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HomeMy WebLinkAbout102808 Clean WatersClean Waters Task Force City Council Presentation October 28, 2008 Briefing Objectives •What is the Clean Waters Task Force? •What is its mission? •Who are participants? How does the Task Force operate? •What geographic areas are covered? •What have been its benefits? What are the challenges? •What has already been accomplished? •What are some short term goals? •What additional efforts are being contemplated? What is the Clean Waters Task Force? •The CWTF is an outgrowth of a group originally created in 2004 to coordinate and address water quality issues in the Lynnhaven River watershed. •The original group was formed to improve communication between the City organization and Lynnhaven River 2007, and to allow LR 2007 to be better informed on what the City was doing so it could “get the word out”to the Community. •In 2006 the CWTF was expanded with the goal of having a City-wide focus for all watersheds and water quality issues and to communicate between the City organization and all Community watershed organizations. What is its mission? •TO PROVIDE AN INFORMAL FORUM FOR INFORMATION EXCHANGEON ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE CITY’S WATERSHEDS •TO HELP ENSURE BETTER CITY AGENCY COORDINATION AND COOPERATIONON WATERSHED RELATED ACTIVITIES AND ISSUES •TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF CONCERNTHAT MAY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE CITY RELATED TO THE CITY’S WATERSHEDS •TO FOSTER A COORDINATED CITY RESPONSE TO OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WORKING ON WATERSHED RELATED ACTIVITIES AND ISSUES •TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTSIN HELPING ACCOMPLISH WATER QUALITY PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT •TO HELP FACILITATE AND IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GREEN RIBBON COMMITTEE, ENSURING A MEASURE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE GREEN RIBBON COMMITTEE PROCESS Who are City participants? •City Representatives As of October 2008: –Agriculture –City Manager’s Office –Deputy City Manager –City Manager’s Office –Media and Communications Group –Fire –Museums –Virginia Aquarium –Parks & Recreation -Clean Community Commission –Parks & Recreation -Planning, Design & Development Division –Parks & Recreation -Landscape Management Division –Planning -Environmental Management Center –Police –Public Utilities –Public Works -Water Resources Division –Virginia Dare Soil & Water Conservation District Who are Community participants? •Community Representatives as of October 2008: –Back Bay Restoration Foundation – Susan Wenzel –Chesapeake Bay Foundation –Christy Everett –Elizabeth River Project –Marjorie Jackson –Lynnhaven River NOW –Karen Forget –North Landing Riverkeepers –Fred Adams How does the Task Force operate? •Monthly meetings facilitated by Planning Department since 2004 with expanding participation •Participation of City and Community representatives •Full support and regular participation by City Manager’s Office What geographic areas are covered? Primary & Secondary Watersheds Primary WatershedsSecondary Watersheds Approximate Acreage &Approximate Acreage & Percent of CityPercent of City •Chesapeake Bay 61,300 32.2%•Lynnhaven River 43,000 21.9% •Southern Rivers 132,400 67.4%•Little Creek 8,200 4.1% •Rudee Inlet / Owl’s Creek 2,800 •Elizabeth River 9,400 4.8% 1.4% •Small Coastal 700 0.4% •Rudee Inlet /Owl’s Creek 2,800 Total Area 196,500 100% •1.4% •North Landing River 64,000 32.6% •Northwest River 2,100 1.1% •Back Bay 66,300 33.7% Total Area 196,500 100% • What have been its benefits? •City organization works more closely on water quality matters •Better information exchange and shared support on projects between City departments and Community organizations •Direct support and assistance more commonplace •Enhance ability of City departments to function as a team •Implementation efforts more integrated and better understood What are the challenges? •Federal and State water quality mandates continue to increase (Total Maximum Daily Loads, stormwater, drinking water, etc.) •Funding assistance from Federal and State governments continues to decrease •City more directly called to meet the challenge •More educated and environmentally conscious Community expects better response and action to issues, demanding better water