watershed plan implementation in oklahomawatershedplanning.tamu.edu/media/442674/2-f-oklahoma... ·...
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11/1/2013
1
Watershed Plan Implementationin Oklahoma:What We Do
andWhat We’ve Learned
Shanon Phillips
Director, Water Quality Division
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
What is the purpose of a Watershed Plan?
Solving Water Quality Problems by:
•Prioritizing Areas of Focus (Elements B & C)•Identifying Partners and Assemble Resources (Element D)•Identifying Causes and Sources (Element A and H)•Assemble Resources (Element D)•Implement Practices (Elements B, C, F)•Education (Element E)•Evaluate Your Success (Element G & I)•Remain Flexible
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2
1) Prioritize Areas of Focus
OK Focuses on Priority Watersheds
• Prioritized on:– % impaired
– Causes and sources of impairments
– Public water supply
– Endangered species
– Etc.
39
100 112 60151112
155
100119 5377 46 53 13915144 119
88 112 11911211941
12784
101511123 5377139
127 71100
112151
15147 127
30
84 77 33
107
1269
46135 36
5
6538
77
127139
12
84 22 7713953 127
6577100
10053
53 33 3392100
13911984
53100
60
2412748
146 477
139 100 186928 14665
53 5814 2690
903010 36 4677122 71127
6541 144
10013213954
10077132 2012741 90 17144
100135 17 6065 151
20
100
3626 3
15188 15530
846
23
77
1265 1
72658 753
53100
20
112
13244
N
EW
S
2006 Draft UWA(based on 2004 303(d) List)
UWA Priority Ranking1 - 2526 - 5051 - 7576 - 100101 - 156
Lakes
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2) Identify Problem(s) and Sources
303(d)App. C – Why are they impaired?- ID Problems and
Sources
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4
Using R Software to define causes (stressors) linked to poor stream
condition• R is Open Source (Free) Software – scripts
provided by EPA
• Extent Estimates give the percent of stream length in “Good,” “Fair,” or “Poor” condition
• Relative Risk assesses the relative importance of multiple stressors (Which stressors should be the major focus for remediation, restoration or protection?)
• Attributable Risk estimates the percent of improvement (if it were possible to completely address a stressor)
ID Sources
• Identify the most likely activities causing the problem
• Select AREAS of your watershed most likely to be contributing– Use a watershed
model
– Windshield/foot surveys
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3) Identify and Convince Partners
Oklahoma Program Partners
• Work through Conservation Districts and with local NRCS– Hire Local Project Staff
• Assembled a Local Watershed Advisory Group– Recommends Practices and Cost-Share Rates
to be Offered
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4. Draft the Watershed Plan
5). Implement Practices
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Implement Practices- Be Flexible
• Typically implement NRCS standard practices• However, sometimes choose NEWpractices or alter existing
practices to meetneeds in your watershed.
Choose Practices- Be Flexible
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Use Cost-Share Rates to Help Prioritize
• Higher rates (90% or higher) for practices that should have the most impact
• Lower rates for things producers want anyway (cross fencing, etc.)
6. Education
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Demonstration Farm
7) Evaluate Your Success
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Monitor to Show Success
• Photodocumentation: Take Before and After photographs to document improvement in a site.
• Evaluate
Water Quality
Monitor to Show Success
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• EPA method 841-F-93-009 developed by J. Spooner and J.C. Clausen from North Carolina State University and University of Connecticut.
Paired Watershed Monitoring
• Demonstrates that change in WQ are the result of management changes in the watershed rather than due to changes in climate
• Collects ENOUGH data to be scientifically valid
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12
Implement Multi-Faceted Monitoring Program
Change in Total Phosphorus Load• Paired watershed analysis allows
estimation of the effect of BMPs while controlling for environmental variability
• Results include:– 24.5% reduction in TP load in Honey
Creek (1.5 years of data)
– 30% reduction in TP load in Flint Creek of the illinois River (2 years post-impl. data)
– 37% reduction in TP load in Spavinawand Beaty Creeks (8 years post-impl. data)
• Every time we’ve used this method, we’ve been able to detect positive water quality impacts from our BMPs
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13
8) Remain Flexible
Oklahoma Successes- WQ• In EPA’s 2009 - 2012 Grants Reporting and
Tracking System Summary Report, OK was in the top 5 states in the nation at estimated nitrogen and phosphorus load reductions.
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
AK
AL
AR
AZ
CA
CO CT
DC
DE FL
GA HI
IA ID IL IN KS
KY
LA MA
MD
ME MI
MN
MO
MS
MT
NC
ND
NE
NH NJ
NM NV
NY
OH
OK
PA RI
SC
SD
TN TX
UT
VA
VT
WA WI
WV
WY
An
nu
al L
oad
Red
uct
ion
Est
imat
e
Axis Title
FY 11 CWA 319 Program Load Reductions
Nitrogen (lbs/yr) Phosphorus (lbs/yr) Sediment (tons/yr)
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Oklahoma Successes - WQ• Only three states in the country have more
nonpoint source success stories (www.epa.gov/nps/success/)
Oklahoma Successes- cont.• New and continued sources
of funding-– EPA funding
– USDA CREP programs
– Private funding from rural electric cooperatives, Ag groups, etc.
– EPA CW SRF funds
– State funding for monitoring network
• New Partners-– Tribes
– State agencies
– Etc.
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Lessons Learned• ALWAYS remember that WQ
improvement is the ultimate goal, but there is more than one way to get there and you might not have the only map
• Set REALISTIC milestones• Successful solutions are not “Set-
it-and-Forget-it”• Holler about your successes
because people will have already heard about your failures
# 1 Lesson Learned
• Don’t Scrimp on Your Water Quality Monitoring Budget
11/1/2013
16
Questions????
• Shanon Phillips- Oklahoma Conservation Commission Water Quality Division Director
• Shanon.phillips@conservation.ok.gov
• 405-522-4728
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