NF Rivanna Water Quality Study Nesha McRae VA Department of Environmental Qualit y Rivanna Conservation Alliance Monitoring Program Rachel Pence and Volunteer Monitor RCA NF Rivanna Senior Capstone Project ID: 767026
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NF Rivanna Water Quality StudyNesha McRae, VA Department of Environmental Quality Rivanna Conservation Alliance Monitoring Program Rachel Pence and Volunteer Monitor, RCANF Rivanna Senior Capstone Project Celeste Horton & Chris Williamson, James Madison Univ.Agricultural Best Management Practices Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District & ProducerUrban/Residential Best Management Practices Lonnie Murray, Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District North Fork Rivanna Watershed Community Meeting AGENDA
North Fork Rivanna Watershed
All waters should support “the propagation and growth of a balanced, indigenous population of aquatic life”What does this mean?Water should be clean enough for crittersMonitor aquatic macroinvertebrates to determine if the standard is metAquatic Life Designated UsePhoto: Jan Hamrsky: lifeinfreshwater.net
Our “canary in the coal mine”Chemical monitoring = a snapshot in timeAquatic food chainConsume algae and organic matter nutrient cyclingWhy should we care about bugs?
VDEQ and RCA biological monitoring dataVA Stream Condition Index is our barometerImpaired < 60 > UnimpairedDetermining “impairment”Photo: Jan Hamrsky: lifeinfreshwater.net
Biological Monitoring Stations: VDEQ & RCABiological Monitoring Stations: VDEQ & RCA
VSCI Scores in the NF RivannaStreamSourceStationYear#Avg. Stanardsville RunDEQ2-SDV001.022012338.9Stanardsville RunRCASDV042016-18433.4Blue RunDEQ2-BLU004.862018157.4Blue RunRCABLU022009150.2Quarter CreekRCAQTR01 2010-12 5 55.8 Quarter Creek RCA QTR03 2013-18 12 48.2 Quarter Creek DEQ 2-QTR000.60 2018 1 41.1 Swift Run RCA SFV03 2009 1 81.3 Swift Run DEQ 2-SFR000.60 2003-15 9 66.7 Swift Run RCA SFR01 2002-18 41 56.6 Marsh Run RCA MSH01 2009-18 12 65.5 Marsh Run DEQ 2-MSH000.10 2018 1 34.1 Marsh Run trib. RCA XZY01 2007-09 7 44.0
VSCI Scores in the NF RivannaStreamSourceStationYears Sampled#Avg. ScorePreddy CreekDEQ2-PRD004.422006-07459.2Preddy CreekRCAPRD022006-07459.2Preddy CreekDEQ2-PRD006.352008-18651.9Preddy CreekRCAPRD012005-183152.5Burnley BranchRCABRN01 2012-18 12 60.6 Preddy Creek, trib RCA XPR01 2009 1 77.5 Flat Branch, trib DEQ 2-XKL000.37 2007-18 7 30.7 Flat Branch, trib RCA XLT01 2003-07 5 28.5 NF Rivanna River DEQ 2-RRN015.61 2018 1 75.5 NF Rivanna River DEQ 2-RRN012.89 2007-14 9 60.3 NF Rivanna River RCA RRN06 2003-16 33 55.3 NF Rivanna River RCA RRN04 2009 1 61.2 NF Rivanna River DEQ 2-RRN002.19 2005-15 14 68.2
What is a TMDL?Technically, a Total Maximum Daily Load is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards.Practically, Total Maximum Daily Loads are a process that we use to clean up our streams
The TMDL ProcessTMDL studyStressor analysisPollutant sourcesReductions neededTMDL Implementation PlanOn-the-ground actionsTimelineFunding Implementation
Evaluation of RCA and DEQ monitoring data: >45,000 data pointsWeight of evidence approachSediment as most likely stressor in all watershedsPhosphorous in Blue Run and Stanardsville RunStressor AnalysisPhoto: Jan Hamsky; www.lifeinfreshwater.net
Insects in the stream fairly tolerant of sedimentObserved evidence of streambank erosionHigh turbidity during stormsExtent of sediment of the stream bottomEvidence for Sediment?
Evidence for Phosphorous?Stanardsville and Blue RunsHigher phosphorous concentrationsLower dissolved oxygen concentrations
Where is the sediment coming from?permits
Sediment Reductions NeededWatershed% ReductionMarsh Run54.7%Stanardsville Run54.5%Blue Run54.4%Quarter Creek47.6%X-trib to Flat Branch40.0%Preddy Creek North Branch39.3%Swift Run13.1%Preddy Creek9.8%North Fork RivannaN/A
Where do the reductions come from?Factors consideredWhat’s fairWhat’s reasonableLargest sources assigned greatest reductionsAgriculture& streambank erosionDeveloped areasPhoto: Interaction Institute for Social Change, Artist: Angus Maguire
Where is the phosphorous coming from?Where is the phosphorous coming from?
Phosphorous ReductionsBlue Run = 31%Stanardsville Run = 50%Comparable reductions from:DevelopmentAgriculturalStreambank erosion
Next Steps30-day public comment period (through May 17)Continue monitoringVDEQRCASara Bottenfield (VDEQ)Implementation plan developmentPhoto: Jan Hamrsky: lifeinfreshwater.net