alabama nonpoint source management program

394 Pages·2015·15.1 MB·English

ALABAMA
NONPOINT SOURCE MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM

PARTNERING FOR CLEAN WATER
AND A
SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
Alabama Nonpoint Source Management Program
______________________________________________________________________________

Version 010614
____________________________________________________________________

Pursuant to the:
Clean Water Act (1977, as amended);
Alabama Water Pollution Control Act (1975, as amended);
Clean Water Act Section 319(b) State Management Programs;
Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant Program; and
USEPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program Grant Guidelines

Administered by the:
Alabama Department of Environmental Management
1400 Coliseum Blvd.
Montgomery, Alabama 36110-2400
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
FORWARD

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) is pleased to present this update of the Alabama
Nonpoint Source Management Program. This document parallels the Department’s mission to assure for all citizens
of the State a safe, healthful and productive environment. Alabama is blessed with a wealth of natural resources
which provide a multitude of environmental and economic benefits for its citizens. The Department is fully
committed to protecting and enhancing the environmental resources for all citizens who live, visit, recreate, work, or
invest in the state.

Alabama’s water resources include approximately 47,072 miles of perennial rivers and streams, 30,170 miles of
intermittent streams, 14 major river basins, and 550 trillion gallons of groundwater. In addition, the greatest yield of
water per square mile in the country is found in the Mobile Basin. The state’s unique ecological, geological and
physiographic regions along with its species diversity all play a vital role in the proper functioning of our state’s
unique ecosystems and natural heritage.

As the state’s population continues to increase, so do the societal demands on water resources. Nonpoint source
pollution can negatively impact surface water and groundwater that is used for drinking, recreation, commerce and
supporting healthy populations of flora and fauna. Water quality protection and restoration progress continues to be
made in Alabama using an integrated suite of voluntary and regulatory strategies to meet state water quality
standards and improve beneficial uses of water.

This document is designed to integrate the authorities, expertise and resources of all nonpoint source stakeholders.
It provides foundational and sound courses of actions to assure that all stakeholders are focused on shared goals.
Programmatic goals and objectives are intended to be fair, efficient, and receptive to citizen priorities and promote
prompt responses to water quality problems as they occur and as resources allow. Nonpoint source management
strategies and action items are designed to be flexible, targeted, iterative and supportive of holistic watershed-based
management approaches.

The efficient and effective mitigation of nonpoint source pollution in Alabama requires the substantial investment of
financial and technical resources. No single federal, state, and local entity can adequately address all nonpoint
source issues, especially on a watershed management basis, by working in isolation. Cooperative partnerships are
essential to ensuring long-term water quality protection and restoration success. Identifying adequate and stabilized
sources of funding is critical to ensuring that current programmatic delivery levels are maintained, especially in light
of the current budget challenges facing the state.

The Department looks forward to continuing communication, coordination, collaboration, and cooperation with our
valued partners. The partnerships that have been established to address nonpoint source pollution in Alabama have
already achieved many accomplishments and successes. Together, we can all continue to build upon those
successes and work to improve Alabama’s environmental resources for today’s citizens as well as future
generations.

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INTRODUCTION

Nonpoint source pollution, water quality protection and restoration, and sustainable economic growth are not ideals
that are mutually exclusive. Resources committed to addressing water resources (quality and quantity) must be
based upon valid, science-based monitoring and assessment decision-making criteria. Cooperative partnerships are
essential and significant human and financial capital, new and enhanced technologies, innovations, public outreach
and other resources are required. While issues can present large, complex, and expensive challenges; the pace and
level of program or project implementation is generally contingent upon federal and state appropriations. It is
essential that public and private sector funds be used as efficiently as possible to produce the best environmental
results, ensure environmental justice, and secure public trust and acceptance. In an era of diminishing programmatic
resources, nonpoint source management planning and implementation processes and activities must efficiently
leverage and integrate cooperative partnerships and establish appropriate measures and indicators that ensures
program transparency and accountability. Substantial opportunities must be provided for the public and private
sectors to provide meaningful input and comments and to be active participates in priority-setting and decision
making processes.

