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WATER QUALITY SURFACE-WATER QUALITY ISSUES
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- CHARACTERIZATION OF KEY NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTANTS AND SOURCES OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION
- SURFACE-WATER CLASSIFICATIONS
- STRATEGIC HABITAT UNITS
- ECOREGIONS
- 303(d) LIST OF IMPAIRED WATERS
- STORMWATER RUNOFF ISSUES
- CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
- INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES
- MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEMS ACTIVITIES
- NPDES PERMITS
WATER QUALITYSURFACE-WATER QUALITY ISSUESWater quality is regulated by and water-quality policy is established between ADEM and USEPA. CHARACTERIZATION OF SUPERFUND SITESIn 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, was established to address the cleanup and remediation of uncontrolled hazardous waste sites by allowing the USEPA to ensure that responsible parties cleaned up the contaminated sites or reimbursed expenses incurred during cleanup procedures by the USEPA (USEPA, 2013a). The clean-up process for Superfund sites is both extensive and long-term. The process begins with a preliminary assessment/site inspection, followed by site listing on the National Priorities List. Then a remedial investigation/feasibility study is conducted to determine the nature and extent of contamination. Once the nature and extent of contamination is determined, a remedial action plan is put into place, in which the bulk of the site cleanup occurs, long-term response actions are put into place to provide long-term protection of human health and the environment, and eventually the site is designated for reuse or redevelopment (USEPA, 2013a). American Brass, Inc., is the only Superfund site located in the CPYRW. The American Brass, Inc., site is located near Headland, in southern Henry County (fig. 84). American Brass, Inc., was a brass foundry that produced brass alloys from scrap metals and operated until 1992. Prior to that, a fertilizer plant was operated at the site (USEPA, 2013b). In 1999, the site was placed on the National Priorities List due to contaminated soil and groundwater, including contaminates such as metals (lead, copper, zinc, and boron) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (USEPA, 2013b). Clean up activities at the site included demolition and removal of structures and pavement, excavation of contaminated soils and adding clean soils to the excavated areas, planting vegetative covering, restoring impacted wetlands, monitored natural attenuation to reduce concentrations of contaminants in groundwater, and engineering controls to control surface runoff (USEPA, 2013b). CHARACTERIZATION OF KEY NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTANTS AND SOURCES OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATIONNonpoint sources of pollution are originate from many sources, particularly human activities on land, and unlike point sources (which are regulated under the Clean Water Act), nonpoint sources cannot be directly tied to one specific source (USEPA, 2012b). Nonpoint source pollution can result from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage, or hydrologic modifications (USEPA, 2012b). Nonpoint sources can include excessive use of fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides on agricultural and residential lands, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production, sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks, salt from irrigation practices, acid drainage from abandoned mines, and bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septic systems (USEPA, 2012b). Constituents that result from these nonpoint sources can include sediments, nutrients, bacteria, and metals, as were previously discussed in this WMP. SURFACE-WATER CLASSIFICATIONSWATER USE CLASSIFICATIONSThere are seven use classifications currently employed by the State of Alabama: Outstanding Alabama Water, Public Water Supply, Swimming and Other Whole Body Water-Contact Sports, Shellfish Harvesting, Fish and Wildlife, Limited Warmwater Fishery, and Agricultural and Industrial Water Supply (ADEM, 2014a [make sure this is correct ref]). Table 32 lists the stream classifications for the Choctawhatchee River Basin as compiled from the ADEM Administrative Code 335-6-11 (ADEM, 2014a [ditto]). Based on these classifications, all water bodies within the Choctawhatchee River Basin are classified as Fish and Wildlife (F&W), with seven of the streams also classified as Swimming and Other Whole Body Water-Contact Sports (S). Table 33 lists the stream classification for Yellow River as complied from the ADEM Administrative Code 335-6-11 (ADEM, 2014a [ditto]). STRATEGIC HABITAT UNITSStrategic Habitat Units (SHUs) and Strategic River Reach Units (SRRUs) encompass a substantial portion of Alabama’s remaining high-quality water courses and reflect a variety of aquatic habitats occupied by mussels, snails, crayfishes, rare fishes, and reptiles and amphibians (Wynn and others, 2012). