Talbot County Clean Water Mobile Workshop

April 17, 2015

Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Supported by the Talbot County Department of Public Works

Introductory Briefing

Pollution sources in Talbot County

952,000Agriculture

85,000Septic Systems

186,000Polluted Runoff

75,000Wastewater

Pounds of nitrogen per year

Reducing pollution from agriculture

• County targets (2017): 213,000 pound reduction in nitrogen (22%)10,000 pound reduction in phosphorus (16%)

• Coordinator: MDA, with assistance from NRCS, SCD and FSA

• Progress:

Reducing polluted runoff

• County target for ‘17 midterm assessment:

33,000 pound reduction in nitrogen from 2013 (18%)

• Coordinator: Talbot County

Reducing pollution from septic systems• County target for ‘17

midterm assessment:

23,000 pound reduction in nitrogen from 2013 (27%)

• Coordinator: Talbot County, with assistance from MDE

Milestone Status

1. Coordinate with the state, Talbot County Departments, municipalities and private UNDERWAYlandowners the development of inventory potential sites for BMP installation.

4. Explore the efficacy of improving management of roadside ditches UNDERWAY

5. Propose and seek adoption of a surface water management utility to develop a NEEDS ACTIONsustainable funding mechanism

13. Develop a mechanism for urban nutrient management planning and implementation. UNDERWAY

9. Pursue implementation of a septic utility for inspection and pump out of on-site NEEDS ACTIONseptic systems.

10. Establish a water and sewer plan policy giving priority to the connection of existing UNDERWAYonsite septic systems with an order of location precedence for connection. Thispolicy would set priorities for achieving the maximum pollution reduction.

15. Devise interim strategy to achieve 2017 TMDL goals NEEDS ACTION

16. Determine local funding requirements and develop method for obtaining funds NEEDS ACTION

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PollutedRunoff

SepticSystems

ProjectPlanning

Talbot County’s Milestone Commitments

Progress in Talbot County to-date

• Town/Village/community clean water plans

• 26 ditch bio-retention systems

• Floating wetland

• 5 bag filters for stormwater outfalls

• Stormwater treatment pond

• 250 Inlet filters for storm drains

• 17 acres of tree planting

A path to achieve 2017 goals for polluted runoff in Talbot County

Municipal action

County progressto-date

Ditch restoration

Potential future credits(includes urban nutrient management,Miles River WRAS, Tanyard Branch work,natural filters, & practices awaiting credit)

20

13

20

17

33000

County progress to-date

Region V upgrade & sewer extension

A path to achieve 2017 goals for septic systemsin Talbot County

Septic system upgrades

Potential future credits

20

13

20

17

Potential future credits for septic systems include:

Community/village-based ENR WWTPs (micro-bioreactor)

Oxford WWTP ENR upgrade

23000

Funding

Viable models for dedicated, on-going clean water funding

The state and many local governments are ramping up investments in clean water. In 2012, the State of Maryland doubled the Bay Restoration Fee, raising an additional $50 million in revenues to be redeployed to local government infrastructure around the state. That same year, stormwater utility fees became mandatory for Maryland’s 10 largest counties, raising an additional $100 million annually. Local jurisdictions on the Eastern Shore are also taking action to raise the funds needed to correct pollution problems.

Clean water funding can take a variety of forms. The most effective approaches have dedicated revenue streams.

Stormwater/surface water utilities:City of SalisburyTown of OxfordTown of Berlin

Renewable capital funding:Queen Anne’s CountyWicomico County

ACTION NEEDED: Talbot County’s clean water efforts are hampered by a lack of recurring local investment. CBF encourages the County Council to evaluate and select a long-term funding strategy that includes local revenue.

