that
requires all dairies to adopt nutrient management plans
and undergo regular inspections. Whatcom County
farmers now operate more than 50,000 acres under
nutrient management plans. Farmers installed fences
-------
to exclude animals from creeks and are spreading
manure only when fields can absorb it. Landowners
have also installed hedgerows along 26 miles of
watercourses and more than 400 miles of filter strips
to protect against overspray and runoff of manure.
The Whatcom County Health Department and Lummi
Natural Resources Department conduct on-site sep-
tic inspections in sensitive, high-risk areas and have
worked with homeowners to replace numerous fail-
ing systems. Several partners hosted workshops to
teach people about septic systems and how to care
for them. The cities of Everson, Lynden and Ferndale
have improved their sewer collection and waste treat-
ment systems to minimize the amount of bacteria
discharged into the Nooksack River. The cities have
also implemented stormwater management plans.
The community-based Tenmile Creek Watershed
Restoration Project worked with landowners to iden-
tify and correct pollution problems from agricultural
land and leaking septic systems in Tenmile Creek, a
major tributary of the Nooksack River. In 2001 project
partners launched a program in which local farm-
ers grow trees and give them to Whatcom County
residents for water quality enhancement projects.
Nooksack River Basin landowners have planted
more than 100,000 trees since the program began.
The Whatcom CD received an Ecology grant (CWA
section 319 funds), which supported hiring a Tenmile
Creek project manager and installing 11 miles of
hedgerows and riparian buffers in that 35-square
mile watershed alone.
Results
EC bacteria levels in the lower Nooksack River,
Nooksack River tributaries and Portage Bay have
declined since 1998. Data show that three seg-
ments—the two uppermost segments of Double
Ditch Drain (tributaries of Fishtrap Creek) and the
uppermost segment of Tenmile Creek—have consis-
tently met both water quality standards and TMDL
targets (Figure 1), prompting Ecology to remove them
from Washington's impaired waters list in 2008. The
key efforts that likely helped restore the Double Ditch
Drain and Tenmile Creek segments include repairing
leaking septic systems and implementing new dairy
regulations. Tenmile Creek also benefitted from tar-
geted streambank protection and restoration efforts.
Recent data show that the mainstem Nooksack
River meets both the water quality standards and
the more stringent TMDL targets at a number of
monitoring sites. Data also show that many of the
tributary segments are meeting the first part of
the standard (100 col/100 mL geometric mean) but
do notyet meet the second part (no more than
10 percent > 200 col/100 mL) or the more stringent
geometric mean TMDL targets. Ecology will continue
to monitor progress to determine if additional seg-
ments should be removed from the list of impaired
waters in the future.
Double Ditch Drain
(ID# 10361)
Figure 2. These three Nooksack River tributary segments
meet both the geometric mean water quality standard and the
target outlines in the Nooksack River Basin TMDL.
Shellfish conditions have improved. By 2003,
480 acres of the Portage Bay shellfish beds met NSSP
standards, prompting the Lummi Nation to reopen
them for harvest. The remaining 115 acres of Portage
Bay shellfish beds reopened in 2006. Despite the
improvements, the Lummi Nation remains concerned
because the tribe's recent monitoring results indicate
that FC levels have risen and sometimes exceed
standards in the lower mainstem Nooksack River.
Since 2003, budget constraints and programmatic
limitations have reduced technical and financial
assistance for monitoring water quality, implement-
ing farm plans and inspecting dairies throughout the
Nooksack River Basin—all of which are critical to
achieving continued water quality improvements.
Partners and Funding
Numerous partners have contributed to Nooksack
River restoration efforts over the past decade,
including the Lummi Nation, Ecology, Portage Bay
Shellfish Protection District, Whatcom CD, Whatcom
County, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources
Conservation Service, the Nooksack Salmon
Enhancement Association, Dorie Belisle and the
Tenmile Creek Watershed Restoration Project, and
concerned citizens. Since 1999, more than $1.7 mil-
lion in CWA section 319 funds and almost $900,000
from Ecology's Centennial Clean Water Fund have
supported these groups' watershed restoration and
monitoring projects.
PROt*
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001JJ
November 2009
For additional information contact:
George Boggs
Whatcom Conservation District
6975 Hannegan Road
Lynden WA 98264
360-354-2035x115 • GBoggs@whatcomcd.org
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE P
RAM SUCCESS STORY
Watershed-scale Effort Removes Bacteria Sources
\A/ t h H I H The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) added numerous
VV3I6rDOay irnprOVGQ segments in the lower Skokomish River watershed to the state's
1998 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters because of high levels of fecal
coliform (FC) bacteria. Bacteria from agriculture and other sources impaired recreation use and raised
concerns about the health of shellfish beds at the mouth of the river. Local residents and tribal, local
and state governments removed high-risk septic systems and installed numerous best management
practices (BMPs). FC levels dropped throughout the watershed. Data from a long-term ambient moni-
toring station on the Skokomish River have shown consistent compliance with water quality standards,
prompting Ecology to remove that segment from Washington's 2008 list of impaired waters. Recent
monitoring indicates that seven additional segments in the Skokomish River watershed are meeting
water quality standards and might be proposed for delisting in the near future.
Problem
The Skokomish River drains a rural, sparsely populat-
ed basin of approximately 247 square miles. The river
originates in Olympic National Park and discharges to
Annas Bay in southern Hood Canal. The Skokomish
Indian Reservation, at the basin's mouth, contains
low-density residential areas. The Annas Bay estuary
area contains a rich shellfish resource that is used by
tribal, commercial and recreational harvesters.
Monitoring by the Skokomish Tribe from 1995
through 1997 showed that FC levels in the
Skokomish River and some of its tributaries
exceeded Washington's water quality standards.
In 1996 Ecology's long-term monitoring program
determined that the Skokomish River at the Highway
101 bridge also did not meet water quality standards.
Washington's FC bacteria freshwater quality stan-
dard requires that FC organism levels do not exceed
a geometric mean value (GMV) of 50 colony forming
units (CFU)/100 milliliters (ml) and do not have more
than 10 percent of all samples obtained for calculat-
ing the GMV exceeding 100 CFU/100 ml. Because
numerous segments within the Skokomish River
watershed violated the FC standard, Ecology added
them to the 1998 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired
waters for FC, including Skokomish River (four seg-
ments), Purdy Creek (two segments), Ten Acre Creek
and Weaver Creek. Additionally, the Washington
Department of Health has listed the Annas Bay com-
mercial shellfish harvest area as threatened because
of FC contamination almost every year since 1995.
Ecology completed a Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) study in 2001 with the assistance of the
Skokomish Tribe. The partners established the
TMDL to (1) address water quality impairments due
to high FC levels in the lower Skokomish River basin
and (2) help protect marine water quality standards
and shellfish harvesting in Hood Canal. The TMDL
study indicated that the bacteria came primarily
from agriculture sources in the basin but also from
humans (septic systems), recreation (uncontrolled
human waste), and domestic and wild animals. The
TMDL established FC load reduction targets forTen
Acre Creek, Weaver Creek, Purdy Creek and the
Skokomish River.
Project Highlights
Work to improve water quality began in 1998,
when the Mason Conservation District (Mason
CD) received a Centennial Clean Water Fund grant
to help landowners implement BMPs. Soon after,
local residents, the Skokomish Tribe and Ecology
representatives formed a workgroup and completed
a watershed cleanup plan. The workgroup decided
to try pursuing voluntary measures to improve water
quality before considering regulatory options.
Responding to the cleanup plan, watershed
partners undertook numerous actions to reduce
pollution. Landowners and the Mason CD installed
24,000 feet of riparian fencing; planted approxi-
mately 32,000 trees; implemented 17 waterway
improvement projects; enrolled 62 acres of land
with a buffer of 150 feet; and implemented proper
manure handling and storage. The Cascade Land
Conservancy bought 175 acres adjacent to prime
fish habitat (total cost $350,000). Mason County
purchased 19 frequently flooded properties and
-------
decommissioned septic
systems. The Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife
(WDFW) inspected and repaired
all fish hatchery septic systems.
The Skokomish Tribe evaluated
and repaired the reservation's
septic systems. Taylor Shellfish
Company, Simpson Timber
Company and the Puget Sound
Action Team partnered to add
signs to reduce unauthorized
partying and camping along
the river ($200 fine). Hunter
Stores and WDFW partnered
to install portable toilets during
fishing seasons. Residents, the
Skokomish Tribe and local agen-
cies participated in efforts to
increase awareness of proper
water management by posting
fliers on fishermen's windshields
and nearby toilet facilities.
E
o
o
a
.0,
E
|
o
O
15
o
01
— geometric mean
90l
percentile
Mid-
Skokomish
River
Skokomish
River at
Hwy101
M U
Ten Acre
Creek
Weaver
Creek
Purdy
Creek
Skokomish River
at Hwy106
y
90" percentile
" standard
(< WOcfu/WOmL)
geometric
mean
standard
(< SOcfu/WOmL)
Results
Figure 1. Data collected during the original TMDL assessment (1999) compared to the
data from the 2005-2006 TMDL Attainment Monitoring Study. Sites include a refer-
ence site (Mid-Fork Skokomish River), an Ecology long-term ambient monitoring site
(Skokomish River at Highway 101), and four monitoring points established in the TMDL.
