BMWBMW AssociationAssociation

2006 Barr Lake and Milton 2006 Barr Lake and Milton Reservoir Watershed Reservoir Watershed

Management PlanManagement Plan

Presentation to the Colorado

Water Quality Control Commission

May 14, 2007

Alice Wood

Watershed Coordinator

~ Brief History of the Reservoirs

~ Overview of the BMW Association

~ Outline of the 2006 Watershed Plan

~ Next Steps

OverviewOverview

South Platte Watershed

Bigger Picture: Downstream to the Mississippi River BasinOrientationBarr Lake

Milton Reservoir

DIA

Rocky Mtn. Arsenal

Where are you now?

Barr LakeBarr Lake

Milton Res.Milton Res.

Cherry Cr. Res.Cherry Cr. Res.

Bear Cr. Res.Bear Cr. Res.

Standley Res.Standley Res.

Chatfield Res.Chatfield Res.

Marston LakeMarston Lake

Creeks, Rivers, and Reservoirs

S. Platte RiverS. Platte River

Bear CreekBear Creek

Cherry CreekCherry Creek

Clear CreekClear Creek

Big Dry CreekBig Dry Creek

Sand CreekSand Creek

11stst, 2, 2ndnd, & 3rd Creek, & 3rd Creek

Aurora Res.Aurora Res.

Watershed Boundary

Barr Lake- 33,100 AF- 1,870 Acres- 37 ft Max.- 260 Day Residence Time- Receives both S. Platte

River and treated effluent water

Milton Reservoir- 31,000 AF- 2,000 Acres- 41 ft Max.- 393 Day Residence Time- Receives water mainly from

Platte Valley Canal & Beebe Draw

Barr/Milton Watershed

Reservoir ManagementReservoir Management

• Owned by FRICO (Farmers Reservoir & Irrigation Company)

• Main Use - Agricultural Irrigation• Other Uses - Drinking water, Recreation, Aquatic Life

Habitat• Filled during the winter and early spring• Released during the growing season (May – September)

Water Quality IssueWater Quality Issue

Eutrophication caused by excessive nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) leads to many undesirable water quality symptoms.

Problem Symptoms

ExcessiveNutrients(Phosphorus,

Nitrogen)

Algae Blooms

Low Oxygen

High pH Fish Kills

PoorClarity

Taste/Odor

Aesthetics

DesirableTP = <50Chl-a = <30pH = 6.0 - 9.0

Barr Lake Chl-a and Total Phosphorus

0

50100

150200

250

300350

400450

500

Jun-02 Jun-03 Jun-04 Jun-05 Jun-06

Ch

l-a

(ug

/L)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

TP

(u

g/L

)Chl-a

TP

Barr Lake pH (1.0 meter below lake surface)

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Jun-02 Jun-03 Jun-04 Jun-05 Jun-06

pH

pH

Upper pH Standard

Source of the ProblemSource of the Problem

Everybody within and upstream of the Watershed contributes in some way to the loading of nutrients to Barr Lake and Milton Reservoir. Collectively, everyone can be

a part of the solution.

Source SolutionsFertilizers Use less on LawnsPet Waste Properly DisposeWastewater/Industry Upgrade TreatmentStormwater Cleaner StreetsRunoff Conserve WaterFarms Proper Land ManagementFeedlots Riparian Fencing/Waste ManagementEmissions Reduce air pollutionErosion Stream Restoration

Missionto encourage cooperation, involvement, and awareness by all interested parties in collaborative efforts to improve the water quality of Barr Lake and Milton Reservoir.

BMW AssociationBMW Association

Water Quality Goals• Meet all State water quality standards

• Ensure that plans & actions will maintain or improve water quality & habitat

• Develop water quality models

• Define site-specific, numeric, & narrative water quality targets

• Recommend to the State an appropriate TMDL allocation plan

BMW AssociationBMW Association

• Planning Group started in Early 2002– Based on WQCC request at SP Triennial review (2000) – 303(d) listing for pH (2002)– FRICO, Metro, Thornton, CDPHE, Littleton, Englewood, Denver

• Phase 1 Non-Point Source State Grant 2004 ($41,100 grant, $27,400 match)

– Form Nonprofit Association– Establish Directors, Committees, Annual Tour, Annual Meeting– Build Water Quality Database (330,000 records from 360 stations)

