,'qN Section 319
Vs*2/ NONPIINT SOURCE PRIGIAM SUCCESS STORY
*tPRC**
South, Csfcrclwuk
Community-Led Effort Reduces Bacteria in the Tyger River
Waterbodies Improved NonPoint sources of pollution, including agriculture and
failing septic systems, contributed high levels of bacteria
to the Tyger River. In 2002 the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
Control (SCDHEC) added 20 sites (i.e., waterbody segments) of the Tyger River to the state's
Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waterbodies for violating the state's
fecal coliform (FC) bacteria water quality standard. To address the problem, project partners
implemented agricultural best management practices (BMPs), repaired or replaced failing
septic systems, and educated homeowners and pet owners about FC nonpoint sources. As
a result of these efforts, four sites now fully support the recreational designated use, which
will be reflected in the state's 2012 Integrated Report. Seven other sites show significant
progress toward achieving the FC bacteria water quality standards but remain listed as
impaired pending further improvements.
Problem
The Tyger River watershed is in the Piedmont
region of northwest South Carolina. It drains
820 square miles and encompasses portions of
Greenville, Newberry, Spartanburg and Union coun-
ties (Figure 1). The Tyger River flows into Fairforest
Creek and ultimately drains into the Lower Broad
River near Shelton, South Carolina. The major land
uses in the watershed are forest (70 percent),
cropland (11 percent), pastureland (10 percent),
urban area (6 percent), and a small mix of water and
barren land uses (3 percent).
Fecal coliform data collected between 1996 and
2000 identified 20 Tyger River monitoring sites at
which more than 10 percent of the samples con-
tained greater than 400 colony forming units (cfu)
per 100 milliliters (mL). Those sites were consid-
ered impaired, and therefore SCDHEC placed the
sites on South Carolina's 2002 CWA section 303(d)
list of impaired waters. SCDHEC developed a total
maximum daily load (TMDL), which was approved
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
in September 2004. The major nonpoint sources
of FC bacteria cited in the TMDL were agricultural	FiSure 1 ¦ The TySer River Proiect area is in northwest
activities, failing septic systems, urban runoff and	S°™no T	TomoT9 T* f 33 TPT
...... -i-ii ar\i r- i xi x i-o i x • i i	in 2002 are shown; as of 2012, four have been restored
wildlife. The TMDL specified that FC bacteria loads gnd seven hgve shown progress towgrds meetj
must be reduced by between 16 and 82 percent	FC bacteria wgter qua|jty standards.
to enable the Tyger River to meet the state's
FC bacteria water quality standards and support its
recreational designated use.
Spartanburg
Tyger River Basin
TMDL Implementation Project
Greenville

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Project Highlights
In 2006 project partners developed and began
to implement a watershed-based plan to reduce
nonpoint sources of FC bacteria. The Clemson
University Cooperative Extension and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) coordinated with local
agricultural producers to implement the follow-
ing BMPs: 19 alternative water source units for
livestock and 15,193 feet of pipeline to direct water
from wells to alternative watering sources for live-
stock; 27,385 feet of fencing to exclude livestock
from the waterbodies; 14,994 square feet of heavy-
use protection areas (creating a stable, non-eroding
surface in areas frequently and intensively used by
people, animals or vehicles); livestock streambank
crossings; and 27,385 feet of streambank and
shoreline protection (Figure 2),
Clemson University Extension used CWA sec-
tion 319 funds to repair or replace 114 rural septic
systems and install five water well units. During fall
2009, the Duke Energy Foundation provided $4,000
to assist homeowners otherwise unable to afford
the required matching funds, Clemson University led
education programs with homeowner associations
to educate local residents about the water quality
benefits of proper septic system maintenance and
repair, as well as the proper disposal of pet waste.
In addition to the nonpoint source reduction efforts
in the Tyger River watershed, permitted wastewater
dischargers also worked to eliminate potential sourc-
es of fecal coliform. Due to the ongoing, comple-
mentary section 319-funded work in the watershed
to address FC bacteria, the Union Wastewater
Treatment Plant received a higher priority ranking
for an EPA State Revolving Fund loan to consolidate
treatment plants and eliminate an older wastewater
treatment facility.
Results
Post-project water quality monitoring indicates that
four Tyger River sites (sites B-219, B-149, B-263 and
B-332) fully support the recreational designated use
as of 2012. (That is, the FC bacteria water quality
standard of 400 cfu/100 ml_ is exceeded in less than
10 percent of the samples collected). As a result,
SCDHEC listed the four Tyger River sites (waterbod-
ies) as fully restored in the state's 2012 Integrated
Report. Seven additional Tyger River sites now
partially support the recreational designated use.
(That is, the FC bacteria water quality standard of
400 cfu/100 m!_ is exceeded in 10 to 25 percent of
the samples, instead of 25 percent or more). The
average of the highest peaks of FC bacteria for all
20 stations decreased from 8,800 cfu/100rnL (pre-
project) to below 2,300 cfu/100mL (post-project),
indicating that "worst-case" conditions improved
substantially over the watershed as a whole. These
seven sites will remain listed on the state's 2012
Integrated Report as impaired in Category 4a (with
a TMDL in place) until data show that they fully sup-
port the designated use. In addition to reducing FC
bacteria, the restoration efforts led to the following
load reductions in the Tyger River: 11,231 pounds of
nitrogen per year, 3,009 pounds of phosphorus per
year, and 6,751 tons of sediment per year.
Partners and Funding
The project used $494,041 in EPA CWA section 319
grant funds and $381,472 in state match provided
primarily by Clemson University and homeowners
to help install pollution control practices. Matching
funds also included $4,000 from the Duke Energy
Foundation. Participating partners included land
owners, county government offices, NRCS, local
soil and water conservation districts, and the
Cattlemen's Associations from Spartanburg,
Greenville and Union counties.
The Tyger River project has also been a successful
case study in community involvement. In addition to
engaging landowners in the Tyger River watershed,
a similar, concurrent section 319-funded project in
the adjacent Enoree River watershed engaged many
of the same key players, thereby facilitating greater
outreach across multiple counties and further
increasing awareness of water quality issues.
Figure 2. Project partners installed alternative water
sources for cattle. A gravel base area prevents
erosion around the tank.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA 841-F-12-001S
August 2012
For additional information contact:
Meredith Murphy
Nonpoint Source Coordinator
SCDHEC Bureau of Water
murphymb@dhec.sc.gov • 803-898-4222

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