All sites met water quality standards in 2005-2006.
Water quality in the Skokomish River and tributar-
ies has improved greatly since the mid-1990s. Data
from Ecology's long-term ambient monitoring site
on the Skokomish River at Highway 101 show com-
pliance with water quality standards since 1999.
In 2005 and 2006 the Mason CD partnered with
Ecology to conduct follow-up TMDL monitoring on
the impaired segments. These data show that FC
levels have significantly declined since 1999. All
previously impaired segments met water quality
standards in 2005-2006 (see Figure 1). A 20 percent
reduction in FC levels is still needed in Weaver
Creek to meet the TMDL target.
Because the long-term ambient monitoring site data
show that the Skokomish River (Highway 101) seg-
ment consistently meets water quality standards,
Ecology removed it from the impaired waters list in
2008. Data from the TMDL attainment monitoring
study show that water quality has also improved
significantly in the other seven impaired segments
throughout the lower Skokomish River watershed:
Skokomish River (three segments), Purdy Creek
(two segments), Ten Acre Creek and Weaver Creek.
Because the seven segments are part of an ongoing
TMDL study, Ecology plans to conduct additional
monitoring. If these segments continue to meet
water quality standards in the future, Ecology will
consider removing them from the impaired waters
list and placing them in the assessment category of
waters that meet standards.
Partners and Funding
This watershed-scale project involved numer-
ous partners, including the Skokomish Tribe, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ecology,
Mason CD and the Mason County Department of
Health Services (MCDHS). The Mason CD received
approximately $611,000 in Centennial Clean Water
Fund grants to complete projects in the Skokomish
River watershed, including assessing and priori-
tizing restoration projects, implementing BMPs,
performing water quality monitoring, coordinating
with local residents and governments, and con-
ducting outreach events. The MCDHS received
$106,755 in CWA section 319 funds to support
a project to investigate, identify and monitor FC
contamination in the lower watershed. The Hood
Canal Coordinating Committee, a watershed-
based council of governments, received approxi-
mately $120,400 in CWA section 319 funds for a
septic system assessment and public outreach
project.
I
UJ
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001L
July 2009
For additional information contact:
Lydia Wagner
Water Cleanup Plan Coordinator
Washington Department of Ecology
Southwest Regional Office
360-407-6329 • lydia.wagner@ecy.wa.gov
-------
Section 319
• • NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
*»< PROt*°
WA-5 H-iK-
Multifaceted Approach Reduces Bacteria from Numerous Sources
\A/ K ol I ol Washington State added the South Fork Skagit River (South Fork) and
VVaterDOdy I mprOVed several tributaries of the lower Skagit River to the 1996/1998 Clean
Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters because of high levels
of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria from urban and agricultural sources. The FC levels impaired recreation use
and raised concerns about the health of shellfish beds downriver. State and local government entities
implemented a nutrient management program to control manure on dairy farms, reduced the number
of failing septic systems, and upgraded a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Bacteria levels have
decreased, and the South Fork meets water quality standards. Washington plans to remove this segment
from the 303(d) list for FC in the next listing cycle. Although the South Fork has improved, several tributar-
ies of the lower river continue to have elevated FC levels and will remain on the impaired waters list.
Problem
The Skagit is Washington's second largest river
(Figure 1). The lower Skagit River divides into North
and South Forks before emptying into Skagit Bay
in northwest Washington. Land uses in the water-
shed include forestry; small farms; rural residential
areas; several rapidly urbanizing areas; and dairy,
ranching and other forms of agriculture. In the early
1990s the Washington Department of Health clas-
sified portions of the shellfish beds in Skagit Bay
as restricted or conditionally approved because of
bacterial contamination, raising concerns about the
Skagit River's quality. A 1994/1995 monitoring study
showed that the lower Skagit River and several
tributaries violated water quality standards for FC.
Therefore, Washington Department of Ecology
(Ecology) added these waters to the state's list of
impaired waterbodies (section 303(d) list).
Ecology developed a total maximum daily load
(TMDL) for FC for the lower Skagit River watershed
in 2000. The TMDL estimated that likely sources
of FC contributing to violations of the water quality
standard include stormwater, failing septic systems,
agricultural manure and effluent (including combined
sewer overflows) from WWTPs. The state bacteria
standard has two parts: (1) FC levels must not exceed
a geometric mean (GM) value of 100 colony forming
units (cfu)/100 milliliters (ml), and (2) no more than
10 percent of all samples obtained for calculating the
GM value can exceed 200 cfu/100 ml. Because the
lower Skagit River discharges to a shellfish habitat,
the TMDL outlines water quality targets that are
more stringent than the regular state standards. The
TMDL requires that (1) FC levels not exceed a GM
value of 24 cfu/100 mL and (2) that no more than 10
percent of samples exceed 74 colonies/100 mL.
Figure 1. The lower Skagit River flows through the
city of Mount Vernon, Washington.
Project Highlights
Efforts to improve water quality in the lower Skagit
River and its tributaries have been underway for
more than 10 years. Beginning in 1998 Ecology
required that all dairies have farm plans, and dairies
are subject to inspection by the Washington State
Department of Agriculture. The farm plans require
farmers to manage manure to protect water quality
and to apply vegetative practices, such as riparian
plantings and buffer maintenance, to protect water-
courses from surface runoff of sediment, nutrients
and bacteria. Approximately 25 dairy operations
with more than 10,000 animals operate under farm
plans in the watershed.
Since 2000 the Skagit County Public Health
Department has intensified efforts to reduce the
number of failing septic systems. Through its
septic improvement pilot project, it offers rebates
to homeowners for septic system inspections and
installing lids and risers to promote access. To
teach homeowners how to properly operate and
-------
maintain septic systems, it held 110 Septic 101 clin-
ics since September 2000, with more than 2,800
attendees as of October 2008. It has increased
numbers of septic system inspections—from about
100 in the second half of 2005 to more than 600
during the first half of 2008. It developed public
service announcements and is increasing its social
marketing efforts to spread the word about proper
septic operation and maintenance.
Additionally, Mount Vernon undertook a major infra-
structure expansion and improvement project at its
WWTP. This has reduced combined sewer overflow
discharges from an average of 116 million gallons
(MG) in the mid-1990s to 11 MG in 2007. The cities
of Burlington and Sedro-Woolley have expanded
or improved their municipal sewer systems, which
discharge to the Skagit, and likely eliminated failing
septic systems. Both cities are also working with
citizens and nonprofit organizations to restore
reaches of Gages Slough and Brickyard Creek,
small tributaries to the Skagit.
Results
Monitoring data for the past five years in the South
Fork show that it has consistently met both parts of
the state bacteria standard. Additionally, the river
has met the first part of the stricter TMDL target
year-round for the past five years (see Figure 2). It
has met the second part of the TMDL target during
the wet season (October through April) since 2005
and during the rest of the year since 2006 (Table 1).
Therefore, the river has met both the state standard
and the TMDL target for the past three years.
Because the South Fork consistently meets the
state standard, Washington plans to remove this
Table 1. FC monitoring data for South Fork Skagit
River—compliance with the second part (% exceed-
ances) of the state standard1 and the TMDL target2
Water year
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
October-April
%>200
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
%>74
7%
0%
0%
0%
0%
May-September
%>200
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
%>74
18%
27%
10%
0%
9%
1 State standard, part 2: No more than 10% of samples exceed
200cfu/100mLFC.
2 TMDL target, part 2: No more than 10% of samples exceed
74cfu/100ml_FC.
0.9-mile segment from the state impaired waters list
in the next reporting cycle. More work is still needed
in some lower Skagit River tributaries, including
Nookachamps, Fisher, Hansen and Brickyard creeks,
which continue to violate state bacteria standards.
Partners and Funding
Oct-Apr May-Sept
2004
Oct-Apr May-Sept
2005
Oct-Apr May-Sept
2006
Oct-Apr May-Sept
2007
Participating organizations include Ecology,
Washington Department of Agriculture, Skagit
Conservation District, Skagit County Public Health
Department, Skagit County Public Works, Skagit
County Planning and Development Services, local
organizations and the cities of Mount Vernon,
Burlington and Sedro-Woolley.
Funding for projects came from several sources.
Ecology's Centennial Clean Water Funds supported
projects to install Mount Vernon's larger combined
sewer overflow interceptor ($434,735), develop a
watershed action plan and education efforts in the
Nookachamps Creek watershed ($164,511), monitor
water quality ($495,000), improve
septic systems ($152,976), and
implementTMDL-related outreach
and technical assistance projects
in lower Skagit River tributaries
($499,000). Washington State
Water Pollution Control Revolving
Funds supported an ongoing
local loan program for replacing
or repairing failing septic systems
($5.8 million) and WWTP upgrades
($27 million). A $246,000 Clean
Water Act section 319 grant
supported watershed education
and riparian restoration efforts in
Nookachamps Creek.