The state has made great strides in protecting water quality, but we can’t slow down or stop now. With growth and
progress come real and potential environmental and human health threats. In addition to restoring impaired waters of
the state, pollution prevention and preservation of high quality waters must also remain at the forefront of efforts to
enhance the vitality, viability and livability conditions of our great state. An efficient and effective nonpoint source
pollution management program is not a luxury - it is a necessity. The Alabama Nonpoint Source Management
Program incorporates flexible, targeted, iterative, broad-based strategies to successfully mitigate the causes of NPS
pollution, achieve implementation success, and continue to move forward using a cooperative partnership approach.
The program is designed as a comprehensive roadmap to protect and restore water quality and natural resources
from current and future NPS pollution impacts. It also fulfills applicable nonpoint source pollution components and
requirements of the Clean Water Act and the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act. In addition, this document
allows ADEM to access Section 319 nonpoint source program grant funds from the EPA to address nonpoint source
pollution impacts.

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This document was prepared in furtherance of regulations, rules, laws and guidelines pursuant to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA):

Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM):

Clean Water Act Section 319: CITE 33 USC Sec. 1329. Nonpoint source management programs

Questions and Comments Related to the Content of this Document May be Addressed to:

Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Permits and Services Division
Office of External Affairs
Nonpoint Source Unit
PO Box 301463 Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1463
Or
1400 Coliseum Blvd. Montgomery, Alabama 36110-2400

