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Clear Lake Watershed LARE Study Final Public Meeting Tuesday, November 9, 2010

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Clear Lake Watershed. LARE Study Final Public Meeting Tuesday, November 9, 2010. Why are we here?. Clear Lake Township Land Conservancy applied for a grant to complete an Engineering Design and Natural Resources Assessment in the Clear Lake Watershed - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Clear Lake Watershed

Clear Lake WatershedLARE Study Final Public Meeting

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Page 2: Clear Lake Watershed

Why are we here?

Clear Lake Township Land Conservancy applied for a grant to complete an Engineering Design and Natural Resources Assessment in the Clear Lake Watershed

A grant was awarded by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake and River Enhancement

Program (LARE)

Boat license tax

Davey Resource Group was selected to conduct the study along with its subconsultant Engineering

Resources.

Page 3: Clear Lake Watershed

What is a watershed?

The total area of land that drains into a particular water body.

Page 4: Clear Lake Watershed

Clear Lake Watershed4,419 Acres

Page 5: Clear Lake Watershed

Cyrus Brouse Ditch Hoosier Riverwatch Data

146: Cyrus Brouse Ditch 100 ft south of Lake Drive

10/23/2001 Overcast Stormy 8 7.3 2.5 3.5 100.01 0

146: Cyrus Brouse Ditch 100 ft south of Lake Drive

8/28/2008 Overcast Clear/Sunny 7 7.5 - 0 100.01 133

146: Cyrus Brouse Ditch 100 ft south of Lake Drive

11/5/2008 Clear/Sunny Clear/Sunny 7 8.5 - 0 15.01 33

146: Cyrus Brouse Ditch 100 ft south of Lake Drive

4/23/2009 Clear/Sunny Rain 10 7 - 8.8 15.01 0

146: Cyrus Brouse Ditch 100 ft south of Lake Drive

8/17/2009 Showers Storms 7 7 - 15.4 63 567

Site DateCurrent Weather

Past Weather

Dissolved Oxygen (ppm)1

pH1

Total Phosphate

(mg/L)2

Nitrate (mg/L)

Turbidity (NTU)2

E. coli (cfu)1

Cyrus Brouse Ditch Outlet Qualitative Observations: Increased sediment deposition Increased algae and weedy plant growth

Page 6: Clear Lake Watershed

What were the Components of the Study?

Locate critical areas in the Cyrus Brouse Ditch Subwatershed that may be contributing to a degradation in water quality

Evaluate the feasibility of projects that could address critical areas in the Cyrus Brouse Ditch Subwatershed

Produce engineered designs for feasible projects

Identify potential critical areas in other subwatersheds

Conduct an inventory and assessment of critical wetlands and natural areas that may influence water quality in the Clear Lake Watershed

Page 7: Clear Lake Watershed

Feasibility Study

CLTLC with input from local stakeholders identified potential projects for engineering design to reduce sediment prior to the start of the study

CLTLC along with Davey conducted a windshield survey and walk of Cyrus Brouse Ditch as part of the study Additional potential practices requiring

engineering design as well as numerous, simple and often more cost effective Best Management Practices (BMPs) were identified

Page 8: Clear Lake Watershed

Evaluated Engineered Practices Grade Stabilization Structure–Oberst

Property A grade stabilization structure is a structure built

across a drainageway to prevent gully erosion Suspected little sediment and nutrients entering

the ditch from upstream sources in this location Streambank stable in this location Structure had potential to do more harm than

good

Example grade stabilization structure photographhttp://www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/solutions/gradestabil.html

Stable Cyrus Brouse Ditch streambanks

Page 9: Clear Lake Watershed

Evaluated Engineered Practices Water Level Control Structure–Eichler

Property Purpose to pond water in the wetlands for a

slightly longer duration and increase stormwater filtration and denitrification rates

Topographic survey data showed that a structure in this location could exacerbate flooding on CR 500 N

Page 10: Clear Lake Watershed

Evaluated Engineered Practices Wetlands–Salsbury Property

Not suitable topographic location for wetlands

Wetlands–Ireland Property Divert additional water into the wetlands

from Cyrus Brouse Ditch Lateral 5 for further filtration and increased denitrification rates

Topographic survey data concluded not feasible

Page 11: Clear Lake Watershed

Evaluated Engineered Practices Wetlands/Sediment Pond–Moore Property

Not enough physical area to treat water from upstream watershed

Sediment Pond–Jackson Property Expensive practice, located mid-way in

watershed Determined not to provide enough benefit for the

expense Smaller, less expensive measures can be

implemented to reduce sediment from upstream sources

Page 12: Clear Lake Watershed

Evaluated Engineered Practices Two-Stage Ditch–Salsbury Property

Good location in the watershed Pros:

Less maintenance than traditional ditches (lower long-term expense) Reduce bank scour Allow for filtration of sediment and nutrients from storm flow Improves habitat for wildlife New practice and funding is comparably readily available

Cons: Significant excavation may be required Some loss of tillable land

Landowners not interested at this time

Two-stage ditch diagramwww.nature.org

Scour on Cyrus Brouse Ditch bank

Page 13: Clear Lake Watershed

Evaluated Engineered Practices

Streambank Stabilization – Marbo Farms Property Originally evaluated as a BMP assuming minimal

design by Steuben County Surveyor’s Office Later determined

engineered design necessary

Design was produced Necessary permits have

been obtained Work expected to begin

anytime by the SteubenCounty Surveyor’s Office

Page 14: Clear Lake Watershed

Recommended BMPs BMP = Best Management Practice

Simple, effective, often inexpensive ways to minimize environmental degredation

Grass waterways Vegetated drainage swales in farm

fields where gully erosion is a recurring problem

Scharlach property DeWitt property

Filter strips Bands of sod-forming grasses

panted adjacent to waterways that retard transportation of pollutants

Salsbury property

Erosion is occurring along the south side of County Road 500 North and east of County Road 725 East.