Oct-Apr May-Sept
2008
Figure 2. FC monitoring data for South Fork Skagit River—compliance with the first
part (GM value) of the state standard and TMDL target.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001GG
January 2009
For additional information contact:
Sally Lawrence, Washington Department of Ecology
425-649-7036 • slaw461@ecy.wa.gov
Steve Olsen, Skagit County Public Health Department
360-336-9380 • steveo@co.skagit.wa.us
Rick Haley, Skagit County Public Works
360-336-9400 • rickh@co.skagit.wa.us
-------
i Section 319
• NONPOINT SOURRE P
'It PROt*-
TA/£5£
Passive Treatment Systems Restore Water Quality J
RAM SUCCESS STORY
Watprhnrlv Imnrnvprl 'AvC'c' m'ne drainage from abandoned coal mines impaired West
Virginia's Morris Creek, prompting the state to add the creek to
its 1996 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters for metals and pH. To restore the
stream, project partners installed various passive treatment systems [e.g., anaerobic and aerobic
wetlands, open limestone channels (OLCs), polishing ponds] at four sites in the watershed. As a
result, metal concentrations in Morris Creek have dropped significantly. West Virginia proposes
to remove this waterbody from the section 303(d) list in 2010.
Problem
Morris Creek flows through Kanawha County,
approximately 25 miles southeast of Charleston,
West Virginia, and joins the Kanawha River in the
town of Montgomery. West Virginia first placed
Morris Creek on the section 303(d) list in 1996 for
metals and then again in 1998, 2000, 2002 and
2004 for pH and metals. Stretches of the stream
were devoid of aquatic life, and deposits of iron
and aluminum existed at several points along the
streambed, preventing the creek from supporting
its warm-water fishery, drinking water and contact
recreation designated uses (Figure 1).
West Virginia developed a total maximum daily load
(TMDL) study in 2005 for the Upper Kanawha River
system, which includes Morris Creek. The TMDL
analysis suggested that for Morris Creek to achieve
water quality standards, metal loads would need
to be reduced—aluminum by 5,900 pounds per
year (Ibs/yr), iron by 8,007 Ibs/yr and manganese by
4,444 |bs/yr.
Project Highlights
In 2002 the newly formed Morris Creek Watershed
Association (MCWA) contacted the West Virginia
Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP's)
Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) program and the
U.S. Office of Surface Mining to request assistance
in treating the acid mine drainage polluting Morris
Creek. In response, AML and MCWA conducted a
watershed-wide monitoring sweep and identified
four primary project sites.
By 2003 AML began planning for passive treat-
ment systems at the four sites—Possum Hollow,
Blacksnake Hollow, Lower Mainstem and Upper
Mainstem Morris Creek. The Possum Hollow site
treatment system consists of an aerobic wetland,
Figure 1. Acid mine drainage flows into Possum
Hollow, a Morris Creek tributary.
40 by 350 feet, with 3 to 18 inches of limestone in
a 60-mil liner, and a polishing pond with an area of
25 by 60 feet. The second site, Blacksnake Hollow,
is in a small, very steep area with several acid mine
drainage sources seeping out of the hillside from
old mine voids. Although a low volume of water
typically flows from Blacksnake Hollow (10.5 gallons
per minute), the flow contributed highly acidic water
(246 milligrams per liter) before the project. The
steep terrain and lack of space required partners
to select OLCs as the treatment system. Check
dams in the OLC slow waterflow and lengthen the
treatment time. Although project partners expected
the Blacksnake Hollow project to accomplish the
least amount of water quality treatment of any of
the projects, they believed that, when combined
with the treatment success of upstream systems, it
would help to fully restore Morris Creek.
The third and fourth sites are upstream from a
residential section of Morris Creek, where the old
Eureka #2 mine discharges highly acidic water
from several seeps and collapsed portals adjacent
-------
to the stream for several hundred feet. Two proj-
ects were designed to treat these sources: the
Lower Mainstem and the Upper Mainstem sites.
The Lower Mainstem passive treatment system
consists of an anaerobic wetland with five 30 by
250-foot cells lined with 6 to 9 inches of limestone
in a 60-mil liner, a 30 by 100-foot-wide polishing
pond, and wetland plantings consisting of cat-
tails, bull rushes and common rushes. The Upper
Mainstem treatment system is the largest of the
four projects. To treat the discharges adjacent to
the creek, partners installed a 15 by 450-foot-wide
drainage channel with five check dams lined with a
12-inch layer of limestone (Figure 2). The creek itself
is routed through a 450-foot OLC to add alkalinity.
Results
Partners finished installing treatment systems in
September 2006. Water quality improved immedi-
ately. Initial monitoring results showed that Morris
Creek and its tributaries (Possum and Blacksnake
hollows) met water quality standards for pH,
aluminum, iron and manganese below the treatment
sites. In fact, the treatment systems reduced metal
loads far beyond that required by the TMDL (Table 1).
In response, aquatic life is returning to the creek,
including a surviving population of brown trout fin-
gerlings (stocked by Trout Unlimited). DEP expects to
remove Morris Creek from the 303(d) list of impaired
waters in 2010 if conditions remain improved.
Some challenges remain. Flooding and sediment
accumulation have caused some problems with the
systems in the two years since construction. The
efficiency of the Lower Mainstem treatment system
has declined, allowing the iron levels to rise again in
Table 1. Initial environmental results after installing acid
mine drainage treatment systems in the Morris Creek
watershed. *
Project site
Possum Hollow
Blacksnake Hollow
Lower Mainstem
Upper Mainstem
Total Reductions
TMDL Allocations
pH level:
pre/post
treatment
3.5/6.7
4.4/5.0
4.0/6.3
4.2/5.4
-
-
Metal reductions achieved
Aluminum
(Ibs/yr)
390.55
84.45
1,759.3
31,006.75
33,248
5,900
Iron
(Ibs/yr)
47.45
76.65
9,249.1
276,483.85
285,857
8,007
Manganese
(Ibs/yr)
102.2
36.86
1,098.65
31,119.9
32,320
4,444
Figure 2. The Upper Mainstem Morris Creek treat-
ment system includes a drainage channel lined with
limestone.
the creek below this site. However, pH and alumi-
num continue to meet water quality standards. The
partners plan to secure an engineering review of
the system to isolate the problem and fix it.
Although the creek is not officially considered
impaired for sediment, partners recognize that
excess sediment is entering the creek. As part of
the comprehensive effort to restore Morris Creek,
the DEP Nonpoint Source Program applied to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for two
grants to reduce sediment loads. The Phase I proj-
ect, completed in September 2007, restored 1,500
feet of abandoned road, armored culvert outfalls
and improved road drainage. The project should
reduce sediment entering Morris Creek above the
Upper Mainstem site by 213 tons/year. Another
part of this project reduced erosion pressure from
a large slip area known as the Jones Hollow Slip.
This section of the project should reduce sediment
by 370 tons/year. Phase II, which began in 2008,
includes stabilizing stream banks along the residen-
tial section of Morris Creek.
Partners and Funding
The projects received a nonfederal match
of $971,810: $312,683 from the Watershed
Cooperative Agreement Program (state matching
funds) and $659,127 from AML. The DEP Nonpoint
Source Program contributed $690,167 in section
319 funds. Project costs totaled $1,661,977. The
MCWA provided project assistance and initiated
valuable partnerships, such as that with the DEP
Nonpoint Source Program. The success of these
projects is due in large part to the MCWA.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001FF
November 2008
For additional information contact:
Alvan Gale
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
601 57th Street, SE
Charleston, WV 25304
304-926-0495
alvan.d.gale@wv.gov
-------
"\
Section 319
NONPHINT SDURGF PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
North Fork Potomac Watershed Farmers Improve Water Quality
Waterbody Improved
The North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River is a
scenic trout stream in the headwaters of the Potomac River in
northeastern West Virginia. Water in the North Fork had high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, pri-
marily from agricultural runoff from beef and poultry farms. Over 85 percent of farmers in the water-
shed worked together to construct animal waste storage facilities, establish riparian buffers, and
implement a range of other best management practices (BMPs) at the farms. As a result, the stream
now meets its designated use and is no longer impaired by fecal coliform bacteria.
Problem
In the early 1990s signs of poor animal waste
management practices became evident in the
North Fork Potomac watershed. Algae blooms
appeared in streams, and high bacteria counts
were common. These changes corresponded
to a significant increase in the poultry industry.
Between 1993 and 1996 alone, the number of
poultry farms doubled. A U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conser-
vation Service (NRCS) study found that farmers
were improperly storing litter from chicken
houses and overapplying manure to fertilize
their soils. A test program by the U.S. Geo-
logical Survey (USGS) confirmed that several
streams were being polluted by fecal bacteria
and also found that the highest levels of pollu-
tion were in areas with the highest number of
feedlots and poultry houses. In 1996 several
streams of the South Branch watershed, includ-
ing the North Fork, were listed on West Vir-
ginia's 303(d) list for impairments due to fecal
coliform bacteria, and it was determined that a
36 percent reduction from agricultural land was
necessary in the North Fork watershed for the
stream to achieve water quality standards.
