1	Watershed Management Planning Fitting In With Local Programs Presented to the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Environmental TAC 26 April 2005 (Page references correspond to Local Watershed Management Planning in Virginia, A Community Water Quality Approach unless otherwise noted)
2	Watershed Area (land) from which waters flow to a particular river, spring, lake, bay, ocean or other body of water Virginia has 494 local watershed planning units (hydrologic unit codes) encompassing about 50,000 miles of rivers & streams
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4	Watershed Management An effort to coordinate natural resources based programs, tools and resources with the needs of citizens & other stakeholders (business, agriculture, industry, developers, etc.) of a given watershed(s)
5	Watershed Management Plan A detailed vision and strategy, typically at a small watershed level Identifies & lists specific actions to restore habitat and water quality Manages lands for conservation & development A strategy to reduce nonpoint sources of pollution Enables local governments to make decisions at the local level that meet residents’ needs, i.e., improved water quality or enhanced recreational opportunities
6	Function & Uses (p 3) Define watershed boundaries as management areas Leverage existing resources & mobilize new (or neglected) resources Guide land use decisions Provide consistency for other watershed plans in the region or locality
7	Watershed Management Plan Components (p 33) Community Involvement Environmental Inventory Institutional & Regulatory Framework Data Evaluation & Goal Setting Implementation & Resource Needs Progress Benchmarks
8	Benefits of Watershed Management Planning (p 2) Improved quality & quantity of water for the survival of fish, wildlife & people Stable floodplains & vegetated stream buffers reduce likelihood of flood events Provide recreational opportunities, i.e., greenway trails, and offer aesthetic natural scenery Provides opportunity to develop water protection strategies by applying an ecological & physical framework to planning
9	Benefits of Watershed Management Planning Potentially enhance real estate values for properties near river greenway trails Helps address community concerns about quality of local waterways Provides framework to identify resource issues & constraints that impact development & land use decisions Helps plan for community sustainability, balancing environmental protection, economic development & quality of life
10	Watershed Management Planning Lessons from localities involved in WMP: Serve as a framework for meeting NPDES regulations & other stormwater planning Address cumulative environmental impacts of development Offer a rational way to integrate objectives such as protecting sensitive resources, providing green infrastructure to accommodate balanced development & generating greater interest in and support for environmental programs
11	Watershed Management Planning (p 2) Major selling points Helps meet regulatory requirements Enhances environmental planning Improves relationships with citizen groups Enhances support for environmental programs Saves money by better coordinating planning activities
12	Arlington, Virginia Watershed Management Plan The major components of the watershed management program include: Working with developers early in the planning process to encourage environmentally-sound development Inspecting development sites more frequently for compliance with environmental regulations Expanding the scope and frequency of the County's street sweeping program Installing stormwater treatment facilities such as bioretention areas, in-line filters, and wetlands, where feasible Implementing stream restoration and monitoring projects Expanding outreach and education programs, including volunteer stream monitoring and stream stewardship programs Cleaning storm sewer catch basins Inspecting and maintaining the County's storm sewer network Evaluating funding options for stormwater and watershed management activities
13	Local Planning Initiatives Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) James River Tributary Strategy Stormwater Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) Comprehensive Planning
14	Impaired Waters & Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
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16	TMDLs (p 1*) A TMDL sets limits on the amount of pollution a stream can tolerate & still maintain water quality standards TMDLs are pollutant-specific so that each water body in which multiple pollutants violate water quality standards requires multiple TMDLs TMDLs consist of a waste load allocation or point source contribution; a load allocation or nonpoint source allocation; & a margin of safety
