Watershed Planning Tools and an Integrated Watershed Approach Stuart Lehman U.S. EPA NPS Control Branch January 19, 2007 Bordentown, NJ

CWA Watershed Framework Continuing Planning Process (CPP) Manage nonpoint sources w/ Federal/State $ TMDL WLAs to individual point sources LAs to nonpoint sources EPA approval Water Quality Standards Use Attainability Analysis Monitor/Assess WQS Attainment Assessment methodology 305(b) Report 303(d) List of Impaired Waters EPA approves 303(d) list NPDES permits for point sources EPA discretion to object Watershed Plan State developed or approved

Integrated Watershed Management CZA 6217

Example or Program Integration

State Watershed Programs

Watershed Mgmt. & Typical Roles Local Land use/ zoning / codes/ ordinances Septic regs Watershed Plans Stormwater permits USDA committees State NPS Mgmt Plans / grants / NPDES/TMDLs Monitoring – projects & statewide/ WQstds Growth Mgmt Policies – build out? Env. Assess. Watershed Progs, funds & T. Assist. (incl 319) Federal EPA – WQ crit. & MCLs, 319, TMDLs USDA – Farm Plans, Local Ctrl, EQIP, etc USFS – Multiple- use/NEPA/ ESA/Hydrol. FWS – ESA habitat & other habs Assess Plan Impment Monitor

NINE Elements of Watershed-based Plans that include Nonpoint Source Pollution A. Identification of causes and sources, listed waters, pollutants, loads by watershed sub-categories, (crops, AFOs, urban, forestry, etc.) B. Estimate of load reductions by land use (or other) subcategories expected from BMPs C. Description of BMPs, How they are targeted (map suggested) D. Estimate of needed technical & financial resources E. Information/ Education component F. Schedule (who does what, when) G. Description of measurable milestones for implementation H. Criteria to determine if loadings/ targets are being achieved I. Monitoring component for above criteria

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

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS ID stakeholders ID stakeholders ID issues of concern ID issues of concern Set preliminary goals Set preliminary goals Develop indicators Develop indicators Conduct outreach Conduct outreach STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED Gather existing data Gather existing data Create data inventory Create data inventory ID data gaps ID data gaps Collect additional data, if needed Collect additional data, if needed Analyze data Analyze data ID causes and sources ID causes and sources Estimate pollutant loads Estimate pollutant loads

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS ID stakeholders ID stakeholders ID issues of concern ID issues of concern Set preliminary goals Set preliminary goals Develop indicators Develop indicators Conduct outreach Conduct outreach STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED Gather existing data Gather existing data Create data inventory Create data inventory ID data gaps ID data gaps Collect additional data, if needed Collect additional data, if needed Analyze data Analyze data ID causes and sources ID causes and sources Estimate pollutant loads Estimate pollutant loads STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS Set goals and management objectives Set goals and management objectives Develop indicators/targets Develop indicators/targets Determine load reductions needed Determine load reductions needed ID critical areas ID critical areas ID management measures needed ID management measures needed

k Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS ID stakeholders ID stakeholders ID issues of concern ID issues of concern Set preliminary goals Set preliminary goals Develop indicators Develop indicators Conduct outreach Conduct outreach STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED Gather existing data Gather existing data Create data inventory Create data inventory ID data gaps ID data gaps Collect additional data, if needed Collect additional data, if needed Analyze data Analyze data ID causes and sources ID causes and sources Estimate pollutant loads Estimate pollutant loads STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS Set goals and management objectives Set goals and management objectives Develop indicators/targets Develop indicators/targets Determine load reductions needed Determine load reductions needed ID critical areas ID critical areas ID management measures needed ID management measures needed STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM Develop Implementation schedule Develop Implementation schedule Set Interim milestones Set Interim milestones Determine how you will measure success Determine how you will measure success Develop monitoring component Develop monitoring component Develop evaluation process Develop evaluation process ID technical and financial assistance needed ID technical and financial assistance needed Assign responsibility Assign responsibility

k Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS ID stakeholders ID stakeholders ID issues of concern ID issues of concern Set preliminary goals Set preliminary goals Develop indicators Develop indicators Conduct outreach Conduct outreach STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED Gather existing data Gather existing data Create data inventory Create data inventory ID data gaps ID data gaps Collect additional data, if needed Collect additional data, if needed Analyze data Analyze data ID causes and sources ID causes and sources Estimate pollutant loads Estimate pollutant loads STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS Set goals and management objectives Set goals and management objectives Develop indicators/targets Develop indicators/targets Determine load reductions needed Determine load reductions needed ID critical areas ID critical areas ID management measures needed ID management measures needed STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM Develop Implementation schedule Develop Implementation schedule Set Interim milestones Set Interim milestones Determine how you will measure success Determine how you will measure success Develop monitoring component Develop monitoring component Develop evaluation process Develop evaluation process ID technical and financial assistance needed ID technical and financial assistance needed Assign responsibility Assign responsibility STEP 5 IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN Implement management strategies Implement management strategies Conduct monitoring Conduct monitoring Conduct I/E activities Conduct I/E activities

k Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS ID stakeholders ID stakeholders ID issues of concern ID issues of concern Set preliminary goals Set preliminary goals Develop indicators Develop indicators Conduct outreach Conduct outreach STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED Gather existing data Gather existing data Create data inventory Create data inventory ID data gaps ID data gaps Collect additional data, if needed Collect additional data, if needed Analyze data Analyze data ID causes and sources ID causes and sources Estimate pollutant loads Estimate pollutant loads STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS Set goals and management objectives Set goals and management objectives Develop indicators/targets Develop indicators/targets Determine load reductions needed Determine load reductions needed ID critical areas ID critical areas ID management measures needed ID management measures needed STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM Develop Implementation schedule Develop Implementation schedule Set Interim milestones Set Interim milestones Determine how you will measure success Determine how you will measure success Develop monitoring component Develop monitoring component Develop evaluation process Develop evaluation process ID technical and financial assistance needed ID technical and financial assistance needed Assign responsibility Assign responsibility STEP 5 IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN Implement management strategies Implement management strategies Conduct monitoring Conduct monitoring Conduct I/E activities Conduct I/E activities STEP 6 MEASURE PROGRESS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS Review and evaluate information Review and evaluate information Share results Share results Prepare annual plans Prepare annual plans Make adjustments to program Make adjustments to program

Capacity Building CB Strategy CB Strategy Funding catalog - & New Sustainable Funding web site - Cross Office Team Funding catalog - & New Sustainable Funding web site - Cross Office Team Smart Growth web site –Cross Office Team Smart Growth web site –Cross Office Team Watershed Academy – online courses Watershed Academy – online courses Monthly Web casts – wetlands, drinking water, Smart Growth Monthly Web casts – wetlands, drinking water, Smart Growth New Watershed Tools training New Watershed Tools training Watershed Handbook Training Watershed Handbook Training

Capacity Building Grants Targeted Watersheds Funds $ Million for FY2006/07 $ Million for FY2006/07 Geographic Focus Areas Geographic Focus Areas (Arid West, Great Plains, Appalachia) (Arid West, Great Plains, Appalachia) Up to 20% can be go to Mini-grants Up to 20% can be go to Mini-grants Targeted Watershed Grants Targeted Watershed Grants … in addition to NEPs … in addition to NEPs … in addition to NPS 319 … in addition to NPS 319

On the Technical Side Watershed Handbook being updated Watershed Handbook being updated Working with grantees to develop technical tools Working with grantees to develop technical tools AGNPS with CONCEPTS (bank erosion element) AGNPS with CONCEPTS (bank erosion element) VA Tech VA Tech SWAT AG BMP Optimization (Auburn CES) SWAT AG BMP Optimization (Auburn CES) AV-GWLF Penn State model being applied to New England AV-GWLF Penn State model being applied to New England Watersheds and Wetland Protection Guides Watersheds and Wetland Protection Guides “Plan Builder” On-Line Tool “Plan Builder” On-Line Tool “Watershed Central” “Watershed Central”

Technical Analysis Challenges in Planning addressed by our Handbook GIS and geographic data GIS and geographic data Statistical interpretation of data Statistical interpretation of data Modeling and Spreadsheet tools Modeling and Spreadsheet tools Defining the pollution reductions Defining the pollution reductions from BMPs for Nonpoint Sources from BMPs for Nonpoint Sources Setting up a monitoring program Setting up a monitoring program Evaluating changes due to management Evaluating changes due to management