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

Queen Anne's Oxford Salisbury Wicomico Talbot

Projected local funding for stormwateron the Eastern Shore through 2017

Bus tour of clean water projects

See the projects and meet the people working to stop polluted runoffin Talbot County

Mobile Workshop Locations

Urban practices

1. Waterside Village parking lot

2. Talbot Ln parking lot3. Dove Ln stormwater

retention pond

Ditch restoration

4. Trax farm5. Klondike Rd site6. Glebe Rd site7. Swaine farm

Stop 1: Waterside Villageparking lot

WHAT: Better stormwater management practices for new growth

Newly hardened surfaces and higher wastewater flows can increase pollution loads to local waters and the Chesapeake Bay. In 2008, the state adopted new regulations for stormwater management that prioritize Environmental Site Design (ESD). The infiltration practices installed at Waterside Village are good examples of how ESD promotes the use of natural drainage patterns and “green infrastructure” to protect water quality.

WHY: Mitigates pollution due to growth

Traditional practices, such as curb and gutter or large holding ponds, often focused on centralized collection and treatment of stormwater. ESD retains the benefits of this “gray infrastructure” while more effectively slowing and filtering nutrient and sediment pollution.

Even with the 2008 regulations, new development has the potential to increase polluted runoff by one to two million pounds of excess nitrogen over the next twenty years. Under current policy, this additional load will be added to state and local reduction targets, increasing the effort and cost of achieving clean water goals by as much as 20%. The state has drafted an Accounting for Growth policy that would ensure that new loads from growth are properly offset; however, these regulations have not yet been adopted.

Sector: Polluted Runoff

Strategy: Minimize new loads

Stop 2: Talbot Lane Parking Lot

WHAT: Retrofit of existing impervious surface

Previously a private, fenced valet lot that allowed for double parking of vehicles, the Town of Easton needed to reconfigure the parking spaces to allow normal parking, pursuant to accepted Town of Easton Planning and Zoning parking lot standards. Additionally, the lot and sidewalks needed updating to meet ADA requirements.

In every planned configuration there was excess or non-usable space remaining. While not required by state regulations, the Town used the extra space for an opportunity to treat stormwater runoff. Town staff removed asphalt, hauled debris, replaced soil with a suitable mix, and planted the site with compatible trees and shrubs. The finished bio-retention area allows for water absorption, groundwater recharge and water quality improvements, in addition to beautifying the streetscape.

WHY: Leverage pre-programmed work to reduce costs

Facing a design challenge, the Town of Easton identified this project as an opportunity to mobilize staff and equipment to reduce pollution. The Town estimates value of the work completed to construct the stormwater facility at approximately $10,000.

Sector: Polluted Runoff

Strategy: Municipal action

Stop 3: Dove Ln SWM pond

WHAT & WHY: Comprehensive approach & partnership to restore an urban watershed

The Town of Easton and Talbot County have partnered to make substantial improvements to Tanyard Branch, an urban stream flowing through the heart of Easton. In 2010, a state Trust Fund grant provided funding to construct more than 2 acres of ponds and wetlands located at a natural low point near an existing storm drain collection system. In 2014, funds were leveraged from the Governor’s Stream Restoration Challenge to plant 13 acres of riparian buffer along the north edge of the facility and install a 600 square-foot floating wetland in the pond. The total state investment in this work stands at about $829,000.

These projects demonstrate that partnership between Talbot County, its towns, and citizensis a successful formula to leverage outside funding and make substantial progress towardsgoals to reduce polluted runoff.

Sector: Polluted Runoff

Strategy: Municipal action

Stops 4-7: Ditch retrofit

WHAT: Ditch retrofit pilot projectsDitch retrofit projects include practices like shallow-water wetlands, grassed waterways, and two-stage ditches to treat polluted runoff from county roads and upland agricultural fields. Most projects involve excavation, re-grading, and planting of nitrogen-removing grasses and shrubs. Select projects will be actively monitored with in-field equipment to evaluate performance.

Estimated construction costs and nutrient removal efficiencies are standardized to more easily assign credit for pollution reduction. Pilot projects featured in the following pages are funded by the state through The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund grant award, agricultural cost-share dollars, and Talbot County’s $50,000 FY14 capital appropriation.

WHY: Cost-effective pollution reductionThese pilot projects are examples of a targeted retrofit approach supported by county farmers, CBF, TNC and the Talbot County Department of Public Works. This approach uses a tool that analyzes elevation, land cover, and other data to identify locations in the county’s roadside ditch network that could deliver the biggest return on investment in restoration.