17	TMDLs – Implementation Plans Implementation plans do not have to be pollutant specific & should be designed to address multiple water quality problems within a water body or all impaired water bodies within a watershed The implementation plan describes actions (i.e., where, when & what best management practices should be installed) to meet water quality standards
18	Components of TMDL Implementation Plan (p 3*) Executive Summary Introduction State & Federal Requirements for Implementation Plans Review of TMDL Development Public Participation Implementation Actions Measurable Goals & Milestones Stakeholders Roles & Responsibilities Integration with Other Watershed Plans Potential Funding Sources
19	TMDL Implementation Plan – WMP Example Hanover County upcoming TMDLs & impaired waters Take a watershed approach and look at current and future TMDLs Address water quality issues as a whole Implement BMPs and ordinances to control for existing & future pollutants Save money & time by consolidating efforts
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21	TMDL Implementation Plan – WMP Example Identify impaired waters, the type of impairment & source (DEQ) Identify associated hydrologic unit codes (DCR / NRCS) Perform an environmental inventory to characterize the watershed Riparian systems Physical Attributes - drainage areas, flood plains, wetlands, erosion potential (soil and slope), stream sinuosity, buffer widths, vegetation type, tree canopy coverage, springs Existing Land Use/Cover – agriculture, forest, silviculture, urban, suburban, etc.; future uses, flood mitigation areas, disturbed areas, potential pollution sources, permitted point sources, identified nonpoint sources, transportation, protected areas, recreational uses/areas, historical sites, etc.
22	Identified Hanover County Impaired Waters & HUCs (as of 2004) Taylors Creek: Fecal Coliform (F03) Tuckahoe Creek Watershed: Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Fecal Coliform, Sulfate (F03) South Anna River: Fecal Coliform (F04)* Newfound River: Fecal Coliform (F05) Pamunkey River: Fecal Coliform (F12)* Hornquarter Creek: pH (F12) Mechumps Creek: pH, Fecal Coliform (F12) Slayden Creek: pH (F12) Totopotomoy Creek: Fecal Coliform (F13)* Matadequin Creek: pH, Fecal Coliform (F13) Parsleys Creek: pH (F13) Sandy Valley Creek: pH (F13) Chickahominy River: Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Fecal Coliform (G05) Chickahominy River, Unnamed Trib: General Std (Benthic) (G05) Stony Run: Fecal Coliform (G05) Beaverdam Creek: pH (G06) Bloody Run: pH (G06)
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25	Hanover County Example Review institutional & regulatory framework (i.e., existing ordinances, comprehensive plan) Identify agencies/organizations with mandated responsibilities Identify opportunities for coordination among agencies/organizations Outline existing environmental regulations & ordinances related to TMDLs or polluted waterways Identify gaps in institutional responsibilities Identify potential financial resources (i.e., National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Small Watershed Grants, DCR Cooperative NPS Initiative Funding, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Agricultural Cost Share Program, etc.)
26	Hanover County Example Data Evaluation & Goal Setting Establish a link between environmental inventory & desired goals for watershed (incorporate meeting water quality standards for bacteria TMDL) Analyze data collected in environmental inventory What type of land use is upstream of impaired segment(s), i.e., urban, agricultural, industrial, etc. Percent impervious v. pervious Zoning Future development sites Develop goals that aim to improve, enhance and conserve water quality, watershed habitats, wetlands, stream corridors, riparian buffer areas, etc. Reduce bacteria contamination by ___ % by June 2007 Restore _____ linear feet of forested buffer by October 2007 Install _____ linear feet of livestock fencing by March 2008
27	Hanover County Example Implementation & Resource Needs Identify resource limitations that will affect successful implementation of plan Identify strategies or identify tools for achieving goals Determine what BMPs would be effective for land use (bioretention, stormwater management via retrofitting urban/suburban landscapes (i.e., Filterra), stream restoration, fencing out livestock, removing illegal pipe outfalls, forest buffer, alternative septic system, etc.) Assign implementation responsibilities with timeline Identify sources of funding for specific goals Cost Share for agricultural best management practices Assign projects to the local government capital improvement program & coordinate with Hanover Caroline Soil & Water Conservation District to meet with local landowners upstream or adjacent to impaired waters