Before
An animal feedlot that
allowed runoff of con-
taminants into the nearby
stream.
Project Highlights
Cleanup activities first began in the watershed
in 1993 when it became a part of the USDA
Water Quality Initiative to address water pollu-
tion from farms. Section 319 grants supported
the funding of Conservation Agency staff for
the Initiative, and NRCS supported a number
of projects in the watershed throughout the
1990s and in 1998 began working with the
After
A new animal
feedlot that is
covered and
has a con-
crete pad and
adequate buf-
fer has been
installed.
North Fork Watershed Association to develop
a watershed management plan that identified
practices to lessen damage from flooding and
improve water quality.
Since then, a range of BMPs have been estab-
lished to help control runoff from feedlots
and eliminate or reduce cattle access to the
streams. To keep cattle out of the streams,
farmers installed streambank fencing and devel-
oped alternative livestock watering facilities.
Farmers also constructed roofs over feeding
areas, as well as new animal waste storage
facilities to provide shelter and prevent runoff.
Other efforts focused on streambank restoration
through stabilizing critically eroding areas and
-------
planting vegetation along the stream banks.
In addition to supporting the implementation
of many of these activities, section 319 grants
funded a project coordinator for the West
Virginia Conservation Agency, who conducted
outreach activities and leveraged support from
partners, which was critical to the overall suc-
cess of the project.
Several other major initiatives in the watershed
also contributed significantly to nutrient reduc-
tions. One is a nutrient management initia-
tive funded by special USDA appropriations
between 1993 and 2001. As a result of techni-
cal support, including soil testing, litter/manure
analysis, and manure spreader calibration,
nutrient management plans were developed
for all poultry and most of the livestock farms
in the watershed, which have helped to prevent
over-application of manure and commercial
fertilizers to crop and pasture land.
Initiatives focusing on poultry litter are also con-
tributing to nutrient reductions in the watershed.
Several actions have focused on transporting
excess poultry litter either outside the region
or to other farms that could utilize the litter
as fertilizer to help prevent over-application.
A poultry litter composting project also dem-
onstrated how the production of high-quality,
value-added compost from poultry waste can
make it more valuable to outside markets.
Results
As a result of the combined efforts of the
agricultural community, with over 85 percent
of the farmers implementing BMPs, thousands
of tons of poultry litter and cow manure are
now being properly managed. Water quality
monitoring shows significant declines in fecal
coliform levels in the North Fork. As a result,
the stream now meets its designated use and
is no longer impaired by fecal coliform bacteria.
Partners and Funding
Twenty organizations worked together to
improve the water quality in the North Fork
Potomac watershed. In addition to individual
farmers and landowners, partners included
the North Fork Watershed Association;
Pilgrim's Pride/Wampler-Longacre Foods;
Potomac Headwaters Resource Conservation
and Development Council; Potomac Valley
Conservation District; Trout Unlimited;
USDA's NRCS and Farm Service Agency;
EPA; USGS; state agencies and departments
of Conservation, Agriculture, Highways,
Environmental Protection, and Forestry; West
Virginia Farm Bureau; West Virginia Poultry
Water Quality Advisory Committee; West
Virginia Poultry Association; West Virginia
University College of Agriculture and Forestry;
and West Virginia University Extension Service.
Almost $1 million in section 319 funding sup-
ported a range of best management practices,
as well as outreach and educational programs
in the watershed. USDA contributed almost
$550,000 to improve management practices,
with the state providing additional funds. Other
funding sources included a $250,000 appro-
priation from the West Virginia legislature to
support initial project activities; Clean Water
Act State Revolving Funds (as a source of low-
interest loans to finance BMPs); and $45,000
from the Governor's office and a $30,000 grant
from Wampler Foods to support the poultry
litter transfer program.
I
55
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004M
August 2005
For additional information contact:
Fred Suffian
USEPA, Regions
215-814-5753 • suffian.fred@epa.gov
Patrick Bowen
U.S. Department of Agriculture NRCS
304-457-4516,ext.105 • patrick.bowen@wv.usda.gov
Patricia Bradley
USEPA Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment
410-305-2744 • bradley.patricia@epa.gov
Carolyn Hefner
West Virginia Conservation Agency
304-558-2204 • chefner@wvca.us
Teresa Koon
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
304-558-3614 • tkoon@wvdep.org
John Wagoner
Potomac Valley Conservation District
304-822-5174 • http://www.wvca.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURRE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
v
Trout Waters Restored from Acid Pollution
Waterbodv Improved Tw° streams- Su9ar Creek and Dogway Fork, designated
as trout waters by West Virginia, were affected by acid rain
deposition and did not meet the state's water quality standards for pH. The state listed both
streams on its section 303(d) (impaired waters) list in 1998, 2002, and 2004.
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WV DNR) applied limestone sand into both
streams to neutralize the acid in the waters. This treatment helped bring the streams' water
pH back into compliance with water quality standards. The state removed sections of both
streams from its impaired waters list in 2006.
Problem
Sugar Creek is a tributary of the Williams
River in Pocahontas County. Dogway Fork is
a tributary of the Cranberry River, spanning
Pocahontas and Webster Counties, in the
southeastern part of the state. Both ultimately
drain to the Gauley River. For both streams,
their most sensitive use designations are
Trout Waters—waters that sustain year-
round trout populations—and Water Contact
Recreation, including swimming and fishing
uses.
Sugar Creek and Dogway Fork were origi-
nally listed on West Virginia's 303(d) List of
Impaired Streams in 1998 with pH water
quality violations. The pH readings were typi-
cally 3.7 in Sugar Creek and 3.8 in Dogway
Fork. The state's water quality criterion for the
streams' use designations specifies a pH of
6.0-9.0.
limestone sand helps raise the water's pH
and neutralize the acidity. WV DNR is able to
finance the long-term restoration of such acid-
impacted water quality problems through fund-
ing set up through a portion of license fees and
various legal settlement proceeds.
Results
The limestone sand treatment raised the pH
of the streams. Recent water quality monitor-
ing has shown that the typical pH reading in
Sugar Creek is now 6.4, and in Dogway Fork it
is 7.0. After the limestone treatments, WV DNR
began stocking trout and has maintained trout
life in the streams. In total, 2.5 miles of Sugar
Creek and 6.8 miles of Dogway Fork have been
restored to viable trout fisheries.
Partners and Funding
Project Highlights
West Virginia's Department of Environmental
Protection (WV DEP) identified these acid-
impacted streams for water quality restoration
efforts. WV DNR deposited fine limestone
granules into the streams. Adding alkaline
WV DNR uses license fees and funds invested
from various legal settlements for their lime-
stone sands treatment program. WV DEP is
the state's water quality management agency
and assists WV DNR in identifying opportuni-
ties for restoration. WV DEP's Nonpoint Source
Program has since worked with WV DNR to
-------
target stream restoration projects on priority
nonpoint source pollution control sites in the
Upper Buckhannon watershed.
7 nn
6 00
1 nn
0 00
^> *• '~^^^^— >
Jul-03 Aug-03 Sep-03 Oct-03 Nov-03 Dec-03 Jan-04 Feb-04 Mar-04 Apr-04 May-04 Jun-04
Date
-
pH data f rom WV
for Sugar Creek
mile point 0.2.
6.00
5.00
•Q. 4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
CO CO CO CO CO CO
999999
Date
pH data from WV
for Dogway Fork
mile points 0.0
and 1.80.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Off ice of Water
61 Washington, DC
EPA841-F-07-001H
June 2007
For additional information contact:
Steve Brown
WVDNR
304-637-0245
stevebrown@wvdnr.gov
-------
w.
h.'^^^^^^^J
1
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Phosphorus Reductions in Bass Lake Restore Fishery
WatPrbndv Imnrnvpd Livestock operations and other agricultural activities contrib-
! " uted to nutrient overenrichment and fish kills in Bass Lake in
northeastern Wisconsin, forcing it to be added to the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters.
The Marinette County Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD) led an effort to
reduce polluted runoff by installing state-of-the-art barnyard control practices combined
with other in-lake treatment techniques that reduced phosphorus levels in the lake. The
Bass Lake restoration project achieved total maximum daily load (TMDL) targets by reduc-
ing the average phosphorus concentrations from 490 yi/g/L to 10/^g/L, and the lake will be
removed from the state's 303(d) list in the next listing cycle.
Problem
Bass Lake was placed on Wisconsin's 303(d)
list of impaired waters for high phosphorus,
low dissolved oxygen levels, and winter fish
kills. Runoff from cropland, livestock barn-
yards, and nutrient accumulation in a wetland
through which the inlet drained delivered
high levels of nutrients and biological oxygen
demand to the lake. Nutrient runoff caused
heavy algae blooms, which covered the lake
in the summer months, and dissolved oxygen
concentrations fell to zero in the winter months
when ice covered the lake. Low dissolved
oxygen concentrations caused fish kills and
decimated the sport fish population.
