Otter Creek Watershed TMDL Project Stakeholder Meeting June 6, 2013 1
Meeting Purpose Meet with watershed & technical advisory group members and watershed landowners to provide basic Otter Creek TMDL project information 2
Presentation Outline Introduction (Dean Yashan) Iron TMDL Development (Kristy Fortman) Sediment TMDL Development (Kristy Fortman) Salinity TMDL Development (Erik Makus) Next Steps & Project Schedule (Christina Staten) 3
What is a TMDL? Total Maximum Daily Load is the amount of a pollutant that a stream can receive from all sources and still meet water quality standards Total Current Load TMDL 4
Water Quality Standards Numeric or Narrative (Descriptive) Protect Designated Uses Such as Agriculture & Aquatic Life Designated Uses are Based on Classification 5 Agriculture: Irrigation Agriculture: Livestock Water Supply Aquatic Life: Warmwater Fish
Water Use Classification 6 Different ecosystems and stream types are suitable for different uses and classified in different categories
Why a TMDL is Written DEQ uses monitoring data to assess water quality & compare to applicable water quality standards If the data show a water quality problem, the waterbody is put on a list of impaired waters The federal Clean Water Act and Montana State Law require a TMDL for each waterbody-pollutant cause of impairment 7
Types of Pollutant Concerns in Eastern Montana METALS NUTRIENTS SEDIMENT SALINITY 8
Montana TMDL Program History More than 1,000 Approved TMDLs (1998 present) Close to 50 TMDL Documents Completed as of June 2013 9 http://deq.mt.gov/wqinfo/tmdl/finalreports.mcpx
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Otter Creek Watershed 11
Otter Creek Impairment Causes Iron Sediment Salinity Alteration of Streamside Vegetation (not a pollutant) 12
Otter Creek TMDL Development Steps 1. Further characterize water quality 2. Identify and quantify pollutant sources Can include future sources 13
Otter Creek TMDL Development Steps 3. Define the TMDL and source load allocations Address permitted surface water point sources, non-point sources (originating from a diffuse area), and natural background 14 Point Source Non-Point Source Natural Source
Applying Otter Creek TMDLs For Water Quality Protection Does not create or impose new regulations Can help implement existing regulations, mainly for point source surface water discharges Voluntary for the majority of non-point sources activities, including agriculture Application of water quality improvement practices is a landowner s decision 15
Otter Creek TMDL Project Ultimate goal of the TMDLs is to protect water quality in the Otter Creek / Tongue River watersheds Priority area based on existing and proposed energy development (coalbed methane, coal) 16
Otter Creek Iron TMDL Development 17 Presented by: Kristy Fortman, Iron TMDL Project Manager
Metals Metals: naturally occurring geologic deposits can sometimes enter the environment through natural processes (ex. Dissolved into groundwater) Excess metals may impair support of aquatic life, both warm and cold water fisheries, drinking water, and agriculture. 18
Iron Presentation Outline: 1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources 19
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Iron Iron standard The chronic aquatic life criterion for total recoverable iron is 1,000 μg/l 2500 Fe- Otter Creek at Ashland, MT - USGS Gage #06307740 2000 1500 1000 Iron, water, unfiltered, recoverable, micrograms per liter Iron chronic aquatic life criteria 500 0 20
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Iron Parameters Iron concentrations Total and dissolved Discharge Additional metals concentrations Sediment metal concentrations 21
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Site Location Considerations: High flow and low flow Bracket potential sources Bracket tributaries Improve spatial distribution 22
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Location considerations 4. Sources Iron Natural sources Geology Human influenced sources Soil erosion from Forest practices/timber operations Agriculture Development Abandoned mines/mills/placers Active mines Reclaimed mines Permitted point sources: Industrial mining Stormwater 23
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Location considerations 4. Sources Iron Natural sources Abandoned mines Human caused soil erosion Permitted point sources (future sources) 24
Iron Summary Data shows iron above standard Collecting high and low flow parameters this year at 12 locations Bracketing tributaries and collecting upstream data to better understand potential iron sources 25
Otter Creek Sediment TMDL Development 26 Sed - 1 Presented by: Kristy Fortman, Sediment Project Manager
Sediment Sediment: naturally occurring component of healthy and stable stream ecosystems Too much sediment may cause imbalance in the stream Excess inputs of sediment and impacts to aquatic life: high concentrations of suspended sediment alter channel form and function (habitat, e.g. pools or stream width) 27
Sediment Presentation Outline 1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources 28
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Sediment Sediment narrative standards No increases in sediment above naturally occurring concentrations which will or are likely to create a nuisance or harm to beneficial uses. Naturally occurring = conditions or material present from runoff or percolation over which humans have no control or from developed land where all reasonable land, soil and water conservation practices have been applied 29
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Sediment 1. Channel form and function measures 30 Channel stability Instream habitat Riparian health Bank erosion Substrate material
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Sediment 2. TSS # USGS 06307740 Otter Creek at Ashland MT 1000 100 LOAD, IN TONNES/DAY 10 1 0.1 0.01 31 0.001 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 DISCHARGE, IN CMS
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Existing data Montana Natural Heritage Program NRCS Proper Functioning Condition USDA Suspended Sediment Study USGS TSS DEQ and others- Macroinvertebrates Data to be collected Geomorphology and habitat data 32
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Sediment Ecoregion, Stream Order, Confinement, Gradient Land Use and Access Representative Reach 1000 ft 33
1. Standard 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Sediment 34 Natural erosion Result of climatic and hydrologic processes Human influenced sediment/erosion Streambank erosion Streamside vegetation removal Livestock impacts Sediment from upland erosion Grazing practices Timber harvest Streamside vegetation removal Crop production Development/construction Sediment from roads and road crossings Point Sources Permitted entities
1. Standards 2. Monitoring parameters 3. Site location considerations 4. Sources Sediment Natural Bank erosion Upland sources Point sources (current and future) 35
Sediment TMDLs Summary Existing data includes TSS, PFC, macroinvertebrates, and fish Collecting geomorphology and habitat data this summer Will use existing source assessments and conduct a bank erosion assessment this summer 36
Salinity TMDL Development and Modeling in the Otter Creek Watershed 37 Erik Makus DEQ Hydrologist June 6, 2013
Outline for Today: Otter Creek and the Tongue River Previous salinity modeling efforts Existing Data Loading Simulation Program in C++ (LSPC) Modeling Salinity and SAR Scenario Development 38
Otter Creek watershed 707 square miles Spans three counties: Powder River 95% Rosebud 2.5% Big Horn 2.5% Elevations range from approx. 2,900 ft. to 4,425 ft. Mean annual flow in Otter Creek is about 4.5 cfs 39
Tongue River watershed 5,400 square miles Spans 2 states, 6 counties, and 2 Indian reservations. Tongue River Reservoir: 79,000 ac-ft. Mean annual flow in the Tongue River is about 390 cfs (near Birney, MT) Upper Tongue primarily snowmelt driven (Lower is 40 regulated by the reservoir).
