Presented at the Stakeholder Meeting

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Project Status Phase I Results
Presented at the Stakeholder Meeting Mike
Herrmann, NCEEP Central Watershed
Planner January 27th, 2009
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Phase I Activities Products
Objective Begin Characterizing Watershed
Conditions Process

• Field and GIS inventory
• Delineate and characterize drainages
• Assess Functions
• Form stakeholder group
• Review existing Monitoring data
• Products
• Critical data gaps identified
• Goals for the LWP
• Potential hotspots projects
• Monitoring fieldwork plans
• Preliminary Assessment Report

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Phase I Assessment
Functional Assessment
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Habitat Function
Phase I Assessment
Assessment Factors

• Diverse aquatic terrestrial communities
• Abundant and diverse microhabitat (sticks, leaf
  packs, logs, and root masses)
• Limited embeddedness (covering of channel by fine
  sediment)
• Stable streambanks
• A variety of bottom substrate (sand, gravel,
  cobbles and boulders)
• Stream canopy cover
• Terrestrial habitat is abundant and provides
  adequate food and shelter
• Promotes propagation of native and/or threatened
  species
• Minimally fragmented forests
• Forested wetlands and corridors
• Bold specifies that the factor was part of the
  Phase I Assessment

Hexastylis naniflora (Dwarf flowered Heartleaf).
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Water Quality Function
Phase I Assessment
Assessment Factors

• Chemical, pathogens, and sediments are not
  excessive
• Riparian zones and wetlands and promote nutrient
  sediment uptake
• Stream maintains a hospitable environment for
  aquatic life
• Attaining its designated use (e.g., biological
  integrity, recreation, or water supply)
• Bold specifies that the factor was part of the
  Phase I Assessment

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Hydrology Function
Phase I Assessment
Assessment Factors

• Effective transport of water and sediment
• Low bank-height ratios (vertical stability)
• Reasonably stable streambanks (lateral stability)
  
• Higher base flows, and lower peak flows
• Promote groundwater recharge while storing
  floodwater flows and deposited sediment

• Wooded floodplains to slow flood flows, reducing
  stress on streams
• Upland areas also have higher amounts of forests,
  wetlands, or other permeable land cover that
  encourage infiltration

Bold specifies that the factor was part of the
Phase I Assessment
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Hydrology Draft Results
Phase I Assessment
Forested floodplain riparian area
100-year floodplain
Floodplain Conditions, Middle Indian Creek
Watershed Disturbed Floodplain Acres Total Floodplain Acres of Area Disturbed
Indian Creek 1,286 6,130 21
Howards Creek 755 2,612 29
Middle South Fork 560 1,090 51
LWP Total 2,601 9,832 26
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Phase I Assessment
Subwatersheds
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Watershed Functions Ratings
Phase I Assessment

• High-functioning Watershed is functioning
  efficiently and is resilient to changes in the
  natural environment.
• Functioning at risk Watershed functions are
  minimally achieved but have been diminished and
  are at risk to both natural and man-made
  alterations.
• Low-functioning existing conditions indicate
  that function is not being achieved.

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Watershed FunctionsHydrology
Phase I Assessment
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Watershed FunctionsResults
Phase I Assessment
Funtional Rating Sub-watersheds ()
High 4
At Risk 16
Low 14
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Phase I Gaps
Phase I Assessment
Monitoring

• How do streams compare to regional reference
  conditions?
• How has drought affected aquatic biology?
• Are water quality conditions in streams draining
  urban subwatersheds comparable to rural
  subwatersheds?
• Are water quality conditions healthy upstream of
  Cherryvilles drinking water intake?
• What are the stressors for the lower Indian Creek
  Impairment?

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Phase I Gaps
Phase I Assessment
Stream and Wetland Conditions

• Streambank Stability
• Low bank-height ratios (vertical stability)
• Microhabitat Condition (sticks, leaf packs, logs,
  and root masses)
• Limited embeddedness (covering of channel by fine
  sediment)
• A variety of bottom substrate (sand, gravel,
  cobbles and boulders)
• Identification of Stream and Wetland Stressors
• Identification of Natural Resource Assets
• Assess Stormwater BMP opportunities in watersheds
  draining Cherryville.

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Phase II Objective Complete assessments to
characterize watershed and act on project goals.
Phase II Detailed Watershed Assessment
Activities

• Instream Monitoring
• Physical/chemical
• Biological communities
• Channel and riparian zone assessment
• Stormwater BMP Investigation
• Wetland Functional Assessments
• Modeling the benefits of Restoration
  Practices/BMPs
• Characterization of watershed condition and
  function
• Phase II Detailed Assessment Report
• DWQ Monitoring Reports (Water Chemistry, Biology,
  Wetlands)
• Source Water Protection (SWP) Program activities
• Activities to meet the Project Goals

Products
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Phase II Assessment
Project Goals
Urban Goals Timeframe
1 - Identify the best subwatersheds and project sites for stormwater BMPs. Short-term
2 - Develop recommendations for improving stormwater management. Short-term
3 - Seek funding for stormwater BMPs identified through the LWP. Long-term
Rural Goals
1 - Work with rural landowners to implement agricultural BMPs within priority subwatersheds. Long-term
2 Work with Land Trust(s) to develop a rural preservation strategy. Short-term
Watershed-wide Goals
1 Identify the best subwatersheds for various project types, and rank projects for implementation. Short-term
2 Evaluate the effectiveness of current local ordinances related to watershed protection, and A Establish new local ordinances as needed and B- Provide for more effective enforcement of existing rules and ordinances Long-term
3 Develop a local Watershed Education Program. Short-term
4 Develop a Source Water Protection Plan for Cherryville. Short-term
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Phase II Fieldwork Planning
Phase II Assessment

• Developing Fieldwork Plan
• Entrix under contract to complete the following
  assessments

Feature Sites Visited Project Report
Impacted Streams 40 (25 miles) 25 (15 miles)
Impacted Wetlands 30 (270ac) 20 (150 ac)
Stream Preservation 20 Streams (14 miles) 10 (10 miles)
Stormwater BMPs Up to 10 stream reaches 3 BMPs
Ag BMPs (modeled BMPs) 0 5
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Project Timeline
Winter 2008
Planning Process Begins
Form Stakeholder Group
Monitoring Begins
Summer 2008
Develop Preliminary Findings
Phase 1 Activities End
Fieldwork (Stream, Wetland, Stormwater, Ag BMPs)
Data Analysis/Summaries
Winter 08/09
Water Quality, Biologic Monitoring
Monitoring Summary Report
Watershed Finding Reports
Phase 2 Activities End
Summer 2009
Final Reports

• Atlas of Project Sites
• Final Assessment and Recommendations

Final Public Meetings
Phase 3 Activities End
Winter 09/10
Plan Implementation