Watershed-Based Planning

A Framework for Action!

A watershed approach helps to...A watershed approach helps to...

2. Facilitate Communication

and Partnerships3. Provide Means of

Cost-Effective Management

1. Encourage Sound Science

4. Focus on Environmental

Results

Your Basic Creek

Creek Through a Golf Course

Creek Through a Pasture

Context for planning & management

• We have problems– Polluted waters– Cultural disconnects– Limited authority– Few resources

• We have solutions– Interested people– Improving science & technology– Excellent relationships among public/private

sectors

Watershed Mgmt. Plans

Point Source IssuesNonpoint Source Issues

TMDLs & Implementation PlansSource Water Protection PlansWater Resource Dev./Supply

PlansAnimal Feeding OperationsErosion & Sediment Control

Channel & Lake Restoration PlansCoastal Mgmt / Nat’l Estuary

Program

Ag/Range Management PlansForest/Fisheries Management

PlansFloodplain, Parks, Planning &

Zoning

POTW & CSO/SSO PlansStormwater Permit Activities

Watershed

PlanningHandbook

http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook/

Watershed Planning Steps

STEP 1BUILD PARTNERSHIPS–ID stakeholders–ID issues of concern–ID scope of effort & planning area–Set preliminary goals–Conduct outreach

The Process:

NPS Awareness Survey

http://www.scdhec.gov/water/ms4/pubs/

npssurvey.pdf

What is a stakeholder?

• A group or individual who:– has the responsibility for

implementing the decision.– is affected by the decision.– has the ability to impede or

assist in implementing the decision.

Why are stakeholders important to the process?

• Ensures that concerns are factored into the decisions made

• Shares the responsibility of the decision• Enables partnerships to be formed to

combine financial resources• Shares implementation of the decision• Establishes a framework for planning

and conducting management activities

Why Teams Fail

• Past failures• No commitment• Worry about lost independence• Lack of credit for contributions• Personality conflicts• Power struggles• No agreement on roles and responsibilities• Differences in cultural and personal values

Building Local Partnerships, CTIC

Keys to Team Success

• Broad-based stakeholder involvement

• Credibility, fairness, & openness

• Overcoming mistrust and skepticism

• Strong leadership• Commitment and

involvement of high-level visible leaders

For best results,

coordinate the

watershed planning

effort with other federal,

state, and local

activities

How large a planning area?How large a planning area?

Subwatershed(14-digit HUC or small

urban drainage)

Watershed(11-digit HUC;

may vary)

River Basin

07 07

01010202

0303

0404

05050606

Identifying planning units• Statewide mgmt unit

designations– Requires support for coordination; may be

laborious– Likely to require technical & other support

• Local/regional voluntary cooperatives– Depends on local collaborative efforts– Lots of local energy & commitment required

• Hybrid approach– State provides incentives for cooperation– Tech & other support available to interested

groups

Watershed Planning Steps

STEP 1BUILD PARTNERSHIPS–ID stakeholders–ID issues of concern–ID scope of effort & planning area–Set preliminary goals–Conduct outreach

STEP 2CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED

–Gather existing data–Create data inventory–ID data gaps–Collect additional data, if needed–Analyze data–ID causes and sources–Estimate pollutant loads

Natural Factors Affecting Water QualityNatural Factors Affecting Water Quality

Precipitation

Chemistry Mineral Weatherin

g

Mineral Weatherin

g

Sedimentation and Soil

Effects

Ground Water/Subsurface Biochemistry Effects

Vegetation

Effects

Human FactorsHuman Factors

Aquifer

Recharge Zone

Urban Development, Storm Water, CSO, and Wastewater

Discharge

Runoff/Infiltration from Animal Operations

and Crop Farming

Confining Bed

Contamination

of Drinking Water

Acid Mine

Drainage

Contaminated

Air Deposition

Sedimentation fromDeforestation

WetlandHabitat

Degradation

Watershed Planning Steps

STEP 1BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

–ID stakeholders–ID issues of concern–Set preliminary goals–Develop indicators–Conduct outreach

STEP 2CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED

–Gather existing data–Create data inventory–ID data gaps–Collect additional data, if needed–Analyze data–ID causes and sources–Estimate pollutant loads

STEP 3FINALIZE GOALS AND IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS

–Set goals and management objectives–Develop indicators/targets–Determine load reductions needed–ID critical areas–ID management measures needed

Statutory and regulatory context

• Clean Water Act– Water quality standards– KPDES discharge permits– Stream & wetland “filling”

• Safe Drinking Water Act– Source water protection

• Public health codes– Residential wastewater

• Local Codes– Planning/zoning, subdivision, etc.