Project Highlights
Marinette County LWCD spearheaded an effort
to work with two livestock operations, with a
combined total of 700 animal units, identified as
the major sources of phosphorus entering the
lake. LWCD worked with landowners to install
state-of-the-art barnyard control practices such
as manure storage facilities, clean water diver-
sions, and roof runoff controls. Eventually, one
landowner chose to discontinue operations in
his barnyard. Funds from the state stewardship
program allowed him to put 2,000 feet of Bass
Lake shoreline and 55 acres of cropland under
permanent easement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service aided in the installation of sediment
Bass Lake just after alum treatment, which helped reduce
phosphorus in the lake.
basins and restoration of wetland areas to pre-
vent further loading. The remaining livestock
operation further reduced runoff from livestock
areas by moving animals into a free stall facility
where cows are kept indoors in large pens. A
sediment control basin and a leachate collection
system—designed to collect polluted runoff and
pump it into the manure storage—were also
installed on the farm to virtually eliminate pollu-
tion transport from livestock areas to Bass Lake.
With support from the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources (DNR), LWCD worked with
a professional consultant to treat Bass Lake
with alum during fall 1999 to break the cycle
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stream Restoration Efforts Result in Rebound of Brown Trout Population
Waterbody Improved
Livestock grazing along three segments of the West Branch Sugar
River resulted in the destruction of in-stream habitat. Therefore,
Wisconsin added these segments to its 1998 303(d) list of impaired waters for not supporting their
designated uses. Dane County began working to restore the fishery in the early 1980s. The restora-
tion efforts reduced nonpoint source pollution from sheet and rill erosion, restricted cattle access to
streams and riparian areas, and improved management of animal waste from barnyards and feedlots.
After nearly 30 years and $1 million in private, local, state and federal watershed restoration activities,
Wisconsin removed all three segments from its 2004 303(d) impaired waters list. These segments
of the West Branch Sugar River are the first to be delisted in Wisconsin as result of environmental
restoration.
Problem
The West Branch Sugar River is in Dane County
in southern Wisconsin. The West Branch runs
southeast from the Village of Mount Horeb for 19
miles into the mainstem Sugar River just upstream
of Lake Belleview. Sediment and habitat alteration
prevented the West Branch from supporting its
beneficial uses of default warm water forage fishery
(WWFF), default warm water sport fishery (WWSF),
and cold water Class II trout fishery (COLD).
Over many years, cropland sediment erosion,
overgrazed pastures, unrestricted cattle access,
barnyard runoff, and streambank and gully erosion
degraded the river and altered the habitat. Dane
County began restoration efforts in the early 1980s
with project funds from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's (USDA's) Watershed Protection and
Flood Prevention Program—commonly known as
the PL-566 Watershed Program.
In 1997, after completion of the PL-566 project,
the county conducted a watershed assessment
that included both a general habitat survey and
fish surveys at five specific locations on the West
Branch. The fish survey assessment team ana-
lyzed the data using the Coldwater Index of Biotic
Integrity (CW IBI), specifically formulated to evalu-
ate assemblages with two to four species in small,
coldwater streams. The CW IBI ratings were poor
at all the sites. Both the general habitat and fish
surveys showed that the lower reaches of the West
Branch were inhabited by warm-water species such
as carp, black crappie, white sucker and a variety
Figure 1. West Branch Sugar River: Pre-rehabilitation
conditions.
of eurythermal minnows, which are adaptable to a
wide range of temperatures. In addition, the avail-
able habitat was insufficient to sustain a number of
top-level carnivores, such as brown trout, and was
rated poor. In particular, the in-stream surveys indi-
cated that the habitat upstream of State Highway 92
suffered from environmental degradation and had
habitat scores ranging from poor to fair. The main
problems included steep, highly eroded stream-
banks, shallow water depth and heavy silt deposits
in the stream (Figure 1).
Project Highlights
Building on 13 years of local watershed restoration
activities, more work began in 1999 to improve
the riparian corridor and habitat upstream of State
-------
Highway 92. Project participants placed more
than 20,000 feet of riprap to stabilize the toe of
the stream; reshaped 58,000 feet of streambank;
seeded 17 acres; and placed more than 1,000 fish
habitat structures in the stream. Participants placed
riprap on the banks and seeded them, establish-
ing grasses with good root structure to preserve
bank integrity. Reestablishing vegetation along
the streambanks also provided a buffer to mitigate
runoff from the surrounding agricultural fields.
Other project elements included narrowing the
river in appropriate places to increase flow velocity,
flushing the soft sediment out of the channel and
uncovering the gravel bottom, which is essential to
trout reproduction.
Nonprofit organizations will hold 20-year, 66-foot-
wide easements on the project area for public
access. Landowners began practicing whole farm
planning and conservation tillage to reduce erosion
of their farm lands. The willingness of more than a
dozen landowners to participate was instrumental
to the success of this project.
Results
In 2002 habitat evaluations at three sites found that
the habitat had improved, and scores ranged from
good to excellent (Figure 2).
By 2004 Dane County had achieved its goal—the
fishery was restored. Cool and cold-water species
now inhabit the sections of river above the project
area. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource
(DNR) expects trout populations to continue to
increase with improved water quality and habitat
conditions. Another positive indicator is evidence
of multiple year classes of trout, including 3-4 inch
young-of-the-year (YOY). Surveys conducted in
1997 showed no YOY present at any of the sampling
sites. By 2003 surveys showed the presence of
YOY at 10 of the 13 stations, indicating that natural
reproduction is taking place in the West Branch.
The West Branch responded to the best manage-
ment practices, which helped increase baseflow
and reduce erosion. Repairing the riparian cor-
Figure 2. West Branch Sugar River: Post-rehabilitation
conditions.
ridor and adding stream habitat enabled the river
to meet its potential as cold water Class II trout
water. These changes, including improvements in
habitat, increased numbers of indicator species and
evidence of natural reproduction of trout, resulted in
Wisconsin delisting all three segments in 2004 from
its 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
Wisconsin DNR, the Dane County Land
Conservation Department (LCD), landowners and
several volunteer organizations worked to improve
the riparian corridor and habitat of the stretch of
the West Branch Sugar River upstream of State
Highway 92. Dane County LCD received four
Targeted Runoff Management grants from DNR,
totaling $520,000 for riprap, fencing, shaping,
seeding and stabilizing the river banks. Support for
fish habitat structures placed at strategic locations
along the river included more than $210,000 in
cost-shared funds from DNR trout stamp funds, the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the
Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, nonprofit
organizations including Trout Unlimited, Deer Creek
Sport and Conservation Club, Madison Fishing
Expo, Badger Fly Fishers, and volunteers. EPA sec-
tion 319 grant funding provided DNR staff support.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001D
April 2008
For additional information contact:
Mike Sorge or Jim Amrhein, DNR South Central Region
608-275-3247 / 608-275-3280
michael.sorge@wisconsin.gov/James.a mrhein@wisconsin.gov
Patrick Slitter, Dane County Land Conservation Office
608-224-3730 • lwrd@co.dane.wi.us
-------
About 2,000 feet of Bass Lake shoreline
is under permanent easement. Box in
photo identifies approximate location of
easement boundary.
No fish kills have occurred in Bass Lake since best manage-
ment practices were implemented, and the fish population
appears healthy.
of internal phosphorus release from sediment
on the lake bottom and to reduce phosphorus
levels in the lake.
Results
The Bass Lake restoration project achieved
TMDL targets by reducing the average phos-
phorus concentrations from 490 ji/g/L to 10 ji/g/L,
and the lake will be removed from the state's
303(d) list in the next listing cycle. Farmers'
participation in nutrient management planning
should reduce nutrient delivery from cropped
areas in the watershed even further.
The alum treatment dramatically reduced total
phosphorus in Bass Lake. Without the high
concentration of phosphorus to feed on, heavy
blue-green algae blooms no longer cover the
lake and water clarity continues to improve.
Secchi disk readings have improved from less
than 10 feet before the project to up to 20 feet
during July 2004 after the alum treatment. No
fish kills have been noted since the project,
and the fish population appears healthy.
Partners and Funding
Marinette County LWCD led this effort and
received assistance from the Wisconsin DNR,
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural
Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Town of Beaver, and landown-
ers. Project costs are estimated at $696,100.
The State Stewardship Fund provided $195,000
of that total through section 319 and the Lakes
program for a conservation easement to aban-
don one barnyard operation. Section 319 funds
were also used to implement best management
practices, which accounted for approximately
40 percent of project costs. The Wisconsin
DNR Lakes Partnership Program also provided
support with Lakes Protection grants for project
activities. Some Clean Lakes activities, now
funded by Clean Water Act section 319 grants,
were formerly funded under the section 314
Clean Lakes program. Among other things, the
Lakes program helped pay for the alum treat-
ment, along with local cost share.
'. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
\ Office of Water
a Washington, DC
EPA841-F-05-004S
September 2005
For additional information contact:
Greg Sevener
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
715-582-5013
gregory.sevener@dnr.state.wi.us
-------
12SZ.
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Coordinated Efforts Reduced Sediment Input and Restored Waterbody s
Waterbody Improved H
Smiths Fork degraded the habitat to the point that the
streams could no longer achieve their designated use of aquatic life. Landowners, federal
grazing permit holders and state and federal agencies collaborated to implement various
best management practices (BMPs) that reduced sediment input. As a result, water quality
improved, and Wyoming removed both waterbodies from its 2004 303(d) list of impaired
waters for sediment.
Problem
East Fork Smiths Fork (27 miles long) and West
Fork Smiths Fork (9 miles long) combine to form
Smiths Fork, which in turn flows into Blacks Fork.
The Blacks Fork subbasin is located near the mouth
of the Green River Basin of southwestern Wyoming.
Wyoming placed both East and West Forks of
Smiths Fork (Figure 1) on its 1998 Clean Water Act
section 303(d) list because excess sediment physi-
cally degraded the stream channels and impaired
aquatic life use support. Excess sedimentation
negatively affected the streams' biota by blanket-
ing gravel and cobble streambed substrates, often
reducing important habitats and algal food resourc-
es for many benthic macroinvertebrate groups and
limiting the reproductive success of fishes such
as the endemic Colorado River cutthroat trout.
Sources of sediment included grazing, vehicle
traffic on nearby roads, recreational use, logging,
irrigation return flows, riparian area deterioration
and streambank destabilization.
East and West Forks of Smiths Fork are classified
as a Class 2AB waters, which are those known
to support game fish. Excess sediment impaired
aquatic life by degrading in-stream habitat, violat-
ing the state's narrative standard, which states,
"floating and suspended solids attributable to or
influenced by the activities of man shall not be pres-
ent in quantities which could result in significant
aesthetic degradation, significant degradation of
habitat for aquatic life, or adversely affect public
water supplies, agricultural or industrial water use,
plant life or wildlife."
Figure 1. Photos showing East Fork Smiths Fork (top)
and West Fork Smiths Fork (bottom)
-------
Project Highlights
Results
To improve water quality in these two streams,
the Uinta County Conservation District (UCCD)
addressed some of the pollution sources using
funding from a Clean Water Act section 319
nonpoint source control project. UCCD worked with
farmers to reduce sedimentation from streambanks
by repairing or replacing livestock water tanks that
provide off-channel water sources. The farmers also
constructed snow fences to divert spring snow melt
to these tanks and lessen sediment input to the
two streams from overland flow. The Uinta County
government improved the surrounding infrastruc-
ture by repairing aging roads and bridges adjacent
to the two streams. Volunteers planted assorted
trees, shrubs and forbs in riparian zones to help
stabilize stream banks and create a sediment buffer.
Farmers constructed fences along the streams to
protect these newly establishing plant communi-
ties, stream banks and channels from the effects of
livestock grazing. The farmers also adopted grazing
BMPs that both promote the recovery of these two
streams and allow for continued grazing.
The project efforts were successful. Physical,
chemical and biological data collected by Wyoming
Department of Environmental Quality in 2003
indicate that sedimentation was minimal and that
riparian vegetation was thriving. Both the East Fork
Smiths Fork and West Fork Smiths Fork are fully
supporting their designated uses, and their water
quality threats have been mitigated. Wyoming sub-
sequently removed these two pollutant/segment
combinations from its 303(d) list in 2004.
Partners and Funding
The project's funding included $123,300 from the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, $66,333
from a nonfederal cash match and $16,000 from
an in-kind nonfederal cash match. The project
was successful in large part because of the close
cooperation of a diverse Coordinated Resource
Management Team including local landowners,
federal grazing permit holders, U.S. Forest Service,
the Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming Game
and Fish Department, and the Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
w
\
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001R
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Jack Smith
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
307-673-9337 • jsmith@wyo.gov
Kerri Sabey
Uinta County Conservation District
307-787-3794 ext. 102 • Kerri.Sabey@wy.nacdnet.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Changing Road Design and Implementing Grazing BMPs Reduce Sediment
\A/3t6rbody ImprOVGd Runoff from an eroding forest road and from upstream areas
of uncontrolled cattle grazing caused heavy siltation of the
lower portion of Wyoming's Hunter Creek. When the creek failed to meet its designated
use for coldwater game and aquatic life, the Wyoming Department of Environmental
Quality (WDEQ) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) initiated a management plan to address
these pollutant sources. The partners implemented best management practices (BMPs),
including establishing a riparian area along the stream, digging a ditch to convey runoff
away from the stream and building stream crossings for cattle upstream. As a result, sedi-
ment loads diminished, and Hunter Creek now fully supports its designated uses. WDEQ
removed Hunter Creek from Wyoming's 2004 303(d) list of impaired waters for sediment.
Problem
Project Highlights
Hunter Creek is a small (approximately 1.9 miles
long) tributary to Clear Creek, in the Powder River
Basin of the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. For
the purpose of surface water monitoring, WDEQ
divides Hunter Creek into upper and lower sections.
WDEQ placed the lower section of Hunter Creek
on the state's 1998 Clean Water Act (CWA) sec-
tion 303(d) list because of heavy siltation, which
threatened aquatic life by eliminating important
streambed habitats. WDEQ identified that the likely
sediment sources included the close proximity of
an adjacent road and intensive upstream cattle
grazing.
Lower Hunter Creek is classified as a Class 2AB
waters, which are those known to support game
fish. Excess sediment caused the creek to vio-
late the state's narrative standard, which states,
"floating and suspended solids attributable to or
influenced by the activities of man shall not be
present in quantities which could result in signifi-
cant aesthetic degradation, significant degradation
of habitat for aquatic life, or adversely affect public
water supplies, agricultural or industrial water use,
plant life or wildlife."
To address the two primary pollutant sources—
sediment from the adjacent road and intensive
upstream cattle grazing—WDEQ and the USFS
initiated a management plan. To reduce sediment
inputs from the road,
the partners removed
mineral outcrops from
along the road's edges,
thus allowing the road to
be shifted several feet
away from the stream
(see Figures 1 and 2).
Then, they established
a riparian buffer zone in
the newly created space
using both mineral
particles and vegetation
to separate the stream
from the road (Figure 2).
Finally, they constructed
a new road section that
channeled water away
from the stream and into
a newly dug ditch that
terminated in a sedi-
ment basin (Figure 3).
3
Figure 1. Hunter Creek before the
project.
-------
To address the second pollution source (uncon-
trolled cattle grazing), the team constructed desig-
nated cattle stream crossings upstream and began
scheduling grazing permits on a rotating basis.
The project team expects that these two grazing
BMPs will further facilitate the reestablishment of a
healthy riparian zone and lessen bank erosion along
lower Hunter Creek.
Results
After completing the road construction project
in the early summer of 2003, the amount of fine
sediment in lower Hunter Creek declined. Before
the project, sediment covered approximately 57
percent of the streambed in the study reach; within
one year of implementing the BMPs, sediment
covered only 38 percent of the streambed. With the
reduction in new sediment inputs to this stream,
the project team expects that spring runoff from
snowmelt will continue to remove preexisting mate-
rial. WDEQ determined that the road modifications
and changes in maintenance have reduced sedi-
ment impacts and that lower Hunter Creek now fully
supports all its aquatic life uses. Therefore, WDEQ
removed lower Hunter Creek from Wyoming's
303(d) list in 2004 for sediment.
Partners and Funding
A total of $675,000 in annual CWA section 319 per-
formance partnership grants funded Hunter Creek
effectiveness monitoring. These funds supported
WDEQ 319 grant program staff that worked with
the USES to implement this project.
Figure 2. Photo
of the project
site taken
immediately
after WDEQ and
USES realigned
the road and
established a
wider buffer
area. A white
mesh placed on
the new riparian
area will help
hold the soil
until vegetation
can become
established.
Figure 3. A newly-constructed ditch along the road con-
veys water away from stream and into a sediment basin.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001U
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Jack Smith
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
307-673-9337 • jsmith@wyo.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service
Bighorn National Forest
307-674-2600
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
BMPs Reduce Sediment and Restore Streams /
Waterbodv Improved Surface runoff from irr'9ated agriculture areas and poorly
1 "' * ^ designed water conveyance features caused erosion and
threatened the aquatic life uses of North Fork Shell Creek and South Fork Shell Creek
in northeastern Wyoming. The sediment issues prompted the Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality (WDEQ) to place both streams (16.69 miles total) on the state's 2000
Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters as threatened for not support-
ing their aquatic life uses. In response, the Lake DeSmet Conservation District (LDCD) and
landowners implemented best management practices (BMPs), including updating irrigation
techniques, improving water conveyance and constructing sediment detention wetlands.
