State of the Streams State of the Streams Loudoun County: 2005 Loudoun County: 2005

Loudoun Strategic Watershed Management Planning ConferenceLoudoun Strategic Watershed Management Planning ConferenceFebruary 23, 2006February 23, 2006

Presented by:Presented by:

Darrell SchwalmDarrell SchwalmLoudoun Watershed WatchLoudoun Watershed Watch

Loudoun Wildlife ConservancyLoudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Loudoun Loudoun Watershed WatchWatershed Watch

formed in 2001 as an alliance of citizen formed in 2001 as an alliance of citizen groups and county authorities groups and county authorities concerned about stream qualityconcerned about stream quality

– Goal #1 – provide a forum for collaboration Goal #1 – provide a forum for collaboration among citizen and county stakeholdersamong citizen and county stakeholders

– Goal #2 – Compile water quality and stream Goal #2 – Compile water quality and stream health data and make it available to the health data and make it available to the publicpublic

– Goal #3 – Provide stream quality educational Goal #3 – Provide stream quality educational materials and stream stewardship projectsmaterials and stream stewardship projects

LWW – AccomplishmentsLWW – Accomplishments

• LWW distributed the first LWW distributed the first Loudoun watershed mapLoudoun watershed map and and activity guide for Loudoun's activity guide for Loudoun's 37,000 public school students.37,000 public school students.

• LWW distributed a LWW distributed a summary summary reportreport on stream health in on stream health in Loudoun CountyLoudoun County

• LWW organized the LWW organized the Catoctin Catoctin Watershed ProjectWatershed Project to support to support TMDL implementationTMDL implementation

• Compiled countywide Compiled countywide stream monitoring data stream monitoring data and published, and published, State of State of Loudoun Streams: 2002 Loudoun Streams: 2002 Report.Report.

• Prepared “Comprehensive Prepared “Comprehensive Stream Monitoring Stream Monitoring Strategy for Loudoun Strategy for Loudoun County”County”

• Maintains a website with Maintains a website with stream monitoring data stream monitoring data and educational materials and educational materials www.loudounwatershedwatch.orgwww.loudounwatershedwatch.org

Catoctin Watershed Catoctin Watershed ProjectProject

• Catoctin Riparian Catoctin Riparian Buffer Restoration Buffer Restoration Projects in 2005 and Projects in 2005 and 20062006

• Catoctin Creek Canoe Catoctin Creek Canoe Clean-up with Boy Clean-up with Boy Scouts in 2005 and Scouts in 2005 and 20062006

• Bacteriological Bacteriological monitoring since June monitoring since June 2005 to present2005 to present

Loudoun Family Stream DayLoudoun Family Stream Day

• 2002 – Rust Sanctuary, 2002 – Rust Sanctuary, LeesburgLeesburg

• 2003 – Ashburn Park 2003 – Ashburn Park and Libraryand Library

• 2004 & 2005 – 2004 & 2005 – Broadlands Community Broadlands Community CenterCenter

Watershed Planning – Key Watershed Planning – Key ComponentsComponents11

• Establish Watershed Management Establish Watershed Management FrameworkFramework

• Identify Key StakeholdersIdentify Key Stakeholders• Evaluate Current State of the WatershedEvaluate Current State of the Watershed• Establish a Collective VisionEstablish a Collective Vision• Set a Clear StrategySet a Clear Strategy• Establish a Process for Applying the Establish a Process for Applying the

Watershed PlansWatershed Plans

11 “Local Watershed Management Planning in Virginia,” VA DCR “Local Watershed Management Planning in Virginia,” VA DCR

State of Streams: State of Streams: 20052005

• An updated water quality assessment of Loudoun An updated water quality assessment of Loudoun County streamsCounty streams

• Measures impacts on streams from land usesMeasures impacts on streams from land uses• Characteristics assesses:Characteristics assesses:

– Physical and biological water quality parametersPhysical and biological water quality parameters– Aquatic biota, stream habitat, and riparian buffersAquatic biota, stream habitat, and riparian buffers

• Characteristics Characteristics notnot assessed: assessed:– Channel stabilization and erosion potentialChannel stabilization and erosion potential– Water flow and storageWater flow and storage– Threatened and endangered wildlife speciesThreatened and endangered wildlife species

DEQ’s Water Pollution StudiesDEQ’s Water Pollution Studies

• DEQ conducted four bacteria and one benthic DEQ conducted four bacteria and one benthic TMDL studies in Loudoun CountyTMDL studies in Loudoun County

• Studies identified pollution Studies identified pollution sources and calculated sources and calculated steps needed to restore steps needed to restore water quality.water quality.

• Provides the type of Provides the type of data needed to take data needed to take action to clean up action to clean up Loudoun waters.Loudoun waters.