334-271-7700 (ADEM)
334-260-4501 (Nonpoint Source Unit)
www.adem.state.al.us

Disclaimer: The content expressed in this document was compiled using a variety of public information and data. As such, the Alabama
Department of Environmental Management makes no representations or warranties of any kind; express or implied, about the completeness,
accuracy, reliability, or suitability with respect to any information derived from externally-derived sources. In no event shall the Alabama
Department of Environmental Management be liable to anyone for special, incidental, consequential, or exemplary damages incurred due to
reliance on such information.
This document is intended solely as guidance. Federal, state, and other statutory provisions and regulations identified within this document
contain legally binding language. This document is not a regulation itself, does not change or substitute for those provisions and regulations, does
not impose legally binding requirements on the regulated community, nor does it confer legal rights or impose legal obligations upon any member
of the public. The Department (ADEM) has strived to ensure the accuracy of the contents; however, obligations of the regulated community are
determined by statutes, regulations, or other legally binding requirements. In the event of a conflict between the discussion/descriptions in this
document and any statute or regulation, this document would not be controlling. Some data and information provided herein may not apply to a
particular situation relative to conditions or circumstances. Interested parties are encouraged to raise questions and offer constructive criticisms
about the substance, appropriateness, and application of this document to a particular situation. The Department retains the discretion to revise
information, data, or approaches that differ from those presented wherever and whenever it deems appropriate; and/or at a minimum, every 5
years. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or web sites does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use and shall not
be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. This is a living document and may be revised periodically without public notice. The
Department welcomes public comment at any time.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD i
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................................................. ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................................................................... iv
Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Section 1.1 Vision ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Section 1.2: Scope .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Section 1.3 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Section 1.4: History ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Section 1.5: Layout and Accessibility ............................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2: Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Authorities ........................................................................................................ 3
Section 2.1: Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Section 2.2: EPA Nonpoint Source Management Program Statutes ........................................................................................................................... 4
Section 2.3 ADEM Nonpoint Source Management Program Statutes ...................................................................................................................... 4
Section 2.4 Designated Water “Quantity” Lead Agency and Primacy........................................................................................................................ 4
Section 2.5 Federal and State Agency NPS Management Primacy, Authorities and Mechanisms Overview ........................................................ 4
Table 2.5 Federal and State Agency NPS Management Primacy, Authorities and Mechanisms ................................................................................. 5
Chapter 3: Water Resources ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Section 3.1: Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Section 3.2 Water Resources - Assessing Water Quality Characteristics and Conditions ........................................................................................ 8
Table 3.2.A Water Resources in Alabama ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 3.2 Major Alabama River Basins (8- Digit HUCs) ................................................................................................................................................. 9
Table 3.2.B ADEM River Basin Monitoring and Assessment Strategy Groupings ................................................................................................... 9
Section 3.3 Wetlands Resources ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Section 3.4 Groundwater and Drinking Water Resources ......................................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 3.4 Aquifer Recharge Areas in Alabama................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Section 3.5 Coastal Zone Resource Management ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
Figure 3.5 CZARA 6217 Program Area ............................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Table 3.5.A ADEM Priority Subwatersheds for Coastal Alabama ............................................................................................................................ 13
Section 3.6 High Quality and Unimpaired Water Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Table 3.6 Outstanding National Resource Waters, Outstanding Alabama Waters, and Treasured Alabama Lakes ............................................... 14
Chapter 4: Nonpoint Source Program Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment ....................................................................... 15
Section 4.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
4.1. A State of Alabama Continuing Planning Process ................................................................................................................................................ 16
4.1. B State of Alabama Water Quality Monitoring Strategy .................................................................................................................................. 16
4.1. C Quality Assurance (QA) .................................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Section 4.2 Water Quality Criteria and Water Quality Standards .............................................................................................................................. 17
Section 4.3 CWA 305(b) Integrated Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring Report (IR) .............................................................................. 17
Table 4.3 Integrated Listing Methodology (Categories 1 - 5) ........................................................................................................................................ 18
Section 4.3.1 CWA Section 303(d) Impaired Waters List and Total Maximum Daily Limits (TMDLs) ................................................................. 19
Figure 4.3.1 Section 303(d) Map of Impaired Waters (2012) ..................................................................................................................................... 19
Section 4.3.1.1 Targeting and Prioritizing NPS Impaired Waters ............................................................................................................................. 20
Section 4.3.2 CWA Section 319 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Section 4.4 ADEM Annual Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Strategies ............................................................................................... 23
Table 4.4.A Sources and Areal Extent of Impaired Waters ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Figure 4.4.B Major River Basins of Alabama (8-digit HUC)........................................................................................................................................ 25
Table 4.4.C ADEM Annual Monitoring and Assessment Strategy Grouping ...................................................................................................... 25
Section 4.4.1 Ecoregions ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 4.4.B Subregions of Alabama Ecoregions in Alabama ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Section 4.5 Wetlands....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Table 4.5 NPS Program Wetland Protection Priorities............................................................................................................................................... 28
Section 4.6 National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) .............................................................................................................................................. 28
Section 4.7 Citizen Volunteer Monitoring ................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Section 4.8 Human and Environmental Health Protection ....................................................................................................................................... 29
4.8.a Fish Tissue Monitoring and Human Health Advisories and Warnings ............................................................................................................. 29
4.8.b ADEM Coastal Waters Monitoring Program ....................................................................................................................................................... 29
4.8.c Coastal Alabama Beach Monitoring (ADEM and ADPH) ................................................................................................................................. 29
4.8.d Groundwater and Source (Drinking) Water Protection ...................................................................................................................................... 30
Section 4.9 Integration with Other Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Programs ............................................................................................ 30
Section 4.10 Water Quality Monitoring Data Dissemination .................................................................................................................................... 32
Table 4.10 Public Access to NPS Water Quality Monitoring Data ............................................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 5: Nonpoint Source Pollution ................................................................................................................................................... 33
Section 5.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33
Figure 5.1 Nonpoint Sources of Pollution for Assessed Waters in Alabama ............................................................................................................ 34
Section 5.2 Management Challenges ............................................................................................................................................................................. 35
Section 5.3 Best Management Practices Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 37
Table 5.3 Recommended Best Management Practice Resources .................................................................................................................................. 38
Chapter 6: Watershed-based Management ........................................................................................................................................... 38
Section 6.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
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Section 6.2 Hydrologic Unit Codes .............................................................................................................................................................................. 40
Section 6.3 Development and Implementation of Watershed-based Management Plans ...................................................................................... 40
Table 6.3 Overview of EPAs 9 Elements of a Watershed-based Plan ......................................................................................................................... 40