Otter Creek and the Tongue River Otter Creek salt load affects downstream 7% users in the Tongue 6% Otter Creek flow 5% makes up about 0.5% 4% of Tongue River flow 3% during summer 2% EC in Otter Creek 1% averages about 4x the 0% EC in Tongue River 41 OC flow/tr flow (%) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Previous modeling efforts EPA in 2007 Two separate watershed models plus a reservoir model to simulate the Tongue River Reservoir Looked at salinity, SAR, and nutrients. Tremendous amount of data collection for this effort. This effort is the basis for our future Tongue River modeling work. 42
Previous modeling efforts Modeling the Tongue River Watershed with LSPC and CE-QUAL-W2 (two documents - report and appendix) Water Quality Assessment for the Tongue River Watershed, Montana (two documents report and appendix). http://www.epa.gov/region8/water/monitoring 43
Existing Data for Salinity Modeling Discharge (Flow) 44 Electrical Conductivity (EC) Agriculture Drinking Water Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
Existing Flow Data USGS Station 06307740 Otter Creek at Ashland MT Agriculture Drinking Water 45
Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) Salinity is a measure of how much dissolved salt is in the water Can be measured several different ways, but the simplest is to measure as conductance either electrical conductivity (EC) or specific conductance (SC) All natural water is saline; however, too much can cause problems to things that use it (plants, aquatic life, livestock, humans) 46
47 Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
48 Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
49 Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
50 Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) is a measure of the suitability of water for irrigation. A high SAR indicates the water is less suitable for irrigation. SAR is calculated using a ratio using calcium, magnesium, and sodium. SAR can be directly Agriculture measured in the field, or estimated from regression equations (USGS data). Drinking Water 51
Salinity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) Agriculture Drinking Water 52
LSPC Loading Simulation Program in C++ A hydrology model that includes sediment and general water quality constituents, and a simplified stream fate and transport model Developed for EPA by Tetra Tech, based on the HSPF model (re-coded and updated) In the EPA TMDL Modeling Toolbox Runs on an hourly time step Uses energy balance for hydrology 53
SAR Modeling in LSPC LSPC models major cations using the general water quality module. So we model calcium (Ca 2+ ), magnesium (Mg 2+ ), and sodium (Na + ) Can then calculate SAR: 54
Salinity Modeling in LSPC LSPC does not specifically model salinity, but again, we are modeling calcium, magnesium, and sodium with the general water quality module. Major cations in water (Na, Ca, Mg, K, other metals, etc.) Use observed relationship between cation totals and salinity. 55
56 Salinity Modeling in LSPC
57 Salinity Modeling in LSPC
58 Salinity Modeling in LSPC
59 Salinity Modeling in LSPC
Pathways for water interaction Surface Runoff (Overland Flow) Interflow (soil-zone flow) Groundwater Flow 60
How can LSPC help us? Calibrate model to existing data from 1988 to 2010 (23 years). Determine existing load and compare to standards (EC/SAR). Make total maximum daily load determinations based on standards. Run various scenarios to see how the model responds to changing land use/management. 61
Modeling Scenarios Existing Scenario No Agriculture (Irrigation/Grazing) Scenario Potential Scenarios (Mine, CBM, etc.) 62
Summary TMDL goal: protect water quality (salinity and SAR) in the Otter Creek/Tongue River watersheds. 63 Modeling objective: identify relative source contributions of salinity (salts) under varying scenarios. Erik Makus Emakus@mt.gov 406-444-2459
64 Erik Makus Emakus@mt.gov 406-444-2459
65 Next Steps
Next Steps Data Collection This Spring & Summer Complete Salinity Modeling Draft the TMDL Document Watershed Advisory Group Review and Comment on Draft Document Public Comment on Draft Document 66
Project Schedule Draft Document Expected to be Available for Public Comment End of 2013 30-Day Public Comment Period with a Public Meeting Final Document Submittal to EPA Expected First Quarter 2014 67
Your Help Information on Potential Pollutant Sources Help Identifying Relevant Reports and Studies Information on Current and Historical Land Management Practices Information and Experience Applying Land Management Improvement Practices in the Area 68
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Contact Info: 72 Dean Yashan Dyashan@mt.gov 406-444-5317 Kristy Fortman Kfortman@mt.gov 406-444-7425 Erik Makus Emakus@mt.gov 406-444-2459 Christina Staten Cstaten@mt.gov 406-444-2836