Michigan Watershed Plan Michigan Watershed Plan ReviewsReviews

Presentation at the Michigan Presentation at the Michigan Watershed-Based Planning Workshop, Watershed-Based Planning Workshop,

Mt. Pleasant, MichiganMt. Pleasant, Michigan--------------------------------------------------------------Ward Wilson, Tetra TechWard Wilson, Tetra Tech

February 12, 2007February 12, 2007

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 22

OverviewOverview Five watershed plans selectedFive watershed plans selected

Geographically diverse Geographically diverse Range in size from a few square Range in size from a few square

miles to Saginaw Baymiles to Saginaw Bay Urban, suburban, rural, forested, Urban, suburban, rural, forested,

agricultureagriculture Criteria from EPA guidanceCriteria from EPA guidance Plans reviewedPlans reviewed Site visitsSite visits Report to MDEQ and plannersReport to MDEQ and planners

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 33

Purpose and ObjectivesPurpose and Objectives

Existing plans pre-date the new guidanceExisting plans pre-date the new guidance How much effort and information needed How much effort and information needed

to revise?to revise? Assistance to plannersAssistance to planners Information for MDEQ reviewersInformation for MDEQ reviewers EPA will be evaluating resultsEPA will be evaluating results

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 44

Plan review processPlan review process

CriteriaCriteria Spreadsheet toolSpreadsheet tool Multiple Multiple

reviewersreviewers Site visitsSite visits AssistanceAssistance ReportsReports

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 55

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 66

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 77

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 88

(a) Identification of the causes and sources of impairment or threats to the waterbody

Review Criteria

Score

(1-5) CommentsPage and Section Recommendations

   

1. Water body use designations (from relevant Water Quality Standards) are listed for waters in the planning area

3

Plan references 303(d) listings for lake, river, and for watershed through 1998.

p. iv, Executive Summary, ¶ 2; p. 5, MDEQ WQ Designation, last ¶ in section

Describe specific listings by water body at the time of initial planning and currently.

Scoring ExampleScoring ExampleScoring Key

1 incompleteA significant amount of additional information is needed to complete the section.

2 partially completeMost information has been included, but some additional information is needed to complete the section.

3 adequateThe section has adequate information and addresses the minimum criteria.

4 exceeds requirementsExceeds the minimum amount of information needed to address the criteria.

5 outstandingA significant amount of current, applicable, exceptional information is presented.

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 99

FindingsFindings

Plans varied as the watersheds and issues Plans varied as the watersheds and issues variedvaried

Known/identified problems were targeted Known/identified problems were targeted in detailin detail

New requirements such as load estimates New requirements such as load estimates and interim milestones were usually at and interim milestones were usually at least partially missingleast partially missing

Similar to EPA “Best of the Nation” reviewSimilar to EPA “Best of the Nation” review

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1010

Figure 1: EPA Watershed Planning Elements: National Trends

67%

44%

58%

44%

70%

54%

47%

59%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Element A Element B Element C Element D Element E Element F/G Element H Element I

Lev

el o

f S

atis

fact

ion

AVERAGE

National Trends National Trends (from Michael Scozzafava of USEPA)(from Michael Scozzafava of USEPA)

IdentificationOutreach

Load reductions

Assistance

Criteria on progress

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1111

Elements (a) and (b)Elements (a) and (b)Identification of sources, load estimates, and Identification of sources, load estimates, and

load reductionsload reductions

Contributions Contributions “quantified by load, “quantified by load, percentage, priority, percentage, priority, or other method”or other method”

Reductions Reductions quantified from quantified from proposed measuresproposed measures

Basis for the current Basis for the current approachapproach

Inventory of all waterbodies, with their designated uses Inventory of all waterbodies, with their designated uses and impairmentsand impairments

