Section 319
NDNPDINT SBIHE* PROGRAM SUCCESS STDRY
BMP Implementation Results in Improved Turbidity and Bacteria Levels
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was impaired for turbidity and bacteria due in part
to practices associated with crop, cattle, and poultry produc-
tion, prompting Oklahoma to add the creek to the state's 2002 Clean Water Act (CWA)
section 303(d) list of impaired waters. Implementing best management practices (BMPs)
to improve cropland, grazing land, and nutrient management led to decreased sediment
and bacteria in the creek. As a result. Bull Creek has been nominated for removal from
Oklahoma's 2010 CWA section 303(d) list for turbidity and E. coli impairments.
Problem
The 17-mile-long Bull Creek flows through Rogers,
Mayes, and Wagoner counties in northeastern
Oklahoma (Figure 1). The majority of the land in the
area is used for crop production, primarily wheat
and corn, and for cattle and poultry production.
Erosion of both cropland and grazing land, coupled
with improper management of cattle and poultry
wastes, were potentially the largest nonpoint
source problems in the watershed, contributing to
high turbidity and bacteria in the stream.
In the 2002, 2004, and 2008 water quality assess-
ments, monitoring showed that 29, 35, and
25 percent, respectively, of Bull Creek's seasonal
baseflow water samples exceeded 50 nephelomet-
ric turbidity units (NTU). A stream is considered
impaired by turbidity if 10 percent or more of the
seasonal base flow water samples exceed 50 NTU
(based on no more than 5 years of data before the
assessment year). On the basis of the assessment
results, Oklahoma added the entire length of Bull
Creek to the 2002 and subsequent CWA sec-
tion 303(d) lists for nonattainment of the fish and
wildlife propagation designated use due to turbidity
impairment.
In addition, E. coli bacteria levels exceeded the
state criterion for several years, with geometric
means of 317 colonies/100 milliliters (ml) in 2004
and 250 colonies/100 ml in 2008. The primary body
contact recreation use is considered impaired if the
geometric mean exceeds 126 colonies/100 ml for
E. coli.
Figure 1. Bull Creek is located in Rogers, Mayes, and Wagoner
counties in northeastern Oklahoma.
Project Highlights
Landowners implemented numerous BMPs with
support from Oklahoma's locally led cost-share
program and funds from Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) general techni-
cal assistance programs, the Environmental
Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the 2008
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). One of
the primary goals of the project was to improve
grazing land quality. From 2004 to 2007, landown-
ers planted supplemental rangeland forage on
106 acres and supplemental pasture grasses
on 63 acres, managed brush on 908 acres, and
managed pests (weeds) on 838 acres. To further
improve pasture and range quality in the watershed,
the landowners implemented prescribed grazing on
3,860 acres, nutrient management on 209 acres,
and forage harvest management practices on
32 acres. A total of 4,171 linear feet of fencing was
installed to improve pasture and range quality, and
10 ponds were constructed. To reduce erosion from
cropland, producers implemented conservation
crop rotations on 216 acres and conservation tillage
methods on 108 acres.
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Landowners installed additional BMPs from 2008 to
2010 that have enhanced the initial improvements.
BMPs included adopting nutrient management
plans for 417 acres, grazing management plans for
approximately 3,576 acres, forage harvest manage-
ment on 249 acres, and weed management plans
for 2,593 acres. Conservation crop rotations have
been implemented on 516 acres, 324 acres have
adopted residue and tillage management, and
12,550 feet of terraces were installed to reduce
erosion.
Results
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission's
Rotating Basin Monitoring Program, a statewide
nonpoint source ambient monitoring program, doc-
umented improved water quality in Bull Creek due
to landowners implementing BMPs. The installed
cropland, grazing land, and nutrient management
BMPs work to decrease erosion and reduce bacte-
ria loading. BMPs designed to improve pasture and
rangeland result in denser vegetation and fewer
bare spots, which equates to less potential runoff
of soil, nutrients, and bacteria from animal wastes
into waterbodies. In the 2010 water quality assess-
ment, monitoring showed that only 6 percent of
baseflow turbidity values in Bull Creek exceeded
the 50 NTU state standard, prompting Oklahoma
to nominate the 17-mile segment for removal from
the 2010 section 303(d) list for turbidity (Figure 2).
Bull Creek now partially attains its fish and wildlife
propagation designated use. In addition, monitor-
ing showed that the geometric mean of E. coli in
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2002
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2008 2010
Assessment Year
the 2010 assessment was 123 colonies/100 ml,
below the state standard of 126 colonies/100 ml
(Figure 3). Hence, Bull Creek has been nominated
for removal from the 2010 CWA section 303(d) list
for E. co/i impairment and is in partial attainment
of the primary body contact recreation use.
Partners and Funding
The improvement in water quality in Bull Creek
was documented by the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission's statewide nonpoint source ambient
monitoring program. The Rotating Basin Monitoring
Program, which now includes a probabilistic com-
ponent, is funded through the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) CWA section 319 program
at an average annual cost of $1 million. Monitoring
costs include personnel, supplies, and lab analysis
for 19 parameters from samples collected every five
weeks at about 100 sites for a total of 20 episodes
per five year cycle. In-stream habitat, fish, and
macroinvertebrate samples are also collected.
Statewide educational efforts through Blue Thumb
are also funded by EPA CWA section 319 at a cost
of approximately $600,000 annually. These costs
include supplies for monthly monitoring of 100 sites,
as well as trainings and other outreach activities. The
Oklahoma cost-share program provided $14,085 in
state funding for BMPs in this watershed through the
Wagoner County, Rogers County, and Mayes County
Conservation Districts, and landowners contributed
$16,528 through this program. The NRCS spent
approximately $277,936 for implementation of BMPs
in the area from 2004 through 2010.
Bull Creek Bacteria Levels
2008
Assessment Year
Figure 2. Monitoring data show a consistent decline
in turbidity levels.
Figure 3. Bacteria concentrations have declined and
now meet water quality standards.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-11-001Q
March 2011
For additional information contact:
Shanon Phillips, Director
Water Quality Division
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
shanon.phillips@conservation.ok.gov
405-522-4500
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