Number 82 March 1997 ISSN 1062-9149
Monitoring of both land treatment and water quality is necessary to document the effectiveness of nonpoint source pollution controls in restoring water quality. The Section 319 National Monitoring Program, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is designed to support watershed projects throughout the country that meet a minimum set of project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation requirements. The requirements are designed to lead to successful documentation of project effectiveness with respect to water quality protection or improvement. The National Monitoring Program projects comprise a small subset of nonpoint source control projects funded under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1987. The following article continues a series describing these projects.
Jack Clausen
University of Connecticut
The Jordan Brook watershed is located along the north (Connecticut) side of the Long Island Sound. Jordan Cove is a long, narrow estuary consisting of a 390-acre inner cove and a 100-acre outer cove. The estuary is fed by Jordan Brook and empties into Long Island Sound. Water quality sampling has indicated that Jordan Cove does not meet bacteriological standards for shellfish growing. Sediment sampling has revealed high concentrations (20 ppm) of arsenic. Also, short-term monitoring of bottom waters has documented depressed levels of dissolved oxygen.
Land use in the 4,846-acre Jordan Brook watershed is mostly forests and wetlands (74%), along with some urban (19%) and agricultural (7%) uses. The Jordan Cove Urban Watershed Section 319 National Monitoring Program project is located in a residential section of the watershed. The project plan is to develop a 10.6-acre area following traditional subdivision requirements and another 6.9-acre area of housing using best management practices (BMPs). Land use in the area to be developed using traditional requirements is currently poultry farming; the area designated for development using BMPs is a closed-out gravel pit. The control drainage area of 13.9 acres has 43 residential lots, ranging in size from 15,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet, which were developed in 1988.
The project will incorporate the paired watershed monitoring design for the three study areas. Monitoring will include precipitation, air temperature, and grab and storm-event sampling for solids, nutrients, metals, fecal coliform, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Monitoring of selected individual BMPs will also be conducted.
Primary pollutant sources are expected to be construction and, later, urban runoff from residences.
1996 - 2005
The Jordan Cove estuary does not meet bacteriological standards for shellfish growing. Sediment sampling has revealed high concentrations (20 ppm) of arsenic.
Semi-annual sampling at eight locations along Jordan Brook has documented average concentrations of total phosphorus less than 0.03 mg/l and nitrate less than 1 mg/l. Water samples from inner Jordan Cove have had fecal coliform counts with a geometric mean ranging from 26 to 154 cfu/ 100 ml.
The water quality objectives of the project are to
Management practices will be applied to the BMP treatment drainage area only and will vary during two different phases of the project. The first phase will occur during construction (18 months). During this phase, non-structural practices, such as phased grading, immediate seeding of stockpiled topsoil, maintenance of a vegetated open space perimeter, and immediate temporary seeding of proposed lawn areas, will be employed. Structural practices, including sediment detention basins and sediment detention swales, will also be used.
During the post-construction phase, management practices will include street sweeping, implementation of fertilizer and pesticide management plans, animal (pet) waste management, and plant waste pick-up. Structural practices such as grass swales, detention basins, roof runoff dry wells, gravel pack shoulders on access roads, and minimization of impervious surfaces will be used. The goal is to implement BMPs on 100% of the lots in the BMP study area.
The study design is based on the paired watershed approach, using one control and two treatment watersheds. The calibration period will last for about one year, during which time current land use management will be continued. The treatment period will include two phases: an 18-month construction phase and a long-term (seven to eight years) post-implementation monitoring phase.
Biological and chemical variables being monitored include fecal coliform, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate + nitrite, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), copper, lead, and zinc. Covariates are runoff, precipitation, and air temperature.
Flow-weighted composite samples will be collected during storm events and analyzed for solids and nutrients. Bacteria and BOD analyses will be conducted on grab samples collected manually when flow is occurring during a visit by project staff to the site. Portions of storm samples will be saved and combined into monthly composite samples that will be analyzed for metals.
Water quality and land treatment data will be entered into the NonPoint Source Management System (NPSMS) software. Quarterly and annual reports will be prepared and submitted according to Section 319 National Monitoring Program procedures. Raw water quality data will be entered into STORET.
Each household in the three study watersheds will be visited annually by project staff for the purpose of obtaining survey information related to factors influencing nutrient and bacteria losses. These visits will help project staff answer questions about residents' habits that affect nutrient and bacteria deposition and will provide opportunities for project personnel to educate residents about reducing nonpoint source pollution.