MapsMaps

SOUTH FORK

MIDDLE FORK

MUDDY FORK

Ohio Rive

r

N

EW

S

2 0 2 4 6 Miles

MUDDY FORKSOUTH FORK

BEARGRASS CREEK SUB-WATERSHEDSMIDDLE FORK

SWIMMING - DEGREE OF USE IMPAIRMENTFULLYNOT SUPPORTINGPARTIALTHREATENED

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1212

Complex modeling is not always Complex modeling is not always necessarynecessary

Water Quality ToolWater Quality Tool

Combined Sewer SystemXP-SWMM Run

Runoff into combined sewer Runoff

to streams

HSPF Run 1 (watershed)

Bridge Routine 1

Bridge Routine 2

Overflows

Receiving Water Models:HSPF Run 2

EPD Riv1

Simulation of stream water quality

Precipitation

Separate SewerSystem

XP-SWMM Runs

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1313

Example of Source Load EstimateExample of Source Load Estimatefrom Chesapeake Bay Programfrom Chesapeake Bay Program

Forest11%

ShorelineErosion

47%

Agriculture33%

DevelopedLand9%

Sediment (9.38 million tons in 2001)

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1414

Elements (c) and (d) Elements (c) and (d) Management Measures Management Measures and Assistance Neededand Assistance Needed

Should be associated with the Should be associated with the impairments, sources, and loads impairments, sources, and loads

Most plans had detailed measuresMost plans had detailed measures Quantification of reductionsQuantification of reductions Technical, financial assistance neededTechnical, financial assistance needed

Costs – precision not necessaryCosts – precision not necessary Regulatory issuesRegulatory issues

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1515

Work together and have funWork together and have fun

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1616

Element (e)Element (e)Public Information, Education, and Public Information, Education, and

ParticipationParticipation

Most plans had good to excellent outreach Most plans had good to excellent outreach sections, as found by EPAsections, as found by EPA

Goals and objectivesGoals and objectives Link to implementation of proposed Link to implementation of proposed

management measuresmanagement measures StrategyStrategy

Target audienceTarget audience ActivitiesActivities Short and long-termShort and long-term

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1717

Elements (f) and (g)Elements (f) and (g)Schedule and Interim MilestonesSchedule and Interim Milestones

Actions to implement management measuresActions to implement management measures Interim measurable milestones Interim measurable milestones Logical sequence of datesLogical sequence of dates

Short term = Short term = up to 3 years up to 3 years (more detail)(more detail)

Long term = Long term = up to 10 years up to 10 years (less detail)(less detail)

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1818

Elements (h) and (i)Elements (h) and (i)Criteria to Assess Progress and MonitoringCriteria to Assess Progress and Monitoring

Criteria to be used to Criteria to be used to measure progressmeasure progress Tied to impairment and useTied to impairment and use ActivitiesActivities Short and long-termShort and long-term

Monitoring approachMonitoring approach Non-environmental Non-environmental

monitoringmonitoring General plan or scheduleGeneral plan or schedule

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 1919

Figure 1: EPA Watershed Planning Elements: National Trends

67%

44%

58%

44%

70%

54%

47%

59%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Element A Element B Element C Element D Element E Element F/G Element H Element I

Lev

el o

f S

atis

fact

ion

AVERAGE

National Trends National Trends (from Michael Scozzafava of USEPA)(from Michael Scozzafava of USEPA)

IdentificationOutreach

Load reductions

Assistance

Criteria on progress

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 2020

Why plan?Why plan?

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 2121

Discussion ItemsDiscussion Items

Revise or rewrite?Revise or rewrite? Load and load reduction estimatesLoad and load reduction estimates How much info is enough to get started?How much info is enough to get started? Ongoing use of the planOngoing use of the plan No impairments on the 303(d) list - No impairments on the 303(d) list -

preservation onlypreservation only

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 2222

More discussion ItemsMore discussion Items

Tracking progress in planTracking progress in planCommitments and flexibilityCommitments and flexibilityOther comments and ideas?Other comments and ideas?

Michigan WorkshopMichigan Workshop 2323

Thanks for your timeThanks for your time

Ward Wilson, Tetra Tech, Inc.Ward Wilson, Tetra Tech, Inc.