A.Identification of causes and sources, listed waters, pollutants, loads by watershed sub-categories, (crops, AFOs, urban, forestry, etc.) Tools: Tools: NEMO land use assessments NEMO land use assessments Watershed Model s– Watershed Model s– SWAT / GWLF/ L-thia SWAT / GWLF/ L-thia BASINS, AGWA, CADDIS BASINS, AGWA, CADDIS WRAP WRAP State GIS Clearinghouses State GIS Clearinghouses

B. Estimate of load reductions by land use (or other) subcategory expected from BMPs Tools Tools Watershed models that incorporate BMPs Watershed models that incorporate BMPs AGWA AGWA GeoWEPP GeoWEPP BMP Research BMP Research WCS - R4 WCS - R4

C.Description of BMPs and how they are targeted (we suggest a map). Tools Tools BMP targeting BMP targeting (Penn State tool set) (Penn State tool set) PreDICT PreDICT NPS Tool NPS Tool AvGWLF AvGWLF Wisconsin Buffer Targeting Models USLE + “Snap- Plus”

D. Estimate of needed technical & financial resources Tools Tools Env Finance Centers - MD, BSU, others Env Finance Centers - MD, BSU, others EPA Funding Web Site EPA Funding Web Site Catalog of Federal Funding Catalog of Federal Funding EPA Watershed Funding Site Sustainable Finance Team

E. Information/ Education component Tools: Tools: Getting in Step Getting in Step Adopt Your Watershed Adopt Your Watershed Adopt Your Waterway Adopt Your Waterway NPS Outreach Tool Box NPS Outreach Tool Box

F. Schedule (who does what, when) Tools : Tools : Plan2Fund Plan2Fund State guides State guides EPA Watershed Approach Guides EPA Watershed Approach Guides State and Local

G. Description of measurable milestones for implementation Tools: Tools: Plan2Fund Plan2Fund 319 Project work plans 319 Project work plans Describes what is to be done, by whom, and when – interim “beans.” Describes what is to be done, by whom, and when – interim “beans.”

H. Criteria to determine if loadings/ targets are being achieved Tools: Tools: CADDIS (EPA) CADDIS (EPA) Rapid Bio-assessment Protocols Rapid Bio-assessment Protocols State WQStds and Assessment Methods State WQStds and Assessment Methods Wadeable streams, Wadeable streams, lakes, rivers studies

I. Monitoring component for above criteria Tools: Tools: Citizen Monitoring Guidance Citizen Monitoring Guidance LaMotte Chemical Company Monitoring LaMotte Chemical Company Monitoring Guides Guides EPA Volunteer Monitoring News EPA Volunteer Monitoring News National NPS Monitoring Program Case Studies National NPS Monitoring Program Case Studies State Cooperative Extensions State Cooperative Extensions State 303(d) Assessment Guidelines State 303(d) Assessment Guidelines Stream Corridor Guide Stream Corridor Guide

Incorporation Wetlands into Watershed Planning Process (CWP) / EPA Project

Section of Annotated Outline Climate/Precipitation Provide current and historic climate data for your watershed. Climate data provides information that is critical in evaluating the hydrology of an area. Information about temperature, rainfall, snowfall, and evapotranspiration, is used to simulate rainfall-runoff processes in watershed models. Local climatological data helps one to better understand the local water budget for the region and also helps for modeling purposes Surface Water Resources Identify all surface water features in the watershed. Surface water includes all water that is naturally open to the atmosphere, such as lakes, rivers, seas and reservoirs. In addition to being an important source of drinking water and recreation, these waters are also vital parts of local and regional ecosystems. Surface water pollution can result from a number of sources, including dredging, stormwater runoff, ocean dumping and industrial wastewater discharges. Your state Department of Environmental Quality can provide useful information on surface water, data inventory, maps and related issues. Data Sources Hyperlinks Hyperlinks Get/view online climate data National Weather Service Data Sources Hyperlinks Hyperlinks Surface water Surface Water

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