Delaware’s role in restoring the Chesapeake Bay and our waterways

UPDATE

Where does Bay pollution come from?

Source: EPA

Impact of red areas on Bay water quality at least 10 times higher than blue areas

Delaware is an “effective” polluter of the Chesapeake Bay

• Wastewater• Onsite wastewater (community

systems & septic)• Stormwater• Land use• Agriculture• Restoration• Public lands

Our strategy for meeting the EPA’s required reductions for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Sediment by 2025 is to focus on these areas:

What’s in Delaware’s plan?

Strategies developed by interagency workgroups

Wastewater • Major treatment plants

include Bridgeville, Laurel, Seaford and Invista

• Operating at or below current permitted capacity

• Phase I WIP recommends modified permits for all significant facilities

• Future growth may trigger need for additional upgrades

Laurel Wastewater TreatmentPlant Upgrade - 2007

Onsite Wastewater• DNREC developing new

inspection requirements and performance standards to meet TMDLs in statewide regulations

• Proposed advanced treatment for all systems within 1,000 feet of Chesapeake tidal waters and wetlands to be implemented as systems fail (2017 milestone)

• Eliminate a minimum of 6,074 systems in this watershed by 2025 as sewer districts expand.

StormwaterStormwater

• Revision of state Sediment and Stormwater regulations – emphasize green technologies, possible in-lieu fee to partially offset new development (2011)– Many best management practices are not included in EPA’s

model – difficult to accurately measure reductions

• Update Industrial Stormwater regulations (2012)• Renewal of DelDOT/New Castle County municipal

stormwater permit (MS4) – only such permit in watershed at this time (2013)

• Stormwater retrofits in older urban areas will be minimal because area is very rural – not cost-effective (EPA had wanted more)

Land Use Land Use • Use state project reviews

and comprehensive planning process to proactively direct growth – especially in Nanticoke corridor (Bridgeville-Seaford-Laurel)

• Reduce fertilizer use on developed lands

• UD completing analysis of watershed to map growth through 2025

• Other Chesapeake states have developed programs for creating and trading nutrient credits

• We must develop plan for offsetting future growth (2012) – Many technical, regulatory and policy challenges will need to be resolved

– Blend offset program for nutrients (quality) and stormwater volume (quantity)

– Can benefit both development and ag communities

• We are improving tool for determining and tracking impacts of land use changes on pollution

Land Use - Offsets

Offset/trading workshop planned for spring 2011

Agriculture Agriculture • Revised Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

(CAFO) regulations take effect in November– 240 out of 372 CAFOs are in Chesapeake

• State nutrient management regulations also will be updated

• Increase volume of manure relocated out of watershed or sent to alternative use facilities

Perdue pellets

Established aggressive goals for implementation of ag best management practices (tree planting, forest and grass buffers, grazing and tillage practices

– They are most cost-effective way to meet water quality goals

– Improve collection of data on voluntary practices not part of cost-share programs – e.g., Amish

Agriculture

Restoration Restoration • Partners include private

landowners, DelDOT, Delaware Forest Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service

• Restoring headwater forests, channelized streams, and creating stream and wetland buffers will improve water quality

• Gaps in data, funding and outreach exist

Public Lands Public Lands • The state manages

almost 40,000 acres in the watershed

• State and federal stewards will lead by example

• Review opportunities for new Best Management Practices, reforestation

• Funding a challenge

Discussion

For more information, go to website:

http://www.wr.dnrec.delaware.gov/Information/Pages/Chesapeake_WIP.aspx

Jennifer WallsJennifer.walls@state.de.us