State of Streams: 2005State of Streams: 2005 Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Executive SummaryExecutive Summary

Chapters:Chapters:• IntroductionIntroduction• Assessing Stream HealthAssessing Stream Health• Impaired Stream WaterImpaired Stream Water• Countywide MonitoringCountywide Monitoring• RecommendationsRecommendations

Watershed Profiles:Watershed Profiles:• Beaverdam CreekBeaverdam Creek• Catoctin CreekCatoctin Creek• Limestone BranchLimestone Branch• Lower Goose CreekLower Goose Creek• NF Goose CreekNF Goose Creek• Piney RunPiney Run

Findings: Impaired WatersFindings: Impaired WatersImpaired WatersImpaired Waters – – Loudoun Loudoun streams are impaired – they don’t streams are impaired – they don’t meet state water quality meet state water quality standards and they are often not standards and they are often not safe for recreational use:safe for recreational use:

Sugarland Run Sugarland Run Broad RunBroad RunGoose CreekGoose Creek Sycolin CreekSycolin CreekTuscarora CreekTuscarora Creek Little RiverLittle RiverNF Goose CreekNF Goose Creek Beaverdam CreekBeaverdam CreekCatoctin CreekCatoctin Creek NF Catoctin CreekNF Catoctin CreekSF Catoctin CreekSF Catoctin Creek Piney RunPiney RunLimestone BranchLimestone Branch

Fecal pollution from livestock with access Fecal pollution from livestock with access to streams is the #1 cause of impairmentsto streams is the #1 cause of impairments

Findings: Sources of Nonpoint Findings: Sources of Nonpoint PollutionPollution

Streambank erosion is filling our streams Streambank erosion is filling our streams with sediments that destroy habitat for with sediments that destroy habitat for

aquatic life and pollute the Chesapeake Bayaquatic life and pollute the Chesapeake Bay

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of Agricultural Land UsesAgricultural Land Uses

Development is destroying riparian Development is destroying riparian buffers, increasing stream flows, buffers, increasing stream flows,

and eroding stream banksand eroding stream banks

Findings: Impact of Impervious Findings: Impact of Impervious SurfacesSurfaces

High volume stormwater flows in High volume stormwater flows in urban areas are polluting our streams urban areas are polluting our streams

and erode stream banksand erode stream banks

Findings: Impact of Stormwater Findings: Impact of Stormwater FlowsFlows

Findings: Impact of Findings: Impact of Inadequate BMPsInadequate BMPs

BMPs do not protecting against down-stream BMPs do not protecting against down-stream erosion and property damageerosion and property damage

LWC Aquatic Insect Data for Unnamed Tributary to Limestone Branch

1

6

11

16

21

May-01 Mar-02 Jun-03

EP

A B

enth

ic S

core

Poor

Good

Fair

Trend Line

Findings: Stream HabitatsFindings: Stream Habitats

Flooding, erosion and sediments are Flooding, erosion and sediments are creating poor habitat conditions creating poor habitat conditions for aquatic life in many streamsfor aquatic life in many streams

RecommendationsRecommendations

Watershed Management Watershed Management Planning!Planning!

Loudoun County Loudoun County must develop plans must develop plans to implement the to implement the Federal Clean Water Federal Clean Water Act, the Chesapeake Act, the Chesapeake Bay Act, and Bay Act, and Virginia Water Virginia Water Quality StandardsQuality Standards

Loudoun Water Management Loudoun Water Management Authority!Authority!

Loudoun County should create a water Loudoun County should create a water management authority management authority to develop watershed to develop watershed management plans for management plans for each watershed, and each watershed, and oversee initiatives to oversee initiatives to restore the quality of restore the quality of Loudoun streamsLoudoun streams

Loudoun County needs a Loudoun County needs a countywide stream countywide stream monitoring program to monitoring program to provide data to develop provide data to develop watershed plans, and to watershed plans, and to assess impacts of new assess impacts of new BMPs on water quality BMPs on water quality and stream health.and stream health.

Countywide Stream Monitoring Countywide Stream Monitoring Program!Program!

Collaboration between State, Collaboration between State, County, and Citizens!County, and Citizens!

–DEQDEQ

–DCR DCR

–Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation DistrictLoudoun Soil and Water Conservation District

–Loudoun County Health DepartmentLoudoun County Health Department

–Loudoun County Building and DevelopmentLoudoun County Building and Development

–Loudoun County General Services, Public Works Loudoun County General Services, Public Works

–Loudoun County PlanningLoudoun County Planning

–Loudoun County Sanitation AuthorityLoudoun County Sanitation Authority

–Citizen GroupsCitizen Groups

We need to combine resources to tackle water We need to combine resources to tackle water pollution:pollution:

Government--Citizen partnerships are the Government--Citizen partnerships are the best way to solve problems like these . . .best way to solve problems like these . . .

. . . and to help . . . and to help educate riparian educate riparian property owners.property owners.

Where to Find Information Where to Find Information About Water Quality and About Water Quality and

Stream HealthStream HealthWebsitesWebsites: : • www.LoudounWatershedWatwww.LoudounWatershedWat

ch.orgch.org• www.Loudounwildlife.orgwww.Loudounwildlife.org• www.Audubonnaturalist.orgwww.Audubonnaturalist.org

Sites IncludeSites Include::• Educational MaterialsEducational Materials• Water Quality DataWater Quality Data• LWW State of Loudoun LWW State of Loudoun

Streams ReportsStreams Reports• Catoctin Watershed Project Catoctin Watershed Project

ActivitiesActivities