Administration/General Information about the Project
Bruce Morton
Aqua Solution
60 Burnside Drive
East Hartford, CT 06108
Tel: 860-289-7664; Fax: 860-289-7664
Land Treatment
Joe Neafsey
USDA-NRCS
16 Profession
l Park Road
Storrs, CT 06268-1299
Tel: 860-487-4017; Fax: 860-487-4017
Water Quality Monitoring
Jack Clausen
University of Connecticut
Dept. of Natural Resources
1376 Storrs Road, U87, Room 228
Storrs, CT 06238
Tel: 860-486-2840; Fax: 860-486-5408
email: jclausen@canr1.cag.uconn.edu
Information and Education
Chester (Chet) Arnold
University of Connecticut
Cooperative Extension Service
P.O. Box 70
Haddam, CT 06438
Tel: 860-345-4511: Fax: 860-345-3357
email: carnold@canr1.cag.uconn.edu
Lenz, B.N. and M.A. Miller. 1996. Comparison of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Samples Collected Using Different Field Methods. U. S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-216-96.
The Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM) is a national program intended to develop an inter-governmental framework for water quality monitoring to 1) coordinate monitoring programs; 2) evaluate existing data collection activities; 3) identify the roles of federal, state, and local entities; 4) address the use of environmental indicators and standard descriptors of aquatic conditions for measuring status and trends; and 5) develop a nationwide water information network.
A pilot ITFM project, the Wisconsin Water Resources Coordination Project, was established to coordinate and integrate water quality monitoring within the state of Wisconsin. The objectives of the project were to
As part of the Wisconsin Water Resources Coordination Project, comparisons were made of macroinvertebrate samples collected from wadeable streams in Wisconsin by personnel from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and volunteers from the Water Action Volunteer Program. The numbers, types, and environmental tolerances of the organisms collected were analyzed to determine whether four different field methods used by the different agencies and volunteer groups provide comparable results. The USGS fact sheet entitled Comparison of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Samples Collected Using Different Field Methods describes the four field sampling methods and presents the results of the comparison.
Study findings indicated that the different field collection and processing methods used resulted in assessments of different habitats, and collection of different total numbers and proportions of individual taxa. However, water quality ratings given by indices based on environmental tolerance values were similar among agencies for the macroinvertebrate taxa that were collected.
Copies of the fact sheet (FS-216-96) (free) may be requested from USGS, Box 25286, Denver, CO 80225-0286, Tel: 303-202-4700 or 303-202-4210. The fact sheet is also accessible on the World Wide Web at http:// wwwdwimdn.er.usgs.gov/nawqa/pubs/factsheets.html.
For further information, contact the authors, Bernard Lenz, USGS (Tel: 608-276-3836, Fax: 608-276-3817, email: bnlenz@usgs.gov), or Michael Miller, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Tel: 608-267-2753, Fax: 608-267-2800, email: millema@dnr.state.wi.us).
Aveni, M., L.Hartung, D. Relf, and W. Kerns. 1996. The Water-Wise Gardener
Handbook Virginia Cooperative Extension, Manassas, VA 20109, 52p.
The Water-Wise Gardener is a multi-faceted program designed to reduce homeowner
contributions to nonpoint source pollution through the participation of homeowners in a
progression of educational experiences focused on proper landscape management (see NWQ
EP NOTES issue #75 (Jan 1996) for more information about the Water-Wise
Gardener Program). The program combines traditional Extension teaching methods, including
field days and volunteer and demonstration sites, with one-to-one interactions between
volunteers and urban/suburban homeowners. The goal of the program is to motivate
homeowners to become partners in the protection of natural resources.
The Water-Wise Gardener Handbook was developed in response to the needs of
Extension agents who work on a daily basis with residential homeowners and renters, many
of whom have a high level of interest in establishing and maintaining attractive landscapes.
The handbook addresses planning, implementation, data evaluation, and reporting, and
provides examples of surveys, impact sheets, and marketing materials that have been used
successfully in public education. The 52-page guide comes in a sturdy three-ring binder and
includes a listing of the Cooperative Extension and other water quality resources throughout
the country.
Copies of the handbook may be ordered by sending a check or money order for $15 (payable
to Treasurer, VA Tech) to The Water-Wise Gardener, Office of Consumer Horticulture, 407
Saunders Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0327, Tel: 540-231-6254.
For more information about the Water-Wise Gardener Program, contact Marc Aveni,
Extension Agent, Water Quality, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Prince William County
Office, 8033 Ashton Avenue, Suite 105, Manassas, VA 20109, Tel: 703-792-6285, Fax:
703-792-4630, email: maveni@vt.edu.