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), in conjunction with the ADCNR, and the GSA are focusing conservation activities for managing, recovering, and restoring populations of these species in selected watershed and river segments in the five major HUC 4 subregions in Alabama (Wynn and others, 2012). The SHUs include areas with geomorphically stable stream and river channel, adequate stream flow to support normal behavior, growth, and survival of the species, acceptable water quality conditions, diversity of channel substrate types, few or no competitive species or predaceous nonnative species, and the presence of fish hosts with adequate living, foraging, and spawning areas for mussels (Wynn and others, 2012). The SRRUs were also selected based on the above listed habitat features and also include river reaches where restoration and recovery actions are already underway or planned for species (Wynn and others, 2012). Within the CPYRW, there are three SHUs and two SRRUs (fig. 85). SHUs are located in the Upper Pea River in the Pea River Subbasin, West Fork Choctawhatchee River in the Upper Choctawhatchee River Subbasin, and Five Runs Creek in the Yellow River Subbasin. SRRUs are located in the Lower Pea River and the Choctawhatchee River. Threatened and/or endangered species endemic to these SHUs and SRRUs are listed in table 34, which is unpublished, but has been provided by the Ecosystems Investigations Program division at the GSA. This is not a complete list of threatened and endangered species in the CPYRW, simply a list of the species specific to SHUs and SRRUs. For a complete list of threatened and endangered species, including species specific to these SHUs and SRRUs, please see the Ecosystem Resources section. ECOREGIONSEcoregions can be identified as areas with similar ecosystems and type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources, which includes geology, physiography, vegetation, climate, soils, land use, wildlife, and hydrology (USGS, 2001). In Alabama, there are four levels of ecoregions: Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level IV. Level I is the coarsest, dividing North America into 15 ecological regions, of which Alabama is included in the Eastern Temperate Forests ecoregion, which extends from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Atlantic Coast to Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota (Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), 1997). Level I is characterized by a moderate to mildly humid climate, relatively dense and diverse forest cover, and high density human population, with major activities including urban industries, agriculture, and forestry (CEC, 1997). Alabama is further subdivided into Level II, which is in the Southeastern USA Plains (CEC, 1997). In Level III, the CPYRW is located in the Southeastern Plains ecoregion (65), which is defined by a mild, humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild winters (CEC, 2011). The CPYRW is comprised of three different Level IV ecoregions: Southern Hilly Gulf Coastal Plain, Southern Pine Plains Hills, and Dougherty Plain (fig. 86). Ecoregions in the CPYRW study area are very similar in geographic extent to the physiographic districts discussed previously (CWP and GSA, 2005). The Southern Hilly Gulf Coastal Plains ecoregion corresponds to the Chunnenuggee Hills (CH) and Southern Red Hills (SRH) districts and is defined by dissected irregular plains, northward facing cuestas, and low hills with broad tops, with various wide floodplains present with broad undulating terraces (CWP and GSA, 2005). The Southern Pine Plains and Hills ecoregion corresponds to the Dougherty Plain (DP) and Southern Pine Hills (SPH) districts and is characterized by southward sloping dissected irregular plains with some open low hills, in addition to mostly broad, gently sloping ridgetops with steeper side slopes near drainages (CWP and GSA, 2005). The Dougherty Plain ecoregion refers to the same name in the physiographic districts and is described by lightly dissected irregular plains containing various flat plains, with low gradients with some areas of moderate relief (CWP and GSA, 2005). 303(d) LIST OF IMPAIRED WATERSSection 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states to identify waters for which technology based limitations of pollutants are not stringent enough to achieve water quality standards and these water bodies must be assigned priority rankings based on severity of pollution and intended uses of the waters (CWP and GSA, 2005). Total daily maximum loads (TMDLs), which is an estimate of the total load of pollutants (from point, nonpoint, and background sources) that a segment of water can receive without exceeding applicable water quality criteria, must be developed for these listed waters and submitted to USEPA for approval (CWP and GSA, 2005). Once a TMDL is established, the permitting authority (ADEM) must