Request to Proceed for Approval of the

2010 Catawba River Basin Plan

Presented by Melanie Williams

Plan Schedule

Water Quality Status

Trends

Chain of Lakes

Basinwide Issues

Recommendations & goals

Public Review Comments

2010 Catawba River Basin Plan

Catawba Plan Schedule

Internal Review: April 15 – May 7, 2010

Public Review: May 18 – June 18, 2010

WQC: July 14, 2010

EMC: September 2010

Impaired Waters

2010 Impaired Waters in Red

Between 2004 Plan and 2010 Plan:• Removed from Impaired Waters List:

23.6 miles4,895.1 acres

• Added to Impaired Waters List:226 miles1,937 acres

Biological Rating Trends

Excellent Good Good-Fair Fair Poor02468

1012141618

4

16

13

8

2

1112 12

7

1

Benthic Macroinvertebrate Com-munity (Bug)

Excellent Good Good-Fair Fair Poor0123456789

8 8

34

0

8 8

2

4

1

Fish Community

Im-proved

36%

No Change

42%

De-clined21%

Biological Community Rating Shifts Between 2002 & 2007

2004 – Green / 2010 – Yellow

# of

Sta

tions

# of

Sta

tions

32 Stations Basinwide

Each monitored monthly

Ambient Monitoring System Stations

Copper

Yearly average values of 32 ambient monitoring stations.

Red Lines: Impaired waters for Copper

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

20070

1

2

3

4

5

6

7Mean

Co

pp

er

(u

g/l

)

% Exceedances Between 2004-

2008Turbidity1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30By Mean

Tu

rbid

ity

(NT

U)

Red Lines: Impaired waters for Turbidity

Standard: 50 NTU

No Elevated Levels

Fecal ColiformBacteria (FCB)

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

FC

B G

eo

mean

(c

olo

nie

s

per

10

0 m

l)% Elevated

Between 2004-2008

Red Lines: Impaired waters for FCB

By Geometric Mean

pH

% of Low pH Exceedances

Between 2004-2008

19971998

19992000

20012002

20032004

20052006

20072008

66.26.46.66.8

77.27.47.67.8

8

Red Lines: Impaired waters for Low pH

pH (

S.U

.)

High pH Standard = 9.0 suLow pH Standard = 6.0 su

By Mean

Catawba Chain of Lakes

Catawba Chain of LakesImpaired Lakes:

Rhodhiss, Mountain Island, Portions of Wylie

Recommendations for Chain:Increase main stem buffer awareness through

educational efforts Collect additional samples within the lakes for

a total of 10 samples in each lakeImplement Action Plans

Lake RhodhissImpaired – High pH (since 2004)21% Nitrogen & 48% Phosphorus from point source

Based on modeling from 2000Optimization Study for three WWTP facilities completed

in Jan. 2009Marion, Morganton & Valdese

Western Piedmont Council of Government Watershed Management Plan - (2009)Nonpoint source: nutrient/sediment reductions

Lake Rhodhiss Action PlanPoint Sources:

3 WWTPs complete pilot study to reduce phosphorusNew permit requirements include…

Effluent monitoring weekly for nutrients Instream monitoring monthly for nutrients

Nonpoint Sources: Implement Watershed Management Plan

Evaluate 2012 monitoring results to determine if TMDL is necessary.

Mountain Island LakeImpaired – Low pH

Recommendation:Special Study in

planning stage

DWQ working with Charlotte-Mecklenburg & Duke Energy

Lake WylieUpper dam to I-85:

Impaired - Low pH

South Fork Stem: Impaired - Copper

1996: Nitrogen/Phosphorus TMDL developed to address high chlorophyll a

Lake Wylie 2010 Recommendations

Mount Holly & Belmont permit limits

Develop Action Plan to better support the TMDLMonitoring PlanReview management areaReview source allocationReview nutrient monitoring requirements

Majors – Effluent weekly Minors – Effluent at least monthly

Other Basinwide IssuesStormwater

Velocity & Volume

On-Site Wastewater Treatment

Buffers on Main Stem

Coal Ash Ponds

Water Quality Improvements & Restoration Work1,311 acres preserved and protected through

the Conservation Easement Fund

40 Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) Projects

Active Soil and Water Conservation DistrictsIrish Creek removed from Impaired Waters List

Local Initiatives

Recommendations & Goals for Upcoming CycleAction PlansCoordinate efforts to plan and implement

local watershed management plansParticipate in analysis of Low pHAssist with fecal coliform bacteria reduction

efforts Support buffer awareness and outreach

effortsConduct/support watershed stressor studies

Public Review Received Comments from:

Duke EnergyCharlotte-Mecklenburg Stormwater ServicesTown of ValdeseThe City of HickoryGaston County Cooperative ExtensionThe Farm BureauCatawba RiverKeeper

Public Review CommentsComment Topics:

Low pHRequests for additional lake samplingSources of CopperTaste & Odor issue in Lakes Rhodhiss and HickoryAgricultural Impacts, Farm Bill effortsNeed for a nutrient strategy for the whole chain of

lakesFull study of coal ash pond impactsStronger recommendations to reduce nutrients in

lakesEvaluate stormwater impacts on lakes

Picture will go here

Request to Proceed to EMC for Approval of the

Final Catawba River Basinwide Water Quality Plan

Questions??