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NONPOINT SOURCE SUCCESS STURY
Vermont
Ski Resort Improves Stormwater Management and Restores Two Streams
in Jay Branch Watershed
Waterbodies Improved
In the early 2000s, sediment in stormwater runoff from parking
lots, driveways and construction projects at Jay Peak Resort (JPR)
in Jay, Vermont, degraded biological communities in Jay Branch and a contributing stream identified
as Tributary 9. As a result, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) placed the
two streams on its Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2006. In response,
JPR designed and installed numerous stormwater runoff treatment, control and prevention projects,
which ultimately reduced sediment levels in both streams. Biological monitoring in 2016 and 2017
demonstrated both streams achieved full compliance with Vermont's water quality standards (WQS) for
aquatic life. As a result, DEC removed both streams from the CWA section 303(d) list in 2018.
Problem
A portion of the Jay Branch and Tributary 9 flow through
the JPR, a ski and summer resort in the northern Green
Mountains of Vermont (Figure 1). DEC classifies both
streams as Class B Waters, which must be managed to
maintain a specific level of quality for aquatic biota and
wildlife, aquatic habitat, aesthetics, boating, fishing, swim-
ming and other recreational uses, public water supply, and
irrigation of crops and other agricultural uses.
DEC assesses the biological integrity of Jay Branch and
Tributary 9 using a standard set of eight biomonitoring
metrics to evaluate the density and composition of benthic
macroinvertebrates in the streams as part of regular, state-
wide stream assessments. For example, one metric, the
EPT Index — short for the insect orders of Ephemeroptera
(mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies) and Trichoptera (cad-
disflies) — measures the number and types of pollution-
sensitive macroinvertebrates living in the stream. Streams
with a high EPT Index value indicate higher water quality,
and vice-versa. In addition to the EPT Index, DEC assessed
water quality indirectly with a variety of other metrics
based on the known water quality tolerances of different
macroinvertebrate groups.
Water quality monitoring conducted in the early 2000s
found that neither stream met the Vermont WQS neces-
sary for aquatic life in Class B waters. Both Jay Branch and
Tributary 9 had inadequate macroinvertebrate density,
insufficient species richness, a low percentage of EPT
9
/
Jay Peak
Resort
Figure 1. Jay Peak Resort is in
northern Vermont.
taxa and an excess of
oligochaetes (a group
of macroinvertebrates
associated with poor-
quality waters). In the CWA
section 303(d) listing, DEC
attributed the impairment
primarily to sediment in
both streams resulting
from "erosion from land
development activities,"
(i.e., construction-related
stormwater runoff).
Story Highlights
To address these issues, JPR developed a comprehensive
Water Quality Remediation Plan that was refined annually
as projects were completed and each year's biomonitor-
ing data were collected. The remediation plan included a
survey of all the sites and sources believed to contribute
to the water quality impairments in the watershed, as well
as a list of recommended projects and best management
practices (BMPs) to address the sources of impairment.
Between 2008 and 2016, JPR implemented 10 different
categories of sediment control projects, such as building
treatment swales, improving ski trail waterbars, and lining
ditches to better control stormwater runoff and improve
water quality in the streams. Providing treatment for
areas of existing untreated impervious cover by directing

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their runoff to the newly constructed BMPs that were
being built as the resort expanded was a major source of
improvement. A number of smaller projects and creative
adjustments in site maintenance procedures (especially
changes to management of plowed snow) also contributed
to the improvements.
JPR eliminated a segment of road next to one of Tributary
9's headwater streams and enhanced the vegetated stream
buffer. In addition, nearly 800 feet of another headwater
stream draining to Tributary 9 that had undersized culverts
and gully erosion was restored, with two culverts replaced
and upsized and the banks revegetated (Figure 2). Not only
does the restored reach minimize the volume of sediment
delivered to downstream reaches, the addition of native
shrubs and trees along the restored streambanks provide
shade, which lowers water temperatures and improves
water quality.
Results
Biomonitoring results from 2011 to 2017 demonstrate
improvements In the composition of aquatic biota in Jay
Branch and Tributary 9. Both segments, which had not
been meeting the Vermont WQS benchmarks for macro-
invertebrate density and composition, steadily improved
at all sampling locations until reaching the full suite of
attainment benchmarks in 2016 (Table 1).
These data demonstrate that the resort's remediation
practices reduced sediment delivery and improved
in-stream habitat for aquatic organisms in both streams.
Because the streams are now consistently meeting WQS,
Figure 2. Tributary 9 headwater stream channel, before
and after restoration.
both Jay Branch and Tributary 9 were removed from
the CWA section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2018.
Monitoring efforts are continuing at both streams to
ensure that they continue to meet WQS and provide quality
aquatic habitat in the Jay Branch watershed.
Partners and Funding
JPR invested approximately $430,000 to install the BMPs
described above, and spent $95,000-$110,000 in labor
and materials each year for the operation, monitoring and
maintenance of the BMPs. Vermont DEC staff, supported
in part by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency CWA
section 319 funds, worked closely with the resort on the
restoration strategy and BMP identification.
Table 1. Water quality monitoring data: Jay Branch and Tributary 9 (2011-2017'
Location
Class B-SHG WQS
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Jay Branch
(JB 8.3)
Density
>300
117
230
238
403
347
413
490
EPT
> 16
15
17
22
23
24
22
21
% Oligo
<12
18
7
10
26
13
9
5
Jay Branch
(JB 7.3)
Density
>300
98
176
327
340
378
394
464
EPT
> 16
11
20
21
26
24
25
24
% Oligo
< 12
4
9
9
9
14
8
3
Tributary 9
(JB-TB 0.1)
Density
>300
77
95
157
168
209
373
333
EPT
> 16
15
16
20
15
16
21
25
% Oligo
< 12
9
21
14
15
27
4
6
Notes: SHG = small, high-gradient stream type; WQS = water quality standards; % Oligo = % of the
population composed of oiigochaetes. Shaded cells denote metrics failing to meet the WQS.
0
PROt*°
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA 841-F-19-001SS
December 2019
For additional information contact:
Walter Elander
Jay Peak Resort
802-988-2611 • welander@jaypeakresort.com
Tim Clear
802-490-6135 • tim.clear@vermont.gov

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