Section 6.4 Alternative Watershed Management Plans .............................................................................................................................................. 41
Table 6.4.A EPA Alternative Watershed-based Management Plan Elements .......................................................................................................... 41
Table 6.5.B Potential Alternative Watershed-based Management Plans ................................................................................................................... 42
Section 6.5 Balancing Watershed Restoration and Protection ................................................................................................................................... 42
Section 6.6 Adaptive Management Approach ............................................................................................................................................................. 43
Chapter 7: Integration of Federal, State and Local Community-based Programs and Partners .................................................. 44
Section 7.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Table 7.1.A Public Sector / Agency NPS Management Partners and Approaches ............................................................................................... 45
Table 7.1.B Private Sector / Volunteer NPS Management Partners and Approaches ......................................................................................... 46
Section 7.2 Healthy Watersheds Initiative and Protection of High Quality Waters ................................................................................................ 46
Section 7.3 Federal Consistency .................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Table 7.3.A Federal Lands and Program Consistency ................................................................................................................................................. 47
Table 7.3.B Federal Statutory Authorities Relevant to Consistency Review ............................................................................................................ 47
Table 7.3.C Actions Items to Ensure Consistency with the AL NPS Management Program ................................................................................ 48
Section 7.4 USDA – NRCS National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) .................................................................................................................. 49
Section 7.5 ADEM Coastal Nonpoint Source Programs ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Table 7.5.1 Integration of the ADEM Coastal NPS Program with the Statewide NPS Management Program .................................................. 50
Table 7.5.2 ACNPCP Response Strategy Relative to the NOAA/EPA Joint Interim Decision Document ....................................................... 52
Section 7.6 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) ................................................................................................................................................ 53
Section 7.7 Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) / Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) ......................................................................... 53
Chapter 8: Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Milestones..................................................................................................................... 54
Section 8.6 Annual NPS Program Implementation Goals and Objectives (2014 – 2019) ..................................................................................... 69
Table 8.6: Alabama NPS Programmatic Goals and Objectives for Fiscal Years 2014 - 2019 .................................................................................... 69
Section 8.7 Annual NPS Milestones for Fiscal Years 2014 – 2019 ........................................................................................................................... 73
Table 8.7 Annual NPS Programmatic and Section 319 Grant Funding Milestones for Years 2014 – 2019............................................................ 73
Section 8.8 Measures and Indicators of NPS Program Implementation Progress and Success ............................................................................ 75
Table 8.8 Potential Measures and Indicators of NPS Program Implementation Progress and Success .................................................................. 75
Chapter 9: Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grant Program ................................................................................................................... 78
Section 9.1: Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 78
Section 9.1.1 Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) .................................................................................................................................................... 79
Section 9.1.2 Relationship to Other Nonpoint Source Water Quality Programs ....................................................................................................... 80
Section 9.2 Programmatic and Project-Level Reporting ............................................................................................................................................ 81
Section 9.3 Grants Reporting and Tracking System (GRTS) .................................................................................................................................... 84
Section 9.4 Program Assessment Indices ..................................................................................................................................................................... 84
Section 9.5 Section 319 Grant Implementation Processes ......................................................................................................................................... 86
Section 9.6 Eligible Section 319 Grant Funding Activities ........................................................................................................................................ 88
Table 9.6.h Matrix for Review, Selection, and Funding of Section 319 Program Fund Proposals ....................................................................... 92
Table 9.6.i Matrix for Review, Selection, and Funding of Section 319 Grant Proposals ............................................................................................. 93
Chapter 10: Processes for Identifying and Assigning Water and Watershed Priorities .................................................................. 96
Section 10.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 96
Section 10.2 Factors Used by ADEM to Assign Section 319 Grant Funding Priorities to Impaired Waters ........................................................ 98
Table 10.2 Factors Used By ADEM to Assign Restoration Priority to Impaired Waters and Watersheds ........................................................ 98
Section 10.3 Scenarios Used by ADEM to Assign Priority to Unimpaired and High Quality Waters ................................................................... 99
Table 10.3.A Waterbody Segments Designated Outstanding National Resource Waters ......................................................................................... 99
Table 10.3.B Waterbody Segments Designated as Treasured Alabama Lakes ........................................................................................................... 99
Table 10.3.C Waterbody Segments Classified as Outstanding Alabama Water .......................................................................................................... 99
Table 10.3.1 EPA’s Healthy Watersheds Initiative and AL NPS Management Program Coordination ............................................................... 101
Section 10.4 Nutrient Criteria ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 101
Table 10.4 Strategies to Address Nutrient Nonpoint Sources ...................................................................................................................................... 102
Section 10.5 EPAs National NPS Monitoring Program ............................................................................................................................................. 103
Section 10.6 EPA Region 4 and ADEM Priority Watersheds and Targeting .......................................................................................................... 103
Table 10.6.1 EPA Region 4 /ADEM Priority Watersheds List................................................................................................................................. 103
Figure 10.6.2 EPA Region 4 and ADEM Priority Watersheds Map .......................................................................................................................... 104
Section 10.7 USDA-NRCS National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) Priority Watersheds ................................................................................ 104
Section 10.8 EPA Office of Water Programs – WATERS ........................................................................................................................................ 104
Section 10.8 EPA Programs Relevant to NPS Pollution Management and Water Quality Restoration............................................................... 105
Section 10.9 Collaboration of the AL Nonpoint Source and Section 319 Programs with EPAs Strategic Plan ................................................. 106
Table 10.9 EPA Water Measures: Improve Water Quality on a Watershed Basis (Sub-Objective 2.2.1) .................................................. 106
Chapter 11: Eight Key Elements of an Effective State NPS Management Program ......................................................................... 107
Section 11.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 107
APPENDICES: Major Nonpoint Source Management Categories, Programs and Partners ............................................................... 108
Appendix A: Agriculture ............................................................................................................................................................................ 108
Attachment A.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108
Appendix B: Silviculture ............................................................................................................................................................................ 108
Attachment B.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108
Appendix C: Urban Development and Construction ............................................................................................................................. 108
Attachment C.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items ................................................................................................. 108
Appendix D: Resource Extraction ............................................................................................................................................................ 108
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Attachment D.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108
Appendix E: Hydromodification............................................................................................................................................................... 108
Attachment E.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108
Appendix F: Other NPS Sub-Categories ................................................................................................................................................... 108
Attachment F.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108
Appendix G: Education and Outreach ..................................................................................................................................................... 108
Attachment G.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108
Appendix H: 8 Key Components of an Effective NPS Management Program .................................................................................... 108
Attachment H.1 Section 319 Grant Project Specific Strategies and Action Items .................................................................................................. 108

