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CITY COUNCIL
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
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S P E C I A L S E S S I 0 N
AUGUST 26, 1991
TOUR OF SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS
3:00 PM MEET AT FLAG SQUARE
ITEM 1. SPECIAL FORMAL SESSION - Council Chamber - 7:00 PM
A- CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf
B. READING OF MAYOR'S CALL TO SPECIAL SESSION
C. ELECTRONIC ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL
D. JOINT CITY COUNCIL and PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP
1. SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS
Dr. Richard Wayne Skaggs
Professor of Agriculture and Biological Engineering
North Carolina State University
E- RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
F. ADJOURNMENT
"WORLD'S LARGEST RESORT CITY"
CITY COUNCIL
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S P E C I A L S E S S I 0 N
AUGUST 26, 1991
TOUR OF SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS
3:00 PM MEET AT FLAG SQUARE
ITEM 1. SPECIAL FORMAL SESSION - Council Chamber - 7:00 PM
A. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf
B. READING OF MAYOR'S CALL TO SPECIAL SESSION
C. ELECTRONIC ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL
D. JOINT CITY COUNCIL and PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP
1. SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS
Dr. Richard Wayne Skaggs
Professor of Agriculture and Biological Engineering
North Carolina State University
E. RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
F. ADJOURNMENT
M I N U T E S
VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL
Virginia Beach, Virginia
August 26, 1991
The SPECIAL SESSION of the JOINT VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL and PLANNING
COMKSSION WORKSHOP relative the SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS was called to order by
Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf in the Council Chamber, City Hall Building, on
Monday, August 26, 1991, at 7:00 P.M. Prior to the SPECIAL SESSION, the City
Council and Planning Commission Members made a tour of the WATERSHEDS
commencing at 3:00 P.M.
Council @lembers Present:
John A. Baum, James W. Brazier, Jr., Robert W.
Clyburn, Vice Mayor Robert E. Fentress, Louis R.
Jones, Paul J. Lanteigne, Reba S. McClanan, Mayor
Meyera E. Oberndorf, Nancy K. Parker and William D.
Sessoms, Jr.
Council Members Absent:
. liarold Heischober
Planning Commissioners Prese,t:
Thomas F. Betz, Jr., Richard S. Browner, E. R.
Cockrell, Jr., Vice-Chair J,dith Dockery, Barbara J.
Ferguson, Donald H. Horsley, Howard S. Myers, Oscar
E. Northern and Barnett Thoroughgood
Planning Commissioners Abse,,t:
Chairman Daniel J. Arris and Donald F. Reid
- 2 -
Item I.B. ITEM # 34797
In accordance with the City Charter, Section
3.06, the CitY Code, Section 2-21, and by the
authority vested in me as Mayor of the City, I
hereby call a SPECIAL SESSION of the VIRGINIA BEACH
CITY C)OUNCIL to meet with the PLANNING comISSION
in the Council Chamber, City Hall Building, on
Monday, August 26, 1991, at 7:00 P.M. The purpose
Of the meeting shall be a WORKSHOP a,d PRESFNTATION
by Dr. Richard Wayne Skaggs, Professor of
Agriculture and Biological Engineering - North
Carolina State University, concerning water
management and the Southern Watershed,.
Respectfully,
s/Meyera E. Oberndo,f
Mayor"
MEYERA E. OBEANDORF MUNICIPAL CENTER
MAYOA VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA 23456-9000
(804) 427-4581
July 18, 1991
HONORABLE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
In accordance with the City Charter, Section 3.06, the City Code,
Section 2-21, and by the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City, I
hereby call a SPECIAL SESSION of the VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL to meet
with the PLANNING COMMISSION in the Council Chamber, City Hall Building, on
Monday, August 26, 1991, at 7:00 P.M. The purpose of the meeting shall be a
WORKSHOP and PRESENTATION by Dr. Richard Wayne Skaggs, Professor of
Agriculture and Biological Engineering - North Carolina State University,
concerning water management and the Southern Watersheds.
The deta! Is of a tour of the Watersheds prior to the Special Session
will be forthcoining from Louis Cullipher, Director, Natural Resources.
Respectfully,
Meyerz,@0b,arndorf
Mayor
MEO/bh
cc: Aubrey V. Watts, Jr., City Manager
Leslie L. Lilley, City Attorney
Ruth Hodges Smith, CMC/AAE, City Clerk
Pam Lingle, Director of Public Information
Virginia Beach City Council Received Notice
Councilman John A. Baum
Councilman James W. Brazier, Jr.