allocate the total pollutant load among the various sources discharging into the water body (CWP and GSA, 2005). Table 35 lists the current 13 streams and waterbodies on the draft 2014 303(d) list that are located in the CPYRW. All 13 streams are classified as F&W (ADEM, 2014b). Figure 87 shows the location of the draft 2014 303(d) listed streams within the CPYRW. RECOMMENDATIONThe CPYRWMA and local entities, in cooperation with ADEM, should be aware of the current 303(d) listed streams. CPYRWMA should assist ADEM, whenever possible to facilitate strategies for programs and practices to produce positive impacts to the 303(d) listed streams. STORMWATER RUNOFF ISSUESStormwater runoff occurs when excessive precipitation does not percolate into the subsurface, but flows over land or impervious surfaces and transports debris, chemicals, sediment, or other pollutants (USEPA, 2012c). The primary means to control stormwater discharge is through best management practices (BMPs), which are required under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. There are three types of NPDES coverage for stormwater: construction activities, industrial activities, and municipal systems (USEPA, 2012c). In Alabama, the permitting authority regulating coverage under the NPDES permitting system is ADEM. CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIESConstruction activities resulting in land disturbances equal to or greater than 1 acre, or from construction activities involving less than 1 acre and are part of a plan of development or sale equal to or greater than 1 acre are required to obtain NPDES covered under General Permit Number ALR100000 (ADEM, 2013a). A requirement of this General Permit is that operators/owners must implement and maintain a Construction Best Management Practices Plan that addresses effective sediment and erosion controls (ADEM 2013b). Pollutants associated with stormwater runoff from construction activities can include sediment, debris, and chemicals (USEPA, 2012c). INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIESIndustrial activities that result in discharges into waters of the state are covered under Individual and General Permits (ADEM, 2013b). The following industrial activities are covered under General Permits: asphalt (ALG020000), boat/ship (ALG030000), lumber and wood (ALG060000), concrete (ALG110000), metals (ALG120000), transportation (ALG140000), food (ALG150000), landfill (ALG160000), paint (ALG170000), salvage/recycling (ALG180000), plastic and rubber (ALG200000), stone/glass/clay (ALG230000), textile (ALG240000), NCCW [define?] (ALG250000), offshore (ALG280000), petroleum (ALG340000), hydroelectric (ALG360000), filter backwash from water treatment plants (ALG640000), hydrostatic test (ALG670000), noncoal/nonmetallic aggregate mining (ALG850000), pesticides (ALG870000), less than 5-acre small mining (ALG890000), and Phase II MS4 (Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer Systems) (ALR040000) (ADEM, 2013b). General permits for industrial activities are required to have in place and implemented BMPs and, if necessary, a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan. Facilities that cannot obtain a General Permit, due to restrictions within the General Permits, must apply for and obtain an Individual Permit, which generally has more stringent limitations than General Permits (ADEM, 2013b). MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEMS ACTIVITIESPolluted stormwater can be transported through Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer Systems (MS4s) and from there flow untreated into local waterbodies. Therefore, operators of MS4s must obtain an NPDES permit and develop a stormwater management program (USEPA, 2013c). MS4s are defined as being owned by a state, city, town, or other public entity that discharges to waters of the United States, are designated or used to collect or convey stormwater, are not a combined sewer, and are not part of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (USEPA, 2013c). There are two permits for MS4s: Phase I and Phase II. Phase I NPDES permits are required for medium and large cities with populations greater than 100,000 and Phase II NPDES permits are required for small MS4s in urbanized areas with populations of at least 50,000 and a population density of 1,000 people per square mile, as well as small MS4s outside urbanized areas as designated by the permitting authority (USEPA, 2013c). NPDES PERMITSAn online search of USEPA’s Permit Compliance System and Integrated Compliance Information System indicated that there are 486 active NPDES permits within the watershed boundary (fig. 88). These include NPDES permits for industrial, construction, stormwater, and municipal activities. RECOMMENDATIONThe CPYRWMA should be aware of stormwater runoff and NPDES permitted activities in the CPYRW and assist the ADEM, whenever possible, to implement regulations to control runoff and stream discharges. 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