Clean Water

Act

United States Code, Title 33 Sec. 1251. Congressional declaration of goals and policy

(a) Restoration and maintenance of chemical, physical and biological integrity of Nation's waters; national goals for achievement of objective

The objective of this chapter is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. In order to achieve this objective it is hereby declared that, consistent with the provisions of this chapter -

o (1) it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985;

o (2) it is the national goal that wherever attainable, an interim goal of water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in and on the water be achieved by July 1, 1983;

o (3) it is the national policy that the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts be prohibited;

o (4) it is the national policy that Federal financial assistance be provided to construct publicly owned waste treatment works;

o (5) it is the national policy that areawide waste treatment management planning processes be developed and implemented to assure adequate control of sources of pollutants in each State;

o (6) it is the national policy that a major research and demonstration effort be made to develop technology necessary to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters, waters of the contiguous zone, and the oceans; and

o (7) it is the national policy that programs for the control of nonpoint sources of pollution be developed and implemented in an expeditious manner so as to enable the goals of this chapter to be met through the control of both point and nonpoint sources of pollution.

United States Code, Title 33 Sec. 1251. Congressional declaration of goals and policy

(a) Restoration and maintenance of chemical, physical and biological integrity of Nation's waters; national goals for achievement of objective

The objective of this chapter is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. In order to achieve this objective it is hereby declared that, consistent with the provisions of this chapter -

o (1) it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985;

o (2) it is the national goal that wherever attainable, an interim goal of water quality which provides for the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in and on the water be achieved by July 1, 1983;

o (3) it is the national policy that the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts be prohibited;

o (4) it is the national policy that Federal financial assistance be provided to construct publicly owned waste treatment works;

o (5) it is the national policy that areawide waste treatment management planning processes be developed and implemented to assure adequate control of sources of pollutants in each State;

o (6) it is the national policy that a major research and demonstration effort be made to develop technology necessary to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters, waters of the contiguous zone, and the oceans; and

o (7) it is the national policy that programs for the control of nonpoint sources of pollution be developed and implemented in an expeditious manner so as to enable the goals of this chapter to be met through the control of both point and nonpoint sources of pollution.

NPDES Program: Coverage• Industrial and municipal

wastewater• Industrial, urban, and

construction-related storm water runoff

• Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)

• Active, inactive, and some abandoned mines

• Discharges from RCRA remedial action activity meeting point source definition

Effluent (discharge) limits

• “Technology-based” end-of-pipe performance standards (concentration/mass)

• BAT, NSPS, PSES, secondary treatment, etc.• Spelled out in EPA regulation packages (effluent

guidelines)• Use best professional judgment (BPJ) if no EPA

regulations

• Water quality-based (linked to TMDLs) • Only where tech-based controls are insufficient

to meet WQS– Back-calculated from numeric WQC: pollutant

concentrations in discharge– Derived from narrative criteria: whole effluent toxicity

testing

Water Quality Standards

• State’s yardstick to measure health of waters

• Three key elements of WQSs:– Designated uses– Water quality criteria– Antidegradation provisions

Example Use Designations• Aquatic life support –

warmwater & coldwater aquatic habitat

• Primary contact recreation – swimming

• Secondary contact recreation – boating and fishing

• Fish consumption – eating fish• Drinking water – domestic

water supply

Water Quality Criteria• Consistent scientifically with protecting

all designated uses (DUs)• Basic types of criteria

– Narrative/numeric– Water column/sediment/ fish tissue

• Categories of criteria– Aquatic life

• Pollutant-specific/aquatic community indices– Human health (drinking/fish consumption)– Wildlife (semiaquatic/food chain effects)