Councilman Robert W. Clyburn
Vice Mayor Robert E. Fentress
Councilman Harold Heischober
Councilman Louis R. Jones
Councilman Paul J. Lanteigne
Councilwoman Reba S. McCianan
Councilwoman Nancy K. Parker
Councilman William D. Sessoms, Jr.
3
Item
SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS BRIEFING
ITEM # 34798
Louis E. Cu IIlp her, D!rector - Natural Resources/Rural Services, advlsed the
speakerS Dr. Richard Wayne Skaggs, and Dr. Robert 0. Evans, are guests shartng
research conducted at North Carolina State University. They are not consultants
and are not being paid. Dr. Skaqas has received many awards and has been na,ed
a Williams Neal Reynolds Professo--r- Dr. Skaggs has recently been elected to the
National Academy of Engineering and Is a native of Kentucky earning a B. S.
and M.S. In Biological and Agricultural Engineering for the University of
Kentucky and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He has been on the taculty of the
Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at North Carolina State
University since 1970. Dr. Skaggs has directed the studies for over 20 Ph.D
students and numerous others who have earned Master?s Degrees.
Dr. Robert Evans is a native of Chowan County, North Carolina, near Edenton.
His parents are stil I farming. Dr. Evans earned al I three degrees from North
Carolina state University. Currently he is the Extension Biological and
Agricultural Engineer for North Carolina with research and educations programs
focused on water management. Doctors Evans and Skaggs have worked very closely
on many of the research projects. Mr. Cullipher advised conditions in Eastern
North Carolina are very similar to the conditions in Virginia Beach.
Dr. Skaggs presented information obtained in research over the past twenty-
years in North Carolina on drainage, controlled drainage and water quality, as
well as related issues on the use of wetlands for filters of water from
agricultural drainage
Environmental Impacts of Water Table Control
Drainage In the Unites States
Million Ac
Total Gropland 420
Cropland Needing Drainage 106 (25%)
Drainage In North Carolina
Total Cropland 5.6
Cropland needing drainage 2.3 (40%)
In Virginia Beach, it appears 80 or 90% of Cropland requires drainage as is
the case in the Eastern North Carolina counties. Dr. Skaggs reiterated the
reasons for drainage: Trafficability and protection of crops from excessive
water conditlons. More Intensive drainage Is needed in the Spring than during
the growing season. Drainage Is provided In Eastern North Carolina and Virginia
with open ditches to provide both surface drainage and subsurface drainage.
Water enters these ditches as It goes through the profile and the surface.
Another way of providing the drainage Is to utilize drain tubing (buried pipe)
that al lows water to leave by subsurface methods. The piping is perforated.
Clay tile has been used for years and plastic tublng for the last twenty-five
or so years. The subsurface drainage Is usual ly a slow event and lowers the
water table. When the surface drainage is poor, water is ponded in the fields,
as it does not have a place to flow off the surface. By utilizing hoe drains,
(PTO) power take-off drains or forming the surface, the water can be removed.
There are two methods of drainage: subsurface or surface. The same fields that
require drainage from trafficability and protection of the crops also suffer in
many years from drought. Controlled drainage has been used In North Carolina to
prevent some of the overdrainage.
4
SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS BRIEFING
ITEM # 34799 (Continued)
Dr. Skaggs displayed a chart indicating Variation In Raintall, monthly
Rainfall and PET, Inches 1981. The Brown Bars indicate rainfall. The Green Bars
in dlcate the potentlal rate that ,ter wl II evaporate or transpire (PI ant and
soil losing water to the atmosphere). In all the months rainfall was less than
the potential of evapotranspiration (PET). Use of the controlled drainage would
conserve this water and stretch It out over the growing season. In 1983, during
the months of Apr II and May there wal ample rain taII and in June al most enough
rainfal I to meet potential of evapotranspiration (PET), so some water could
have been saved from those months, but if too much was saved, there might have
been two much water in the fields. Thus it must be managed to conserve the
water, but not so high the crops are drowned. in July there was less then an
inch of rainfall and 511 were needed to meet PET. Proper management with
controlled drainage would have yielded benefits. In 1985, rainfall occurred
almost equal to PET each mon-th. Still, there were drought periods and
management could have yielded some benefits. Therefore, the farmer does not
always recognize a benefit from this practice. It managed wrong, It could very
wel I have a negative benefit. In 1989 it was wet al I summer long and In July
there were 411 more of rainfal I than needed. Therefore, there was runoff in
every month and the management of the practice to satisfy the agricultural
needs Is an Important component of the total system.