Page 15: Clear Lake Watershed

Recommended BMPs Road and roadway ditch repair and

improvements CR 500 North CR 450 North and

725 East

WASCOB Water and sediment

control basin Reduce gully erosion by

controlling flow Trap water and sediment Connected to the tile system Scharlach Property

Sediment and fine particulate matter washes from CR 500 North into the Cyrus Brouse Ditch subwatershed drainage system.

Page 16: Clear Lake Watershed

Recommended BMPs

Streambank erosion control Salsbury property – hard armor bank Scharlach property – geotextile fabric

Tile repairs and inlet filters Tile blowouts and

riser inlets without grass buffers allow sediment and nutrients to enterthe tile system

Page 17: Clear Lake Watershed

Recommended BMPs

Potential funding sources and cost-share programs for each recommended BMP are included in the study report

Page 18: Clear Lake Watershed

Survey of Critical Areas in Subwatersheds A critical area is an area defined as a

source of an identified water quality problem that one is trying to correct

Other areas identified as possible areas that could degrade water quality, but not associated with an identified problem were labeled as an area of concern

Page 19: Clear Lake Watershed

Problems identified from Hoosier Riverwatch data High turbidity

Harry Teeters Ditch Alvin Patterson Ditch Peter Smith Ditch

High nitrates Peter Smith Ditch

High E. coli concentrations Alvin Patterson Ditch Harry Teeters Ditch

Page 20: Clear Lake Watershed

Critical Areas Tile inlet risers

without grass buffers Contribute

sediment and nutrients

Possible gully erosion (not field evaluated) in a field west of CR 700 East and north of SR 120 Contribute sediment

and nutrients

Page 21: Clear Lake Watershed

Critical Areas

Horse pasture on East CR 700 North May be a contributor to elevated E. coli

concentration in the Alvin Patterson Ditch

Page 22: Clear Lake Watershed

Areas of Concern

Horse pasture with tile riser inlets south of SR 120

Dumping of yard wastes in wetlands areas around Clear Lake

Sediment built-up within Koeneman Lake which serves as a settling basin on Harry Teeters Ditch

Page 23: Clear Lake Watershed

Inventory and Assessment of Critical Wetlands Wetland benefits

Detain and retain stormwater Attenuate flooding Filter sediment and nutreints from water Keep surface water flowing during dry

periods Recharge groundwater aquifers Necessary for many plant and animal

species Benefit tourism and recreational

industries among others

Page 24: Clear Lake Watershed

Inventory and Assessment of Critical Wetlands Conducted a remote sensing inventory

Aerial photographs Soil series data NWI wetland maps

Conducted a remote sensing assessment ORAM Categories 1-3

Field evaluations were conducted in some wetlands to verify accuracy of mapping and assessments

Page 25: Clear Lake Watershed

Field Evaluations

Hydrology sources and patterns Documented presence of unique

vegetation species Generally scanned areas around lake

for the presence of invasive species Occasional GPS points taken on

wetland boundaries

Page 26: Clear Lake Watershed

Conclusions General knowledge helps improve our overall

understanding and interconnectedness of the area in which we live and operate

Gives baseline data for making educated decisions in relation to future land development

Approximately 336 acres of wetlands 99 total wetlands Mapped boundaries have an estimated accuracy of ±50

feet 14 wetlands are Category 3, best wetlands 7 wetlands have a direct surface connection to the lake 15 wetlands are connected to the lake via a county tile

Page 27: Clear Lake Watershed

Conclusions

No new imminent invasive species threats discovered

2 wetlands contained numerous uncommon, high-quality vegetation species and have high conservation potential

Page 28: Clear Lake Watershed

A portion of Wetland 11 is a sedge meadow dominated by Carex stricta (uptight sedge).

Page 29: Clear Lake Watershed

Wetland 90 had some unique wetlands species including Betula allegheniensis (yellow birch), Larix laricina (American larch), and Toxicodendron vernix (poison sumac).

Page 30: Clear Lake Watershed

Wetland 97 contained numerous unique wetlands species having high coefficient of conservatism values including Betula allegheniensis (yellow birch) and Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern).

Page 31: Clear Lake Watershed

This photograph depicts Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry) that was observed in Wetland 97.

Page 32: Clear Lake Watershed

Final Report

Further details on potential project funding sources, water quality data interpretation, critical areas, areas of concern, and the inventory and assessment of wetlands can be found in the project report

Draft report is currently available http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3303.htm

Final report will be available soon DNR website CLTLC website

Page 33: Clear Lake Watershed

Thank you for comingand for your support in

maintaining and improving water quality in the

Clear Lake Watershed!