Subsequent WDEQ monitoring confirmed that the activities improved irrigation efficiency
and diminished sediment input to the creeks. As a result, WDEQ removed the two streams
from the Wyoming 2008 CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
The headwaters of Wyoming's North Fork Shell
Creek and South Fork Shell Creek (Figure 1) are
in the Powder River basin (Figure 2), along the
foothills of the east slope of the Bighorn Mountain
Range. The creeks flow northeast into Shell Creek
Reservoir near the town of Story. The two forks of
Shell Creek are protected for agricultural, industrial,
recreational, wildlife, scenic value and aquatic life
(other than fish) uses.
Data collected by the LDCD in 2000 indicate that
the aquatic life (other than fish) use for the streams
was threatened because of sedimentation from
habitat degradation related to irrigation diversions
and conveyance. On the basis of that data, WDEQ
added a total of 16.69 miles of the north and south
forks of Shell Creek to the 2000 CWA section 303(d)
list of impaired waters for habitat degradation.
Project Highlights
Several landowners and LDCD implemented
multiple BMPs between 1999 and 2001 using fund-
ing from a CWA section 319 grant to address the
habitat issues affecting the two watersheds. BMPs
included replacing surface ditches with buried
pipelines, changing inefficient flood irrigation to
center pivot irrigation, constructing wetlands and
upgrading water conveyance control structures.
LDCD monitored the macroinvertebrate commu- Figure 1. Photographs showing the North Fork (top)
nity, water quality, and in-stream habitat in both and South Fork (bottom) of Shell Creek.
-------
Powder River Watershed
North Fork Shell Creek
\
, Miles
Figure 2. This map shows the impaired portions of North Fork Shell
Creek and South Fork Shell Creek. These creeks are headwaters of
Wyoming's Clear River watershed (HUC 10090206), a tributary of
the Powder River.
waterbodies to assess how effectively the BMPs
mitigated sedimentation.
Results
LDCD's macroinvertebrate and in-stream habitat
surveys show a positive change in silt depth that
corresponds to BMP implementation. LDCD also
collected water quality data that show total sus-
pended solids, turbidity and temperature levels
decreased. However, LDCD had to classify the data
as inconclusive because it believes that a severe
drought in 2000 and 2001 might have confounded
study results. In 2005 and 2006 WDEQ conducted
an additional field assessment, which indicated that
the BMPs had mitigated irrigation and water convey-
ance issues. WDEQ found that macroinvertebrate
samples from both forks were comparable to the ref-
erence stream and therefore assigned a rating of full
support of aquatic life using the Wyoming Stream
Integrity Index and the River Invertebrate Prediction
and Classification System. On the basis of those
findings, WDEQ removed North Fork Shell Creek
and South Fork Shell Creek (a total of 16.69 miles)
from the Wyoming 2008 CWA section 303(d) list of
impaired waters.
Partners and Funding
LDCD received a total of $178,743 in CWA section
319 funding along with $285,687 of in-kind match-
ing funds. LDCD partnered with several landowners
to implement BMPs and monitor project results
at various locations throughout each of the two
watersheds.
f
A
\
m
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001AA
September 2009
For additional information contact:
Richard Thorp
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
307-777-3501 • rthorp@wyo.gov
Nikki Lohse
Lake DeSmet Conservation District
307-684-2526 ext. 3 • Nikki.lohse@wy.nacdnet.net
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Restoring Natural Hydrology Improves Fish Habitat
Waterbodv Improved Historic livestock 9razin9- timber harvest activities, and road
" u" ' ' * • 'f ' * an(j (jjkg construction caused excessive sedimentation in
North Fork Spread Creek, which threatened aquatic life and cold water fisheries designated
uses. As a result, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) added a
segment of North Fork Spread Creek to Wyoming's 1998 Clean Water Act (CWA) section
303(d) list of impaired waters. Stakeholders implemented several best management prac-
tices (BMPs) designed to reduce sedimentation, including restoring the stream channel and
floodplain to natural conditions. Water quality improved, and two trout species returned
to the creek. As a result, WDEQ removed North Fork Spread Creek from the CWA section
303(d) list of impaired waters in 2008.
Problem
North Fork Spread Creek is approximately 15 miles
southeast of Moran, Wyoming. The creek's
headwaters begin at approximately 8,242 feet in
elevation, in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The
upper basin is largely undeveloped except for some
gravel roads. Most of the basin is forested upland,
shrubland, and herbaceous upland; the remaining
drainage area is largely barren highlands, with some
wetlands and water (Figure 1). Recreational use
in the basin is common, and grazing occurs in the
lower basin.
The watershed is naturally geologically unstable;
historic livestock grazing has exacerbated the
instability and caused streambank and riparian veg-
etation damage. In addition, timber harvesting and
road and dike construction have resulted in further
damage. When combined, the natural and induced
conditions caused the stream to erode, become
substantially wider and shallower, and form a
braided rather than meandering channel (Figure 2).
Ultimately, excessive sediment in streams can blan-
ket important streambed cobble and gravel habitats
needed for macroinvertebrates to thrive and native
Snake River cutthroat trout to spawn.
WDEQ classifies North Fork Spread Creek as water-
body type 2AB, thus, it is protected for drinking
water, cold-water game and nongame fisheries, fish
North Fork Spread Creek
I water
Developed
Barren
I Forested upland
Shrubland
Herbaceous upland natural
I Herbaceous planted/cultivated
I Wetland
1
Map source: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5017
(http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2004/5017/
Figure 1. Spread Creek
drains to the Snake River in
extreme western Wyoming.
consumption, aquatic life,
recreation, wildlife, indus-
try, agriculture and scenic
value uses. Sedimentation
threatened the creek's cold-
water fishery and aquatic life
designated uses, prompting
WDEQ to add a one-mile
reach of the creek to the
Figure 2. A braided channel along
North Fork Spread Creek before
restoration.
-------
state's 1998 CWA section 303(d) list for habitat
degradation.
Project Highlights
As early as 1992, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
began recognizing the links between land use
activities and the disturbance issues within the
North Fork Spread Creek watershed and committed
to restoring the stream using a natural approach.
To predict the natural potential of this study reach,
the USFS used an adjacent and structurally intact
upstream stream segment as a reference. USFS
assessed the two streams using the Wyoming
Stream Integrity Index (WSII) and River Invertebrate
Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS).
The USFS completed the North Fork Spread Creek
Riparian Demonstration Project, in part using CWA
section 319 funding. Restoring a 0.5-mile-segment
of North Fork of Spread Creek (within the section
303(d)-listed reach) began in 1997, and included
reestablishing proper width and depth, meander,
slope and bed features
(Figure 3). The effort also
restored or enhanced
the natural floodplain,
riparian community and
fish habitats. New ripar-
ian vegetation included a
mixture of willows, grasses
and forbs. Last, project
partners moved an adjacent
road to a higher elevation,
which lessened the possibil-
ity of seasonal flooding and
erosion.
Figure 3. Restoring a streambank
using buried revetments along
North Fork Spread Creek.
Results
The North Fork Spread Creek Riparian
Demonstration Project successfully restored the
floodplain and appropriate channel form. The
project added 14 meanders within the study reach
using buried revetments to stabilize banks (see
Figure 3). It also included placing large cobbles at
the upstream and downstream ends of riffles to
maintain reach gradient. Project partners planted a
mixture of shrubs, forbs, grasses and several thou-
sand rooted willow cuttings throughout the creek's
floodplain to stabilize soil.
By 1998 fish habitats had increased by 150 percent
(according to Wyoming's WSII and RIVPACS mac-
roinvertebrate indices). The stream included large,
woody debris and pools, which serve as impor-
tant refuge habitats for fish. The success of such
improvements on the biological community can be
seen by comparing fish survey data from before
and after project implementation (Table 1). A WDEQ
assessment indicates that the stream is now meet-
ing its aquatic life and cold-water fisheries uses;
therefore, WDEQ removed the stream from the CWA
section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2008.
Table 1. Number of fish species measured
from 1994to 1998
Fish Species
Snake River Cutthroat
Trout
Brook Trout
1994 counts
0
35
1998 counts
19
41
Partners and Funding
Partners in the North Fork Spread Creek Riparian
Demonstration Project included the USFS, Teton
Science School students (who collected biomoni-
toring data), Wyoming Game and Fish Department,
Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts,
Teton County Natural Resource District, and the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (project
review). Funding for this CWA section 319 project
totaled $88,896; including $27,373 in section 319
grants; $19,475 in nonfederal cash match; $1,538 in
nonfederal, in-kind match; and $41,510 contributed
by the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
UJ
(9
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001PP
December 2009
For additional information contact:
Richard Thorp, Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality
307-777-3501 • rthorp@wyo.gov
Ronna Simon, Bridger-Teton National Forest
307-739-5598 • rsimon@fs.fed.us
-------
Section 319
NONPOINT SOORGE PROGRAM SOGGESS STORY
Improving Irrigation Efficiency and
Land Management Reduces Sediment Loads
\A/citprhnH\/ Imnrnx/prl Excess sediment eliminated important streambed habitats
and threatened aquatic life in Wyoming's Rock Creek. As
a result, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) placed Rock Creek
on Wyoming's 1996 Clean Water Act section 303(d) list of impaired waters. Landowners
implemented best management practices (BMPs) specifically designed to improve irrigation
efficiency. Project partners held an educational workshop aimed at improving landowners'
pasture and hay culture management in the watershed. These efforts successfully reduced
sediment loads, prompting WDEQ to remove Rock Creek from the state's 2004 303(d) list
of impaired waters.