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Alabama Nonpoint Source Management Program

Chapter 1: Introduction

The Alabama Nonpoint Source Management Program is designed to develop, sustain, integrate, and strengthen NPS
pollution management partnerships. It incorporates formal and informal mechanisms to help Alabama citizens
protect and restore water quality. Programmatic approaches presented herein are designed to achieve state water
quality standards and sustain beneficial uses of water as expeditiously as practicable. Implementation of this
statewide program incorporates a combination of flexible, targeted, and iterative voluntary and regulatory
approaches. Sustained public and private sector cooperation, coordination, collaboration, and communication are
critical implementation elements.

Planning and implementation activities are not limited to the Clean Water Act Section 319 nonpoint source (NPS)
management program. Section 319 grant funding is only one tool that is available to address such a large, complex,
and highly variable problem. Implementation effectiveness will depend on the effective use and leveraging of funds,
resources, and authorities of a wide variety of public and private sector entities that have a role to play in abating
and preventing NPS pollution.

Section 1.1 Vision

All surface waters and groundwaters are protected, restored or improved and provide significant social, economic,
environmental, and health benefits and opportunities while ensuring private and public lands are managed in a
sustainable manner for all citizens live, work, grow, visit, and invest in Alabama.

The Alabama Nonpoint Source Management Program Vision statement is consistent with:
a) Clean Water Act Section 101(a)(7) National Policy: “…that programs for the control of nonpoint sources of
pollution be developed and implemented in an expeditious manner so as to enable the goals of this Act to be met
through the control of both point and nonpoint sources of pollution.”
c) Alabama Water Pollution Control Act Policy: “…to conserve the waters of the state and protect, maintain and
improve the quality thereof for public water supplies, for the propagation of wildlife, fish and aquatic life and
for domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational and other legitimate beneficial uses, to provide for the
prevention, abatement and control of new or existing water pollution; and to cooperate with other agencies of
the state, agencies of other states and the federal government in carrying out these objectives.”[Code of
Alabama (1975) § 22-22-2 (Acts 1971, No. 1260, p. 2175, §1)]

Section 1.2: Scope

The Alabama NPS Management Program will protect and restore water quality by:
A. Strategically focusing programmatic goals and objectives to expeditiously achieve and sustain state water
quality standards in priority waters and watersheds
B. Clearly articulating programmatic goals so that project workplan planning and implementation reflect actions to
advance those goals
C. Reflecting a balance between watershed-based planning and implementation that best utilizes resources to
deliver measurable nonpoint source pollutant load reductions and water quality improvement results
D. Leveraging and integrating a mix of public and private sector programs to align priorities and make the best use
of available resources to control nonpoint sources of pollution
E. Tracking and reporting results to demonstrate progress and ensure accountability

The Alabama NPS Management Program is intended to protect and restore water quality and the natural structure
and function of watersheds. Rather than narrowly focusing actions on mitigating a cause of nonpoint source (NPS)
pollution in a narrowly-defined sense; a holistic watershed-based management approach is recommended whenever
practicable. Programmatic goals, objectives and strategies presented herein are designed to link water quality
protection and restoration to overall watershed health. The overall premise is to adaptively focus NPS pollution
management decisions and resources (and human health and safety) on the dynamics of the whole watershed.
Alabama Nonpoint Source Management Program Page 1 Integrated Framework
Revised 010614