Impacts of Drainage
For Land Conversion
To Improve Crop Production
In the 1970's, there was an abundance of land conversion. Studles were
developed in Eastern North Carol ina to determine the effect of changing one
particular land use to agricultural land use and the drainage practices
required. Run-otf rates, water quality and pollutant flows were measured from
native vegetation and from agricultural fields. When native vegetation Is
converted to agricultural use, the peak rate of run-off is increased
approximately 5 times. The total run-off during the year is also Increased.
The next step Is conversion frorn aaricultural land to suburban use with paved
streets. The run-off will further increase depending on water management
utilized. Drainage and conversion to agriculture also Increases sediment and
nutrient loses.
Dr. Skaggs displayed a slide of two ninety-acre watersheds in Buford County.
One of which was drained with open ditches containing mo-stly surface drainage.
In the other watershed, subsurface drains were utilized at about 100-foot
spacings (two placed between each ditch). Subsurface drainage intensity was
thus Increased. The drainage activity was Increased and the peak outflow rates
were decreased at the mouth of the watershed by a factor of two. With the
installation of better subsurface drainage, the water tables are lowered. When
rainfall occurs, there Is more room for storage and water Is released more
slowly through the profile over longer periods of time. The rate that water
leaves the field is less. Dr. Skaggs displayed a chart depicting the Eftect of
Design on Surface Runoff and Drainflow. Improved subsurface drainage Increases
nitrate loses and reduces phosphorous loses. This premise Is supported by
twenty-six studies in eleven states and three provinces In Canada, as well as
several foreign countries but there are exceptions.
Controlled drainage, If managed properly, can be used to Increase yields and to
conserve water. It will not always increase yfelds; and, i f not managed
properly will cause decreased yields. From 1983 to about 1987, there have been,
depending on the situation, f[ve to ten percent and, In some cases, as high as
twenty to twenty-five percent increases In yield. It also has an effect on the
water quality.
- 5 -
SOUTHERN WATERSHEDS BRIEFING
ITEM # 34799 (Continued)
Since 1974, there have been a number of studies relative research stations,
farmer operated fields, large and small systems. Dr. Evans has compiled the
results of these studies of fourteen (14) different soils. Dr. Skaggs displayed
a chart of a summarization of approximately eight or nine separate studles
depicting average results. The chart reflect, three different categories:
Undeveloped (Natural Vegetation), Subsurface Drainage Systems and Surface
Drainage Systems. The Green Bar indicates the total nitrogen lost without
r,ontrol (just conventional drainage) and the Orange Bar the total nitrogen
lost with controlled drainage. in some cases by utilizing controlled drainage,
there has been more than 50% reduction of nitrogen lost. The Phosphorous output
Is also reduced with controlled drainage by twenty-five to thirty percent.
Dr. Scaggs advised the status In North Carolina. There are approximately 175 -
200,000 acres of controlled drainaae with 30-35,000 acres of subirrigation with
the addition ot 20-25 000 acres pe-r year. Controlled drainage has been accepted
as a Best Management @ractice. Cost-share funds are availabl,. Nitrate outflows
have been reduced by approximately 1-1/2-MILLION pounds per year on these 175-
200,000 controlled drainage acres. However, 2-MILLION pounds Is still being
lost on these same lands. More Is needed to be learned regarding the system to
co-ordinate the water management practices with the fertility and pest
management practices.
Dr. Scaggs advised the following CONCLUSIONS:
Environmental Impacts of water type management practices can
not be simply and clearly stated. They depend on: site, soil,
crop, climatologlcal factors, fertility and cultural
practices, as well as quality and nature of the receding
waters.
The rate and route of water draining from the land can be
controlled by design and management.
Design and operation of water table management practices to
satisfy both agricultural and environmental objectives is a
challenge to the current scientific and technological base.
GOAL
Design and operate Water Table Management Systems to satisfy
both agrlcultural and envtronmental objectives.
Dr. Skaggs advised his Research Department has a good knowledge base of
conventional drainage systems with a fair data base for controlled drainage;
however, the data base for environmental effects of various management
strategies for subirrrgation is in a poorer state. It Is unknown the method to
best manage fertility practices with these various water management
alternatives. A field has been establlshed at the Tidewater Experiment Station
In Plymouth, North Carolina, to study these details in a heavily Instrumented
sltuation.
Dr. Skaggs referenced the use of Wetlands to filter or treat agricultural
drainage water. There was real concern about outletting this pump drainage
water which might be 100,000 gallons per minute directly Into streams and
estuaries. It was suggested rather than outletting those drainage waters from
the pumps directly Into the streams and estuaries to dump the drainage waters
Into the swamp and let it trickle through the wetland to the receiving stream
In a slower fashion. This practice was evaluated in a research project over a
three-year period. Two sites were established where trails were manually
chopped and water was sampled with run-off rates measured in the buffer area.
