CRJC Mount Ascutney Local River Subcommittee

Transcription

1 CRJC Mount Ascutney Local River Subcommittee Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Windsor Welcome Center 3 Railroad Ave, Windsor Vermont DRAFT MINUTES Present: John Bruno, Charlestown Cordie Merritt, Hartland Judy Howland, Hartland Matthew Magnifico, Windsor Nancy Heatley, Weathersfield Bill Manner, Springfield Kelly Stettner, Springfield Thomas Hernon, Rockingham Margaret Perry, Rockingham Tara Bamford, staff Marie Caduto, ANR 1. The meeting was opened at 7:00 PM by Nancy Heatley, Chair, and introductions made. 2. Marie Caduto, VT ANR, presented the process and role of Basin Planning in Vermont as shown on the attached. She described the assessments that go into the plans and the implementation that follows. She is currently working on the basin that includes the Ottauquechee, Black, Williams and several smaller Connecticut River tributaries. Marie asked for the Subcommitttee's thoughts on priorities in this basin. Issues mentioned included the need for better understanding of the erosion on the Connecticut, and the algal bloom on Stoughton Pond. Windsor was recommended as a good candidate for the next stormwater master plan. Members were asked to reply to Marie directly with additional input from their communities. 3. The minutes of March 8, 2016 were approved as presented by motion of Hernon/Manner. The minutes of July 12, 2016 were approved as presented by motion of Bruno/Hernon. 4. It was agreed that this year's Septic Smart workshop was another big success. Suggestions for next year were to have it in New Hampshire in order to alternate back and forth, and to consider extending the time slightly for discussion/q&a. 5. NHDOT's planned repaving of the St Gaudens road was discussed. It was agreed that the NPS would have addressed any issues of concern. Tara will write to NHDOT and make sure the ranger received the notice. Windsor's draft discharge permit for the Weston Heights WWTF was discussed. It was agreed that 1

2 ANR would have addressed any issues adequately in the proposed permit. Tara will write to let them know no comments. 6. The possibility of offering assistance to towns with review of the water resource elements of their town plans was discussed. It was agreed that that would be a good way to promote the corridor plan recommendations. 7. This year's drought was discussed and what if any role the Subcommittee should have with that. It was agreed that it is an issue that should be addressed in the corridor plan update. 8. Updates- Tara and John reported that the focus of CRJC has been on participating in the FERC relicensing process for the Wilder, Bellows Falls and Vernon dams. CRJC has a work group in which John participates, and is participating in a CRWC-led stakeholders group. Nancy has volunteered to represent CRJC on Southern Windsor RPC's Clean Water Advisory Committee. 9. The meeting schedule for 2017 was set as every other month on the 2nd Tuesday. 10. The annual report was reviewed and approved. The meeting adjourned at 8:45. Minutes respectfully submitted by Tara Bamford. 2

3 Tactical Basin Plans and Project Prioritization Echo Lake 15 Major River Basins in Vermont Watershed Coordinator Territory Current Basin Plan 15 Planning Basins 5 Planners Plans revisited ~ every 5years Planners coordinate plans in phases: Monitoring & Assessment Planning Implementation 1

4 CRJC Ascutney LRS Region Watersheds Black Ottauquechee Williams Connecticut & tributaries Mill Brook Lulls Brook Ottauquechee CT Tributaries Black Williams Purpose of Basin Planning Protect the Best as required by the Vermont Water Quality Standards 2

5 Purpose of Basin Planning Restore the Rest as required by the Vermont Water Quality Standards Watershed Planning Background Water Quality Management Plans Completed every 5 years Focus on non point source pollution and protection of high quality waters Prioritize impaired waters Required by the VT General Assembly & US EPA 3

6 A Basin Plan Answers What is the water quality and the condition of the habitat? What needs to be done to improve and protect WQ? What are the strategies that can be implemented to address the problems? Who are the potential partners and funding sources? What are the management goals for the waters? P r o c e s s Monitoring Assessment Planning Implementation 4

7 Basin Assessment Compilation of all monitoring data State agencies Federal partners Municipal programs Local monitoring programs Reported to US EPA 303(d) list of impaired waters Physical Chemical Biological Geomorphic Assessments Study of the physical processes and features of the river and watershed Ottauquechee River: Roaring Brook Black River: Upper Black North Branch Buffalo Brook Patch Book Twentymile Stream Connecticut Direct Mill Brook north Hubbard Brook (P1) 5

8 Road Erosion Inventory sections of municipal road networks that are hydrologically-connected to surface waters through ditches, culverts or other drainage structures TMDLs Phosphorus Black River Bacteria Lower Black River CSO s Long Island Sound DO Mercury 6

9 Stormwater Master Plans Resiliency Assessment 7

10 Lake Assessments Surface Water Stressors 8

11 Impaired, Priority & Stressed Waters Waters do not meet VT Water Quality Standards Implementation of TMDLs and target waters via Tactical Basin Planning LC Memph LIS 9

12 Surface Water Protection Flood Resiliency The GOOD stuff! Surface Water Protection Reclassification Recommendations for Class A(1) Recognition Recommendations for Very High Quality Waters (B1) Reclassification Recommendations for Outstanding Resource Waters Recommendations for Study as Potential Class 1 Wetlands 10

13 StageGate - Project Development & Evaluation Project Concept Gate Project Completed Front-load criteria for project support into tactical planning process 22 11

14 Grading Project Prioritization Guidance Focus area Current condition Assessment recommendation ranks Ecological benefit Cost / benefit 12

15 Ecosystem Restoration Grants Project Types Agricultural Runoff Stormwater Treatment Lakeshore Restoration Road Runoff & Erosion Mitigation River & Floodplain Restoration Wetland Restoration Riparian Buffer Restoration Implementation!!! 13

16 Projects Completed Riparian Buffer Restoration Projects Completed Constriction Removal & Buffer Restoration 14

17 Projects Completed Berm removal Wetland restoration The Role of CRJC LRS Main stem water quality issues? Other concerns and issues to address? Involvement in a collaborative approach Involvement in implementation 15

18 Ascutney LRS Input: FERC process erosion studies need review Stormwater master plan for Windsor Stoughton Pond bloom Send as pdf Questions & Comments: Marie Levesque Caduto DEC Watershed Coordinator 100 Mineral St., Suite 303 Springfield, Vermont