Collectively, the highest-performing 150 sites are expected to reduce approximately 8,000 pounds of nitrogen pollution – 17% of the county’s total nitrogen reduction goal for polluted runoff – at prices nearly 90% less than other urban practices.

ACTION NEEDED: Dedicated local investment in ditch restorationAn application for $3 million in USDA Rural Development loan funding is pending before the County Council. If approved, this funding would close the funding gap for this restoration strategy.

Sector: Polluted Runoff

Strategy: Ditch restoration

4. Trax

Conservation Practice: Wetland creation, grassed waterway

Proposed project will create detention wetlands in combination with grassed waterways to treat runoff from watershed and road.

Estimated Cost: $10,000

Cost/lb. removed (15 year lifespan):N = $33.22/lb ($2.21/lb/yr)P = $625.00/lb ($41.67/lb/yr)Sed = $3.18/lb ($0.21/lb/yr)

Responsible entities:The Nature ConservancyTalbot Soil Conservation DistrictSweetbay Conservation

Status:Construction expected April 2015

5. KlondikeConservation practice: Ditch retrofit, wetland restoration

Estimated cost: $4,500

Cost/lb. removed (15 year lifespan):N = $114.69/lb ($7.65/lb/yr)P = $1509.05/lb ($100.60/lb/yr)Sed = $18.34/lb ($1.22/lb/yr)

Responsible entities:The Nature ConservancySweetbay Conservation (design)

Status:Draft design completed.Final designs and applicable permits due April 30, 2015.

Additional work:Talbot County DPW is installing buffers between the farm field and the roadside ditch, as well as tree plantings.

On-site monitoring:TNC and partners will use monitoring data gathered at this site to refine and develop working models of high-impact practices that can be deployed on similar sites across the county.

6. Carroll’s Market property

Conservation practice: Wetland swales

Estimated cost: $35,000

Cost/lb. removed (15 year lifespan):N = $1018.33/lb ($67.89/lb/yr)P = $12635.38/lb ($842.36/lb/yr)Sed = $158.10/lb ($10.54/lb/yr)

Responsible entities:The Nature ConservancyEnvironmental Concern (design)

Status:Draft design completed.Final designs and applicable permits due April 30, 2015.

Additional work: Talbot County DPW is installing a two-stage ditch along Glebe Rd. The cost and ease of construction makes this management practice a viable approach for widespread application throughout the County.

Proposed Wetland Swale

7. Swaine

Conservation practice: Wetland creation/two-stage ditch retrofit

Estimated cost:Total: $4,453

Cost/lb. removed (15 year lifespan):N = $123.60/lb ($8.24/lb/yr)P = $1,484.33/lb ($98.95/lb/yr)Sed = $18.90/lb ($1.26/ lb/yr)

Responsible entities:The Nature ConservancySweetbay Conservation

Status:Constructed on March 31, 2015

WHAT: Wetland creation and reforestation

Talbot County recently acquired an 86-acre property adjacent to the Town of Oxford to develop a passive public park. As part of the first phase of the project approximately 42 acres will be converted to a natural wetland system along with 5 acres of native trees to reduce nutrient and sediment loads from both the existing site and the adjoining agricultural land. The project presents an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and educate the public on various management practices being used to reduce pollution to the creeks and the Chesapeake Bay.

WHY: Restoring natural systems to help water quality

Changes in the use of land from natural conditions to farms, towns and roads result in an increase in the amount of nutrients and sediments entering the waterways. The excess pollutant loads cause increases in algae, decreases in water clarity and loss of underwater grasses. These impacts have a significant impact on aquatic life and the recreational uses of the nearby creeks and contribute to the decline in the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Many of the management practices demonstrated here will mimic natural systems to increase the quality of the water leaving the land.