MINIMUM DATASET FOR FRESHWATER WATER QUALITY CRITERIA DERIVATION

SALMONID SECONDFISHFAMILY

CHORDATA

PLANKTONICCRUSTACEAN

BENTHIC CRUSTACEAN

INSECT ROTIFERA, ANNELIDA, MOLLUSCA

OTHER INSECT OR MOLLUSCA

DATA FROM THE MOST SENSITIVE LIFE STAGES SHOULD BE USED

Most Sensitive

Egg

Larva

Adult

Acute Toxicity Data

96-hour LC50

Concentration:0.0 μg/L 25 μg/L 50 μg/L 100 μg/L 200 μg/L 500 μg/L

96-hr LC50 = 100 μg/L

Control 1 2 3 4 5

WQS: antidegradation provisions

• Purpose: Prevent deterioration of existing levels of good water quality

• Generally applies parameter-by-parameter• Three tiers of protection

– Tiers 1 – must maintain minimum WQ criteria

– Tier 2 – must prevent degradation of “good” WQ unless you demonstrate ”important” economic or social development in the watershed

– Tier 3 – degradation for ONRWs

k

Watershed Planning Steps

STEP 1BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

–ID stakeholders–ID issues of concern–Set preliminary goals–Develop indicators–Conduct outreach

STEP 2CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED

–Gather existing data–Create data inventory–ID data gaps–Collect additional data, if needed–Analyze data–ID causes and sources–Estimate pollutant loads

STEP 3FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS

–Set goals and management objectives–Develop indicators/targets–Determine load reductions needed–ID critical areas–ID management measures needed

STEP 4DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM

–Develop Implementation schedule–Set Interim milestones–Determine how you will measure success–Develop monitoring component–Develop evaluation process–ID technical and financial assistance needed–Assign responsibility

k

Watershed Planning Steps

STEP 1BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

–ID stakeholders–ID issues of concern–Set preliminary goals–Develop indicators–Conduct outreach

STEP 2CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED

–Gather existing data–Create data inventory–ID data gaps–Collect additional data, if needed–Analyze data–ID causes and sources–Estimate pollutant loads

STEP 3FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS

–Set goals and management objectives–Develop indicators/targets–Determine load reductions needed–ID critical areas–ID management measures needed

STEP 4DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM

–Develop Implementation schedule–Set Interim milestones–Determine how you will measure success–Develop monitoring component–Develop evaluation process–ID technical and financial assistance needed–Assign responsibility

STEP 5IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN

–Implement management strategies–Conduct monitoring –Conduct outreach activities

k

Watershed Planning Steps

STEP 1BUILD PARTNERSHIPS–ID stakeholders–ID issues of concern–Set preliminary goals–Develop indicators–Conduct outreach

STEP 2CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED

–Gather existing data–Create data inventory–ID data gaps–Collect additional data, if needed–Analyze data–ID causes and sources–Estimate pollutant loads

STEP 3FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS

–Set goals and management objectives–Develop indicators/targets–Determine load reductions needed–ID critical areas–ID management measures needed

STEP 4DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM

–Develop Implementation schedule–Set Interim milestones–Determine how you will measure success–Develop monitoring component–Develop evaluation process–ID technical and financial assistance needed–Assign responsibility

STEP 5IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN

–Implement management strategies–Conduct monitoring –Conduct outreach activities

STEP 6MEASURE PROGRESS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS

–Review and evaluate –Share results–Prepare annual plans–Make adjustments

EPA’s Nonpoint Source Guidelines

• Watershed plans needed to restore impaired waters & protect other waters

• Plans are required for projects funded with 319 incremental funds

• If TMDL exists, plan must incorporate TMDL load reductions

• If TMDL developed after plan, it must be amended to reflect TMDL load limits

• Plans should be designed to meet WQS• Plans must include nine elements (“a-

i”)

EPA’s Nine Elements for Plans

a. Identify causes & sources of pollutionb. Estimate load reductions expected c. Describe mgmt measures & targeted critical areasd. Estimate technical and financial assistance needed e. Develop education component f. Develop project schedule g. Describe interim, measurable milestonesh. Identify indicators to measure progressi. Develop a monitoring component

Source: US EPA, 2004 319 Supplemental Guidelines

Steps in the Watershed

Planning and Implementati

on Process

Incorporation of the nine minimum elements

319 Work Plans

• Can be designed to develop a watershed-based plan & produce load/BMP analyses– Must ID watershed, include plan development

schedule, estimate of funds needed to develop plan

• Or to implement portions of the plan– Specific structural or non-structural BMPs

• Watershed plans do not need to be submitted to EPA for approval– States must ID plans to be implemented, provide

schedule, and estimate 319 funding needed

Next Session:

The Plan

A Framework for Action