Landscape Marylou Renshaw, Chief Watershed Assessment and Planning - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Landscape Marylou Renshaw, Chief Watershed Assessment and Planning - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lake Lemon Reflects the Landscape Marylou Renshaw, Chief Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch What is a Watershed? Watershed Land area that drains to surface water Surface water - rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, ditches Water


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Lake Lemon Reflects the Landscape

Marylou Renshaw, Chief Watershed Assessment and Planning Branch

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What is a Watershed?

  • Watershed

– Land area that drains to surface water – Surface water - rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, ditches

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Water Pollution

  • Point source

– Comes out of a pipe, such as industry or wastewater treatment plant effluent

  • Nonpoint source

– Usually transported over land by storm water run-

  • ff or snow melt

– Also includes pollutants that enter water from the air (e.g., mercury)

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Nonpoint Source Pollution

  • Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is greatest concern
  • Examples of NPS pollutants:

– Nutrients (nitrates, phosphorus) – Sediment – E. coli – Pesticides – Fertilizers – Oil/grease

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Sources of Pollution

  • Land disturbing activities
  • Run-off from row crops
  • Improper manure spreading
  • Livestock with direct access to streams
  • Leaking and failed septic systems
  • Stream bank erosion
  • Urban storm water run-off
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Examples of Pollution Sources

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Examples of Pollution Sources

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Erosion Causes Problems in Waterways

  • Streams

– Sediment from upstream erosion causes more erosion downstream – Damages macroinvertebrate and fish habitat – Degrades water quality

  • Lakes

– Sediment fills lake, which loses depth – Temperature fluctuation increases – Dissolved oxygen may drop – Dredging is expensive and is a temporary solution – Preventing erosion upstream is a longer-term solution and more cost-effective

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What Has Been Done to Improve Water Quality in the Bean Blossom Watershed?

  • Develop a watershed management plan

– Upstream land uses affect downstream WQ – A unified plan ensures cost-effectiveness of on-the- ground practices

  • Implement best management practices

– Conservation tillage – No-till adoption – Cover crop use – Fence livestock out of streams – Septic system maintenance

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No-till

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Cover Crop

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Watershed Management Plan for Restoration and Protection of Bean Blossom Creek and Lake Lemon

  • Completed in 2008

www.idem.IN.gov/nps/3265.htm

  • Input from a diverse collection of stakeholders

in the watershed

  • Water quality concerns inventoried
  • Pollutant sources and critical areas identified
  • Pollution reduction goals established
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Implementation of Best Management Practices

  • Bean Blossom Watershed Management Plan

Implemented from 2009-2012

– Reduced sediment entering the Bean Blossom watershed by roughly 27,200 tons per year – Reduced phosphorous entering the Bean Blossom watershed by more than 3,500 pounds per year – Reduced nitrogen entering the Bean Blossom watershed by roughly 8,600 pounds per year

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Heavy Use Area Protection

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Water and Sediment Control Overflow Basin

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Stream Bank Restoration

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Livestock Exclusion Fencing

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What More Needs to be Done?

  • More implementation is needed

– Target best management practices upstream – Expand implementation to more critical areas

  • Promote awareness

– Increase awareness of water quality problems and what can be done to address them

  • Work with partners

– Leverage skills, resources, and expertise

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Partnerships Are Key

  • Industry and businesses
  • Urban and rural residents
  • Development community
  • County Surveyor
  • Agricultural producers
  • SWCDs
  • Plan commissions
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Partnerships Are Key (cont.)

  • Health Departments
  • County Highway Department
  • Watershed and conservation

groups/agencies

  • Municipal separate storm sewer system

communities (MS4s)

  • Elected officials
  • Community leaders
  • Educators and students
  • Landowner groups
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Funding is Available from the Indiana Nonpoint Source Program

  • Goal: To remove waterways from the 303(d)

List of Impaired Waters

  • Program priorities include:

– Watershed management planning in areas with waterways on 303(d) list – Implementing IDEM approved WMPs

  • Grants are available for planning and

implementation

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For more information contact your watershed specialist

Josh Brosmer, Southwest Region (317)-308-3190 jbrosmer@idem.IN.gov

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Questions?