• Phase 2 & 3 Non-Point Source State Grant 2005 ($301,900 grant, 90% match required, $2,724,100 match pledged)

– Hire Watershed Coordinator– Conduct Reservoir Assessments– Write Watershed Plan– Build Water Quality Modeling– Develop pH Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

BMW AssociationBMW Association

Board of Directors (Sustaining Membership - $7,500/year)

City of Aurora (at-large)

Barr Lake State Park (at-large)

Beebe Draw Farms Metro District

City & County of Denver (at-large)

Denver Water

East Cherry Creek Valley Water & Sanitation District

FRICO

Littleton/Englewood Wastewater

Metro Wastewater Reclamation District

City of Thornton

South Adams County Water & Sanitation District

SPCURE (South Platte Coalition for Urban River Evaluation)

United Water & Sanitation District

BMW AssociationBMW Association

BMW AssociationBMW AssociationParticipating Stakeholders

CDPHE - Water Quality Control Division

Centennial Water & Sanitation District

City of Brighton

City of Westminster

Colorado Farm Bureau

DRCOG (Denver Regional Council of Governments)

Henrylyn Irrigation District

NFRWQPA (North Front Range Water Quality Planning Assoc.)

Rocky Mt. Bird Observatory

Town of Lochbuie

US Geological Survey

…Always looking for more…

A strategy that provides assessment and management

information for a defined watershed that will lead to measurable results

and an overall improvement in water quality and watershed

conditions.

The process is iterative, holistic, and collaborative.

wa∙ter∙shed plan (wô Dtər-shēd΄ plăn) n.

Watershed PlanWatershed Plan - - SectionsSections1. Watershed Characterization: Inventory of Important

Features2. Partnerships & Organizational Structure: Integration with

other Groups3. Scope of Watershed Efforts: Identify Pollutants, Sources

and Goals4. Information Sources, Monitoring, and Data: Data Inventory5. Data Analysis: Modeling, Strategies, Estimate Pollution

Reduction Amounts6. Watershed Management Action Strategy: Management

Efforts to Improve Conditions7. Implementation: Measurements of Progress and Success8. Adaptive Watershed Management: Iterative Management

Approach

The Numbers 98% of BMW is Privately Owned

55% of the Watershed Supports Agricultural Uses

50,000 Head of Beef Cattle in Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties

60,000 Dairy Cows in Weld County

38% of the Watershed is Urban

2.5 Million People now with Projection of Nearly 4 Million by 2030

17,000 Acres - Rocky Mountain Arsenal is the Largest Open Space

10,000 Permitted Gas & Oil Well Sites

9 Drinking Water Withdrawal Locations Along the S. Platte River

42 Major Permitted Dischargers

20 Stormwater Permit Holders

500 Miles of Streams & Rivers

550 Miles of Canals & Ditches

7 Endangered Species & 11 Threatened Species

Watershed PlanWatershed Plan

The Pictures

Watershed PlanWatershed Plan

Save Money

More Control

Less Headaches

Improve Water Quality

Watershed Plan –Watershed Plan – WHY?WHY?

To-Do-List: Annual Action Items to Stay on Schedule

Watershed Plan –Watershed Plan – HOW?HOW?Guidance: Assist with TMDL & Nutrient Criteria Development

Coordination: Manage the Stakeholders

Score Card: Track what Works and what Doesn’t

Example: Model for other Watershed Groups and TMDL Efforts

Referee: One Common Voice for all Stakeholders

Education: Engage and Involve Stakeholders in the BMW Watershed

Watershed Plan –Watershed Plan – Education/OutreachEducation/Outreach

Education: Engage and Involve Stakeholders in the BMW Watershed

• Targeted outreach by Board members and stakeholders

– to date: 12 presentations, ~ 250 people

– at least 7 more presentations scheduled

Modeling (2006 – 2008)

pH TMDL Development (2008 – 2010)

Adopt Nutrient Criteria (2009)

TMDL Implementation (2011 – 2016)

TMDL Evaluation (2016 – 2022)

Revise Watershed Plan (Annually)

Next Steps –Next Steps – Schedule

www.barr-milton.orgwww.barr-milton.org

Thank You!Thank You!