2nd International Symposium on Environmental Software Systems: Apr 28 - May
2, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. David Swayne, Department of Computing
and Information Science, Univ of Guelph, Ontario, CAN N1G 2W1, email:
dswayne@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca
First American Wetlands Conference - Communities Working for Wetlands: May
7-9, Alexandria, VA. Stacey Satagaj, Terrene Institute, 4 Herbert St., Alexandria,
VA 22305, Tel: 703-548-5473, Fax: 703-548-6299, email: terrene@gnn.com
4th International Conference on Computer Methods and Water Resources: June
16-18, Byblos, Lebanon. Sue Owen, Conference Secretariat, CMWR 97, Wessex
Institute of Technology, Ashurst Lodge, Ashurst, Southampton SO40 7AA, Tel: +44 (01703)
293223, Fax: +44 (01703) 292853, email: sue@wessex.ac.uk, web site: http://venus.ce.jhu.edu/cmwr/
4th International Conference - WATER POLLUTION 97- Modeling, Measuring,
Prediction: June 18-20, Bled, Slovenia. Liz Kerr, Wessex Inst Technol, Ashurst
Lodge, Ashurst, Southampton SO4O 7AA, UK, Fax: 44-1703-292-853, email:
wit@wessex.witcmi.ac.uk
Water Resources, Education, Training, and Practice: AWRA 1997 Annual
Symposium: June 29-Jul 3, Keystone Resort, CO. AWRA, 950 Herndon Pkwy, Ste
300, Herndon, VA 22070-5528, Tel: 703-904-1225, Fax: 703-904-1228, email:
AWRAHQ@AOL.COM
Coastal Zone '97 - Charting the Future of Coastal Zone Management: Jul 20-26,
Boston, MA. Jessica Cogan, Tel: 202-260-7154, Fax: 202-260-9960, email:
cogan.jessica@epamail.epa.gov
Soil and Water Conservation Society - 52nd Annual Conference- Managing
Ecosystems on a Watershed Basis: Jul 22-25, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. SWCS,
7515 NE Ankeny Rd, Ankeny, IA 50021-9764, Tel: 515-289-2331 or 800-THE-SOIL, Fax:
515-289-1227, email: swcs@swcs.org, web site: http://www.swcs.org
American Society of Agricultural Engineers - International Annual Meeting: Aug
10-14, Minneapolis, MN. ASAE Society Services Group, 2950 Niles Road, St.
Joseph, MI 49085-9659, Tel: 616-429-0300, Fax: 616-429-3852, email: hq@asae.org
5th Symposium on Biogeochemistry of Wetlands: Sept 16-19, London, UK.
Royal Holloway Inst for Environmental Research, Royal Holloway Univ of London,
Huntersdale, Callow Hill, Virginia Water, GU25 4LN, UK, Tel: 44-0-1784-477404, Fax:
44-0-1784-477427, email: rhier@rhbnc.ac.uk, web site: http://www.vms.rhbnc.ac.uk/~
uhfa060/POSTER.HTM
WEFTEC '97 International Conference: Oct 18-22, Chicago, IL. Water
Environment Federation, Tel: 800-666-0206
AWRA 33rd Annual Conference & Symposium: Oct 19-23, Long Beach,
CA. AWRA, 950 Herndon Pkwy, Ste. 300, Herndon, VA 22070-5531, Tel:
703-904-1225, Fax: 703-904-1228, email: awrahq@aol.com
Karst-Water Environ Symposium & Workshop: Oct 30-31, Roanoke, VA.
T.M. Younos, VA Water Resources Res Cntr, 10 Sandy Hall, VA Polytechnic & State Univ,
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0444, Tel: 540-231-8039, Fax: 540-231-6673, email: tyounos@vt.edu
There is a list of water-related calls for papers and meeting announcements on the World
Wide Web at:
http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/EdRes/Topic/AgrEnv/Water/Water-Related_Events/
meetings.txt
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publications order form listing all publications on nonpoint source pollution distributed by the
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I welcome your views, findings, information, and suggestions for articles. Please feel free to
contact me.
Judith A. Gale, Editor
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Production of NWQEP NOTES is funded through U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) Grant No. X818397. Project Officer: Steven A. Dressing, Nonpoint Source
Pollution Control Program, Office of Water, USEPA (4503F), 499 South Capitol St. SE,
Washington, DC 20460, Tel: 202-260-7110, Fax: 202-260-1977, email:
dressing.steven@epamail.epa.gov, Web Site: http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS
Editor, NWQEP NOTES
Water Quality Extension Specialist
NCSU Water Quality Group
Campus Box 7637, NCSU
Raleigh, NC 27695-7637
Tel: 919-515-8244, Fax: 919-515-7448
email: notes_editor@ncsu.edu