Healthy and Resilient Watersheds: What s in the Way? What s Possible?

Transcription

1 Healthy and Resilient Watersheds: What s in the Way? What s Possible? Maine Stormwater Conference November 17, 2015 Trish Garrigan, Healthy Watersheds Coordinator EPA New England Garrigan.trish@epa.gov

2 Healthy and Resilient Watersheds: What s in the Way? What s Possible? Introduction Healthy Watersheds at EPA What makes a watershed healthy and resilient? What s in the way? What s possible? Discussion EPA Tools and Resources

3 Protect the best, then restore the rest Great Bay Watershed

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5 Why Healthy Watersheds? We are losing ground. We cannot meet our Clean Water Act goals (physical, chemical, biological) without a more comprehensive and proactive approach. We have the CWA tools, such as anti-degradation, and residual designation, and we need to use them. We need a systems approach to water resources management. We need to update policies, adjust how we measure success, integrate programs, provide leadership and direction. Limited resources force EPA and the states to be more efficient and effective. States/NGO s are already moving in this direction. We need to take advantage of new ways of working that provide multiple benefits and save money. New practices, modeling tools, and approaches are available that result in multiple benefits to water, air, quality of life, and help adapt to climate change

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7 HW updated site is soon to be public at

8 What is a Healthy Watershed? National Experts Workshop hosted by EPA s Office of Research and Development Some characteristics include: Habitat of sufficient size and connectivity for native aquatic and riparian species Biotic refugia or critical habitat (e.g., deep pools, seeps & springs for survival during droughts) A natural hydrology (flow regime, ground water, lake levels) that supports aquatic species and habitat Natural transport and storage of sediment and wood and stream geomorphology that provide natural habitat Water quality that supports biotic communities & habitat Healthy aquatic biological communities

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10 EPA Region 1 Healthy Watershed Pilot Final Report by RTI June 2014 Focus is on ecosystem services, ecological resilience The report included a database and GIS maps 10

11 Region 1 Healthy Watershed Pilot in Taunton Watershed Became the: Resilient Taunton Watershed Network Resilient Taunton Watershed Network Bridgewater State University Horsley Witten Group Manomet Center for Conservation Science MA Department of Environmental Protection MA Division of Ecological Restoration MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs MassAudubon Metropolitan Area Planning Council Narragansett Bay Estuary Program National Park Service The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Old Colony Planning Council Save the Bay Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) Taunton River Watershed Alliance US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) US Geological Survey Wildlands Trust And you! 11

12 A resilient watershed is one that has the capacity to adjust to stresses and disturbances while still able to provide valuable ecosystem services and functions, such as provision of a clean and plentiful water supply and flood protection 12

13 Now it is Healthy and Resilient In the face of climate change - What is Resilience? Root From the root resilire to spring back, rebound Definitions focus on : Absorbing shock Responding and recovering quickly Adapting to a changing environment Avoiding impacts by proactively reducing risks

14 Projected extreme weather events and impacts More precipitation in winter and in the form of rain and ice More extreme weather events, e.g. 2 and 3 day events, heavy dumps, floods, erosion Vulnerable WWTP and DW facilities, CSOs Stormwater overwhelming built infrastructure - culverts, roads, dams, and energy, communications and transportation systems Affecting water quality, quantity and ecosystems Emergency preparedness and response

15 Many kinds of climate impacts Climate Changes Temperature Sea Level Rise Health Impacts Ecosystems Precipitation Weather-related deaths Infectious diseases Air quality - respiratory illnesses Loss of habitat and diversity Species range shifts Ecosystem services Agriculture Forest Impacts Water Resources Coastal Areas Crop yields Irrigation demand Pest management Geographic range Health, composition, and productivity Changes in precipitation, water quality, and water supply Erosion and inundation of coastal lands Costs of protecting vulnerable lands

16 One Definition Resilience is the capacity of individuals, communities and systems to survive, adapt, and grow in the face of stress and shocks, and even transform when conditions require it. Building resilience is about making people, communities and systems better prepared to withstand catastrophic events both natural and manmade- and able to bounce back more quickly and emerge stronger from these shocks and stresses. The Rockefeller Foundation

17 Before After What does resilience look like?

18 Culverts meet stream crossing standards

19 before after North Street, Pittsfield, MA

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21 before after Taunton Mill River before and after removal of Whittenton Dam

22 Before Hill Street, Raynham, MA After

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26 What are factors in a resilient watershed? People - strong relationships/partnerships with neighboring communities Flood plains and wetlands are providing natural storage and protection Streams are connected and have room to flow and move Variety of habitat types Local food and energy sources Protected and backed up utilities (wastewater, water supply, power) Local bylaws that support reducing and conserving energy and water, protection of natural resources Other?

27 Healthy and Resilient Watersheds What s in the way? Short term vs. long term decision making TMI which projection to consider? Which tool to use? Collaboration confusion Outdated design standards and precip. data Lack of funding and funding constraints Not easy to combine and maximize eligible for FEMA buyout if damage is more than 50% of the value of home FEMA will replace culvert the same way it was, unless local plans require otherwise

28 Healthy and Resilient Watersheds What s Possible? Online collaboration tools New economic models - shared costs Can we make the economic case New ways to consider cost/benefit (avoided costs, long term gains) Learning as we go and sharing lessons Other ideas?

29 Resilience and Adaptation in New England RAINE Database Includes 100 New England towns, regions, states Information from more than 300 documents Data searches can be done on impacts, plan or product, funding, partners Available December 2015 Example: Search on Sea Level Rise

30 WSIO is now public at

31 Better Integrating EPA Watershed Analysis Resources Supporting restoration and protection with our state and other partners Healthy Watersheds Protection Protecting aquatic systems through landscape approaches Assessment methodology (protection) 4 state, 2 w shed in-depth assessments Regional and state networking Healthy watersheds grant Recovery Potential Screening Tools for Comparing Impaired Watersheds Restorability Assessment methodology (restoration) 22 state assessments, 48 state tools Regional and state networking Support for states on TMDL Vision, 319 Watershed Index Online A National Watershed Data Library and Tool National HUC12 indicator data library Online adaptation of RPS tool Supports HW, RPS and other users

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38 Trish Garrigan, Healthy Watersheds Coordinator EPA New England