Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) Approved: August 21, 2018
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Nine-Element Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategic (NPS-IS) Plan Cedar Creek: Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) Approved: August 21, 2018 Created by: The City of Toledo 348 South Erie Street Toledo, OH 43604 In consultation with: Hull & Associates, Inc. 219 South Erie Street Toledo, OH 43604 This page intentionally left blank Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Report Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Watershed Profile and History ............................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Public Participation and Involvement ................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 2: Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 Watershed Characterization and Assessment Summary 5 2.1 Summary Watershed Characterization for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 ...................... 5 2.1.1 Physical and Natural Features ...................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Land Use and Protection .............................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Summary of Biological Trends for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 .................................... 8 2.3 Summary of NPS Pollution Causes and Associated Sources for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Additional Information for Determining Critical Areas and Developing Implementation Strategies for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 ......................................................................................... 10 Chapter 3: Conditions and Restoration Strategies for Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 Critical Areas .................................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Overview of Critical Areas ................................................................................................................. 11 3.2 Critical Area 1: Conditions, Goals, and Objectives for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 ... 12 3.2.1 Detailed Characterization .......................................................................................................... 12 3.2.2 Detailed Biological Conditions ................................................................................................... 12 3.2.3 Detailed Causes and Associated Sources ................................................................................... 13 3.2.4 Outline Goals and Objectives for the Critical Area .................................................................... 13 3.3 Critical Area 2: Conditions, Goals, and Objectives for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 ... 14 3.3.1 Detailed Characterization .......................................................................................................... 14 3.3.2 Detailed Biological Conditions ................................................................................................... 15 3.3.3 Detailed Causes and Associated Sources ................................................................................... 15 3.3.4 Outline Goals and Objectives for the Critical Area .................................................................... 15 Chapter 4: Projects and Implementation Strategy ..................................................................................... 17 4.1 Overview Tables and Project Sheets for Critical Areas ..................................................................... 17 4.2 Critical Area 1: Overview Table and Project Sheet(s) for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-1217 4.2.1 Critical Area 1: Project and Implementation Strategy Overview Table ..................................... 18 4.2.2 Critical Area 1: Project Summary Sheet(s) ................................................................................. 20 4.3 Critical Area 2: Overview Table and Project Sheet(s) for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-1221 Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) iii 4.3.1 Critical Area 2: Project and Implementation Strategy Overview Table ..................................... 21 4.3.2 Critical Area 2: Project Summary Sheets ................................................................................... 23 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 26 Appendix A: Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................. 28 Appendix B: Index of Tables and Figures .................................................................................................... 30 Index of Tables ........................................................................................................................................ 30 Index of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) iv Acknowledgements The City of Toledo (City) extends our appreciation to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) for funding the preparation of this NPS-IS plan with Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Program grant funds and the many partners who came together to share input and propose projects for this HUC-12. This NPS-IS plan will help direct projects to expeditiously address nonpoint source impairments in the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12. This publication was financed through a grant from Ohio EPA and United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) with Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program funds. The contents and views, including any opinions, findings, or conclusions or recommendations, contained in this publication are those of the authors and have not been subject to any Ohio EPA or U.S. EPA peer or administrative review and might not reflect the views of the Ohio EPA or U.S. EPA, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) v Chapter 1: Introduction The U.S. EPA has identified nine critical elements for developing management plans to address impaired waters. These nine elements of the planning process are essential components generally required for watershed projects funded under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. A dynamic set of government, academic, non-profit, and industry partners is collaborating to develop Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategic (NPS-IS) plans for each 12-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC-12) within the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC; Figure 1). This NPS-IS plan, developed to address nonpoint source impairments in the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04), is one of two being authored by The City of Toledo in conjunction with local partners. Figure 1: The Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 is in eastern Lucas County within the Maumee Area of Concern. 1.1 Report Background The Maumee AOC was established in 1987 to address components of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement administered by the International Joint Commission (IJC). The Maumee Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Committee (comprised of local government, non-profit, academic, and business partners) came together to chart a path toward fishable and swimmable waters within the Maumee AOC. In 2006, the Maumee RAP outlined the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC) Stage 2 Watershed Restoration Plan to satisfy program requirements of the IJC, U.S. EPA, and State of Ohio. The plan never received full endorsement from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio EPA, pending the inclusion of Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Measures. In the interim, watershed planning and management programs have moved toward the nine-element concept developed by the U.S. EPA. The focus is now on developing NPS-IS plans, using the data collected for all individual HUC-12 watersheds within the Maumee AOC. This NPS-IS plan, specifically for the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12, has Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 (04100010 07 04) 1 been developed to address nonpoint source pollution and habitat issues within a portion of the Maumee AOC. Attainment of designated aquatic life use (ALU) is crucial for removing beneficial use impairments (BUIs) within subwatersheds and the entirety of the Maumee AOC. Based on the results of 2006 sampling, Williams Ditch was changed from the limited resource water (LRW) designation to the WWH designation. At its single Ohio EPA sampling point, the Wolf Creek-Frontal Lake Erie HUC-12 is in full attainment of the ALU for warmwater habitat (WWH). However, it is important to have a plan in place that will ensure the watershed and habitat can withstand future development and environmental changes. 1.2 Watershed