Loudoun County Water Resources Monitoring

1. Loudoun County Water Resources Monitoring Presented to Loudoun Valley High School May 9, 2012 David Ward and Scott Sandberg Loudoun County Department of Building & Development

2. Why is this a healthy stream?

3. A larger healthy stream.

4. Healthy?

5. Could this be a problem?

6. Or this?

7. Too much water?

8. Overview • Monitoring – Type, who, where • Stream assessment and impairments • Catoctin Watershed • Bacteria sampling • Historic monitoring in Purcellville Nature Park • Benthic Monitoring Identification

9. Types of Monitoring • Stream assessment and conditions (benthic/habitat) • Groundwater levels and groundwater quality • Surface water streamflow rates and surface water quality • Precipitation / rainfall

10. Who Monitors • Federal Government – US Environmental protection Agency • State - Virginia Department of Environmental Quality • Local Government – Loudoun County, Soil & Water Conservation District • Citizen Groups – Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Goose Creek Association, student groups and other Loudoun Watershed Watch Partners  Size of organization  Intensity of Monitoring

11. Public Opinion Implementation TMDL Impairment VDEQ Ches Bay Program Healthy Water County/ Towns VA SOS Loudoun Watershed Watch Volunteer Stream Monitoring Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Students Goose Creek Association Loudoun County Government Soil & Water Conservation

12. Watersheds (Where) • 17 major watersheds • 1,500+ miles of perennial streams • Bull Run and Cub Run drain south to Occoquan, all others drain N/E to Potomac.

13. Monitoring Sites • Precipitation / rain • Stream flow • Groundwater levels • Groundwater quality • Stream assessment • Stream water quality • Volunteer data

14. Precipitation Real-time data at USGS

15. Groundwater Level

16. Streamflow Real-time data at USGS

17. Stream Assessment and Impairments

18. Stream Impairments "Not Supporting Designated Use" --> "Impaired" --> "Dirty"

19. Assessment Cycle Every two years Virginia Dept of Environmental Quality (DEQ) conducts water quality assessment

20. State Stream Monitoring Over 100,000 water chemistry and bacteria analyses since 1990’s

21. Stream (Impairments) Aquatic Life Use - Benthic Recreational Use - Bacteria

22. Interactive map at www.loudounwatershedwatch.org/maps 2009 Stream Assessment Based on a probability-based benthic survey at 178 locations more than 78 percent of streams are “stressed” or “severely stressed” .

23. Benthic and Habitat www.loudounwatershedwatch.org/maps

24. Benthic only

25. Habitat Site

26. Photo Popup

27. Catoctin Watershed

28. Citizen Volunteer Stakeholder’s Overall Contributions – 2005-2009 Citizen volunteer organizations have made a substantial contribution to the TMDL IP: • Community Outreach and Education – publications, website, meetings, etc. = 1200 hrs volunteer time • Riparian Tree Planting and Stream Clean-up Projects = 1500 hrs volunteer time • Stream Monitoring – 90 sampling days, 970 samples, 1500 lab analyses = 1500 hrs volunteer time Recognition -- LWW/CWP received the 2007 Outstanding Organization Award from Virginia Citizens for Water Quality

29. 37 Livestock stream exclusion practices 14 Cover crop

30. 57 corrective actions 19 minor repairs 27 gravity field replacements 10 alternative drainfields 8 straight pipes eliminated Grant funds $550,000

31. Lessons Learned – Stream Monitoring Volunteer citizen group can conduct stream monitoring for a TMDL IP Assessing trends or significant changes requires several years of data A monitoring program based on Coliscan Easygel costs $1200/year, and grant funds are typically available

32. Nature Park

34. Events Family Stream Day – October (2002-2011) Earth Day at Loudoun April (2009-2012) Lucketts Potomac River Rangers

36. Contact: • David Ward (david.ward@loudoun.gov) • Scott Sandberg (scott.sandberg@loudoun.gov ) • Loudoun County Dept. of Building & Development • 703-777-0220 • Additional information is available at • www.loudoun.gov/waterresources