Five Mile River Watershed Based Plan Submitted by: AKRF, Inc. 307 Fellowship Road, Suite 214 Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Project 71120.4004 NJ12244 On behalf of: The South Western Regional Planning Agency 888 Washington Boulevard, 3rd Floor Stamford, CT 06901 July 27, 2012 Table of Contents Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................... vi Commonly Used Acronyms......................................................................................................... vii Commonly Used Terms ............................................................................................................. viii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... I Understanding The Land/Water Connection ............................................................................. I Reversing The Trend .................................................................................................................. II A Watershed Approach ............................................................................................................. II The Five Mile River Watershed Based Plan And The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Watershed Planning Process .................................................................................................... IV Watershed Based Plan Overview .............................................................................................. V How Much Is Enough? .............................................................................................................. X Implementing The Plan ............................................................................................................ XI Structural Best Management Practice Identification ............................................................... XI Reaching Out To Change Behaviors ........................................................................................ XII Monitoring Outcomes ............................................................................................................. XII Chapter 1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Need for A Watershed Based Plan ............................................................................................ 2 History of Planning for The Five Mile River ............................................................................... 4 Public Engagement & Steering Committee ............................................................................... 5 Plan Overview and Organization ............................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................................8 Watershed Characterization ..................................................................................................... 9 Stream Condition Assessment ................................................................................................. 14 Stream Condition Assessment Summary ................................................................................ 20 Pollutant Loading Analysis ....................................................................................................... 23 Point Source Loading ............................................................................................................... 28 i Use Designation and Existing Impairments ............................................................................. 28 Chapter 3 Pollution Load Reduction Targets ........................................................................... 33 Modeling Methods .................................................................................................................. 33 Model Results .......................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 4 Uses And Values ..................................................................................................... 40 Drinking Water ........................................................................................................................ 40 Recreation ............................................................................................................................... 40 Wastewater Conveyance ......................................................................................................... 41 Irrigation .................................................................................................................................. 41 Property Value ......................................................................................................................... 41 Environmental Diversity .......................................................................................................... 41 Wildlife Habitat ....................................................................................................................... 42 Aesthetics ................................................................................................................................ 42 Education ................................................................................................................................. 42 Open Space .............................................................................................................................. 42 Conveyance/Flood Plain Management ................................................................................... 42 Chapter 5 Management Goals & Strategies .............................................................................. 44 Management Goals ................................................................................................................. 45 Management Strategies .......................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 6 Plan Implementation ............................................................................................... 55 Subwatershed Targeting ......................................................................................................... 55 Identified Target Subwatersheds ............................................................................................ 56 Identified Management Actions .............................................................................................. 56 Chapter 7 Structural Best Management Practices ................................................................... 72 Structural Best Management Practice Identification .............................................................. 73 Estimated Pollutant Load Reductions ..................................................................................... 77 Chapter 8 Education & Outreach .............................................................................................. 80 Designing an Effective Campaign ............................................................................................ 80 ii Media Formats ........................................................................................................................ 81 Outreach and Education Goals ................................................................................................ 84 Strategies for Implementation ................................................................................................ 85 Chapter 9 Maintenance & Monitoring ...................................................................................... 92 Monitoring Approach .............................................................................................................. 92 Existing and Past Monitoring Programs .................................................................................. 94 Monitoring Parameters ........................................................................................................... 94 Monitoring Plan ....................................................................................................................... 97 References ............................................................................................................................... 102 Appendix A: Site-Specific Structural Best Management Practices Appendix B: Funding Opportunities Appendix C: Stream Visual Assessment Field Summaries iii List of Figures Figure 1. Regional Context ..................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 2. Land Use ................................................................................................................................ 12 Figure 3. Soil Drainage .......................................................................................................................... 13 Figure 4. The Impervious Cover Model ................................................................................................ 14 Figure 5. Aerial Image & Subwatersheds ............................................................................................. 17 Figure 6. Impervious Cover Analysis .................................................................................................... 18 Figure 7. Stream Visual Assessment Locations....................................................................................