BMWBMW AssociationAssociation

2006 Barr Lake and Milton 2006 Barr Lake and Milton Reservoir Watershed Reservoir Watershed

Management PlanManagement Plan

~ Brief History of the Reservoirs

~ Overview of the BMW Association

~ Outline of the 2006 Watershed Plan

~ Next Steps

OrientationBarr Lake

Milton Reservoir

DIA

Rocky Mountain Arsenal

Where are you now?

Do you live within the Watershed?

Water Quality IssueWater Quality Issue

Eutrophication caused by excessive nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) leads to many undesirable water quality symptoms.

Problem Symptoms

ExcessiveNutrients(Phosphorus,

Nitrogen)

Algae Blooms

Low Oxygen

High pH Fish Kills

PoorClarity

Taste/Odor

Aesthetics

Barr Lake pH (1.0 meter below lake surface)

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Jun-02 Jun-03 Jun-04 Jun-05 Jun-06

pH

pH

Upper pH Standard

DesirablepH = 6.5-9.0TP = <50Chl-a = <30

Barr Lake Chl-a and Total Phosphorus

0

50100

150200

250

300350

400450

500

Jun-02 Jun-03 Jun-04 Jun-05 Jun-06

Ch

l-a

(ug

/L)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

TP

(u

g/L

)Chl-a

TP

Source of the ProblemSource of the Problem

Everybody within and upstream of the Watershed contribute in someway to the loading of nutrients to Barr Lake and Milton

Reservoir. Collectively, everyone can be a part of the solution.

Source Solutions

Fertilizers Use less on LawnsPet Waste Properly DisposeWastewater/Industry Upgrade TreatmentStormwater Cleaner StreetsRunoff Conserve WaterFarms Proper Land ManagementFeedlots Riparian Fencing/Waste ManagementEmissions Reduce air pollutionErosion Stream RestorationIn-Lake Loading Reservoir ManagementSediment

• Planning Group started in Early 2002– FRICO, Metro, Thornton, CDPHE, Littleton, Englewood, Denver

• Phase 1 Non-Point Source State Grant 2004– Form Nonprofit Association

– Establish Directors, Committees, Annual Tour, Annual Meeting

– Build Water Quality Database (330,000 records from 360 stations)

• Phase 2 & 3 Non-Point Source State Grant 2005– Hire Watershed Coordinator

– Conduct Reservoir Assessments

– Write Watershed Plan

– Build Water Quality Modeling

– Develop pH Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)

BMW AssociationBMW Association

Save Money

More Control

Less Headaches

WHY?WHY?

The Numbers 98% of BMW is Privately Owned

55% of the Watershed Supports Agricultural Uses

50,000 Head of Beef Cattle in Weld, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties

60,000 Dairy Cows in Weld County

38% of the Watershed is Urban

17,000 Acres - Rocky Mountain Arsenal is the Largest Open Space

10,000 Permitted Gas & Oil Well Sites

9 Drinking Water Withdrawal Locations Along the S. Platte River

42 Major Permitted Dischargers

20 Stormwater Permit Holders

500 Miles of Streams & Rivers

550 Miles of Canals & Ditches

7 Endangered Species & 11 Threatened Species

2.5 Million People now with Projection of Nearly 4 Million by 2030

Watershed PlanWatershed Plan

Read the Plan – Get familiar with it

Distribute & Educate – Social Diffusion of Info

Annual Plan Updates – Provide Input

Modeling Efforts – Major Implications

TMDL Development – Regulatory and Policy Efforts

TMDL Implementation – BMPs and Upgrades

Next Steps – Next Steps – How you can Help

Modeling (2006 – 2008)

pH TMDL Development (2008 – 2010)

Adopt Nutrient Criteria (2009)

TMDL Implementation (2011 – 2016)

TMDL Evaluation (2016 – 2022)

Next Steps – Next Steps – Schedule

www.barr-milton.orgwww.barr-milton.org

Thank You!Thank You!