Oxford site Sector: Polluted Runoff

Strategy: Natural filters

Trip on the Skipjack Stanley Norman

Review efforts to reduce pollution from wastewater and septic systems,

and consider a long-term pollution reduction strategy for Talbot County

Septic upgrades & maintenanceWHAT: Upgraded systems and coordinated maintenance,

including pump outs

Since 2009, Talbot County has received more than $4.5 million from the Bay Restoration Fund to equip septic systems with nitrogen removal technology. This activity is expected to continue, and could increase as additional funds from the BRF become available starting in FY 2018.

To address maintenance, the Department of Public Works is developing a program to track pump-out activity. Reliable tracking is key to receiving credit for good maintenance practices. Additionally, DPW has proposed exploring the creation of a septic utility. A septic utility would help ensure that maintenance, pump-outs, and upgrades occur at necessary intervals.

WHY: Low cost, accelerated pollution reduction from septic systems

A household on a conventional septic system pollutes at a rate five to 10 times greater than a similar household connected to a wastewater treatment plant. Septic systems upgraded to Best Available Technology (BAT) cut the load in half. Regular inspection, maintenance and pump out can reduce nitrogen loads in some places by up to an additional 10%.

ACTION NEEDED: Coordinated septic maintenance program

A coordinated septic maintenance program could accelerate implementation, streamline management, and provide a reliable tracking and verification framework critical to maintaining credit for septic system maintenance. Similar actions have been taken in neighboring counties. Queen Anne’s County has adopted a mandatory pump-out requirement, and Dorchester County recently commissioned a study to evaluate the feasibility of a septage management district.

Sector: Septic systems

Strategy: Management

Region V upgrade & sewer line extensionsWHAT:

The Region V wastewater treatment plant serves a portion of Tilghman Island, discharging about 150,000 gallons per day into the Chesapeake Bay. The county is seeking grant and loan funding to upgrade the plant to current nutrient removal technology. MDE has identified the plant as a priority minor wastewater treatment plant to be upgraded; funding could be available as early as July 2015.

The county is also reviewing sewer extensions to villages and environmentally sensitive areas. Talbot DPW is in the planning process and needs to complete applications for funding. DPW will conduct public meetings with citizens in areas where sewer will be extended, including a review potential infill development and out-of-pocket costs for residents. Needed policy work includes updates to the comprehensive plan, tier map, zoning ordinance, and the Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan.

WHY:

Neither the Region V wastewater treatment plant, nor the majority of septic systems on Tilghman Island are equipped to remove nutrient pollution from wastewater. An upgrade to the Region V plant, combined with targeted sewer line extensions to areas of clustered septic systems, is projected to reduce 12,500 pounds of nitrogen pollution (more than half of the county’s 2017 goal for septics).

ACTION NEEDED: Updates to planning & infrastructure policy

Following the comprehensive plan update, the County Council will need to introduce an update of the Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan identifying service areas and controls on new development, hold public hearing(s) on the draft, and adopt a plan for submission MDE for final approval.

Sector: Septic systems

Strategy: Sewer extension

Summary

Steps needed now to achieve interim clean water goals

Long-range actions to get the job done

Short term: closing the 2017 gap

Actions needed now:

- Adopt FY ‘16 capital appropriation ($100,000 to continue pilot projects)

- Apply for and prepare to fund USDA Rural Development loan application ($3M for top 150 ditch sites)

- Establish a coordinated septic maintenance program

- Update the county’s planning documents for sewer line extensions

Long term: putting the pieces in place

State and federal officials want local governments to focus on building capacity for future action.

This means:

• Identifying a plan to achieve 2025 final targets

• Improving maintenance and verification protocols

• Developing sustainable and reliable funding streams

Talbot County staff, with the assistance of local and regional watershed organizations are working to address these needs via:

• The Center for Watershed Protection’s Cost Optimization Tool

• A reporting system for clean water progress in Talbot County

• Viable models for ongoing funding

Eastern Shore OfficeAlan Girard, Director

Erik Fisher, AICP, Maryland Land Use Planner

Hilary Gibson, Eastern Shore Grassroots Field Specialist

Emily Harris, Program & Policy Intern

The Bullitt House

102 East Dover Street

Easton, MD 21601

410-543-1999

cbf.org/easternshore