quality •Economic development and economic vitality more closely linked to environmental performance An Example- Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) TMDLs •A calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still safely meet water quality standards •TMDLs can be established for pollutants like pathogens (bacteria), nutrients (nitrogen), sediment, metals (mercury), pesticides and organics, and for other water constituents like dissolved oxygen, temperature and pH •Uniquely established for each waterway based on its attributes TMDLs •Once a particular TMDL is established for a waterbody by DEQ, State law mandates that TMDL implementation plans be developed to address how the limit will be met •TMDL implementation plans will be structured around developing one plan for each secondary watershed rather than multiple plans for each TMDL •As of October 2008 21 individual TMDLs have been established, 1 implementation plan developed and 2 more implementation plans underway •Over the next 10 years an additional 119 individual TMDLs will be established, also requiring a series of new implementation plans or plan amendments TMDL Approval and Revision Process So what can the Clean Waters Task Force Do? •CWTF serves as a resource pool to help develop TMDL implementation plans •Actions recommended in TMDL implementation plans are implemented and monitored by CWTF members •Actions recommended by GRC are implemented and monitored by CWTF members •CWTF Community members are major focus of public outreach and education •CWTF City members are major focus of project management and implementation What has already been accomplished? Areas of Activity ? Policy ? Stormwater ? Sanitary Sewer ? Habitat & Environmental Restoration ? Community Partnerships Policy Accomplishments •Green Ribbon Committee Implementation Efforts to Date •No Discharge Zone for Lynnhaven Watershed •Outdoors Plan Update •VML Certified Green Community Designation Stormwater Accomplishments •Oceana Gardens West Extended Detention Ponds •Solar Lake Aerators at Kings Grant Lake and Reedtown / Wishart Lake •Bacterial Source Tracking •Nanney Creek Water Quality Modeling Sanitary Sewer Accomplishments •Sanitary Sewer Service for Lynnhaven Watershed •Pump Station Upgrades •Strategic Leak Detection Program •Sanitary Sewer Overflow Program Habitat & Environmental Restoration Accomplishments •Oyster Heritage Program •Live Oak Tree Fund •Riparian Buffer Projects on City Property •Riparian Buffer Program for Private Encroachments on City Property Community Partnerships Accomplishments •Scoop the Poop Program •Athey Island Oyster Reef Project •Boater Education and Pumpout Program •Annual Back Bay Forum What are some other examples of work that is underway or has been accomplished? BACK BAY WATERSHED Nanney Creek Coliform Bacteria Evaluation ELIZABETH RIVER WATERSHED Chesapeake Bay Gateway Water Trail LITTLE CREEK WATERSHED Open Space Acquisitions LYNNHAVEN RIVER WATERSHED Little Neck Point Sewer Extension NORTH LANDING RIVER WATERSHED Mounted Patrol Manure Management Demo Project NORTHWEST WATERSHED Land Acquisition by The Nature Conservancy RUDEE INLET / OWLS CREEK WATERSHED Marine Sanitation Needs Assessment What are some short term goals? •BACK BAY WATERSHED –Develop Septic Tank Assistance Program –Undertake Habitat Restoration Projects –Complete TMDL Implementation Plan for Bacteria •ELIZABETH RIVER WATERSHED –Set Timeline for Corps Wetlands Restoration Project –Initiate Work on TMDL Implementation Plan •LITTLE CREEK WATERSHED –Assist in Formation of Community Watershed Organization •LYNNHAVEN RIVER WATERSHED –Complete Corps Studies and Identify Restoration Actions –Continue Sanctuary Oyster Reef Projects –Undertake Stormwater Retrofit Projects –Mill Dam Creek Bacterial Source Identification Project •NORTH LANDING RIVER WATERSHED –Pursue Open Space and Greenway Efforts –Complete TMDL Implementation Plan for Bacteria •RUDEE INLET / OWL’S CREEK WATERSHED –Work on Establishment of No Discharge Zone –Virginia Aquarium Assist in Revival of Community Watershed Organization What additional efforts are being contemplated? •Periodic Report to City Council on Actions Completed and Initiated •Posting of Meeting Summaries •Website with practical Information to Community •Enhanced coordination and support of existing Community Watershed Organizations •Involve community more in implementation efforts Questions?