Bacteria TMDL Development for the Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds
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Bacteria TMDL Development for the Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Smith River, Sandy Creek, and Sandy River Watersheds Submitted by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Prepared by and 2445 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 September 2008 Bacteria TMDLs for Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Smith River, Sandy Creek, and Sandy River Watersheds Executive Summary This report presents the development of bacteria TMDLs for the Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Sandy Creek, Sandy River, and Smith River watersheds. These water bodies were listed as impaired on Virginia’s 303(d) Total Maximum Daily Load Priority List and Reports (DEQ, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006) because of violations of the state’s water quality standards for E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria. Description of the Study Area The Dan River watershed is located within the borders of Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, and Pittsylvania counties in Virginia, as well as Caswell, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Stokes, and Surry counties in North Carolina. Within the watershed’s boundaries there are also the cities of Danville, Martinsville, and South Boston in Virginia. All impaired streams are located in the Dan River (USGS Cataloging Units 03010103 and 03010104). The entire Dan River watershed is approximately 2,117,103 acres. Impairment Description Segments of the Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Sandy Creek, Sandy River, and Smith River were listed as impaired for bacteria on Virginia’s 1996, 1998, 2002 and/or 2004 303(d) Total Maximum Daily Load Priority List and Reports (DEQ, 1996) due to violations of the state’s water quality standard for fecal coliform bacteria and/or E. coli. The impaired segments are located in the Dan River Basin in Virginia. The watershed is located in the hydrologic unit (HUC) 3010103. The impaired watersheds include portions of Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, and Pittsylvania counties in Virginia, as well as Caswell, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Stokes, and Surry counties in North Carolina. Executive Summary E-1 Bacteria TMDLs for Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Smith River, Sandy Creek, and Sandy River Watersheds One segment of the Dan River was identified as impaired for E. coli on VA DEQ’s 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. First listed as impaired in the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report, the upstream impaired segment (VAC-L60R-01) of the Dan River is 36.79 miles long and includes the Dan River from Country Line Creek to Cherry Branch near the base of the watershed. Between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2002, 5 of 13 samples (38%) collected at the listing station (4ADAN042.80) exceeded the E. coli instantaneous criterion of 235 cfu/100 mL, and 3 of 13 samples (23%) collected at the listing station (4ADAN015.30) exceeded the E. coli instantaneous criterion of 235 cfu/100 mL. The impaired segment of Blackberry Creek (VAW-L52R-02), which is 14.82 miles and includes the entire creek from its headwaters to the confluence of the Smith River, was first listed as having a bacteria impairment on the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report and is currently listed on the 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report for recreational use exceedances of the fecal coliform standard of 1000 cfu/100 ml. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, 3 out of 20 samples (15%) collected at the listing station (4ABRY000.05) exceeded the fecal coliform criterion of 1000 cfu/100 ml. The impaired segment of Byrds Branch (VAC-L62R-04) extends for 2.98 miles from its headwaters to the mouth of the Dan River. This segment is listed on the 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002 at the listing station (4ABYR002.13), 3 out of 9 fecal coliform samples (33%) exceeded the fecal coliform standard instantaneous of 400 cfu/100 ml, and at the listing station (4ABYR000.08), 4 out of 9 samples (44%) exceeded the fecal coliform instantaneous standard of 400cfu/ml. The impaired segment of Double Creek (VAC-L62R-03) was first listed on the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. This segment of Double Creek is impaired for fecal coliform for 8.28 miles, from its headwaters to the mouth of the Dan River. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, at the listing station (4ADBC002.19), 3 out of 28 samples (11%) collected exceeded the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria standard of 400 (cfu/100mL). Executive Summary E-2 Bacteria TMDLs for Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Smith River, Sandy Creek, and Sandy River Watersheds The impaired segment of Fall Creek (VAC-L61R-01) extends for 2.3 miles from the confluence of Little Fall Creek to the Dan River. This segment is listed on the 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, 5 out of 25 samples (20%) collected at station 4AFAL001.58 were recorded as exceeding the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria criterion of 400 (cfu/100mL). The impaired segment of Leatherwood Creek (VAW-L56R-01) extends 8.34 miles and was first listed for bacteria impairment on the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report and extends from the Martinsville City intake extending to the Smith River. Three out of 18 samples (16%) collected at listing station (4ALWD002.54) between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, exceeded the fecal coliform instantaneous standard of 400 cfu/100 mL. The impaired segment of Marrowbone Creek (VAW-L55R-01) was first listed on the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. This segment of Marrowbone Creek is impaired for bacteria for 4.33 miles, beginning at the Henry County PSA Wastewater Treatment Plant extending downstream to the confluence of the Smith River. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, at the listing station (4AMRR000.02), 4 out of 29 samples (14%) collected exceeded the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria standard of 400 (cfu/100mL). The impaired segment of the North Fork Mayo River (VAW-L46R-01) extends for 22.46 miles from the confluence of Laurel Branch and Polebridge Creek extending downstream to the Virginia-North Carolina state line. This segment is listed on the 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report with a bacteria impairment. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, two stations recorded fecal coliform violations. At station 4ANMR020.13, 3 out of 9 samples (33%) were recorded as exceeding the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria criterion of 400 (cfu/100mL), and at station 4ANMR002.60, 3 out of 25 samples (12%) were recorded as exceeding the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria criterion of 400 (cfu/100mL). Executive Summary E-3 Bacteria TMDLs for Dan River, Blackberry Creek, Byrds Branch, Double Creek, Fall Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Marrowbone Creek, North Fork Mayo River, South Fork Mayo River, Smith River, Sandy Creek, and Sandy River Watersheds The impaired segment of the South Fork Mayo River (VAW-L45R-01) extends for 10.86 miles from the mouth of Spoon Creek extending downstream to the Virginia-North Carolina state line. This segment is listed on the 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report with a bacteria impairment. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, station 4ASMR004.14 recorded 2 out of 16 samples (13%) as exceeding the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria criterion of 400 (cfu/100mL). The impaired segment of Sandy Creek (VAC-L59R-01), first listed in 2004, extends for 9.17 miles from its headwaters downstream to its confluence with Little Sandy Creek. This segment is impaired for fecal coliform. Between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002, at the listing station (ASCR007.06), 5 out of 25 samples (20%) collected exceeded the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria standard of 400 (cfu/100mL). The impaired segment of the Sandy River (VAC-L58R-01) was first listed on the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. This segment of the Sandy River is impaired for fecal coliform for 7.21 miles, beginning at the Hickory Forest Creek mouth and extending downstream to the confluence of the Dan River. Between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2002, 7 out of 25 samples (28%) collected at the listing station (4ASRV000.20) exceeded the instantaneous fecal coliform bacteria standard of 400 (cfu/100mL). Two segments of the Smith River were identified as impaired for bacteria on VA DEQ’s 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. Segment VAW-L54R- 01, the downstream segment extending fro 13.77 miles from the Martinsville Dam to the mouth of Turkey Pen Branch, was first listed as impaired in the 2002 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. Two stations recorded violations for this segment of the Smith River. Each station, 4ASRE021.58 and 4ASRE015.43, recorded 6 out of 35 (17%) sample violations between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002.