28	Hanover County Example Progress Benchmarks Identify review & evaluation process Establish a process for tracking accomplishments Database of BMP installation Establish timeline for milestones Establish plan for future re-evaluation of plan
29	TMDL (p 10) Watershed management planning is broader than a TMDL implementation plan because it addresses water quality and riparian & habitat issues Because TMDL implementation plans include specific actions and timetables, they are a starting point for a watershed management plan Incorporating the TMDL implementation plan in the watershed management plan puts the TMDL effort into the context of overall watershed protection efforts
30	James River Tributary Strategy
31	Tributary Strategy (p 10) A plan that provides options for meeting reduction goals for nitrogen, phosphorus & sediment from the James River Outlines future actions and processes needed to maintain these levels in the face of a growing population and changing landscapes
32	Tributary Strategy (p 10) Tributary strategy planning identifies the general range and amount of management measures needed in the James River watershed to reduce nutrients and sediments according to a predetermined list of best management practices AKA “input deck”
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34	Types of BMPs Listed in Tributary Strategy Forestry Harvesting Agricultural Urban Mixed Open Septic
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36	BMP Definitions Conservation Plans – comprehensive natural resource management plans, with a focus on the use of erosion and sediment control practices to reduce sediment loss from cropland. Conservation plans address all soil, water, air, plant & animal resource concerns identified on a planning unit (I.e., watershed) to the sustainable level. Nutrient Management (Urban & Mixed Open) – applied lawn, landscape & other turf activities in urban and suburban areas that have the potential to produce nutrient, especially nitrogen & phosphorus, runoff. Practices include: Application of phosphorus according to soil tests & recommendations Application of nitrogen to grasses where they are actively growing Use of slowly available nitrogen sources; or split & reduced rate applications of readily available sources Recycling of grass clippings back to lawn Application of turn BMPs such as proper mowing height for variety, appropriate variety when over-seeding, core aeration as needed, & avoiding fertilizer application to hard surfaces and near water bodies
37	BMP Definitions Nutrient Management Plan – Development of site-specific nutrient management plans with cooperating farmers; components include assisting farmers with manure testing for nutrient levels, calibrating nutrient application equipment & coordinating soil nitrate testing in agricultural crop fields. Plans also account for crop yields, existing nutrient levels in the soil, application of additional nutrients to maintain optimum soil levels of any particular nutrient, farming practices & impacts to surface & groundwater. Tree Planting – includes any tree plantings on any site except those along rivers and streams. Stream Protection with Fencing – provides protection by fencing along streams to reduce erosion, sedimentation & the pollution of water from agricultural nonpoint sources. Fencing must be permanent to protect eroding bands from damage by domestic livestock. When no other water source is feasible or exists, a controlled hardened access may be used to provide livestock access to water. Fence must be placed a minimum of 20 feet away from stream, except as designated in areas immediately adjacent to livestock crossings & controlled hardened access points. Adequate natural or planted vegetation between the fence and stream must exist to serve as an effective filter strip to improve water quality. Both sides of stream must be fenced, or livestock must be restricted from both sides.
38	BMP Definitions Forest Buffers – protection method along streams to reduce erosion, sedimentation & the pollution of water from agricultural nonpoint sources. This practice involves a change in land use that establishes a forest buffer that will benefit wildlife and aquatic environments. It is designed for cropland & pastureland that has been in production two out of the past five years. Minimum width of buffer must be 35 feet from the edge of the stream bank, up to one-third of the floodplain, not to exceed 100 feet. Wetland Restoration – activities that restore land to the hydraulic condition that existed prior to drainage. The objective is to improve water quality while enhancing wildlife habitat.
