The Patuxent Reservoirs The Patuxent Reservoirs Watershed Protection Watershed Protection Partnership: Successes & Partnership: Successes & ChallengesChallenges

2011 EPA Region 3, States 2011 EPA Region 3, States Source Water Protection Source Water Protection MeetingMeeting

June 9, 2011June 9, 2011

Steve NelsonSteve NelsonEnvironmental GroupEnvironmental GroupWashington Suburban Sanitary CommissionWashington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline Brief History of Patuxent Reservoirs PartnershipBrief History of Patuxent Reservoirs Partnership Watershed CharacterizationWatershed Characterization SuccessesSuccesses ChallengesChallenges

Brief History of PartnershipBrief History of Partnership

1993-1995 MC DEP formed the Patuxent 1993-1995 MC DEP formed the Patuxent Reservoirs Protection Group (PRPG)Reservoirs Protection Group (PRPG) Multi-jurisdictional working groupMulti-jurisdictional working group Outcome Outcome

• Decided to form a partnership for protecting the Decided to form a partnership for protecting the reservoirs and their watershedreservoirs and their watershed

History

1996 – Agreement Ratified creating the partnership • 7 Partner Agencies• Established a Policy Board & Tech Advisory Committee• WSSC filled admin. and coordination roles

HistoryHistory

1997 - Comprehensive Mgmt Planning Study for 1997 - Comprehensive Mgmt Planning Study for Patuxent Reservoirs Watershed Patuxent Reservoirs Watershed Defined 6 Priority Resources and 10 Action ItemsDefined 6 Priority Resources and 10 Action Items

1998 – Cooperative Agricultural MOU Established 1998 – Cooperative Agricultural MOU Established Patuxent Reservoirs Ag Cost-Share ProgramPatuxent Reservoirs Ag Cost-Share Program New funding source for BMPs targeting small farmsNew funding source for BMPs targeting small farms Funded Shared SCD Planner focused on watershedFunded Shared SCD Planner focused on watershed

66

• Terrestrial Habitat • Stream System• Aquatic Biota

Priority ResourcesPriority Resources

Reservoirs & Water Supply

77

Priority ResourcesPriority Resources

Rural Character & LandscapePublic Awareness &

Stewardship

Watershed CharacterizationWatershed Characterization

132 square mile 132 square mile watershed in MD watershed in MD Piedmont Piedmont

99% of watershed w/in 99% of watershed w/in Howard and Montgomery Howard and Montgomery Counties (split by river)Counties (split by river)

Triadelphia reservoir (up-Triadelphia reservoir (up-river) serves as SWM river) serves as SWM facility, sediment trap, facility, sediment trap, and nutrient sink for and nutrient sink for Rocky Gorge reservoir Rocky Gorge reservoir (down-river)(down-river)

Successes!Successes!

Agricultural ProgressAgricultural Progress Patuxent Ag Cost-Share ProgramPatuxent Ag Cost-Share Program

• Filling a need with small horse farmsFilling a need with small horse farms Many education & outreach efforts Many education & outreach efforts

• Horse pasture managementHorse pasture management• Horse owner survey Horse owner survey

Howard and Montgomery SCD Howard and Montgomery SCD accomplishments since 1999…accomplishments since 1999…

Farm Acres with Soil & Water Quality Plans

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010AG BMPs INSTALLED (#)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

More Successes…More Successes… Restoration ProjectsRestoration Projects

Hawlings River Stream RestorationHawlings River Stream Restoration Cherry Creek Watershed RestorationCherry Creek Watershed Restoration Reddy Branch Stream Buffer PlantingsReddy Branch Stream Buffer Plantings

WSSC-Owned Land surrounding Reservoirs WSSC-Owned Land surrounding Reservoirs DNR Forest Service developed Concept Forest DNR Forest Service developed Concept Forest

Management Plan for Sustainable Forests (2007)Management Plan for Sustainable Forests (2007) Active deer management program Active deer management program

WSSC-funded an Interim Watershed WSSC-funded an Interim Watershed Management Report (2009)Management Report (2009)

and More Successes…and More Successes…

Outreach efforts to citizens in watershed Outreach efforts to citizens in watershed Septic system care workshopsSeptic system care workshops Earth Month Events Earth Month Events