Problem
Rock Creek originates in Wyoming's Bighorn
Mountains, along the northwestern boundary of the
Powder River Basin. The creek flows southeast for
approximately 15 miles before it joins Clear Creek
near the town of Buffalo. WDEQ classifies Rock
Creek as a type 2AB water, and thus it is protected
for drinking water, coldwater game and nongame
fisheries, fish consumption, aquatic life other than
fish, recreation, wildlife, industry, agriculture and
scenic value uses. Excess sediment caused physi-
cal degradation in 8 miles of Rock Creek, making
the creek unable to support its aquatic life desig-
nated use. Consequently, WDEQ added an 8-mile
segment of Rock Creek to the state's 1996 303(d)
list.
The Lake DeSmet Conservation District (LDCD)
conducted a planning and assessment project in
1997 to determine the source of the excess sedi-
ment. Their investigation suggested that the major
sources of sediment included a combination of
heavy cattle and horse grazing operations and inef-
ficient irrigation systems in the watershed.
Figure 1. This is a post-project view of Rock Creek.
The sediment load has declined, and the creek once
again supports its aquatic life use.
Project Highlights
In 1999 the LDCD received section 319 project
funding to address these water quality issues as
part of a cooperative effort among the LDCD, U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and private land-
owners. The project's primary goals and objectives
included implementing BMPs that improve irrigation
infrastructure and application methods. Landowners
improved irrigation efficiency by burying pipelines
and installing modern sprinkler systems. LDCD
supplemented these structural changes with a
2001 educational workshop that helped watershed
landowners find ways to improve pasture and hay
culture management practices.
-------
Results
The LDCD conducted BMP effectiveness monitor-
ing at several study sites between 1999 and 2001.
Data show that implementing BMPs improved
irrigation efficiency in the watershed from approxi-
mately 12 percent (pre-project) to 40 percent
(post-project). This monitoring also found that
application efficiency increased from approximately
18 percent to 41 percent and water conveyance
efficiency increased from approximately 46 percent
to 99 percent. In addition, water usage decreased
from approximately 19,978 acre-feet to 6,011 acre-
feet, which means that more water remains in the
creek channel to support aquatic life uses and less
excess pollutant-carrying irrigation water returns
to the stream. While these results clearly illustrate
a marked improvement in the irrigation efficiency
in the watershed, the corresponding effectiveness
monitoring data collected by LDCD were deter-
mined to be inconclusive because the data were
collected during the term of the project and not
after installing all structural improvements.
Total suspended solids (TSS) data in pre-project
irrigation return flow show wide seasonal and
discharge-related variability. However, concentra-
tions for irrigation return flows into Rock Creek and
similar adjacent watersheds typically exhibit mean
TSS values near 15 milligrams per liter (mg/L). An
annual irrigation efficiency-induced reduction of
13,967 acre-feet of return flows with a mean TSS
concentration of 15 mg/L would equal an annual
reduction of almost 285 tons of sediment kept out
of the creek.
The inability to draw immediate conclusions from
the LDCD report prompted WDEQ to reevaluate
the stream in 2003. This post-project effectiveness
monitoring found the substrate in Rock Creek to be
relatively free of sediment (Figure 1) with its ability
to support aquatic life uncompromised. Therefore,
WDEQ determined that Rock Creek fully supports
its aquatic life uses and, thus, removed it from
Wyoming's 2004 303(d) list.
Partners and Funding
The section 319 program contributed a total of
$178,743 in federal funds to this project, which was
awarded to LDCD to address these water quality
issues as part of a cooperative effort among the
LDCD, USDA and private landowners. In addition,
the partners conducted a section 319 planning
and assessment project and held an educational
workshop for landowners to educate them on
BMPs. Partners contributed a total of $85,687 in
nonfederal match.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-08-001CC
September 2008
For additional information contact:
Jack Smith
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
307-673-9337 • jsmith@wyo.gov
Nikki Lohse
Lake DeSmet Conservation District
307-684-2526 • nikki.lohse@wy.nacdnet.net
-------
. Section 319
1 NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY
Stakeholders Collaborated to Reduce Sediment in Creek x
Watprhndv ImnrnvpH Excessive sediment degraded habitat and threatened aquatic
" u" ' ' * • 'f ' * |jfe an(j coldwater fisheries uses in Sage Creek, prompting
the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) to add it to the state's 1996
Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list. A diverse stakeholder group led by the Saratoga-
Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District (SERCD) responded by implementing several
best management practices (BMPs) designed to reduce sediment carried in overland flow.
Sediment levels declined, and in 2008 WDEQ removed Sage Creek from the Wyoming
CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
Problem
Sage Creek is in the North Platte River Basin of
southeastern Wyoming. The creek's headwaters are
along the continental divide in the northern foothills
of the Sierra Madre at an elevation of approximately
8,400 feet. The 263-square-mile Sage Creek water-
shed drains into the North Platte River near the
town of Saratoga (Figure 1). WDEQ classifies Sage
Creek as waterbody type 2AB; thus, it is protected
for the designated uses of drinking water, coldwater
game and nongame fisheries, fish consumption,
aquatic life, recreation, wildlife, industry, agricul-
ture and scenic value. The Sage Creek watershed
produces naturally high sediment loads because of
its highly erodible soils. Dam failures, road con-
struction and historic livestock grazing practices
have exacerbated the erosion, especially during
precipitation events and the spring snowmelt runoff
period (Figure 2).
SERCD collected data in 1996 indicating that exces-
sive sediment degraded habitat and threatened the
coldwater fishery and aquatic life designated uses
along a 14-mile section of lower Sage Creek. The
sediment traveled downstream, accumulating in
reservoirs and requiring increased processing time
and expense to municipal water treatment facilities.
WDEQ considered the sediment load to also be
a potential threat to the health of the North Platte
River's coldwater game fishery. Therefore, WDEQ
added Sage Creek to the state's 1996 CWA section
303(d) list for impairment to its coldwater fish and
aquatic life (other than fish) designated uses.
Figure 1. Photo of lower Sage Creek near
the confluence with the North Platte River.
Figure 2. Photo showing a high sediment
load in Sage Creek after a storm event.
-------
Project Highlights
In 1997 SERCD led a Sage Creek Watershed CWA
section 319 project that brought together local land-
owners, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources
Conservation Service and the Wyoming Game and
Fish Department. The partners implemented a
series of BMPs and monitored the effect of those
management changes by collecting sediment
and macroinvertebrate samples. BMPs, which
focused on restoring riparian habitat and reducing
sediment inputs to the stream carried by overland
flow, included using short-duration grazing, adding
riparian and drift fencing, developing off-channel
water sources, improving road management,
adding grade-control structures, and using water
diversions and vegetation as a sediment filters. The
partners anticipated that the project would improve
water quality in Sage Creek and reduce sediment
loading from the creek to the North Platte River.
Results
Data collected as part of the CWA section 319
project show that the BMPs effectively mitigated
the threats to the coldwater fishery and aquatic
life (other than fish) uses. Specifically, riparian
vegetation such as willows reestablished quickly,
stabilizing stream banks and converting the stream
channel from a wide and shallow configuration to
one that is narrower and deeper. Such in-stream
and riparian morphological changes translated into
cooler water temperatures and increased stream
power that better mobilizes fine sediment deposits
on the streambed.
Measurements of suspended sediment in Sage
Creek show a trend of decreasing concentration
after implementing BMPs. Mean total suspended
solids went from 529 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in
1998 to 80 mg/L in 2004. In addition, scientists col-
lected post-project macroinvertebrate samples on
the North Platte River above and below its conflu-
ence with Sage Creek using the Wyoming Stream
Integrity Index and River Invertebrate Prediction
and Classification System. Those data indicate that
both locations are fully supporting their aquatic
life (other than fish) designated use, and that the
sampling location below the confluence has a trend
of a slightly higher biological condition. That data
prompted WDEQ to remove Sage Creek from the
CWA section 303(d) list in 2008.
Partners and Funding
The project received a total of $126,149 through
CWA section 319 performance partnership grants
along with $88,148 of in-kind matching funds.
That funding supported implementing BMPs
and conducting effectiveness monitoring of the
management changes. SERCD led the Sage Creek
watershed CWA section 319 project, which was
a cooperative effort among local landowners, the
Bureau of Land Management, the Natural Resource
Conservation Service and the Wyoming Game and
Fish Department.
UJ
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-09-001QQ
December 2009
For additional information contact:
Richard Thorp, Wyoming Department of
Environmental Quality
307-777-3501 • rthorp@wyo.gov
Glen Leavengood, Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins
Conservation District
307-326-8156 • Glen.leavengood@wy.nacdnet.net
------- |