39	Tributary Strategy Urban BMPs Forested Buffers Erosion & Sediment Control Nutrient Management Plan Implementation Structural Shoreline Erosion Control Non-Structural Shoreline Erosion Control Stream Restoration Stormwater Management – Filtering Stormwater Management – Infiltration Stormwater Management – Wet Ponds/Wetlands Tree Planting
40	Tributary Strategy A hydrologic unit or sub-watershed can be the local planning unit upon which the basin-wide tributary plan is built A WMP can be the local implementation plan for the larger Tributary Strategy basin plan Example: when a TMDL implementation plan for benthic impairments is included in a WMP, the load reductions for nutrients & sediment can be integrated into local Tributary Strategy implementation
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45	Stormwater Phase 2 Regulations
46	Stormwater Phase 2 (p 9) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems The MS4 permits require municipal separate storm sewer system owners (usually local government or VDOT) to address 6 minimum control measures 1) public education & outreach on stormwater impacts 2) public involvement / participation 3) illicit discharge detection & elimination 4) construction site stormwater runoff control 5) post-construction stormwater management in new development & redevelopment 6) pollution prevention / good housekeeping for municipal operations
47	Phase 2 Regulations Require permits to be issued to small municipal separate storm sewer systems located in ‘urbanized areas,’ as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 Census Small MS4s include systems owned by municipalities, federal facilities, state facilities and public universities Also includes any small MS4 located in a Phase 1 ‘large’ or ‘medium’ municipality
48	Small MS4 Permit Application Requirements Applicant must identify: proposed best management practices & measurable goals for each of the six minimum control measures the timing of implementation for each control measure the person or persons responsible for implementing the stormwater management program
49	Stormwater Phase 2 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems WMP can provide the mechanism to meet as few as 3 and as many as 6 of the required minimum control measures, including public education & stakeholder outreach, public participation and implementation of good housekeeping, pollution prevention measures. The purpose of WMPs is consistent with the stated pollution prevention goals for the MS4 program.
50	Comprehensive Planning
51	Comprehensive Plans (p 9) & Transportation (p 12) Local comprehensive plans guide the coordinated development of land within a jurisdiction In the Tidewater region, comprehensive plans must address water quality protection and include several WMP components
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53	Comprehensive Plans & Transportation WMPs can be the vehicles for environmental inventory and evaluation of a jurisdiction's natural resources related to land use WMPs can be the vehicle for watershed-specific guidance in a Comprehensive Plan Including WMPs and any TMDL implementation plans in the comprehensive plan will link future growth and development efforts to the specific implementation actions contained in the WMP &/or TMDL implementation plan
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55	Examples of Local Watershed Management Planning
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59	Resources Center for Watershed Protection (2005) http://www.cwp.org/pubs_download.htm CTIC Putting Together A Watershed Management Plan, A Guide for Watershed Partnerships http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/PutTogether.html DCR (2004) Local Watershed Management Planning in Virginia, A Community Water Quality Approach DCR (2005) Virginia Stormwater Management Program Permits http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/sw/vsmp.htm#ms DCR (2005) Watershed Management Planning http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/sw/wmp.htm James River Association (2004) Watershed Management Planning for the Future http://www.jamesriverassociation.org/temp_pubs/watershedplans.pps DEQ (2003) Guidance Manual for Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plans http://www.deq.virginia.gov/tmdl/implans/ipguide.pdf EPA (2005) Watershed Protection, An Introduction http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/index2.html
60	Resources Henrico County Stream Assessment/Watershed Management Program http://www.co.henrico.va.us/works/newdpwweb/StreamAssesmentWatershedProgram.htm James City County Stormwater Management (2005) http://www.james-city.va.us/pdf/devtmgmtpdfs/Environmental/swmprogweb.pdf Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation (1992) Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Handbook http://www.dcr.state.va.us/sw/e&s.htm#handbook Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation (1999) Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook http://www.dcr.state.va.us/sw/stormwat.htm#pubs American Society of Civil Engineers Watershed Management Conference (July 2005 in Williamsburg, Virginia) http://www.asce.org/conferences/watershedmanagement2005/