• Watershed Day and H2O Fest (WSSC Sponsored) Watershed Day and H2O Fest (WSSC Sponsored) • Stream clean-ups (IWLA, other volunteers)Stream clean-ups (IWLA, other volunteers)

Annual Family Camp Fire at Triadelphia ReservoirAnnual Family Camp Fire at Triadelphia Reservoir

U.S. EPA recognized the Patuxent Partnership U.S. EPA recognized the Patuxent Partnership as a as a Clean Water PartnerClean Water Partner working cooperatively working cooperatively to protect their water resources (2003)to protect their water resources (2003)

Funding Commitment Level Funding Commitment Level Example (2009)Example (2009)

Annual Total Funding Estimate = $686,200 Annual Total Funding Estimate = $686,200 Reservoir monitoring (WSSC) = $93K Reservoir monitoring (WSSC) = $93K Trends Analyses (WSSC) = $56K Trends Analyses (WSSC) = $56K Outreach (WSSC) = $135KOutreach (WSSC) = $135K Admin., Annual Rpt & Coord. (WSSC) = $52KAdmin., Annual Rpt & Coord. (WSSC) = $52K Watershed restoration planning (PGC) = $50KWatershed restoration planning (PGC) = $50K Biological Monitoring (HC, MC) = $62KBiological Monitoring (HC, MC) = $62K Ag. Program Oversight (HSCD, MSCD) = $80KAg. Program Oversight (HSCD, MSCD) = $80K Reddy Branch Stream Buffer Planting = $100KReddy Branch Stream Buffer Planting = $100K

(M-NCPPC, MC, MSCD, DNR)(M-NCPPC, MC, MSCD, DNR)

LocalLocal Challenges Challenges

Howard Co. = large % of Howard Co. = large % of watershed, BUT very small watershed, BUT very small customercustomer

PG Co. = very small % of PG Co. = very small % of watershed, BUT the largest watershed, BUT the largest customer (of Patuxent customer (of Patuxent water)water)

Geography of basin and political boundariesGeography of basin and political boundaries

LocalLocal Challenges Challenges

Limited Limited sharedshared partner agency funding partner agency funding (joint contributions)(joint contributions)

Difficulty quantifying agriculture load Difficulty quantifying agriculture load reductions associated with non-point reductions associated with non-point source (NPS) BMPssource (NPS) BMPs

Equine community plays important role in Equine community plays important role in NPS load reductionsNPS load reductions

RegionalRegional Challenges Challenges

TMDLsTMDLs Needed direction from State/Fed agencies to Needed direction from State/Fed agencies to

determine compliance with TMDLsdetermine compliance with TMDLs TMDL Implementation TMDL Implementation

• Who’s responsible? Who’s responsible? Recent emphasis on Chesapeake Bay TMDLRecent emphasis on Chesapeake Bay TMDL

Triadelphia’s TMDL TP AllocationTriadelphia’s TMDL TP Allocation

POINT SOURCES

9% NON-POINT SOURCES

91%

DEVELOPED9%

FOREST4%

SCOUR28%

CROP50%

PASTURE6%

ANIMAL WASTE

3%

County Governments face increasing County Governments face increasing competition for fewer “environmental” competition for fewer “environmental” dollars with leaner staff dollars with leaner staff Daunting MS4 NPDES Permit requirementsDaunting MS4 NPDES Permit requirements Many TMDLs per county Many TMDLs per county ““New and improved” SWM regulationsNew and improved” SWM regulations

RegionalRegional Challenges Challenges

PartnershipPartnership Challenges Challenges

Delegation of Policy Board participation Delegation of Policy Board participation from executive level to senior professional from executive level to senior professional staff who have limited authority to commit staff who have limited authority to commit funding and resourcesfunding and resources

Questions?Questions?

Contact Information:Contact Information:Steve NelsonSteve Nelson

Environmental Scientist & Admin. Liaison forEnvironmental Scientist & Admin. Liaison forPatuxent Reservoirs Watershed Protection GroupPatuxent Reservoirs Watershed Protection Group

Technical Advisory CommitteeTechnical Advisory CommitteeWashington Suburban Sanitary Commission,Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission,

Environmental GroupEnvironmental Group14501 Sweitzer Lane14501 Sweitzer Lane

Laurel, MD 20707Laurel, MD 20707snelson@wsscwater.comsnelson@wsscwater.com

301-206-8072301-206-8072