Through this research and utilizing a 20-year simulation period, It was found
In this butter area approximately 82.1% of the nitrate nitrogen could be
removed, about 81.4% of the phosphorus and 92% of the sediment.
6
SO WATERSHEDS BRIEFING
ITEM #34799 (Continued)
A study was also conducted on the ANALYSIS OF STORMWATER INFILTRATION PONDS ON
THE BARRIER ISLANDS. North Carolina ADOPTED an Ordinance which stated there
would be infiltration ponds to treat run-offs from the surfaces of de,elopments
that are in excess of two (2) acres. The pond had to have a capacity to treat
the first 1-1/2" of rainfall. This study was conducted over a three-year period
on two infiltration ponds. If the criteria of the North Carolina Coastal
Stormwater Regulations is met, approximately 84% of the run-off water would be
treated. Studies on the hydrologic effects of forest drainage are also being
conducted.
The City has exempted themselves in their highway construction programs from
the provisions of the SOUTHERN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE. Assistant City
Attorney Macali advised if the Planning Commission and the City Council did not
wish the City to be exempt, the City would not be.
Dr. Evans advised there were problems developing in the Chowan River and two
Watersheds in the Piedmont Area. The State began studying the problem in the
early 1980's, and it was determined certain agricultural activities contributed
to the water quality problems. An agricultural cost-share program was developed
in 1983 and has gradually expanded to the point now that there is somewhere
around $8 to $9-MILLION for cost-share Best Management Practices. There is a
technical committee that evaluates and identifies practices which would be
suitable for certain regions of the State. These are entirely State funds
provided through direct assistance for the practices themselves, as well as
technical assistance for the design and installation of these practices. These
cost-share funds are from the General Fund.
Concerning whether funding of this nature could be derived through the Storm
Water Management Utility Act, Assistant City Attorney Macali advised the Storm
Water Utility revenues could be utilized for purposes which are consistent with
the Storm Water Management Act.
Surface water and groundwater standards have been established in North
Carolina. Concerning the standards on the purity of the aquifer ground water,
Mr. Cullipher advised there are drinking water standards and the State Water
Control Board has established some surface water standards, but they are
difficult to apply concerning the watersheds and some are rather vague. The
Environmental Protection Agency is primarily concerned with drinking water
standards.
Gathering sufficient data is extremely vital in making decisions relative the
Southern Watersheds. Mr. Cullipher advised Public Works, through Stormwater
Management and NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System), has
been mandated to accumulate certain data mostly concentrating on drainage
outfalls. Therefore, the City will derive data from these studies. This is
primarily in the northern part of the City. However, there has been sampling
conducted in the Southern Watersheds.
Concern was expressed concerning flooding in developments resulting from heavy
rains and pollution resulting from Oceana Naval Base.
Dr. Skaggs will forward charts utilized in his presentation.
Chuck Traub, 784 Glasgow Court, Phone: 340-0956, registered to speak and
inquired in Dr. Skaggs' judgment what measures and techniques were best suited
to protect the water quality in both the agricultural and residential settings
in the areas visited on the tour of the Southern Watersheds.
Dr. Skaggs advised controlled drainage, if operated and managed properly, would
have substantial water quality benefits. The emphasis on water management
techniques for water quality depends on what is going into the receiving
waters. If it is phosphorus, sediment outfalls should be reduced. Drainage
intensity should be increased. If it is nitrogen, controlled drainage should be
utilized and hold the water levels as high as possible.
- 7 -
SO WATERSHEDS BRIFFING
ITEM # 34799 (Continued)
Mayor Oberndorf requested inforfflati,,, concerning how the SOUTHERN WATERSHFDS
MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE is assisting in the Planning and plotting of the
development which is coming in a portin Of the Southern Watershed. The
Ordinance needs to address the flooding in subdivisions, drainage basins which
some homeowners believe are lakes and erosion of the slopes on the drainage
canals built in many subdivision North of the Green Line.
Mayor Oberndorf expressed appreciation to Mr. Cullipher, Dr. Skaggs and Dr.
Evans who, without cost to the City, so generously shared their research
experience and knowledge.
8
Item I.F.
ADJOURNMENT ITEM 34800
Upon motion by Councilman Baum and BY CONSENSUS, city Council and Planning
Commission ADJOURNED the Meeting at 9:35 P.M.
B. 'Iy 0. CMC
Chief Dpu ty City Clek
- th Hd 9. Smith, CMC AAE
,ty Cl.,k
CitY Of Virginia Beach
Virginia